InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mika- the Inu Ookami Hanyou ❯ Home on the Range ( Chapter 15 )

Home on the Range

 

As the yellow cab pulled away from the curb, Mika thought about her upcoming trip. “I wonder,” She thought, “How long it will take to get the house sold, get everything packed up and shipped that I want to keep. Selling the house shouldn't be that hard considering mom and dad were getting offers on it before the accident.” With a heavy heart, Mika slipped into memories of her adoptive parents.

 

Once at the airport, Mika grabbed her back pack from the cab and entered the terminal. Thankfully she didn't have to wait long to get checked in. As she walked toward the concourse for her red-eye Trans Pacific flight, Mika dwelled on the memories of her new family. A smile crossed her face at the thought of the two demon uncles, the demon slayer, monk, and fox demon. Despite all the horrible things that had happened to her in the Feudal Era, Mika was glad to have found a second family. Through out her flight, Mika slept lightly, as brief images of her new family flashed in her mind. After the plane touched down at the Los Angeles International Airport, Mika quickly found a pay phone and called Amy.

 

“What…You're coming back already?”

 

Mika thought a second before she replied, “It's a long story. Let's just say this'll be a kamikaze run.”

 

“Oh. That bad over there, or was it good?”

 

Shaking her head at her friend's persistence she said, “It was fine. I'd rather not get into it over the phone, especially since this call is costing me a fortune. I'll tell you all about it when I get there! My flight gets in around 7:00 pm; thankfully they haven't announced any layovers yet.”

 

Okay, Mika. No problem. I'll be at the airport waiting for you. Take it easy. You sound even more worked up than when you left. Just relax and enjoy the flights!” Amy replied, concern for her friend poured over the line.

 

Picking up on the concern, Mika replied, “Thank you Amy. I'll try to relax and I'll see you soon.” Almost hanging up the phone, Mika thought of something, as she asked, “Hey Amy?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Be prepared for some changes.”

 

“Okay…I'll see you later.”

 

Once Mika hung up the phone a sly smile crossed her face as she anticipated the look on her friends face. “She's going to kill me!” Mika thought excitedly.

 

“Attention all passengers, this is Captain Brockton speaking. We should be arriving in Salt Lake City in roughly fifteen minutes. We are currently at thirty five thousand feet and the temperature in Salt Lake City is currently seventy-eight degrees and the sky is clear. Thank you for flying American Airlines and it has been a pleasure being your captain.” Mika listened to the full message before opening her eyes. A little girl, no older than eight years old with green eyes and brown hair was the first thing she saw. The little girl's presence startled her a bit. Mika had made every effort to hone down her new found senses. Maybe she honed them down a little too far, for she did not recall beginning the flight with the child sitting in the row in front of her.

 

“Hi, what's your name, little one?” Mika waited for the little girl to respond. The girl just kept staring, with the unblinking eyes of a child.

 

Finally she remarked, “I think those marks on your face make you look pretty. You don't have to cover them up you know,” once she realized that Mika was losing interest.

 

“Oh, no” Mika thought as her hands went directly for her face. Her make-up must have come off while she was sleeping. Having flown nearly halfway around the world in about eighteen hours, Mika was surprised that the foundation she had applied had lasted as long as it did. “Oh, those silly things, those are birth marks, yeah, just ordinary birth marks,” she replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. “If it were only true,” Mika thought. “Oh scheiße, maybe Kagome's foundation didn't match my skin tone more than I thought.”

 

“Sure lady. Whatever you say, but there is nothing ordinary about your ears!” With that said the little girl turned around and sat down in her seat.

 

A look of shock crossed Mika's face as she thought about those last words of the little green-eyed girl. “I forgot about them, what I am going to do?” she thought as she rummaged around in her back pack for a mirror. Once she was able to pull out her Cubs base ball cap, she headed toward the bathroom with her cap and compact in hand. She plastered on as much foundation as possible and placed her cap on her head with her long hair pulled through the back and the points of her ears tucked under the edge. The bill was pulled low to where she could see what was going on, but her face was a bit obscured. While heading back to her seat again, Mika passed a woman who had on such a strong perfume, which she apparently bathed in that the scent made her head hurt and sick to her stomach. Once again, she was reminded of how much had changed within the past few weeks. Continuing to her seat, she thought, “Well, Mika, you can look at this as a new beginning and move on with your head up high. I mean how many people have a chance to do what you have done. None! Oh, man, Amy's going to flip out when she sees me!”

 

“Oh… My God… What the Hell did you do to yourself?!” Mika laughed at her best friend's response as she hugged her. It felt so good to see a familiar face. “You're gone for almost two weeks and you come back with the most disgustingly beautiful hair I've ever seen, as well as having on more make-up than the whole circus. The only thing you tell me on the phone is `to be prepared for some changes!' Amy Pehicila looked Mika up and down and just shook her head as she grabbed Mika's back pack. Still smiling, Mika grabbed Amy by the hand and pulled her close for another hug.

 

“Ugh. Hey, not so hard, Mika! I don't weigh a ton you know,” Grumbled Amy as she tried to pull away for some air. “What's going on with here,” Amy thought, “She's changed so much since she left and yet still maintains remains her rouge style.” Amy knew something was up when Mika had called her from the LAX asking for a ride home. “Maybe I'm making too much of a big deal out of this. Hell, Mika was always a loner of sorts, taking solus in nature and the out doors than going to the mall, talking about boys and clothes shopping. Heck her friends even called her Rojo Lobo, the Red Wolf.” Mentally, Amy shrugged her shoulders and lead Mika out to her pick up.

 

On the half hour drive to Mika's country home, Amy questioned her with numerous questions about Mika's trip. “Whoa, Amy! Please slow down! It was so over whelming! It turns out my adopted family is really very nice, but I also found my biological family.” Mika paused and took a sip of the soda Amy handed her. “I have two uncles from both sides, Inuyasha and Koga. My mother, Akane, had died when I was born and that's why I had been left with Kagome's family. As for the guys…Yes, I did meet a very handsome monk named Miroku, but he's involved with this girl Sango.”

 

“Wait a minute! I thought monks couldn't, well you know, engage in sexual activities. I thought that there was something about a vow of chastity.”

 

“Yeah, but this guy doesn't have a problem breaking it. The third day after I met him, he grabbed my butt.”

 

“Wow, forward…”

 

“Yeah, he's is a bit forward, but he's a nice guy. Just a letch, in fact I'd actually threatened to castrate him if he grabbed my butt again.”

 

“I bet that went over well. So did you find out anything about your biological father?” As Amy looked at Mika she thought she may have asked the wrong question, “Mika?”

 

“I'm okay, Amy. Yeah, I actually saw him a few times, but I didn't get a chance to talk with him or anything.” Mika paused to think of a way to tell Amy about him with out making him sound like what he was, a demon. “He was never told about me and only learned I even existed when I went over there. He was… kind of stand offish. I'm hoping to get to know him better when I get back.” Mika finished with a smile as they pulled onto the road to her home.

 

“Well that's got to be a lot to deal with. I mean finding not only a family you kind of remembered, but another family you never even knew about. So what are your uncles like?”

 

“Well Koga is the older of the two from my mother's side. Apparently he wanted to keep me but my mother didn't want him to raise me. I'm still not too sure of her reasons.” Mika lied trying to hide the fact she knew exactly why. “He's really nice, but kind of over protective. Koga is also in love with my cousin Kagome. Thankfully she's not related to me by blood, and then it would be a bit awkward. I think he even asked her to marry him, but she's in love with my other uncle, Inuyasha. He never knew about me either, and was very happy to find out about me. You see he doesn't get along with my dad too good, seeing as they are half brothers. I think its dealing with my father's dislike of Inuyasha's mother. So they fight every time they get together. Inuyasha is also very over protective of me. The whole time I was there both of them kept trying to treat me like I was 10 again! Really it was insulting.” Mika shook her head as Amy tried to stifle her laughter. “Hey why are you laughing?”

 

Amy was trying to control herself but once Mika caught on, she started to laugh whole heartedly. “Oh Mika it's just so funny! You just described my family! It's big extended, very close and the boys are always over protective. I'm just so happy for you. I know you've lost the only family you knew, but now you have a whole new family that loves and cares for you. I know how important it can be, especially right now.” Amy said with a sullen smile.

 

“Thanks Amy. I almost forgot about your parents.” Mika said with a smile, Amy had lost her parents too, so Mika felt even closer to her best friend then ever before. “Do you want to come in? I'll order a pizza, and we can watch movies.”

 

“No, I'd like to but I have to go get my brother from school. He had a game tonight. So how long will you be in town?”

 

“Oh, for at least a week, I have so much to think about and so much to do.” Mika said as she got out of the truck. “I'll call you tomorrow and we can do something ok!”

 

“Alright, have a good night!” and with that Amy drove off down the road. For some reason she couldn't bear to tell Amy she'd decided to stay over there permanently, but she knew after looking into her eyes at the airport that Amy would understand her decision. Mika stood in front of her family's home for a few moments the sight was almost too much to bear. “Well I better go in. There's no reason to be standing out here since I have to start packing anyways. Oh…I'd better call Kagome. I have a sneaking suspicion Inuyasha is driving her nuts.” Mika entered the house and went straight to the phone.

 

“Hello Higurashi residence, Kagome speaking.”

 

“Kagome, its Mika. I just got home and thought I should call and see if Inuyasha was torturing you yet.”

 

“Mika, it's so good to hear from you. Yes, he was pestering me so badly I told him to go back to the Feudal Era to tell Koga and the others what was going on. I hate it when he fidgets, and he always does when he is nervous! But your there and your safe, he'll be glad to know when I get back to tell him.”

 

“Yeah, I'll try to get everything taken care of as quickly as I can, but I may just put the house on the market and have the realtors contact me if it doesn't sell fast.”

 

“Okay, Mika, but take your time. Don't rush yourself, as annoying as Inuyasha gets I can always make him `sit'!” As Kagome uttered the words they both heard Inuyasha scream, and hit the ground. “Oh, speak of devil, I better let you go or he'll want to know every detail! One thing before I let you go Mika. I think I may have dropped a jewel shard in you bag. So be careful, I've learned there are things in our world that will be drawn to the jewel.”

 

“What?? What do you mean drawn to it?”

 

“Don't worry Mika I don't think there were many demons in America, or at least they wouldn't know about the jewel. Just be careful, keep it with you in a small jar if you have one, and just keep it out of sight,” Kagome said trying to calm her cousin.

 

“Okay, your right. I doubt there are many demons in the whole United States then in all of Idaho, but just the same I'll keep it as hidden as I can. Thanks for the warning Kagome, I guess I'll see you in a week or so!”

 

“Bye Mika” Kagome said trying to sound at ease.

 

“Wait is that Mika? Let me talk to her Kagome!” Mika heard Inuyasha as Kagome hung up the phone. She smiled for in the short time she had spent with her cousin she had known she could trust Kagome. Mika then ordered a pizza and started to get boxes together to pack up her personal things she would want to take with her. As she slowly started to get things together Mika came across a picture album. It was the last family trip she had been on with her parents. They had gone on a float trip the previous Labor Day weekend on the Snake River. Mika flipped through the pictures remembering how she had loved the look of the river, the ducks swimming in the shallows near shore, and the feel of going through the rapids. Although she had been intimidated by the big rapids, Mika was anxious to go through them. The thoughts brought tears to her eyes at the now stolen time she had with her family, and then cried harder for the thought that she might never be able to be that close to her biological father. She put the album in the bottom of a box with the rest of the books she planned to take with her. Wiping her eyes she kept packing.

 

Mika soon ran out of boxes and then looked at the clock. It was almost two o'clock in the morning.

 

“Oh scheiße! I need to get some sleep. Come to think of it, I should look for that jewel shard Kagome told me about.” Mika reached up to stroke her wolf pendant and realized she'd never put it on. “I hope I left that in my bag. Please, oh please, let it be in my bag!” Mika dumped the contents of her backpack on the floor and started to go through her things to find the necklace and jewel. “There they are. Oh thank God, I didn't lose it.” Mika held the jewel in her hand and the pendant to her heart. Mika slowly drifted down the hall to her old room. Opening the door she collapsed on the bed in a heap. She couldn't even shrug out of her clothes she was so tired. Fighting weariness and emotional hurt Mika slipped into an uneasy sleep.

 

The dream began with Mika falling into black nothingness. As she opened her eyes, Mika realized that she'd been completely surrounded by multitudes of demons. She crouched on the ground, her blade the only means of support for her weary body. Her breathing was ragged and labored from the excursion she had used during the fight. Mika's armor felt heavy and cumbersome as she glanced at the rest of the combatants. To her left Inuyasha and Koga fought back to back. They were pinned between the onrushing horde of demons and a steep rock wall. Kagome, along with Sango and Miroku were similarly pinned to her right. “This canyon was a trap. Why couldn't we see that this was an Ambush?” Mika thought wildly, cursing herself for ignoring the `gut' feeling of foreboding as they entered the accursed place.

 

Mika's eyes moved to the last combatant before her. Sesshomaru was also cut off from her rescue by a large number of demons as well. Even though the distance was great, Mika sensed Sesshomaru's true intentions. She felt his over whelming need to save her, to protect her from the demons who sought her death.

 

Suddenly a searing, blinding pain racked her back, causing her to scream out in pain. The claws of numerous demons cut deep into her back. In an instant, the pain subsided as the demon was cut down by a stranger. He stood with his back toward her, brandishing a sword toward the oncoming horde of demons. Mika felt safe with her savior and moved closer to him. As she touched the fur that hung down his back and across his shoulders, the rest of the dream faded, and Mika stood alone with this man. He smiled back at her with such a loving and affectionate look which made Mika feel a little awkward.

 

“Who are you?” Mika asked in a hushed tone. Before he could say anything Mika heard a great howl, and turned toward the direction of the sound. Seeing nothing she turned back to the stranger, and saw a gigantic white dog standing in his place. The dog towered over her similar to a modern day sky scraper. Instead of being terrified, Mika was awestruck by his appearance and reached a tentative hand out to the great dog demon to lay a hand on his great paw. As soon as she touched the soft fur of his paw, Mika awoke with a start.

 

Mika grasped the Shikon jewel shard to her chest with her pendant and thought about the dream. A feeling of love and warmth came to her from her recollection of the dream. Once she moved from her bed, however, she winced in pain as she stretched her back muscles. Mika looked in the bathroom mirror as best she could at her back and saw the three deep gashes across her back.

 

“What the hell? Where did those come from? They weren't there last night when I went to sleep. Was this from the dream? But how…” Mika thought as she tried to doctor her wounds with some antibiotic ointment and peroxide. After she doctored the wounds as best she could, she threw on a clean tank top and continued her sorting and packing of her home.

 

It was early morning, she felt much better remembering how happy she had been with that man smiling at her, and yet she was deeply concerned about the marks on her back. Mika continued to pack what few things she wanted to take back to Japan, mainly some photo albums of her various trips across the United States with her parents, like her last hunting trip the previous fall with her father to Opal Lake near Challis, rafting down part of the Snake River near Twin Falls the previous summer, a car trip with Amy to Mt. Rushmore in South Dakota, and her favorite trip to Riggins for steal-head fishing with her parents during Spring Break the month before the accident. Reminiscing over her memories of her parents brought tears to her eyes as she thought about how much had changed since their death.