InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ One Simple Question ❯ The Indefatigable Women ( Chapter 9 )

A/N: I hope this doesn't confuse anyone but this chapter doesn't begin right where the last one left off. This chapter follows InuYasha for a bit before going back and dealing with the others, to show you what Inu was during while the others were talking.

 

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He flexed his hands, his knuckles cracking, as he turned and bounded off into the forest. He couldn't deny he was still pissed off at the young miko, but he had more pressing concerns. His youkai blood, for one.

 

He quickly ran out of hearing range, not wanting to hear a faint `osuwari' drift over on the breeze. He leapt gracefully into the boughs of a comfortable looking tree and lounged against it. A scowl formed on his handsome face as he tucked his hands into the arms of his haori and resigned himself to thinking through his newest problem.

 

Ok, time to use your fucking brain. He tried to get himself pumped up for a good long round of thinking and found that nothing could make thinking appealing.

 

The lazy breeze drifted through the tree limbs, pulling at his silvery mane like ghostly fingers. It had a very soothing effect on the troubled hanyou.

 

Twice since he had accepted Shippou as a son his youkai blood had whipped through him like a whirlwind. The scary part was that he had idly recognized the desire to slaughter Miroku as he stared Kagome down. And he knew those were animal instincts, to dispatch other adult males first, to rid oneself of those who could be rivals or competition.

 

It felt so strange. He had almost gotten used to the numbness that went along with not knowing what he would do when transformed. But now he was aware. Now he knew the motivation behind the things he would do as a youkai.

 

The scariest thing of all was that it made sense.

 

He had heard that when he transformed he became a mindless killing machine. That he would feel no pain, hunger, or fatigue, that he would kill until he was killed and that was the end of the story.

 

And when that was his reality it didn't bother him that he couldn't remember. It gave him a tiny bit of peace to be able to think of himself and that monster as two different entities.

 

Now he was confused as hell. I'm not just a killing machine when I transform. I'm vicious, remorseless, and I see everyone as a fucking threat, but I'm not mindless, there IS thinking going on.

 

Now did that mean that everyone had been wrong about him? Or was it just another aspect of whatever had changed in him?

 

One thought shone like sunlight through mist in his mind. Once I get them all marked they'll be safe. When he had transformed he had smelled his own scent all over them, they almost smelled like they belonged to him, and he remembered feeling confused. Once they did belong to him he had no doubt that even transformed he would know them, would protect them.

 

InuYasha took a deep breath, feeling a weight lift off of his shoulders. Knowing he could keep his friends safe from himself no matter what happened was one less worry to carry. He smirked humorlessly, I better mark Miroku first, he thought dryly, he's in the most danger when my youkai blood rises.

 

He thought for another few minutes before deciding they should head back to the village. He was no closer to understanding the change within himself and his first priority had to be his pack.

 

Mark them, make sure they'll be safe, then I can take as long as I need to figure this shit out.

 

~o~o0o~o~

 

“Now, my hearing may be off,” the sly monk began as he pinned Shippou with a look, “but I could swear I heard Shippou yell for his `papa' when the mantis youkai grabbed him.”

 

Kagome and Sango sat back as if slapped. As one, everyone turned to look at Shippou.

 

“Uh……”

 

Shippou gulped and looked around frantically for some way to shift attention away from himself. Defeated, his eyes dropped to his hands as he fidgeted with his clothing. When he spoke his voice was so small his friends stopped moving, so they wouldn't miss a thing.

 

“He doesn't want you guys to know. He says you won't believe the reason he's teaching me.” Shippou glared at Miroku from under his lashes, letting the monk know exactly why InuYasha had been so close-mouthed about the whole thing. “Last time Kagome went through the well I went to talk to him. When he found out I can't hunt he said that no kid should have to grow up the way he did and that he'd try to make my father proud.”

 

“I've been trying not to piss him off! I haven't stolen food from him or cried to Kagome since then! I didn't want to get him in trouble and I got him sat!” He sniffed mightily and began crying, wallowing in his guilt.

 

The girls exchanged looks with Miroku and each other, wondering what to make of he kit's story. Kirara walked over to Shippou and mewed at him, rubbing against him to comfort him.

 

No one noticed the extra shadow among them.

 

“Fuck, do you guys do anything besides teach him how to cry?”

 

They turned as one to gaze at the hanyou who stood tall, arms crossed against his chest, hands vanishing within his sleeves, a mild scowl resting on his aesthetic features.

 

“Oi.” He claimed their attention, breaking the thoughtful silence roughly. “We're heading back to baba's, let's go.”

 

Shippou leapt to land lightly on the hanyou's shoulder as the others finished packing up their belongings and sprinting to catch up.

 

~o~o0o~o~

 

They made it back to the village a few days before the full moon. InuYasha decided to take Shippou, after some protests from Kagome, and do a quick sweep through his forest to make sure nothing dangerous was trying to encroach on his territory as the others made their way to Kaede's hut.

 

Kagome quickly spilled all that had happened since they had set out to the elderly miko, hoping to get it all out before her guys could return. My guys… She liked the sound of that. Kagome offered her help with food preparation, seeing as how old Kaede had not been expecting them, as Sango checked Hiraikotsu for weaknesses and Miroku sat in tranquil silence.

 

“'Tis not a bad thing, Kagome. It is about time InuYasha started accepting his new life.”

 

“New life?”

 

“Aye, child. The life of a hanyou is oft a tale of tragedy and loneliness. But InuYasha has been blessed, not only do those of us under this roof care for him, but he is accepted within the village. It is a rare thing, and high time he recognized all that he has.”

 

And how much he will lose if he follows Kikyou into hell.

 

The unbidden thought invaded her consciousness. She tried not to think about it. It had been so long since InuYasha had said anything even remotely reminiscent of the way he felt back then.

 

Kagome looked around Kaede's home and saw a contemplative frown marring Sango's face as she absently polished her weapon. Miroku's own face held a dreamy, far-off stare that had Kagome wondering how dirty his thoughts were this time, and how long until he got himself slapped again.

 

As the reed door was pushed aside and InuYasha strode in with the kit on his shoulder a resounding flesh on flesh sound reverberated through the tiny dwelling.

 

“Hentai!”

 

Kagome smiled, some things never change.

 

 

~o~o0o~o~

 

 

The morning of the full moon had everyone in a state of barely restrained energy. It was an odd blend of nervous tension and almost giddy excitement.

 

Everyone flew through breakfast, barely noticing that they were eating.

 

With nothing to do Kagome wracked her brain for something to take everyone's minds off the subject of the bonds. It didn't take long before the proverbial light bulb went off over her head.

 

“Sango, have you given any thought to the wedding ceremony?”

 

InuYasha groaned aloud. The only thing worse than worrying about his demon blood or marking his friends, it definitely had to be listening to the females squawking about idiot human ceremonies.

 

The hanyou surreptitiously jerked his chin toward the door when Shippou looked at him and got up to leave when the kit jumped on his shoulder. He had to get out of there. Quickly and quietly the two made their way to the clearing of the well. InuYasha laid down in the soft grass as Shippou ran around, snatching flowers here and there.

 

The hanyou's ears twitched as he heard the kit begin talking and then quickly realized Shippou wasn't talking to him. He sniffed and flicked his ears but heard no one near. Who was the kit talking to?

 

Turning his head without bothering to lift it from the grass he saw Shippou talking to his hand. Did I drop him on his head recently or something? The fuck is he doing?

 

Shippou turned his hand slowly and InuYasha's keen eyes finally saw what the kit was talking to.

 

There was a fuzzy green little caterpillar on the little fox's hand.

 

InuYasha's lips twitched into a tiny half smirk before he caught himself. Great, I'm going soft. He growled to himself. I almost used the word `cute.' He scrunched up his nose and snorted as he turned away from the kit, closing his eyes and trying to think.

 

An hour or two later Miroku wandered wearily into the clearing and plopped down into a sitting position next to InuYasha with his back against the well.

 

“I have come to believe that when discussing weddings women become indefatigable.” He shook his head tiredly and leaned back against the well.

 

“Keh.” InuYasha never opened his eyes, identifying the monk from a long ways off, so he never saw Miroku arch his eyebrow at the smirk directed at him.

 

 

 

 

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A/N: I'm not going to erase the responses to reviews that aren't there anymore. And I'd like to thank Alatero, Cricket42, inuyashaloverr, bluezinthos, fyrloche, LavenderRose, and golden_kitsune. I wasn't expecting reviews for just putting the story back up but it made me grin like an idiot to see them. No worries, the story isn't stopping, it was just a hiccup. My 80+ year old blind/almost deaf ji-chan is visiting so don't expect the next update for TW or OSQ on time. Sorry =/ Also! I know this is filler-ish, but next chapter is the first bond and now it's set up :)

 

Hehe yes, thank you cricket, I think I get it =)

 

Lol sorry JASG, I wasn't going to end it there until I looked up and saw my page count.

 

Inuyashaloverr - No, didn't watch Trinity over the weekend. But while on the subject I've ALWAYS loved Ryan Reynolds, ever since the days of `2 Guys A Girl And A Pizza Place'…he's damn cute and so funny. I'm one of those gals that doesn't care how hot a guy is, if he has no humor/personality I hate him. See, I could picture Ryan as a live action Inu, with maybe Sean Maher(or someone with that aura) as Sess. Look at me ramble! Lol Email me if you ever wanna talk, I must stop now though.

 

Welcome to my insanity loulou4729. Yes, the demon side will be important, makes me glad people want to see it too =)

 

Chalk up another person who uses that phrase. Actually Alatero, I've used that curse(IN MY HEAD) since I was little, because I wouldn't curse aloud. After Blade 3 though seems like everybody has heard it lol

 

Miss_Marilyn69 - A true angst fan I wager, hehe. I have a few things planned that should tug on heartstrings, just not sure how they'll turn out. You'll have to let me know. ;)

 

Thank you Fyrloche, it's such a nice feeling when people tell you that you're doing what you meant to. Now you have me curious, in about two week's time I should be able to find some free time, I'll have to look at Cricket's stories, and yours =)

 

To Snowfall and the others whose reviews I didn't see before the fic was taken down I'm sorry, I would respond if I could. =/

 

 

 

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