InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lost in the Past ❯ Chapter 15 ( Chapter 15 )

Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi

 

 

Lost in the Past, Chapter 15

 

 

“Sss!” Inuyasha hissed and threw up an arm to halt Kazuki. To his credit, the boy stopped instantly and didn't move a muscle. Training with Shippo was paying off, obviously. They were almost back to the slayer village. Inuyasha jumped straight up into the branches of a sturdy tree. Kazuki followed right behind him.

 

A few minutes later a band of wolves trotted past thirty feet below. Inuyasha wrinkled his nose in distaste while Kazuki eyed him questioningly. Why were they hiding from wolves? Then Kazuki's nose caught it, too, the scent of wolf mixed with the scent of youkai. Following the wolves, two youkai panted as they carried a makeshift litter with a third youkai, this one a female, and obviously very pregnant, in between them. Two smaller wolf-youkai ran alongside.

 

Kazuki held his breath until they had all passed, noticing that his Dad did the same. Who were these wolf-youkai that even his Dad was afraid of them? He asked his father, who forgot all about being quiet as he roared, “WHAT?!”

 

A scurrying in the leaves below reminded them they weren't necessarily out of earshot. One of the wolf cubs had come back to investigate the noise. He stopped directly beneath their tree and peered up through the leafy branches. Inuyasha tensed.

 

“Daichi!” A voice rang out from farther down the path.

 

The young wolf cub cast one last glance up into the tree and reluctantly turned to follow the voice. “I'm coming!” he shouted back.

 

Kazuki rocked back on his heels far above. Daichi. Wasn't that the name of Hiroshi's friend? The one who was youkai? He looked longingly after the departing boy. “Dad? Why were we hiding?”

 

Inuyasha figured it was time he told Kazuki the truth. “Kazuki, you know how Tetsusaiga can transport us to a different place, this place?” Kazuki nodded. “Well, it's not only a different place but a different time, too. We traveled back five hundred years into the past.”

 

“Cool!” said Kazuki.

 

Inuyasha sighed. “Not so cool. Youkai live a long time. Your Uncle Sesshomaru, and Uncle Shippo, and Kouga and Ayame all live here, in this time, but they think your mother and I are dead. They don't know we just went to the future—the time we live in at home. So we have to be very careful not to let them see us while we're here. I wasn't hiding,” he finished defensively.

 

“But why?”

 

Sometimes Inuyasha wondered the same thing. Would it really be so bad if they changed the future by changing just this one little thing in the past? Probably. “If they find out we are still alive in this time, they might do something, or not do something, or we might, that would change things in the future. Things like me meeting your mother, which would mean no you, and no Mayumi.” It was simplistic, and didn't go into the horror of what would happen if he and Kagome had never met. He would still be pinned to the tree, youkai and humans would be mortal enemies, and Naraku would eventually have survived into the twenty-first century where he would have free reign and access to the whole jewel through an unsuspecting Kagome who would have had no one to protect her. No, things had happened the way they had for a reason, even if he still didn't know all of it yet.

 

“Oh, I get it!” said Kazuki. “Like on the cartoons.”

 

“Exactly! What? No, not like on the cartoons. This is real!” Inuyasha scratched behind his ear and searched for the right words. Kazuki had to understand how important this was. “Look, all you gotta know is you can't tell anybody about your mother and me,” Inuyasha finally said, distilling the problem down to its simplest component. “That means being careful around youkai you think you know, like Shippo, or your Uncle Sesshomaru, or those wolves.”

 

“But I don't know those wolves,” said Kazuki wistfully. “I don't have to hide from them.”

 

“I told you, I wasn't hiding!” Inuyasha said indignantly, then he said more softly, “But you're my kid. They might recognize something familiar in your scent. Better to just avoid them.”

 

He started off towards the village again, trailing behind the wolves who were headed the same way. Damn! What rotten luck! At least Kouga wasn't with them. He wondered briefly what would possess Kouga to leave his pregnant wife in the care of his inept subordinates. The wolf youkai didn't really expect his young sons to guard her, did he? When he thought it through, thinking in terms of what he himself would do in a similar situation, he concluded that Kouga must be somewhere nearby. This complicated matters. He had to get back to Kagome.

 

“Come on, we have to hurry,” he told his son. They outpaced the wolf pack, skirting around their flank so that their scent, garbled as it was, wouldn't be noticeable. Inuyasha had no concerns that either Ginta or Hakkaku would figure it out, but he didn't want the kid to pick up their scent and try to follow them.

 

Inuyasha used his nose to track Kagome and his daughter. Mayumi's distinct blend of dirt and bean-paste was unmistakeable. He didn't see the need for the gate, and hopped over the back wall near where their scent was strongest. Shippo and Kouga were both in the village already.

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome stood up and flung herself into Inuyasha's arms. “You're back! Shippo and Kouga—”

 

“Shh, it's all right, I know,” he told her, stroking her hair lightly. “What's going on?”

 

Kagome told him about the Naming Ceremony for Rin and Kohaku's twin sons. “Sesshomaru and the others are on their way. They should be here in another day or two. I was worried you might run into them on your way back.”

 

Inuyasha scoffed at that. “Like that would happen.”

 

“Mom, mom, mama,” Kazuki reverted to his childhood name for her when Kagome didn't immediately acknowledge him. “Look at my sword.” He held up his new sword for her inspection.

 

“That's wonderful, Kazuki!” she said. “Just be very careful with it, Ok?”

 

Kazuki rolled his eyes. Mothers. He took out the sword and swished it around inside the hut a few times. “It's just like Daddy's,” he said. “Totosai said so.”

 

Kagome glanced at Inuyasha. He grimaced. “Yeah, well, the old coot used some shavings from Tetsusaiga to make Kazuki's sword. It won't automatically have Tetsusaiga's powers. He told me Kazuki's gonna have to learn how to use it on his own!” he said in defense as Kagome's eyes narrowed dangerously.

 

A commotion from the village center interrupted their conversation. Kagome peeked outside. “I wonder what's happening now,” she said.

 

“Oh, that. Ayame and the wolf pack are at the front gate. She's about ready to pop,” Inuyasha said. “I'm surprised Kouga let her come.”

 

“She's pregnant? Oh, I hope it's a girl,” Kagome said. “Kouga was so good with Mayumi. He'd be great with his own daughter if it's a girl.”

 

“Wait a minute! Kouga saw Mayumi? How did that happen?” Inuyasha rushed over to his daughter and picked her up, sniffing her carefully. “Damn! She just smells like food,” he muttered to himself. Mayumi giggled.

 

“Yes, and he offered her his son in marriage when she grows up,” Kagome said, laughing at the expression on Inuyasha's face. “He didn't know who she was!”

 

“Who, Daichi?” asked Kazuki. He really wanted to meet this boy who was going to marry his sister some day. “How come Mayumi gets to see him?”

 

“Nobody gets to see anybody!” Inuyasha stated. “Kazuki, put that sword away. There's no room in here.”

 

Scowling, Kazuki sheathed his new sword and sat down cross-legged on the floor. He folded his arms across his chest and pouted, eliciting another laugh from his mother, who immediately saw the resemblance to Inuyasha in her son's pose.

 

Inuyasha sat down too, pulling Kagome and Mayumi both down with him. “Might as well get comfortable,” he said.

 

Kagome turned in his arms. “Shouldn't we go home?” she asked. “Now that we're all back, can't we use Tetsusaiga and go back to our own time? We've been lucky so far. Neither Shippo nor Kouga have figured out who we are. But our luck won't hold forever. I'm worried that Sesshomaru will be able to pierce through the masking smells and discover us.”

 

“Keh, you give him too much credit,” Inuyasha objected. “Besides,” he leaned back and put his hands behind his head. “It's just getting interesting.”

 

 

Sango discovered them, all piled together, asleep, when she brought Kagome her dinner. She stumbled a little in surprise. Golden eyes pierced through the gloom as Inuyasha calmly regarded her. “There's not much else to do,” he said softly in explanation.

 

“Inuyasha,” Sango whispered. “What are you doing here?” She laid down the tray of food and backed out of the hut. “I'm going to get Miroku.”

 

“You do that,” agreed Inuyasha, closing his eyes for a few more minutes.

 

“Inuyasha.” The door slid open and Miroku ducked inside, followed closely by Sango. Nap time was over. In Miroku's hand was a sheaf of papers, sutras which he had written out. They were clearly meant to bind a demon. Inuyasha could feel the power pulsing off them.

 

“Does my brother know you still use those?” he asked conversationally. Kagome stirred, and sat up beside him. Mayumi whimpered and buried her head in the warm spot Kagome had just vacated. Her little bottom stuck straight up in the air.

 

Miroku stuffed the sutras back into his shirt. “He knows there are times when these are necessary,” he replied. “Inuyasha, you have to leave. Too many people here remember you. If you leave now, I won't have to use these sutras.”

 

“And just what were you planning to do with them?” asked Inuyasha in a low voice.

 

Miroku arched his brows. “Why, I'd seal you in this hut until our guests have left, what else did you think I would do?”

 

“Is that so?” Inuyasha's voice took on a dangerous quality.

 

“Oh, stop it, Inuyasha,” said Kagome sharply. “I already told Miroku he couldn't seal us in here. Let's just go home, all right?” She stood and put her arms around Inuyasha's neck. “It's time to go home.”

 

Inuyasha leaned back into her touch, but he kept his gaze focused on Miroku. “I'll go home when I'm ready. And I'm not ready yet.”

 

“Honestly, Inuyasha,” said Kagome. “What could you possibly be waiting for?”

 

Inuyasha grinned. “Sesshomaru.”

 

Miroku threw up his hands. He took out the stack of sutras and laid them on a shelf. “You reason with him, Kagome. Sometimes I think he has a death wish.”

 

“What am I supposed to do with these?” she asked Miroku, as he and Sango turned to go.

 

“You know how to use them,” he called back. “Do what you have to do.”

 

Kazuki glanced apprehensively after his retreating aunt and uncle. He didn't like it when grown-ups argued. “Daddy?” he asked. “Is Uncle Miroku mad at us?”

 

“Nah, I'll talk to him,” he told his son. “I was just giving him a hard time.”

 

“Really?” asked Kagome, who was worried herself. “You didn't mean all that about waiting for Sesshomaru?”

 

“Oh, I'm going to wait for him,” Inuyasha explained. “I ain't gonna let him see me, but I'm gonna see him!”

 

Kagome stared at her husband. “You just want to see if you can do it!” she accused him.

 

Inuyasha grinned. “That's right.” He caught the bowl she threw at him and dove at her, catching her around the waist and dragging her to the floor. Mayumi screamed with laughter and jumped on the two of them. After a moment's hesitation, Kazuki jumped in, too, and soon all three of them were giggling with laughter as Inuyasha tickled them.

 

After they had eaten the supper Sango had brought, Mayumi needed to go potty again. Kagome explained to Inuyasha how she would only go in one certain spot, and he didn't argue at all about it except to tell her she couldn't go. “Kazuki, you take your sister,” he instructed instead.

 

Kazuki was glad to go. He was very tired of being stuck indoors with nothing to do. “Come on, Mayumi,” he said, taking her by the hand. He had replaced the scarf around his head and slipped his boots back on.

 

“Be careful!” Kagome whispered.

 

“Take your time,” Inuyasha added.

 

“Are you sure they'll be safe?” Kagome asked.

 

Inuyasha keh'd, and quickly pinned Kagome to the wall and kissed her. The kids should be gone just long enough.