InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shards of Destiny ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 7 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, etc., of Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. This story is for entertainment purposes only, and not for profit.

SHARDS OF DESTINY

Summary: Naraku has crossed over to the modern era, and our heroes must band together to try and stop him. But what troubles arise as old relationships are torn apart by new, and the dark spider sits spinning new webs of deceit?

A/N: This chapter is a (very) belated birthday gift for Guyute24. May the year ahead be the best ever, m’dear, and grant all the wishes in your heart.  

Chapter Six

Mrs. Higurashi, Yusuke decided, was something special. Not only was she dealing with her father’s death and her daughter’s friends, she made one killer pot of oden. Steam gently wafted from the large container in the middle of the table. Grabbing his chopsticks, he sniffed appreciatively. Beat the hell out of frozen dinners.

It was standing room only for late arrivals, since the table only held four chairs. Yusuke was one of the lucky ones, snagging a front row seat. Kuwabara hovered anxiously behind him, all but drooling as Mrs. Higuarshi passed over a bowl.

“Thank you, ma’am,” he mumbled, mouth full. Similar mutters arose as the guys dug in. The oden rapidly disappeared under healthy appetites.

“Maybe I should start another pot…” Mrs. Higurashi began worriedly as her daughter appeared in the doorway, arms full of bedding.

“Is that oden?”

“Of course.” Mrs. Higurashi smiled, lightly hugging her. “I know it‘s one of your favorites. Why don’t I go and make up the pull-out while you get something to eat? You can take a bowl up to your friend, Sango.”

Mrs. Higurashi disappeared, leaving her daughter to scowl at the busy crowd around the table.

“Any left?” she demanded as several bowls lifted simultaneously to slurp up the last remaining juices.

Yusuke froze, bowl still raised.

“Um…” Kuwabara grew sheepish.

Miroku and Shippou shared guilty looks as Inuyasha burped loudly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. “You should’na been late.”

“Sango and Kurama haven’t even eaten yet!” Kagome protested, eyes landing on the little kitsune perched on the chair beside him. “Shippou! Weren’t you upstairs with them?”

“I was! Sango said I could go. She didn’t need me anymore to protect her.” He shrugged, adding guilelessly, “She trusts him now.”

Startled, Kagome exchanged looks with Miroku and Inuyasha. “Really?”

Yusuke scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just that our friend Sango doesn’t…ah…trust that easily,” Miroku amended. “Maybe what I said earlier helped.”

“Not a bit.” Dropping his bowl, Shippou rubbed his full belly. “Sango doesn’t even trust you, Miroku, not completely. Kurama did it all himself.”

“Did what himself?” Inuyasha growled.

“Got her trust,” Shippou serenely replied. “Kurama’s a silver fox. He knows how to work it.”

“How to…” Kagome’s mouth fell open.

“Work what, exactly?” Yusuke slapped his bowl down.

Shippou shrugged. “I don’t know. Ask him.” He pointed to Kuwabara, who shifted uncomfortably at the accusation trained on him.

“Uh…”

”Where’d you stick your big foot now, Kuwa-bunga?”

The big man shrugged. “You know Kurama. He’s all charming and stuff. If anyone can persuade a girl, it‘s him.”

“Re-eally,” Kagome drawled, an unbecoming flush creeping up her cheeks as she crossed her arms. “A real Prince Charming, eh?”

That probably wasn’t the best time for the spirit fox to appear, Sango in his arms.

“Hello,” Kurama said, one brow rising at all the suspicion turned their way. Sango blinked. “Kagome, is the bed ready?”

There was a convulsive jerk around the table. Miroku‘s eyes darkened. Inuyasha’s claws shot out, staying the monk.

“Woah, there, Casanova.” Yusuke climbed to his feet.

Kurama frowned, then carefully enunciated, “I thought it would be easier to carry Miss Sango down, as her ankle is still swollen.”

“Oh. Of course.” Stricken, Kagome hurried forward. “Sango-chan, how are you feeling?”

“Fine.” Her mumble could barely be heard as she ducked her head, cheeks heating. She was wrapped up like a sausage from chin to toe in various blankets, her brown hair in tangled disarray.

“Please, follow me,” Kagome contritely directed. Shaking his red head, Kurama followed. Yusuke decided to go along for the show, and the sound of chairs shoving back indicated the rest were rather keen on the idea.


Mrs. Higuarshi blinked at the odd parade as her daughter filed in, Kurama and Sango in tow. The tiny room was made smaller by the bed pulled out of the love-seat. Kagome sidled down the near side, her short skirt trailing along the wall as she squeezed in so Kurama, following her, could lay Sango down.

Snagging a blanket off the chair shoved in a corner, Yusuke used it as an excuse to sidle down the other wall beside Mrs. Higurashi. Kurama caught one end as the blanket unfurled, neatly tucking it around the slayer as Kagome plumped pillows. Not to be outdone, Miroku helped Kirara up on the bed, and Inuyasha fought Kuwabara to crowd around the foot.

Mystified by all the fussing, Sango uncomfortably drew the blanket up to her chin.

“Are you hungry, dear?” Mrs. Higurashi kindly inquired.

“There’s oden,” Shippou piped up from the top of the desk.

“There was oden, you mean.” Miroku scowled at Inuyasha.

“Hey! You ate just as much as I did!”

“I didn’t have two bowls.”

“No. You had three.”

“I did not.” The monk sniffed, offended.

“Did, too,” Kuwabara said. “I saw you.”

“This from the guy who had four.” Miroku folded his arms.

“Four?” Yusuke was impressed.

“Hey! I’m a growing boy, Urameshi!”

“I’ll say.” Puffing his cheeks out and encircling his arms, Yusuke pretended to waddle in place. Kagome stifled a giggle as Kuwabara thrust his chin out.

“I should go make more,” Mrs. Higurashi hastily determined.

“I can help,” Kagome offered.

“Yeah. I’m still hungry,” Shippou said, folding his arms. “And I’m actually a growing little boy.”

“Little pig, you mean.” Inuyasha scowled down at the kit.

“Inuyaa---” Shippou started to wail.

“Isn’t this cozy.”

Yusuke grinned at the short, dark figure that suddenly appeared in the doorway, contempt clear in the blazing red eyes that swept the crowded room.

“You!” Inuyasha snarled, claws going to the rusty sword at his hip.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome protested as Hiei simply ignored him, eyes on Yusuke.

“I’m gonna wipe that smirk off your ugly face, demon---”

“Sit, boy!” Kagome shouted angrily, finger pointed straight at the hanyou.

Yusuke burst out laughing as Inuyasha plowed chin-first into the floor, Kuwabara heartily joining in as the other newcomers stared in surprise.

“He asked for that one.” Miroku sighed.

“He never learns.” Shippou dolefully shook his head as Kagome carelessly pushed past Kurama, fury in her eyes.

Two hands suddenly curled around her shoulders, stopping her cold. Startled, Kagome looked up at the odd expression on the kitsune’s face. She abruptly became conscious of the way her bottom was molded to his front by the tight space.

“Pardon me,” Kurama said in a strained voice, carefully extricating himself as Kagome’s cheeks flamed. Mrs. Higurashi gave them an odd look as Yusuke’s grin turned wolfish. Sango frowned when Miroku smirked, confused but knowing a smirk from Houshi-sama never boded well. Hiei’s lip curled.

“Damn it, Kagome!” Inuyasha finally raised his head off the floor, gold eyes furious as Botan popped her head in the door.

“My, my!” The ferry-girl beamed. “Isn’t this cozy!”

Yusuke’s eyes rolled heavenward.


“What the hell are you doing here, Botan?”

“Yusuke! I have just as much right to be here as you---”

“Hn.”

“Well, it’s nice to see you, too, Hiei.”

The short demon deliberately turned his back to stare out the living room window. Botan made a face. “Just as sweet as ever, I see!”

Kuwabara shifted his weight against the wall as Kurama raised one hand to his temple, as if to stave off an impending headache.

“You know, it’s so good to see the old team together again.” Botan smiled, hands clasped in front of her.

“Cut to the chase, Botan,” Yusuke interrupted, arms folded. “Why are you here?”

“Well, seeing as you’ve all assembled, Prince Koenma thought it best that I accompany you to Mushiyori City.”

“Mushiyori City?” Yusuke demanded sharply.

“Ah,” Kurama said, as if questions had been answered. Hiei scowled.

“Cough it up, fox,” Yusuke growled.

“Hiei has been utilizing the Jagan all afternoon to filter through known demonic auras in the Human World. Anticipating all are accounted for, that leaves only one avenue of inquiry. Knowing what specific area interested him in Demon World, one can easily deduce that what we seek lies there, at the Devil’s Cave Mouth.”

“Uh, sure. Okay.” Kuwabara nodded, trying to pretend he followed all that.

“Precisely!” Botan gave the fox a thumbs up. “Prince Koenma agrees that our next step is to go investigate the underground cavern where Sensui created the tunnel to Demon World.”

Yusuke scowled. “And find what, exactly?”

“What’s no longer there,” Botan answered soberly.


“Mushyiori City?” Inuyasha demanded. “Where’s that?”

“It’s a good two hours bus ride from here.” Kagome worried her lip.

“How long it take on foot?”

“We can’t walk, Inuyasha. It’s too far.”

“We’ve walked long distances before,” Miroku noted.

“In the Sengoku Jidai,” Kagome said, shaking her dark head. “We’re now in the modern era, Miroku. It doesn’t work like that here.”

“Work like what?” Yusuke dropped in on their conversation around the dining table. Kagome colored for being caught as the other newcomers filed in after him.

“We heard you’re taking a little trip,” Inuyasha accused, ears twitching.

“Eavesdropping?” Yusuke returned.

“Let’s just say I got good ears.” The dog demon’s golden eyes glinted.

“And aren’t they just too adorable?” Botan whispered loudly to Kuwabara, who shot her a baffled look.

Kagome smiled in total agreement.

Inuyasha’s ears flattened to his head in acute discomfort.

“Enough about how cute da wittle puppy is,” Yusuke impatiently said. He grinned at the hanyou’s glare. “This ain’t exactly the dog and pony show. I don’t think we can take the whole circus.”

“That’s where you’re mistaken,” Miroku serenely replied. Startled by the source, Yusuke lifted a brow in question.

Miroku ticked his points off on his fingers. “First, none of you know exactly what you’re up against. Two, we---” he indicated the three of them seated at the table, “are more than familiar with Naraku. He has a distinctive scent that Inuyasha alone can track. Three, although there is the fact that you have helped us, we can hardly trust that---”

Kagome quickly intervened, “That you’ll be able to find the Jewel shards.”

Miroku frowned, but let it go as Kagome shot him a pleading look. It was hard enough to keep the loose alliance up without voicing aloud their doubts. Kagome knew instinctively they needed each other.

“There is that,” Botan considered. “Only Kagome can really detect Jewel shards.”

“I thought demons could---” Yusuke scowled.

“Only when absorbed,” Botan replied. “The Jewel is tricky. Only the most powerful can sense--” She clamped both hands over her mouth, pink eyes wide as she looked around to see if anyone caught her slip. Yusuke frowned, but just like Miroku, let it go at the ferry-girl’s pleading look.

“Then perhaps only Kagome should accompany us,” Kurama suggested.

“Not on your life, buddy,” Inuyasha growled, white-knuckling his Tetsusaiga. “I go where she goes.”

“And I go where they go,” Miroku quickly added. He smiled. “To be honest, I’m curious to see more of the wonders of this world that Kagome has spoken of.”

“Oh, you’re in for a treat!” Botan beamed.

“I’m sure.” The houshi smiled back.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Do you ever give up?”

“No,” Miroku said, sitting back in his seat and winking at the flustered ferry-girl.

“This is ridiculous,” Hiei opined, and disappeared.

“Hey, where’s he off to?” Inuyasha demanded.

“He’s out and about.” Yusuke waved dismissively. “Hiei doesn’t do well with crowds.”

“Or anyone.” Kuwabara scowled.

Inuyasha smirked, satisfied one of them, at least, was on his side in distrusting the little punk.


Someone was waiting for him outside.

Folding his arms, Hiei stared down at the little nekomata.

She growled.

“Don’t seek your death so hastily, demoness,” Hiei impatiently spat.

Amusement glinted in her glowing red eyes. Surprised, Hiei watched as the little cat lazily stretched and then slunk off towards the house at an angle. Curious, he followed, uncertain why. Boredom, possibly.

The tiny cat neatly jumped to the windowsill. Batting the screen aside, she leapt for the bed, padding over to the brown-haired girl lying on her side. A soft glow emanated from the lamp behind her, highlighting the stark bruise along her jaw, the individual fingerprints around her neck.

If that was supposed to affect him, make him feel bad somehow, it didn’t. Hiei had no sympathy for the weak.

Except…there was something about her, something…disturbing. Maybe it was the way one hand was curled under her pillow, clutching a knife. One didn’t learn to sleep with weapons to hand without the need for them. Maybe it was the way her other arm curled protectively around the little kitsune, who frankly snored, little snot-bubbles coming out of his nose. That was frankly disgusting, and Hiei turned away in scathing contempt, disturbance explained.

He leapt for the God‘s Tree, a glowing pair of knowing red eyes following as Kirara curled herself on the pillow at Sango’s head, purring lightly.