InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Second Chance ❯ Halfling ( Chapter 36 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: No!. Don’t own it. Oh well. Le Sob! Le Cry! Le Whimper!!




(I)


Kagome glanced around the breakroom, tears in her eyes as her co-workers milled around the room. A ‘Good Luck Kagome!’ banner was stretched across the empty back wall of the room. She smiled as another person wished her well and at Sango as she hobbled toward her.


“I hate crutches, have I told you that?” Sango asked as she finally stopped and sank into a nearby plastic chair.


“Yeah, you said something like that this morning. Still,” she reached out and grazed her fingertip across a small cut on Sango’s cheek, the teeny wound scabbed over and nearly healed. “I’m just glad to see you walking around.”


“I’m glad to be walking too,” Sango sighed and reached out to hug her smaller friend. “Even if my first day back is your last day. Kagome, are you sure about this?”


Kagome sighed to herself, her gaze weary yet understanding. “Sango, I-“


“Higurashi-san!”


Kagome turned, a wide grin spreading across her face as Kanna barreled through the breakroom threshold and trapped her into a tight hug with her little arms. “Higurashi-san, is it true that you’re leaving?”


“Yes, it is Kanna,” Kagome replied and hugged her back. “But. . .how did you find out?”


“I called her,” Sango groaned as she placed her crutches underneath her arms and struggled to stand up. “I know how much your cases mean to you and I tried to get the others to come. Her family was the only one who picked up the phone.”


“That’s fine,” Kagome said. She reached down, lifted the small child to her hip and hugged her again as Kanna’s parents walked into the room.


“Does that mean I’ll never see you again?” Kanna meekly asked, her dark eyes twinkling with unshed tears.


“Oh honey, I’m sure you’ll see me around,” Kagome assured the young girl. “I’m going to ask my supervisor if I can call you sometimes, to see how you’re doing. Is that alright?”


“I want to play with you again,” Kanna pouted. “You’re lots of fun, but if all you can do is call then I’ll talk to you too.”


“That’s great!” Kagome grinned and sat her back down on the floor. “I’m glad. Maybe we can play games on the phone.”


“Maybe.” Kanna fell silent while her parents talked to Kagome, her gaze on Kagome’s heart shaped face. “I’ll miss you Kagome.”


Kagome hugged the little girl and sighed, the puff of air from her lips causing a lock of her snowy hair to dance in the air.


“I’m gonna miss you too.”


(II)


Kagome glanced nervously around the spare bedroom, her eyes fixated on every little detail as she took in her newly changed surroundings. She asked Shippou a week ago how he wanted his room when he moved in with her and received a shrug in response.


“Well, how about the ‘Cars’ theme?” she asked and jumped at his sudden growl. “I’ll take that as a no then. . .”


‘I imagine that he wouldn’t want his new room to look like his old room,’ Kagome reasoned to herself. ‘I did the best I could. I guess he’ll like it but I’m not sure.’ She glanced toward the desk nearest the door, where a black laptop computer and a ceramic vase sat on the surface of a light pine wood table. The vase was her source of inspiration, having learned from Jininji how old the vase was and how much the piece of ceramic meant to Shippou’s father. Seeing as how it was the only remaining item of his father’s things, Kagome thought that it would be best to use the odd piece to make Shippou feel more at home.


The vase was tall, rounded cylinder ceramic painted a deep royal blue with a peacock etched in gold with silver and jade green feathers, a red and gold throat and silvery beaded eyes. The colors in the vase reflected outward to the rest of the room with indigo curtains and bedspread with accents of gold, red and green reflected in the rug, pillows and throws in the room. A small TV was suspended from the wall above a dresser along the edge of the room and a full sized bed was settled neatly in the center of the room.


“Well,” Kagome breathed and dusted off her hands. “Time to go.” Kagome grabbed her purse and headed for the lobby downstairs, stopping momentarily to give Chance a goodbye pat on the head before boarding the elevator and descending to Inuyasha’s office. She quit his office for the main elevator and arrived minutes later at the mall entrance, her hands nervously kneading the small clutch bag in her hands as she sat down on a nearby bench and waited.


She sat quietly, her heels clicking nervously on the polished tile floor as mall shoppers ambled past her. She jumped up at the first red head, her gaze excited as she jumped out of her seat and rushed forward. She stopped, disappointed, when the red head turned out not to be Shippou, and turned around to sit down when she heard someone call her name.


“HI!!!” Shippou called as he and Jininji approached from behind her. Kagome whirled around just in time to catch him as he jumped into her arms. “Hi Kagome!”


“Hey there,” Kagome giggled and kissed his forehead. “How long have you been here?”


“Sorry if we’ve made you wait,” Jininji apologized while Shippou scrambled back to the floor. “Shippou wanted to surprise you with something.”


“Hey, you weren’t supposed to tell her Jin,” Shippou pouted angrily. “That’s messed up you know!”


“So what did you want to surprise me with?” Kagome asked, her hands on his shoulders to gain his attention. Shippou blushed, his cheeks sporting a light rosy dusting as he reached inside the pocket of his denim shorts and pulled out a small purple bag. “I didn’t know what to get you,” he admitted bashfully. “So I thought you’d like something for your hair.”


Kagome smiled and hugged him again, the bag trapped between them as she gave him a brief squeeze and kissed his forehead. “Thank you very much,” she whispered into his fey ear, then looked up and blushed when Jininchi nosily cleared his throat.


“I really must be going now,” he said and laughed when Shippou hugged his leg. “I’ll see you later young prince-ling. Keep Kagome-sama safe, ok?”


“I’ll try,” Shippou replied with a solemn nod. They smiled and waved as Jininji walked away, then Shippou turned when Kagome stood up and extended her hand.


“Are you ready Shippou?”


Shippou stared into her eyes, his own gaze nervous and shaken as she beamed down on him. “Yeah, I’m ready.” She waited until his small paw-like hand was in hers before standing and, with shimmering eyes and a bounce in their step they boarded the elevator to Shippou’s new home.


(III)


Inuyasha stared in disbelief, midnight violet orbs blinking in owlish disbelief as he struggled to defend himself and his motives. Never in all his six hundred years, including the two hundred he spent fighting those that wanted to take over the Western Expanse when InuTaishou passed and the one hundred years he struggled to build up the Taishou family name in the business world, had he ever faced an opponent this fierce and this determined to win.

“But-“


“I said no.”


He could feel his ears flattening against his skull, even underneath the guise of his glamour spell, and sighed. “But a movie might be good for the kid.”


“I don’t think so Inuyasha,” Kagome replied with a shake of her head. “He’s only been here three weeks. I don’t know if he knows you well enough to just go to the movies or something without me.”


“The kid is thirteen years old,” Inuyasha countered irritably. “He doesn’t need to be coddled like some baby.”


“I am not treating Ship like a baby!” Kagome snapped fiercely. “And who asked you anyway! He might not even want to go-“


“But I do wanna go.”


Kagome and Inuyasha stopped, sheepish glances stolen between the both of them as Shippou strolled into the living room. He glanced up at the for a moment, emerald green eyes moving from one to the other before returning to whatever was happening on his GameBoy.


“Huh?” Kagome muttered as he flopped down onto the sofa. “What was that Shipp?”


“I wanna go to the movies,” he clarified and turned off his game. “What are we going to see Inuyasha?”


“Um. . .The Golden Compass, if you’re game,” Inuyasha replied. In truth he just wanted an hour or so alone with the Eastern Heir, a moment without Kagome’s influence or hovering to sense how powerful the kit had become and how extensive Shippou’s training would need to be in the coming months. “But hey, we could see The Orphanage too-“


“Uh uh, no way,” Kagome interjected with a shake of her head. “That movie looks awful. If anything its not suited for a child. You’re not taking him to see that.”


“Awwww,” Inuyasha and Shippou groaned miserably.


Kagome frowned. “Aw nothing. Inuyasha, if you take him to see anything that will give him nightmares-“


“I’m not going to take the kid to see anything that will scar him,” Inuyasha grunted irritably. “Jeez, quit being such a mother hen.”


“Excuse me...” Kagome replied, her eyes narrowed into thin blue slits that glimmered with the promise of malicious intent. “Care to repeat that?”


“Um. . .no. Not really.” Inuyasha sighed in relief when Shippou darted between them, Kagome’s attention suddenly averted to his retreating figure, and stuck his tongue out at Chance as the massive hound sauntered by. Kagome’s human ears couldn’t pick up his brother’s mirth but Inuyasha’s could and he reached out to attempt to plant his foot against the dog’s backsid-


WHAP!!!


“OW!” Inuyasha howled and rubbed his sore shin. “What was that for?”


“Do not kick my dog,” she growled back, her pointed finger digging into his upper right chest. Inuyasha inwardly shivered at her intensity and the sudden crackle of energy in the air and was thankful (once again) when Shippou hopped back into the room with his right shoe in his hand.


“Just let me get my shoes on Inuyasha,” the young prince chirped as he stooped down to tie his shoelaces. “And Kagome, stop threatening him.”


“Fine,” she huffed playfully. She smiled at him, her smile widening when Shippou grinned back, and kneeled down to stroke the fur along Sesshoumaru’s spine. “You guys can go to the movies-“


“Yes!” Shippou hissed as he began a victory dance around Inuyasha.


“But. . .”


“But what?” Inuyasha asked and Shippou stopped mid shimmy.


“But no funny business,” Kagome replied with narrowed eyes. “I mean it. No goofing off. He could seriously hurt you, you know.”


“Inuyasha won’t hurt me,” Shippou chirped proudly. He reached up for Inuyasha’s hand, pausing only slightly as he noticed a funny scent briefly waft from him, then turned and began to march toward the elevator. “Come on, lets go!”


“Alright you guys,” Kagome called after them, feeling slightly breathless and duped by the whole affair. “Be careful! Look after him Inuyasha!” She watched the elevator doors close with a sigh, then shook her head and went back to her housework.

(-)


‘Wow, it’s been at least three hours already,’ Kagome said to herself as she put away her dustpan and broom. ‘They must have stopped for dinner or something. I’d better get something to eat myself.’ She dusted herself off and boarded the elevator, her light hum heard above the boring elevator music and waited for the small cab to stop. The elevator doors opened and Kagome stepped out into the middle of a crowd of security officers that worked for the mall below. Chance stood in the center of them and only he noticed Kagome’s presence as the “men” around her continued to snarl threats and argue with each other.


“I’m telling you, we should search here,” Kagome overheard one say as they all pointed toward a map taped to the far wall. “That’s the only place we haven’t tried yet.”


“But that’s women’s lingerie,” another officer disagreed. “What would a kid be doing there?” Some of the other officers mumbled their agreement. “I don’t know that many boys that would shop for a bra, do you?”


“That’s not the point,” replied Inuyasha as he stepped toward the map. “The point is that we find him, no matter where we think he might be. This kid could be in danger and. . .”


‘Where’s Shippou?’ Kagome wondered to herself, the slight tingling she felt at the back of her neck intensifying with each second the red-headed pup remained out of her view. ‘I don’t see him anywhere. Maybe Inuyasha sent him to the arcade or somethin-‘


“You guys, this kid’s mother is dangerous with a capitol D,” Inuyasha’s voice sounded over her thoughts. “I know I don’t have to tell you how important this kid is but Shippou-“ He stopped, and the youkai in the room froze, as an intense wave of something surged into the room. It flowed over them like a tidal wave, crashed into the walls and back toward the other side of the office. They turned, glamour spells barely holding, to the threat that dared to announce itself so brazenly. . .


Only to find Kagome, little Kagome, trembling with fury at the back of the room.


“Where. . .Is. . .. My. . .Son. . .”


“Kagome,” Inuyasha began, his hands out in peaceful reassurance as he calmed himself and slowly approached her. “There’s no need to get upset-“


“Do I look upset to you?” she growled back. Inuyasha gave her a quick glance over and agreed that no, she looked rather calm for an extremely pissed off human. But the waves of ancient purity, a purity with a strength that hadn’t been felt in over one hundred years, foretold of danger, clear and present, and that the slightest mistake on the part of any youkai in the room would reduce them to ash before they had a chance to gasp in shock.


“No, not really. But Kagome-“


“Where’s Shippou?”


“He. . .well, you see-“


“Now, Inuyasha. I don’t want to hear excuses.”


Inuyasha blinked, thinking for a moment that it was his brother he were talking to, then attempted to answer her when one of the guards stood up.


“I don’t know who you are Miss, but you can’t be here. This is a security matter and-“


“And you sit back down,” was her snarled reply, her normally warm blue orbs cold and dangerous like slivers of chipped ice. “I’m not talking to you.”


“Kagome, they’re trying to help,” Inuyasha promised her and motioned for the guard to return to his seat. “Shippou got separated outside the movie theater about thirty minutes ago. I’m sure he’s fine but-“


“But you can’t find him,” Kagome finished for him.


Inuyasha nodded. “Yeah. Kagome, I’m really-“


“I’m back Inuyasha!”


The room turned, a collective sigh of relief sounding throughout the room as Shippou bounced through the door. He gave the giant sucker in his hand another happy lick, stuffed a fist full of strawberry pocky into his mouth and grinned at his adoptive mother. “Hey Kagome! What are you doing down here? I wanted to surprise you with-“ He reached inside the front pocket of his shorts and pulled out a golden wrapper covered in melted chocolate. “Aw. . .” he groaned sadly. “It melted. It was one of those orange chocolate balls you like so much. I’m sorry Kagome.”


“Don’t worry about it little man,” Kagome replied as she reached down, swooped him onto her back and turned back to the elevator. “Let’s get you cleaned up. Then we can go back to the candy store to get another one.”


“Alright!” was the last thing Inuyasha heard before the elevator doors closed behind them. The room cleared out quickly, the undercover youkai the first to escape the residual traces of reki still clinging to the walls. Inuyasha waited until the room was quiet before turning to Sesshoumaru. . .who was fast asleep in the middle of the floor.


‘Wake up Sesshoumaru,’ he growled at the older inu. One golden eye cracked open in response, it’s gaze bored and perturbed at Inuyasha’s interruption of his nap.


‘What is it hanyou?’ he yawned as he sat up and shook his head clear. ‘What is so important that you-‘


‘Did you feel that?’


Sesshoumaru glanced around them, then gave a dog’s version of a yawn.

‘It was insane Sesshoumaru. The energy from her was intense! Glamour spells were faltering, youkai were growling and she just stood there, like some sort of lightening rod, with this energy surging out of her and-‘


‘Whom are you speaking of?’ Sesshoumaru asked as he rose to his feet. ‘And of what power do you speak of?’


‘Uh, duh!’ Inuyasha shot back in disbelief. ‘Kagome! She was here just a second ago! Didn’t you feel the energy she was giving off!? The last miko to have a reki that strong was-‘


‘Nonsense,’ Sesshoumaru replied with a curt sniff. ‘There is no reki within Kagome. The pure signal no longer travels through the family blood.’


‘What?! Are you serious? Sesshoumaru?’


The massive hound huffed again before using his size and his front paws to board the elevator.



(IV)


Kagome paused, the motionless silver brush contrasting brightly against the midnight hues of her long dark hair. She looked up, momentarily catching herself in her reflections gaze before using the vanity mirror to peer out her open bedroom door into the hallway behind her. ‘There it is again,’ she said to herself as she stood up, her nightgown a gathering of loose mint swirls and bows, and stepped barefoot into the hallway.


“Shippou?”


No answer, except for his excited giggle and the sound of the elevator doors as they opened. “Just what is he doing?” Kagome whispered to herself and peeked into the living room just in time to watch the elevator doors close with Shippou on the other side. She waited patiently for the car to stop, noting to herself that it stopped on Inuyasha’s floor, then reached for the small hook hanging on the wall nearest her. “Huh,” she grunted in mild dissatisfaction.


“Just where did he go?” She stared down the left side of the empty hallway, then the right before her frown deepened. Shippou kneeled in front of a door on the other side of the hallway. Tiny blue sparks danced in the air around the little rascal’s head and before Kagome could reach him, or ask what he was doing, the doorknob fell off and Shippou scurried inside. “Oh no!” Kagome gasped and dashed down the hallway after him. “Shippou, don’t do that honey!”


Kagome slipped through the narrow crack Shippou made, pausing momentarily to adjust to the dimly lit room, and whispered his name. The living room was small, with a long dark coffee table surrounded by large floor pillows in various hues of silver and black. Another table, smaller than the first, was nestled in a nearby corner. The bright glow of the open laptop on its surface happily lit up the tiny section of the wall in front of it. Kagome hummed thoughtfully.


“Shippou,” she whispered as she ventured further into the room. “We’re gonna go to jail if you don’t come on here. . .Who’s place is this anyway?” Kagome jumped, startled, when a faucet turned on, the sound startling in the previous darkness. ‘Gah, that kid is insane!’ she said to herself and tiptoed down a nearby hall. A light shone from an open door on the right side of the hall and Kagome pressed herself against the wall near it, her head turned to the side as she listened to the sounds coming from the room.


Kagome grinned triumphantly at the light humming coming from inside and, without thinking, jumped into the threshold of the room and shouted, “Ah-HAH!!!”


. . .And gasped as Inuyasha, clad only in a white towel, stared back at her in startled confusion.


“OHMYGOD!” Kagome shrieked, her hands flying to cover her eyes as the flustered young man fumbled to keep his towel around his waist. “I’m so sorry Inuyasha! I was chasing Shippou and-“


“Shippou’s in here too?”


“Well I think so, I just thought that-“ she gasped again, her face as pink as cherry blossoms when she spied a glance at his near nakedness. The image of him standing there, his towel barely hanging from his narrow waist and the large cat-like ears that twitched in embarrassment at her seem to be forever burned in her memory.


Kagome inhaled sharply and allowed her fingers to slowly split apart, her one visible eye watching as Inuyasha fumbled, muttering furiously to himself as he tied the waistband of a pair of red unhakamas. He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, being careful not to touch the beautiful jet black triangles protruding from his scalp, and glared at her.


“Just what the hell are you doing in here anyway?!” was his snarled comment once Kagome took down her hands. He glared at her when she didn’t answer, and growled in frustration. She seemed fixated on something above him and he was too once he stepped into the path of a nearby mirror.


“Oh. . .oh shit.”


“Wow.”


Kagome turned, and Inuyasha glanced at the doorway as Shippou stood there, his bottle green eyes excited and amazed as he bounded into the room.


“What are you Inuyasha?” Shippou asked as he jumped from the floor to Inuyasha’s shoulders. He fisted an ear in each hand and tugged, his happy laugh nearly outmatched by Inuyasha’s pained yowl.


“Stop it ya brat!” Inuyasha snapped and jerked the small kitsune from his back. “Just who in the hell do you think you are anyway?!”


“Stop it, both of you!” Kagome said when the two began to argue. “Inuyasha, put Shippou down!”


Inuyasha did so reluctantly, both he and Shippou dreading what was next as Kagome sat down on the end of the massive futon in the center of the room. “Shippou, what do you have to say for yourself?”


“Um. . .”


“You can apologize to Inuyasha for one,” she suggested helpfully. “For breaking into his apartment. Honestly, I forgot you were on this floor. I’m really sorry about Shippou’s behavior.”


“Eh, don’t sweat it,” Inuyasha replied with a flippant wave. “He’s a brat and they do that kind of stuff.”


“HEY!!”


“And Inuyasha,” Kagome spoke up before the pair could argue again. “May we-may I have an explanation?”


“What’s to explain?” Inuyasha replied as he turned, opened the drawer of a nearby bureau, and fished out a plain white t shirt. “Am I that ugly? Are you that grossed out by me?”


“Grossed out?” Kagome repeated in surprise. “Nuh-uh. I think they’re cute. Are you a neko or somethi-“ She stopped, her brow furrowing slightly in confusion as Shippou threw himself on the floor and shrieked with laughter.


“Inuyasha, a neko hanyou! That’s funny!”


“Shut up you little squirt!” Inuyasha snapped and rolled the little kitsune over with his foot. Shippou’s glamour spell had since fallen away, leaving a cute little mass of giggling auburn fur as he beat his tiny clawed fist against the bamboo floor.


“What did I say?” Kagome asked, still confused, while Inuyasha continued to grouse and Shippou laughed on. “Shippou-“


“I’m an inu-hanyou,” Inuyasha answered quickly. “You know, ‘arf-arf’.”


“Oh, right,” Kagome nodded in understanding. “But the ears are so pointy, like a neko or something. I didn’t know.”


“Well now you do?” Inuyasha replied and finally jerked the shirt over his head. “Now what?”


“Now what, what?”

“What are you going to do?” Inuyasha continued. “Scream? Run? Call the police?”


Kagome huffed irritably, her hands on her hips, and rolled her eyes. “Really Inuyasha. Have I started screaming? Are the police kicking in the door, with scientists in hazard suits ready to strap you to something and cart you away?”


“So. . .” Inuyasha replied cautiously as he “nudged” Shippou out of the way and sat down beside her. “Does that mean you’re not afraid of me?”


“No way,” Kagome replied with a grin. “I grew up on a shrine for goodness sakes.”


“And she was real cool about it when I took down my glamour spell,” Shippou offered eagerly. “Kagome’s not like other humans when it comes to youkai and stuff.”


‘Yeah,’ Inuyasha said to himself and sighed, his eyes sliding closed in pure pleasure when she reached up and began to scratch behind one of his ears. ‘She’d have to be different to deal with Sesshoumaru.’


“Inuyasha?”


 220;Yeah?” he asked, one violet eye opened as he leaned on her shoulder and looked up at her. “What is it now?”


“Um,” she began shyly, a light pink dusting spread along the apples of her cheeks. “Is Sesshoumaru. . .well. . .”


“Like me?”


“Yeah,” Kagome nodded. “Like you.”


He thought about it for only a moment, his decision made in less than an instant as he scooted away from her and huffed.


“Nah, Sesshoumaru and I are half brothers. He’s fully human.”


(End Chapter)


SF: (fleeing across the stage) Come on Sesshoumaru! You can’t tell me you don’t think that was a good idea!


Sesshou: (in pursuit) Crossling, do you honestly want this Sesshoumaru to answer that?


SF: Um. . .nah. Not really.

Kagome: I told SF that she shouldn’t make him do that.


Inu-chan: Why? I for one think Sesshoumaru needs some training. As a matter of fact, I’d like to do a little training on the bastard myself. (Unsheathes Tetsuagia) I’m sure I can teach him to sit up and beg.


(Sesshou stops and glares)


Silver: Oh sweet Heavenly Father. . .


Kagome: (grabs Little Muse, Rin and Shippou and runs for it)


Sesshou: What was that hanyou?


Inu-chan: You heard me, ya prick. You got a problem?


Sesshou: No, it is you with the problem. I will educate you on your manners, hanyou. (Unsheathes Toukijin)


Inu-chan: (runs forward) Well come on then asshole. School’s in session!


SF: (watching as Inu-chan and Sesshou fight) I swear, all they do is fight. (Sigh) The chapter summary is below. Hey! Don’t touch that! If you guys break that I’ll kill you!


Chapter Summary: Shippou’s walk of the Warrior/ Sesshoumaru, Kagome, Inuyasha and sit down for dinner/ Kagome confesses her love to Sesshoumaru, but get’s no answer back/ Naraku gets word of his coming trial


Next chapter-Chapter Thirty-Seven: FamilyDisclaimer: No!. Don’t own it. Oh well. Le Sob! Le Cry! Le Whimper!!


Author’s Note: I received this question a couple of times and thought that, instead of sending individual answers to the same question, I’d just post the answer here. This chapter begins the month of June for this story. This story is about two or three months behind real life. Sorry about the confusion. (Taps scepter against her chair) On with the chapter!