InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lemonade, Too ❯ Back to The Beach ( Chapter 11 )
Lemonade, Too
By Fujifunmum
Chapter 11: Back to the Beach
Kagome and Yash were the first passengers to deplane in LA. Yash had his arm around Kagome, holding her close as they made their way through the crowded concourse to the main terminal. They were both in very casual clothes, jeans and comfortable T-shirts and jackets. Yash was wearing a very soft black leather jacket and Kagome had on a cropped jeans jacket. They looked every bit the newlyweds they were as they walked through the crowds with their arms around each other. Their steps were in sync, their bodies fitting together like puzzle pieces, and their eyes only for each other.
He had asked Shippou to meet them at the gate, but he wasn't there. Yash kept an eye peeled for him as he discretely nodded to the private security guards he had hired to meet them and keep watch over Kagome for the duration. He tried to be discrete, wondering how long it would take her to catch on to the drastic security measures he had been taking for their safety since they had left Minnesota. In Nevada they'd been watching out for his human side, but now that they were back in Los Angeles and he had his strength back, they were concentrating on Kagome.
She hadn't mentioned anything in Nevada, but then the wedding and wedding night had been pretty distracting. It was not everyday you married the Elvis impersonator of your dreams dressed as his very own Priscilla. Yash still wasn't sure whether she had really hated the wedding he'd planned for her as much as she said she did. She hadn't hated it enough to refuse to marry him. She had seemed happy enough with his human half, too.
He smiled down at her, kissing her on the forehead when she felt his attention and looked up. When they reached the main baggage and ground transportation area of the terminal, he easily found the limo he'd arranged to take them home to their beach house. He was not pleased that Shippou had not shown up, but the driver privately handed him a message after Kagome had gotten into the back seat. He opened it quickly so he could read it out of her purview.
"Meet us at Kaede's," was all it said. He gave the driver the new destination address, indicating that the driver should also arrange for the proper changes in the security assignments as he got into the limo. He knew Kagome would be insistent that he finally answer all of her questions, so he didn't even bother to wait for her demands.
"We're going to Kaede's. The others will meet us there and we can plan our search for Toukijin."
"Who else will be there?"
"Shippou and Miroku for sure. Maybe Sango, too."
"Tell me more about Toukijin, Yash. I know it's your brother's sword, but where did he get it and why is it so dangerous?"
"Keh. The Asshole couldn't stand it that our father gave me Tetsusaiga. I told you, he doesn't appreciate Tenseiga and has always envied Tetsusaiga, feeling our father slighted him by not giving it to him, the rightful heir."
"Yeah, you told me that part. Where does Toukijin come in?"
"The Asshole tried to steal Tetsusaiga from me for years. He attacked me whenever we met and tried to kill me several times in an effort to take the sword for himself. He's such an idiot. He can't even touch Tetsusaiga, let alone wield it. Tetsusaiga can only be transformed by a hanyou. You have to have human blood to even hold it."
"That doesn't narrow down the pool of thieves much in a city as large as Los Angeles."
"No shit. Anyway, the Asshole couldn't steal it from me so he tried to get the same swordsmith that made the swords out my father's fangs to make him a new sword, one that would kill. Toutousai was a piece of work, but he wouldn't help Sesshoumaru by making him another sword. Unfortunately, he had a loser apprentice named Kaijinbou. Sesshoumaru found him after Toutousai tossed him out and got him to agree to make the sword."
"It isn't made of your father's fang, is it?"
"No. Both my father's fangs were already used for Tetsusaiga and Tensaiga, and my father's fang would never hunt for my blood the way Toukijin does. I fought and defeated an evil demon, Goshinki. That demon had a huge set of fangs that were actually able to break Tetsusaiga. Tetsusaiga was repaired using one of my fangs, but the Asshole found out about it and took Goshinki's fang to Kaijinbou and demanded he make him a sword. He even used Tensaiga to bring the fang back to life so it would make a powerful killing sword."
"If he was so mad for this sword, why would he lose it so easily?"
"That was a long time ago. You saw him, he's into leather these days, not steel. Anyway, Kaijinbou tried to steal the sword after he made it, but it overpowered him and possessed him. Anyone who comes in contact with it is either killed or possessed. As far as I know, only my Asshole brother is strong enough to wield it."
"Why does it search for your blood?"
"Keh. Because I killed Goshinki, of course."
"So how do we find it and contain it without it killing you?"
"That's why we're going to Kaede's, bitch."
Kagome didn't have time to ask more, as they had already reached Kaede's. Yash instructed the limo to wait, no matter how long it took. That surprised her until she noticed the same kind of small, discrete earpiece that the security guards had worn at the Elvis Chapel of Love. As she got out of the back of the limo, she noticed some plainclothes security personnel parked across the street. She knew they'd been closely watched during their entire stay in Las Vegas. In fact, even since they'd left Minneapolis, wherever she'd looked, there had been security around them. She hadn't mentioned it to Yash; he must be very worried about his life if he was employing security forces even at Kaede's. Her strong Miko aura should have been enough to warn him of any danger.
It was late afternoon so they took off their shoes and made their way down to the beach. They could see Kaede's small beach fire from the front of her house. There were two figures seated by her, so they were not the first of their small group to arrive.
Shippou and Miroku both rose to greet Kagome and Yash, welcoming them back home. Kagome gave them an equally warm welcome. She was very glad to be back in LA.
Turning to Miroku, she inquired, "Where's Sango? Will she be joining us?"
Miroku just snorted. "Fat chance. Yash the slave-driver has had us all working 24/7 since Saturday, Kagome. Even if Sango does finally finish the Herculean task Yash gave her, she just might want to spend a few minutes either sleeping or making the last minute plans for our wedding. You haven't forgotten that it's only five days away, have you?" Miroku had been leaning on his staff, but now he held up his hand showing five fingers as a visual aid for Yash and Kagome.
"Of course I haven't forgotten, Miroku," Kagome assured him. "I had the last fitting for my dress before I left for Wisconsin."
Miroku eyed her still slender waist. "I suppose it will still fit for a little while longer, eh?"
"Keh," said Yash and Kagome at the same time.
"Enough. We can catch up on this stuff later. We need to find a way to contain Toukijin. Have you and Kaede come up with a plan?"
"Yes, Lord Inu Yasha," Miroku said, rolling his eyes and shaking his shakujou, his staff, so that the lilting ringing of metal on metal signaled the call to order of their little band. Then he smacked Inu Yasha over the head with it. "Have a little patience, would you? We've been doing as you asked, give us a chance to tell you about it."
"Oi! That hurts! Just tell me what you and Kaede-baba have decided."
Kaede spoke up next, ignoring Inu Yash's glares as she continued to tend her fire and work on her beach glass as if he weren't there. "Miroku and I have considered your request, Inu Yasha. It is possible that if we combine our powers we could contain Toukijin in a confined space and protect those who come near from its powers. However, how do you plan to get it to a place where we can contain it? I don't think you really want us to keep it lodged in your chest, do you?" She gave him a brief tolerant look with this last statement.
"Keh. I'm not letting that sword do that again. It hurt too fucking much. What about the Jewel? Can Kagome use the Shikon no Tama to control it?"
"I don't know. It's possible. However, the Shikon no Tama is currently pure, having been contained within Kagome and kept in her care ever since." Kaede paused and pointedly stared at Yash, reaching over to give a tug to his prayer beads. "If the Jewel comes in contact with an evil sword such as Toukijin, the results could be disastrous."
"Couldn't I just purify it again?" Kagome spoke up for the first time, smiling warmly at her mentor and friend.
"Only if it's still in your possession. What if someone possessed by Toukijin, or worse yet, wielding Toukijin, takes the Shikon no Tama? Their power would be fearsome. If they use the power of the Jewel after it has been tainted by the sword, it could produce limitless evil."
Miroku and Kaede exchanged a knowing look. "Kaede and I can only think of one person who aspires to such evil and may also have the strength to use the sword."
"My Asshole brother doesn't want the Jewel, he wants more adoring fans. I just saw him and he didn't even mention the Jewel."
"We're not talking about Sesshoumaru." Kaede said patiently.
"But he's the only one with the strength to wield Toukijin."
"Is he?" Kaede continued to tend her fire, waiting for Yash to step outside the sand box and catch their drift. He was usually the first to figure things out - except when his brother was involved, then he was totally focused on Sesshoumaru.
"Onigumo," said Shippou, at the exact same moment that Yash said, "Naraku."
They looked at each other with equally wide eyes. A formidable sword wielded by a formidable enemy. That was not what either the fox demon or the hanyou wanted to hear. Yash ran his clawed fingers through his hair as he considered the ramifications. He pulled Kagome a little closer to him on the sand. He didn't like the way things were going. He didn't like it one bit.
Kaede saw the possessive movement and decided that now was the time to test the suspicions she had harbored as she watched Yash and Kagome approach on the beach. "Inu Yasha. Kagome. I would like to read both of you, will you permit it?"
The couple exchanged a wondering glance, but they had no secrets from any of the close friends gathered around them, even if they hadn't shared the news of the Marking and their marriage yet.
"Make it quick, Kaede-baba! We need to make a plan to find Naraku and Toukijin as soon as possible. No one is safe if he is using that damn sword." He leaned over and gave Kaede an arm, holding tight to Kagome with the other one.
Kaede held his arm over the sands in the brilliant sunset. Using the glow of the sun and her small fire to light her "reading", she examined his arm, following the glow of his aura over his entire body. Then she signaled for Kagome to come over to her. Kagome went to her other side, and gave her a quick hug before knelling, extending her arm and returning Kaede's warm welcoming smile. The two Mikos were very easy with each other. Kagome knew what Kaede would find and felt sure of her approval of the Marking.
Kaede finished examining her favorite Miko student, then brushed her cheek with great affection. "You used the Jewel to enhance the Marking. Well done, Kagome. Your powers are nearly complete." Turning to Yash she continued, "And the Marking agrees with you, too, Inu Yasha. My congratulations on completing the full cycle after so many tragic failed attempts." She paused significantly, reaching out to take one of Kagome's hands in hers. Then she took one of Yash's hands in her other hand.
"There is an undertone to the Marking. One that is not of your aura, Inu Yasha, or yours, Kagome. It is the aura of a very strong and old soul, augmented by another. The weaker aura is most certainly human, but it melds with the other aura, and tempers it to give it enhanced strength. Did something unusual occur during the Marking?" She directed this last question to Kagome.
"I don't know if it was unusual, but it was certainly surprising to me. After the joining of our souls and the waves of power had washed through us, another wave came over us, almost like a backwash, an undercurrent or a riptide. It, too, flowed through us and afterwards I felt the brief presence of Sesshoumaru and Rin. Then it was gone."
Kaede turned her attention to Yash, who nodded his head to agree with his mate's description of the aftermath of their Marking.
"Well, then, it is settled. We have our answer. Let's return to the house."
Kagome looked to Miroku, who merely shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. Then she looked from Shippou to Yash, but neither of them seemed to understand, either. Shrugging her shoulders at their inquiring glances, she stood, picked up Kaede's beach stones and began to follow her back to the house.
"Let's go. Bring the rest of Kaede's things, Yash. Shippou, douse this fire. Come on Miroku, we won't find out by waiting down here. I'm sure Kaede will enlighten us when we get back to the house."
Once they were settled on the deck, Kaede served them lemonade and iced tea and they watched the spectacular sunset. They waited, rather impatiently, for her to join them and reveal what she had learned from the reading. Yash, of course, was the most impatient, trying vainly to hurry her along.
"Come on baba! Tell us what the Marking has to do with Toukijin. Every minute that sword is out there is a terrible danger to everyone."
"Especially anyone with your blood, eh?"
Yash frowned, he did not like Kaede's choice of words one bit, and looked at Kagome to see if she had been alarmed. She was looking at him, her eyes full of concern for his safety. He saw no hint of fear in them as yet.
"I'll take care of my blood, baba, just tell us already."
Kaede looked pointedly at Kagome, but the dark cloud over Yash's face as he watched her dissuaded her from saying more. She just sighed, sat down and sipped on her lemonade. Then she explained what she had learned from the reading.
"Inu Yasha, you and Kagome successfully combined your auras during the Marking, but you did something more. You also absorbed part of another pair of combined auras. Kagome says it felt like Sesshoumaru and Rin. If that's true, then both you and Kagome have absorbed part of their aura. Likewise, they have absorbed part of your combined auras."
"What does this have to do with Toukijin, baba?" Yash demanded through clenched teeth, his patience completely at an end.
Kaede turned to fully face Kagome. "Have I mentioned he's an idiot, especially when it comes to you or Sesshoumaru?" Then, before Yash could completely lose it, she spelled it out for him. "Inu Yasha, now that your aura has combined with Kagome's, she can't hurt you and you can't hurt her, right?"
"Right. So fucking what? You know I'd never hurt Kagome and the bitch only wants to hurt me when she forgets to be submissive."
"Let's not go there, shall we? We have enough problems without taking on marriage counseling for newlyweds. Nice rings, Kagome. Not all of his taste is in his mouth, eh?"
"Baba! Have you gone totally senile on me? What the fuck are you telling me?"
"Simply this, Yash. Sesshoumaru can't hurt you and you can't hurt him. Rin's in the equation, too, but the important consideration is this: if Sesshoumaru can wield the killing sword Toukijin with his strength and his aura, and now you have that aura, too…."
"I can wield Toukijin!"
"At last. We have a winner." Kaede sipped on her lemonade, totally ignoring the jubilant hanyou beside her.
August 7, 2003