InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ It Must Be Destiny ❯ Chapter 14

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 14

Amber glared up at him. (“You need to stop doing that.”)

Inusouta grinned. (“Stop what? Kissing you? What if I refuse?”)

If she had been youkai she would've growled. (“I was right. You are a bad dog.”)

He laughed. Amber rolled her eyes. (“Shall we go?”) he asked as he walked toward the door.

Still scowling, she grabbed a folder off the kitchen counter and picked up her purse and keys. (“Fine. Get out of the way so I can lock my door.”)

Pulling her key out of the lock, she turned to head down the hallway.

(“Did you close your bedroom window?”)

She froze. How in the hell… Ever so slowly she turned to him. Blue sparks nearly shot from her eyes. (“How…”) she hissed, (“did you know my bedroom window was open?”)

He winced. His youkai winced. You, my friend, are one dead dog.

Shaddup.

(“I… could feel the breeze?”) he replied with a weak smile.

She mulled that over for a moment. That's probable. No reason to go flying off the handle on false suspicions.

Thank you for that. Although…I know you're wishing that he had come in through your window last night.

So? Only you and I know that. Therefore, it will remain a wish.

She seemed to accept that, so Inusouta relaxed. (“Let's go. My okaasan and neesans really miss you.”)

Wistfulness filled her gaze. (“I… have missed them too.”)

Once they were outside, Amber groaned as she spied his motorcycle. (“Can't you drive a car like normal people?”)

He gave her another devastating grin. (“I am not normal, so no- I can't.”)

Sighing, she put on the proffered helmet and climbed on behind him, sidesaddle because of her short skirt. Bloody hell. Now I have to put my arms around him or else I'm going to go flying.

Quit complaining. You know you'd die to touch him again anyway.

Sliding his sunglasses over his topaz eyes, he started the engine, revving it a little. (“You ready?”) he called back.

Heaving a huge sigh to brace herself, she nodded, wrapping her arms around his slender waist as tightly as she dared. I hate this I hate this I hate this I hate this…

She let out a yelp as he took off, heading across the city towards the Higurashi shrine.

Back home…

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

(“Amber-chan! You're back!”) Kagome cried as she enveloped the American girl in a motherly hug. (“We've missed you so much!”)

Amber awkwardly hugged the older woman back. (“Um… thank you, Kagome-san.”)

Kagome beamed at her as she released her. She was dressed comfortably in jean shorts and a dark green sweatshirt. “Come! We'll have some tea and you can tell us all about what you've been doing these last few months.”

The young girl followed the miko into the house, trailed by Inusouta. She paused when she saw Inusouta's father sitting at the table, dressed in a red haori and hakama. Two white dog ears poked out of the top of his silver-white hair. Those faint lavender jagged stripes were still on his cheeks- apparently they had something to do with his mixed heritage.

So…that's where Inusouta gets his hanyou blood from.

She gave Inuyasha a tentative smile as she bowed. (“Konnichiwa, Inuyasha-dono, sir. It's good to see you again.”)

“Keh! I told you to call me Inuyasha, wench. None of that 'dono' or `sir' crap.”)

Kagome gave him a Look. (“Inuyasha… don't call her a wench. She's a very nice girl and you need to be polite.”)

(“She's a female and therefore a wench, wench,”) he retorted.

(“Osuwari!”) his mate said dryly.

Amber stared in mute surprise at the flattened hanyou on the floor. (“Wow… that was quite a trick, Kagome-san.”)

(“It comes in very handy sometimes,”) she agreed.

The younger girl's gaze drifted to the black-haired man behind her. I wonder if that will work on him…

He raised an eyebrow as he guessed at her thoughts. “Don't even think it. The only reason Okaasan can do that is because of the rosary around Otousan's neck.”

(“Curses. Foiled again.”)

Kagome laughed. (“It's so good to have you back, Amber-chan. Truly, Inusouta hasn't been the same since you left.”)

The man in question turned a strange shade of red. (“Okaasan…”) he said in a somewhat strangled voice.

Two high-pitched squeals cut through the air, causing Inuyasha's ears to flatten against his head, much the same way his face was flattened against the floor. Amber looked up just in time to be glomped by Izayoi and Suki.

(“She's back! Oh, thank Kami, you're back!”) they squealed, squeezing her in two tight hugs.

(“Um… Konnichiwa to you too,”) she managed to say as the breath was squeezed out of her.

They let her go and as one turned on their older brother. (“If you hadn't been such a stubborn baka, she never would've left!”) Izayoi flared.

(“Yeah!”) Suki added, glaring at him fiercely- for a 14-year-old girl, that is. (“You and your big mouth!”)

Amber just stood there, silently bemused. I feel like I'm missing something. (“Um… can I ask a question?”)

Everyone's attention drifted back to her. Even Inuyasha managed to pull himself out of his faceplant and into a seated position again. (“Cough it up, girl,”) he said.

She flushed slightly. (“Well… Obviously your otousan is a hanyou… and I know Inusouta-kun is one as well… does that mean that you two are hanyous as well?”) she asked the two girls.

They exchanged a glance. (“Yup. All three of us change at sundown,”) Suki replied with a grin. She shot her father a jealous look. (“Only Chichi gets to be a hanyou all the time.”)

Izayoi raised a perfect eyebrow. (“Does that bother you?”)

Amber smiled. (“Not in the least. I think it's absolutely wonderful.”)

Kagome walked over and gave the girl a squeeze around her shoulders. (“I knew you would. Now- tell us everything you've found out about your ancestors, and then we'll see if we can help you.”)

The golden-haired girl allowed herself to be led to the table as everyone took a cup and a seat. Kagome poured as Amber pulled out her folder.

(“All the information I've gathered so far I've put in here. I told Inusouta that I found a couple that apparently lived in a small village in the south of Japan. The man's name was Kohaku and his wife's name was Kuri. They had a daughter, whom they named Kohaku. I believe that they may be the ones I'm looking for.”)

Kagome pulled the family tree sheet out of the folder. Amber had duplicated the original document beautifully, making each name clear and concise.

The birthdates of Kohaku and his wife Kuri indicated that they were both only 15 years old when their daughter was born. Not extremely unusual, given that most girls back then were married by the time they turned 15.

Something caught Kagome's attention. The date of their daughter Kohaku's birth was only eight months after Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, and Kagome had defeated Naraku almost 19 years ago, Sengoku Jidai time.

Inusouta pointed to the blank spot next to the daughter's name, where her husband's name should have been. (“Where is the husband?”) he asked Amber. Inuyasha's acute eyes noticed the blue stripe on his son's arm and gave him a sharp look.

The girl shook her head. (“His name wasn't mentioned. They had a son, as you can see, whom they named Kohaku as well, and then proceeded to have three more children. That son had a son, and so on, until it reaches my hiibaba- my great-grandmother.”)

She reached into the folder and pulled out several other sheets, expanding on the tree throughout the generations and centuries. She lifted another sheet, placing it on top of the others, this one obviously written by another hand. (“My obaasan showed this to me often. It only goes back as far as my great-great grandfather, but it was enough to make me think they are part of the same tree.”)

Inusouta peered at the paper, taking note of Amber's parents' names. Anabelle Marie Travis, a.k.a. “Belle.” Christopher Alan Ryoushi. A line connecting the two branched off, listing only one child: Kohaku (Amber) Ariana Ryoushi. Obviously, Amber's father wasn't the first-born of his generation, but Amber herself was the first of hers.

He smiled to himself. Amber Ariana Hunter. A name as beautiful as she is.

Wouldn't take much to change it to Amber Ariana Higurashi, now, would it?

Stop that.

Kagome exchange a meaningful glance with Inuyasha. He nodded. (“Okay, pups. Your okaasan and I will look into this. You three stay here and see if you can find out the name of the missing guy.”)

Amber looked at them in confusion. (“Um, excuse me? Where are you going?”)

Kagome smiled. (“To go visit some old friends. We might be gone until tomorrow, no later than the day after. You can stay here, if you like.”)

She blinked as the hanyou and his wife stood up, Inuyasha picking up the old sword resting the corner by the door and sliding it through hole in the left side of his hakama. Kagome opened the closet door and pulled out an old yellow backpack, filled with God-only-knew-what.

After they had left, closing the door behind them, Amber turned to the three not-quite-hanyous in front of her. (“Are any of you going to tell me where they're going?”)

Inusouta gave her a smile. (“Denied. They will let you know what they found out when they get back. Now… if my ravishing twin would be so kind as to cook up some lunch, I'd be eternally grateful.”)

Izayoi raised an eyebrow at her schmoozing brother. (“Why are you talking differently, unclaimed-whelp-of-Ojisan-Sesshy? You don't sound like yourself.”)

Amber blinked. Ojisan Sesshy? What kind of name is that?

He snorted. (“I sound exactly like myself. Now get up, wench, and make us some of your famous okonomiyaki.”)

Izayoi looked like she wanted to throw something at her brother. (“Now you're starting to sound like Chichi. I am not a wench!”)

Amber looked at Suki. (“What is… okonomiyaki?”)

The younger girl grinned. (“Japanese pancakes. You'll love `em.”)

The American looked skeptical. I wonder…

(“Have you guys ever had tacos?”)

The three siblings looked at her as if she had grown another head. (“Say what? What's a taco?”) Inusouta asked, perplexed.

She grinned. (“Do you guys have any ground beef, or don't you eat that?”)

Izayoi exchanged a look with Suki. (“We have some in the fridge… why?”)

(“I'm going to make us some lunch. California style.”)