InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Matchmaker ❯ Grounded ( Chapter 1 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: darkjewel 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 01.21.2006 | Updated On: 01.29.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Comedy | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 01.21.2006 | Updated On: 01.29.2006 | Pages: 3 | Words: 2.6K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Work In Progress
A/N: As promised, here is the continuation of Nothing Left to Lose. If you have not read my first one, here is a brief synopsis: Kagome and Sesshomaru are mates, they had a daughter named Mizuki, Rin is a natural fighter and is friends with Merkamou, the lord of the southern lands. I do recommend reading the first one though, or this may lose you a bit. This is going to have a different feel, a bit more zany. I’ve probably been watching too many Ranma ½ lately. Don’t worry, I’ll still deal with the serious stuff, but beware of chaos and large numbers of characters bouncing off of each other. R&R nice and early if you think the plot needs to be moved, or you’ll be stuck with whatever my twisted mind comes up with. Anyways, I don’t own any of the original characters. Let the three ring circus begin!
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The pup looked out her window, looking for anyone who would recognize or stop her. Seeing the grounds clear of authority figures she slipped out and darted to a tree. While nowhere near as fast as an adult youkai she was still pretty quick. Her ears twitched as she listened for any sign that the guards had caught on.
Darting across the courtyard the pup ran all the way to the stables. Once inside she was able to breathe again. Twin growls greeted her when she slipped into the stall with the dragon. “Hi, An-Un! Did you miss me?”
Both heads lowered down to nuzzle the pup.
“Want some exercise? Big sister has been gone all week with Aunt Sango. You must be so bored.”
The dragon watched with a content expression as a saddle was dragged into the stall. The pup was rather small to be handling the heavy tack, but she used some crates to reach the dragon’s back. The bridle was easier, since An-Un lowered both heads to help the pup.
Her heart pounding in her chest, the youngster climbed into the saddle. She took up the reins, for the first time on her own. “Come on, An-Un. I’ll show them that I’m big enough to ride you by myself.”
The dragon walked out of the stable and gave a big stretch. With a tap on his sides, An-Un took to the air, his tiny rider squealing with delight.
*~*~*~*
“My lady?”
Kagome glanced up from her paperwork. Her son took advantage of her distraction to grab her carefully written letter and stuff it in his mouth.
“No, Katsuro! Not food!” The pup giggled and waved his hands as Kagome pulled the paper away from him. She looked back to the guard. “Hai?”
“It’s Mizuki-sama, my lady.”
“Please do not tell me that my daughter has escaped again.”
“Well, umm. . . “
“Why do we even bother trying to keep a guard with her. Kumo, we have to find Mizuki again. Can you take Katsuro?” Kagome handed her son off to her assistant and stormed from the room. “Really, you would think that watching an eight year old pup would not be that difficult. How did she get away this time?”
“She was taking her nap, and I did check on her! I thought she had been sleeping an awfully long time, so I went to wake her and . . . “ The guard trailed off.
“Let me guess, a pillow under her blanket? You do not have children of your own, do you? Come on, I got you guys with that once myself, you should have seen it coming!”
From the courtyard Kagome sent servants and guards scrambling all over the grounds. This had become rather routine and everyone knew the usual places to check. Kagome was heading towards the stables when she heard a delighted squeal. She could see a familiar shape soaring above the trees with an equally familiar shape clinging to his back.
“Mizuki!”
*~*~*~*
An-Un flew through the clouds, enjoying his freedom and the funny sounds his rider made when he turned and dived. He would dip down till his claws could brush the trees, then climb until he was dodging through clouds again. There seemed to be quite a few youkai running about the grounds now, and the dragon and pup were feeling mischievous.
Mizuki clucked, urging An-Un into a dive that just skimmed the gardens. Several servants dove for cover, but one voice boomed out and brought them to a halt.
“Mizuki! You land that dragon this instant!”
An-Un was not going to argue with that voice, and neither was Mizuki. There were three sheepish expressions as they touched down by the furious miko.
“Good afternoon, mother.” Mizuki slipped down and gave a bow.
“Don’t you ‘good afternoon’ me, what on Earth were you doing? You know you are not allowed to ride An-Un without Rin or your father!”
“An-Un was bored. He has not been out all week since Rin-chan has been gone and father has been at those practices.”
Kagome softened a touch. “I know you were worried about An-Un, but you upset everybody. You must stop sneaking off, and An-Un is off limits until you are bigger!”
“But mother, I am big enough!” For a moment her rather reserved daughter showed her age with the ancient argument and whine.
“If An-Un decided to take off with you could you stop him?”
“An-Un would never do that.”
The dragon gave Kagome an offended glare.
“Mizuki, there is no point in arguing with me. An-Un is not mine, he is your father’s. If you don’t think it’s fair you have to talk to him. But that doesn’t change the fact you gave your guard the slip. Again. You are not going to be allowed to play with An-Un for one week.”
“Nani?”
“If you take off again, it will be for two weeks. Now go back up to the palace and apologize to Kenta for taking off on him again.”
“Hai, mother.”
Mizuki handed the reins to her mother and sulked all the way back to the palace. Kagome scratched An-Un’s noses. “I think I know the real reason why Sesshomaru is out observing those battle drills. For some peace and quiet.”
The dragon grumbled deep in his chest, leaning into the grooming.
“All right, all right, I know you’re lonely. I won’t make her wait a whole week, but don’t tell her that. Let’s get you back to bed, you’ve had your fun for one day.”
*~*~*~*
Sesshomaru found his mate in her room reading. She was sitting on a cushion with Katsuro in her lap and Mizuki braiding her hair with Kumo’s help.
“Here, Mizuki-sama, first the left section moves to the middle, then the right section. You keep repeating the pattern and you end up with a braid.”
Kagome was reading out loud to her son, quietly so as to not disturb the lesson behind her. “The winter was easier than expected, with supplies staying well above critical levels. See what good planning does, Katsuro? The avalanche was the only major source of casualties this winter.” Katsuro could not care less what his mother was reading, as long as she kept talking.
The taiyoukai paused in the doorway, taking in his growing family. It was growing slowly, but he had a son. The other lords would quiet down again, now that there was an heir. It had been a long eight years to wait. Not long in terms of a youkai’s life, to be certain, but a long time to try for a pup.
His mate knew he was there, of course. She could usually pinpoint his location in the palace or surrounding area, tell his mood, and could sometimes tell what he was seeing or thinking. It gave her an advantage, since he could only tell her general location and mood. He suspected that her additional abilities were a strange result of the youkai bond in a miko. It was certainly frustrating that he could never surprise her or watch her unnoticed.
Sure enough, Kagome did not even glance up before greeting him. “Good evening, Sesshomaru.”
At least Mizuki was surprised. “Father! You are home early!”
“Hair! Mizuki, hair!”
“Gomen, Mama.” Mizuki let go of the braid she had been tugging on. “How were the drills today, father?”
“Interesting.” Sesshomaru watched with amusement as Kagome tried to untangle her hair with Katsuro helping. He rescued her by taking his son into his own arms, letting the two week old pup grab his own hair. Sinking down to sit on a cushion across from his mate, he watched as Kagome and Kumo tried to repair the damage done to Kagome’s hair. No matter how her duties may change, Kumo always seemed to focus on keeping Kagome looking the part of a lady.
Mizuki perched next to her father, delighted to have him home.
“I have heard that An-Un was exercised today.” Sesshomaru did not even look his daughter’s way, looking instead towards her mother.
Mizuki gulped and looked at the floor.
“I was also informed that several servants were frightened by An-Un diving at them in the gardens.”
The pup sank even further into her cushion.
“How close to the ground was An-Un?”
“Um, about my height?” Mizuki whispered.
“Hn.”
Kagome could not mistake that quirk of his mouth. He looked down right proud. “Oh, no you don’t! She is not supposed to be riding An-Un without permission. I don’t care how proud you may be of her riding, she can’t keep sneaking off like that!”
“The guards are unable to watch this one.” Gold eyes locked onto his mate’s. “Like another female I know.”
The miko looked away with a sheepish expression.
“Perhaps we should put a bell on her.”
Mizuki went white. “Nani? Oh, no, I promise I’ll be good. Please, father, don’t make me wear a bell.”
“If the guards are unable to watch over you they will need assistance.” Kagome could feel the amusement, but Sesshomaru was giving no hints to his daughter.
“I will not sneak away again.”
“Perhaps you should go and write a letter to your mother with your promise.”
“Hai, father!” Mizuki bowed politely before going to her own room.
“Where on Earth did you get an idea like that?” Kagome was impressed with the effect that a bell had on her daughter.
“My mother once threatened to do the same to me.” Sesshomaru could not resist a faint smile as Kagome toppled over, laughing hysterically.
“She what? Oh, Kami, I can’t even imagine.”
“That one behaves very much as I did as a pup. Embarrassment will bring her in to line faster than any other threat. Did she truly have An-Un so close to the ground?”
“Oh yes, that daughter of yours was that close to the ground at full speed. All of the servants were running for cover. She was worried that An-Un was getting bored. When she gets older we are going to have a problem. Rin adores An-Un, but Mizuki is happiest when she is in the air.”
Sesshomaru carefully pulled his hair away from his son’s mouth. “We will find a mount for Mizuki. I was not much older than she is now when I started to steal away to the stables to ride my father’s mount.”
“She is you all over again, isn’t she?” Kagome’s eyes were soft as she envisioned a tiny Sesshomaru sneaking off to the stables.
“Hai. She has your eyes, but her spirit is very like mine.”
Katsuro giggled and waved his arms. Kagome moved so that she would touch her son’s midnight hair. “And this one. What will you be like, Katsuro? Will you be quiet like Mizuki, or are you going to be more like me?”
“If last night is any indication, he is completely your son.”
The only mature response Kagome could come up with was to stick out her tongue. “Just because Mizuki slept like a cat does not make that normal for children. And I will be turning in soon, since I got even less sleep than you.”
“But first we must discuss our visitors.”
“What’s to discuss? Merkamou is coming to see Katsuro next week, and he promised no trouble from his retainers.”
“And the Lord of the North.”
“Since when?” The miko glared at her mate. “I didn’t hear anything about this.”
“I received word today. He will be coming to see my heir. He usually travels alone, but he will be bringing his eldest son. It is customary to visit when the first son is born.”
“Well, that’s not too bad. I’ve passed messages back and forth with him and he seems reasonable enough. So it’s two lords, one heir, and whoever Merkamou drags along. Anyone coming from the East?”
While Sesshomaru would not roll his eyes, not even when alone with Kagome, he was still sorely tempted. “If someone does come it will be a low ranking noble that is being punished. Not something to worry about.”
“Well, I for one am looking forward to seeing Merkamou again. Has he had any luck finding a mate?”
“If he has, word has not reached me.”
Kagome’s mind was already racing. “We do have some attractive ladies here that I could introduce him to. Does the Northern Lord have any unmated daughters?”
A suspicious glare was forming on Sesshomaru’s face. “What are you planning, miko?”
“What are you worried about, youkai? I want Merkamou to settle in and have some chicks of his own. I haven’t had much luck with Rin, so maybe it will be easier to find a female for Merkamou. Or the Northern Lord’s son.”
A faint feeling drifted across Sesshomaru’s mind, rather like a trap closing. “Miko . . . “
“Oh, come on, we have some of the most eligible males in Japan coming here. It would be wonderful to help them find mates.”
‘I believe that it would be safer to declare war than to go along with this. If it were possible to stop her I would, but the past decade has shown me many things. The most important of these is that Kagome is like a force of nature. Uncontrollable and unstoppable.’
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The pup looked out her window, looking for anyone who would recognize or stop her. Seeing the grounds clear of authority figures she slipped out and darted to a tree. While nowhere near as fast as an adult youkai she was still pretty quick. Her ears twitched as she listened for any sign that the guards had caught on.
Darting across the courtyard the pup ran all the way to the stables. Once inside she was able to breathe again. Twin growls greeted her when she slipped into the stall with the dragon. “Hi, An-Un! Did you miss me?”
Both heads lowered down to nuzzle the pup.
“Want some exercise? Big sister has been gone all week with Aunt Sango. You must be so bored.”
The dragon watched with a content expression as a saddle was dragged into the stall. The pup was rather small to be handling the heavy tack, but she used some crates to reach the dragon’s back. The bridle was easier, since An-Un lowered both heads to help the pup.
Her heart pounding in her chest, the youngster climbed into the saddle. She took up the reins, for the first time on her own. “Come on, An-Un. I’ll show them that I’m big enough to ride you by myself.”
The dragon walked out of the stable and gave a big stretch. With a tap on his sides, An-Un took to the air, his tiny rider squealing with delight.
*~*~*~*
“My lady?”
Kagome glanced up from her paperwork. Her son took advantage of her distraction to grab her carefully written letter and stuff it in his mouth.
“No, Katsuro! Not food!” The pup giggled and waved his hands as Kagome pulled the paper away from him. She looked back to the guard. “Hai?”
“It’s Mizuki-sama, my lady.”
“Please do not tell me that my daughter has escaped again.”
“Well, umm. . . “
“Why do we even bother trying to keep a guard with her. Kumo, we have to find Mizuki again. Can you take Katsuro?” Kagome handed her son off to her assistant and stormed from the room. “Really, you would think that watching an eight year old pup would not be that difficult. How did she get away this time?”
“She was taking her nap, and I did check on her! I thought she had been sleeping an awfully long time, so I went to wake her and . . . “ The guard trailed off.
“Let me guess, a pillow under her blanket? You do not have children of your own, do you? Come on, I got you guys with that once myself, you should have seen it coming!”
From the courtyard Kagome sent servants and guards scrambling all over the grounds. This had become rather routine and everyone knew the usual places to check. Kagome was heading towards the stables when she heard a delighted squeal. She could see a familiar shape soaring above the trees with an equally familiar shape clinging to his back.
“Mizuki!”
*~*~*~*
An-Un flew through the clouds, enjoying his freedom and the funny sounds his rider made when he turned and dived. He would dip down till his claws could brush the trees, then climb until he was dodging through clouds again. There seemed to be quite a few youkai running about the grounds now, and the dragon and pup were feeling mischievous.
Mizuki clucked, urging An-Un into a dive that just skimmed the gardens. Several servants dove for cover, but one voice boomed out and brought them to a halt.
“Mizuki! You land that dragon this instant!”
An-Un was not going to argue with that voice, and neither was Mizuki. There were three sheepish expressions as they touched down by the furious miko.
“Good afternoon, mother.” Mizuki slipped down and gave a bow.
“Don’t you ‘good afternoon’ me, what on Earth were you doing? You know you are not allowed to ride An-Un without Rin or your father!”
“An-Un was bored. He has not been out all week since Rin-chan has been gone and father has been at those practices.”
Kagome softened a touch. “I know you were worried about An-Un, but you upset everybody. You must stop sneaking off, and An-Un is off limits until you are bigger!”
“But mother, I am big enough!” For a moment her rather reserved daughter showed her age with the ancient argument and whine.
“If An-Un decided to take off with you could you stop him?”
“An-Un would never do that.”
The dragon gave Kagome an offended glare.
“Mizuki, there is no point in arguing with me. An-Un is not mine, he is your father’s. If you don’t think it’s fair you have to talk to him. But that doesn’t change the fact you gave your guard the slip. Again. You are not going to be allowed to play with An-Un for one week.”
“Nani?”
“If you take off again, it will be for two weeks. Now go back up to the palace and apologize to Kenta for taking off on him again.”
“Hai, mother.”
Mizuki handed the reins to her mother and sulked all the way back to the palace. Kagome scratched An-Un’s noses. “I think I know the real reason why Sesshomaru is out observing those battle drills. For some peace and quiet.”
The dragon grumbled deep in his chest, leaning into the grooming.
“All right, all right, I know you’re lonely. I won’t make her wait a whole week, but don’t tell her that. Let’s get you back to bed, you’ve had your fun for one day.”
*~*~*~*
Sesshomaru found his mate in her room reading. She was sitting on a cushion with Katsuro in her lap and Mizuki braiding her hair with Kumo’s help.
“Here, Mizuki-sama, first the left section moves to the middle, then the right section. You keep repeating the pattern and you end up with a braid.”
Kagome was reading out loud to her son, quietly so as to not disturb the lesson behind her. “The winter was easier than expected, with supplies staying well above critical levels. See what good planning does, Katsuro? The avalanche was the only major source of casualties this winter.” Katsuro could not care less what his mother was reading, as long as she kept talking.
The taiyoukai paused in the doorway, taking in his growing family. It was growing slowly, but he had a son. The other lords would quiet down again, now that there was an heir. It had been a long eight years to wait. Not long in terms of a youkai’s life, to be certain, but a long time to try for a pup.
His mate knew he was there, of course. She could usually pinpoint his location in the palace or surrounding area, tell his mood, and could sometimes tell what he was seeing or thinking. It gave her an advantage, since he could only tell her general location and mood. He suspected that her additional abilities were a strange result of the youkai bond in a miko. It was certainly frustrating that he could never surprise her or watch her unnoticed.
Sure enough, Kagome did not even glance up before greeting him. “Good evening, Sesshomaru.”
At least Mizuki was surprised. “Father! You are home early!”
“Hair! Mizuki, hair!”
“Gomen, Mama.” Mizuki let go of the braid she had been tugging on. “How were the drills today, father?”
“Interesting.” Sesshomaru watched with amusement as Kagome tried to untangle her hair with Katsuro helping. He rescued her by taking his son into his own arms, letting the two week old pup grab his own hair. Sinking down to sit on a cushion across from his mate, he watched as Kagome and Kumo tried to repair the damage done to Kagome’s hair. No matter how her duties may change, Kumo always seemed to focus on keeping Kagome looking the part of a lady.
Mizuki perched next to her father, delighted to have him home.
“I have heard that An-Un was exercised today.” Sesshomaru did not even look his daughter’s way, looking instead towards her mother.
Mizuki gulped and looked at the floor.
“I was also informed that several servants were frightened by An-Un diving at them in the gardens.”
The pup sank even further into her cushion.
“How close to the ground was An-Un?”
“Um, about my height?” Mizuki whispered.
“Hn.”
Kagome could not mistake that quirk of his mouth. He looked down right proud. “Oh, no you don’t! She is not supposed to be riding An-Un without permission. I don’t care how proud you may be of her riding, she can’t keep sneaking off like that!”
“The guards are unable to watch this one.” Gold eyes locked onto his mate’s. “Like another female I know.”
The miko looked away with a sheepish expression.
“Perhaps we should put a bell on her.”
Mizuki went white. “Nani? Oh, no, I promise I’ll be good. Please, father, don’t make me wear a bell.”
“If the guards are unable to watch over you they will need assistance.” Kagome could feel the amusement, but Sesshomaru was giving no hints to his daughter.
“I will not sneak away again.”
“Perhaps you should go and write a letter to your mother with your promise.”
“Hai, father!” Mizuki bowed politely before going to her own room.
“Where on Earth did you get an idea like that?” Kagome was impressed with the effect that a bell had on her daughter.
“My mother once threatened to do the same to me.” Sesshomaru could not resist a faint smile as Kagome toppled over, laughing hysterically.
“She what? Oh, Kami, I can’t even imagine.”
“That one behaves very much as I did as a pup. Embarrassment will bring her in to line faster than any other threat. Did she truly have An-Un so close to the ground?”
“Oh yes, that daughter of yours was that close to the ground at full speed. All of the servants were running for cover. She was worried that An-Un was getting bored. When she gets older we are going to have a problem. Rin adores An-Un, but Mizuki is happiest when she is in the air.”
Sesshomaru carefully pulled his hair away from his son’s mouth. “We will find a mount for Mizuki. I was not much older than she is now when I started to steal away to the stables to ride my father’s mount.”
“She is you all over again, isn’t she?” Kagome’s eyes were soft as she envisioned a tiny Sesshomaru sneaking off to the stables.
“Hai. She has your eyes, but her spirit is very like mine.”
Katsuro giggled and waved his arms. Kagome moved so that she would touch her son’s midnight hair. “And this one. What will you be like, Katsuro? Will you be quiet like Mizuki, or are you going to be more like me?”
“If last night is any indication, he is completely your son.”
The only mature response Kagome could come up with was to stick out her tongue. “Just because Mizuki slept like a cat does not make that normal for children. And I will be turning in soon, since I got even less sleep than you.”
“But first we must discuss our visitors.”
“What’s to discuss? Merkamou is coming to see Katsuro next week, and he promised no trouble from his retainers.”
“And the Lord of the North.”
“Since when?” The miko glared at her mate. “I didn’t hear anything about this.”
“I received word today. He will be coming to see my heir. He usually travels alone, but he will be bringing his eldest son. It is customary to visit when the first son is born.”
“Well, that’s not too bad. I’ve passed messages back and forth with him and he seems reasonable enough. So it’s two lords, one heir, and whoever Merkamou drags along. Anyone coming from the East?”
While Sesshomaru would not roll his eyes, not even when alone with Kagome, he was still sorely tempted. “If someone does come it will be a low ranking noble that is being punished. Not something to worry about.”
“Well, I for one am looking forward to seeing Merkamou again. Has he had any luck finding a mate?”
“If he has, word has not reached me.”
Kagome’s mind was already racing. “We do have some attractive ladies here that I could introduce him to. Does the Northern Lord have any unmated daughters?”
A suspicious glare was forming on Sesshomaru’s face. “What are you planning, miko?”
“What are you worried about, youkai? I want Merkamou to settle in and have some chicks of his own. I haven’t had much luck with Rin, so maybe it will be easier to find a female for Merkamou. Or the Northern Lord’s son.”
A faint feeling drifted across Sesshomaru’s mind, rather like a trap closing. “Miko . . . “
“Oh, come on, we have some of the most eligible males in Japan coming here. It would be wonderful to help them find mates.”
‘I believe that it would be safer to declare war than to go along with this. If it were possible to stop her I would, but the past decade has shown me many things. The most important of these is that Kagome is like a force of nature. Uncontrollable and unstoppable.’