InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Killer Inside ❯ Chapter 11: All in the Family ( Chapter 11 )

Sorry this update took so long! I've been… busy. I'm getting married the 29th of October. 3rd generation October bride! I'm working pretty hard and am babysitting my students a lot to cover the cost of a wedding dress and “underpinnings”, not to mention the huge debt I owe for college and credit cards…

And my sister-in-law-to-be has moved in with my fiancé and myself, along with her 3 yr-old son. She and her skank-addicted, adulterous, republican asshat of a husband are getting a divorce. It's going to be interesting. Yeah… Less than 7 months to my wedding… I think I might just scream.

 

 

Chapter 11: All in the Family.

 

 

After calling his father, Inuyasha had decided to get some work done before his old man could get there. Unfortunately, as soon as he set up his accounting program on his laptop, he found it impossible to concentrate. For an hour or so he puttered around online, reading old mail and researching building materials.

Soon though, he got restless and found it necessary to do something else, preferably something physical. The porch needed work so he started taking measurements and compiling a list of supplies. When that was done he tinkered with his bike and his cars for a few hours, still unable to completely focus. By six, he was thoroughly covered in grease and dirt. He went in to shower and avoided the phone, trying not to think about calling Kagome. Dinner ended up being ramen and a beer with ice cream for dessert. As a last resort, he turned on the TV in the den and began to vegetate.

When the phone rang at nine that night, he nearly didn't answer it. Might be Dad, though, he thought and went to pick it up.

“Hello?” he said.

“Yash!” Toga said loudly. “I just got to Philadelphia. I should be in Louisiana in a few hours.” The sounds of a busy airport could be heard in the background. “I'll be flying out of here in an hour and should be getting into New Orleans around one AM.”

“You want me to meet you at the airport?” Inuyasha asked.

“Thanks but no, I'll be renting a car,” Toga replied. “Don't even wait up, son; it should be about four in the morning by the time I get to Bonne Forêt County anyway. I've still got keys, I'll let myself in.”

Inuyasha frowned. “Damn, I forgot about getting a room ready.”

“Don't worry, I'll find somewhere to sleep,” his father laughed.

“I haven't exactly done too much work on the inside, Dad, just enough to keep myself comfortable. You sure you don't want to stay at Chien Effrayant? I mean, it is your house-”

“No, Sesshomaru is going to stay there with his mate.”

“Sesshomaru and his what?” Inuyasha blinked. “You're kidding. He actually took a mate? When? Is it the human girl he had a date with?”

“Apparently they sealed the deal early Sunday morning.” Inuyasha could almost hear his father scowling. “So, you knew about the date, huh? That was more than I knew. He sorta sprung it on me earlier today when I called; told me he'd been just about to call me with `good news.' He's bringing her out to meet us tomorrow.” Inuyasha could hear the laughter in his father's voice. “I do know a little more about her now than you do. Her name is Rin Shinuta and she's apparently part of the Musashi clan, another great niece of Kaede Musashi.”

“Kaede has a hell of a lot of great nieces, it seems,” Inuyasha grumbled quietly. “I should assume that you mentioned Kagome to him?” He grimaced at his father's affirmative grunt. “Feh. Anyway. Yeah I knew about that date. A few nights ago, he called me to ask if a human woman would eat raw demon meat.” Toga burst out laughing. “I told him that no human woman I knew would touch the stuff. Sesshomaru sounded a bit put out. I kid you not, Dad.”

“Your brother, Yash…” Toga trailed off. “He's a piece of work, honestly, but no more so than you.”

“You know, for the longest time I'd wondered if perhaps he was gay, you know? I mean, he does have hair down to his knees and he's very…”

“Delicate? Pretty?” Toga supplied. “Min was that way, too. Very delicate and refined, like an ice sculpture.”

Inuyasha frowned. He could count on one hand the number of times his father had mentioned his first mate. Mother told me it was sometimes painful for him to speak of her, he thought, remembering his mother's sad look whenever he asked about the woman who gave birth to his brother. “Sesshomaru resembles Min?”

“In many ways, yes. Both you and your brother inherited my coloring and temper, though Sesshomaru controls it much better than you or I ever did. I feel that has a lot to do with Min's influence.” Inuyasha relaxed back into his chair as his father continued, assuaging his curiosity about the woman who'd come before his mother. “Min was very quiet and could be quite cold. She did not lack emotion by any means; rather, she simply would not allow it to show. She was also delicate looking, although she was definitely as strong as any bitch I've ever met; again, something your brother takes after her in.”

“Pretty but strong?” Inuyasha asked a bit sarcastically.

“More like `lovely and lethal,'” the Taisho laughed. “Poisonous to the bone. Anyway, I've got to go! The plane is boarding. We can talk more about this tomorrow morning, I promise.”

“I'll get a room ready for you,” Inuyasha replied.

“Great. Thanks, son. See you soon, Yash. Love you.”

“Love you too, Dad,” he replied as his dad hung up. He sat there for a moment, still holding the phone in his hand. Too late to call Kagome? he wondered to himself. Perhaps, but since he didn't have her number, it was a moot point. He set the phone down in the cradle and tapped his claws against the arm of the chair.

There were three rooms in his wing that still had beds and were reasonably habitable. One even had its own bathroom. Not that it works very well or is completely up to code, but hey, it's a bathroom, right? Inuyasha smirked. And if he wants it to work better he can fix it himself. Grinning, he climbed the stairs to search for some sheets.

 

@

@

@

@*@*@*@*@*@

@

@

@

A quiet knock on her door woke Kagome shortly before dawn that Tuesday. Outside, it was still dark and the steady rain promised that the sun would not show. Kagome hid her face in her dark hair for a moment and cringed at the earliness. A second, louder knock followed and she sighed.

“I'm up, Kaede,” she called.

“Good,” the elderly woman replied, “Bathe and dress in something loose and comfortable then come down to the kitchen to meet me.”

Kagome showered quickly and dressed in loose fitting cotton pants and a baggy tank top. She could smell tea brewing in the kitchen along with something not so familiar. Kagome made a confused face as she entered the kitchen and Kaede smiled.

“Miso soup. It's traditional.” Kagome looked at it skeptically. “It's not bad, I promise.”

“I've never had it for breakfast before…” Kagome trailed off.

“Today is a day for new things, child.”

Half an hour later found them both in the greenhouse.

“Breathe deep and find the root of your powers.” Kagome sat cross- legged on a mat placed on the packed dirt ground, hands resting lightly on her knees and her back straight. Before her, slightly raised by a low table, Kaede sat in a similar position. “Envision your power as water; dip your hands into it and feel it flow. This should feel familiar and natural.” Kagome sighed as he felt her powers wash over her. It was like wading in a stream, simple. “Now I want you to begin to shape that power. Do not force it; simply mold it into a rope. It will be difficult so do not press too hard, just feel the dichotomy of it, the paradox of power. It is liquid and flows, yet is it solid and strong. It will hold a great many things.”

Kaede's voice droned on as Kagome attempted to do as she was being told. She felt the warmth of her power flowing through her, but was unable to grasp even a thread of it. She repressed the urge to simply loosen her hold on the magic and let it flow out of her. That was not what Kaede had asked her to do. Suddenly she exhaled a sigh of frustration.

“I can't do it, Kaede!”

“Patience. I did not expect you to on your first try.” Kaede looked down at her thoughtfully. “By what means do you usually expel your power?”

The girl thought for a moment, chewing on her lower lip in concentration. How do I use my power? She asked herself.

“It comes out through my hands,” she said, a little irritated at how dumb she sounded. “I open… something or let go of it and it simply pours out through my hands.”

“Does it come from anywhere else, child?” Kagome thought again for a moment, trying to pinpoint the sensation.

“My chest, sometimes,” she answered hesitantly. “Especially when I'm working with more complex things. Flowers and herbs are one thing. Trees, animals and people are another entirely. It pours out like water from a pitcher or a hose.” Kaede nodded.

“To use you power more effectively, you must learn to shape the power before it leaves you.” The old woman smiled. “Spells are a way of harnessing and directing the power a bit more… deliberately, but they would not be as effective for you. Regardless, once you learn the feel of your power and the feel of manipulating it, I will teach you a few simple spells.”

“Spells? Like those of the Fae?”

“Yes and no. The spells the Fae use, the powers they use, are unique to their race; just as the powers of the demons are unique to their race and the power of the miko are exclusive to the females of our race. Those who are a mix of the two races are either powerless or their abilities are a mingling of the two.”

“Inuyasha is the child of a Taiyoukai and a Miko,” Kagome whispered. “Does that mean that his powers are a mix of the two?”

“Yes and no,” the old woman replied again.

“Kaede!”

“I will try to explain. Males of our race do have power, but ti inherently different from ours. Had Inuyasha been a female child, yes, his powers would have been a mix of the two. But Inuyasha is male,” Ain't that the truth, Kagome thought wryly, then smashed the thought. “And so his demon powers were merely amplified. Hanyou children of Taiyoukai and Miko are generally as strong or stronger, spiritually and power wise, than their taiyoukai fathers. However, their bodies are not strong enough to handle those amounts of power and if the energy is not contained or siphoned off, they will destroy themselves.”

Kagome sat and thought about that before asking another question. “How would energy like that be contained?”

“A magical object would be my first assumption.” Kaed shrugged. “I never thought to ask, honestly.”

“But-”

“We have strayed from the true topic, my dear.” Kaede frowned and resumed her meditative pose. “Now try again to simply hold your magic. Try this…”

 

@

@

@

@*@*@*@*@*@

@

@

@

 

A lone white figure stood un-noticed in the trees of Rinoko Manor, fog and darkness masking her visibly. Dawn was just breaking as a rented car pulled into the drive. A tall man with long white hair exited the car carrying a small bag. His bearing was regal but he moved in a somewhat tired fashion.

The figure alerted her master.

The Leader of the Dogs had returned.

@

@

@

@*@*@*@*@*@

@

@

@

Ok. I'm happy with all the reviews I'm getting so I'll be a good sport and reply to some… Most of these reviews are from FFnet,

 

FFnet

 

golden-eyed-viper: I'm glad you like the story. As for being a rocker? Um… See, I'm like… old now… But still ten years younger than my fiancé! :-P Anyway, I'm not into much that isn't rock or industrial. As you might be able to tell by songs I've said were important, I like NIN, A Perfect Circle, Ani DiFranco, Tori Amos, John Mayer (where that comes from is a mystery), Green Day and a bunch of other people who were popular in the 90's. Probably because that's when I was in HS. So I guess it does make me a “rocker” although I prefer the term “sane.”

 

Nella/Inuyasha lover: I get my ideas from the aliens that abducted me and gave me an anal probe. Dude, it's like this fifty-foot weirdo satellite that comes out of my ass and puts ideas directly into my brain. Seriously, though, I'm not sure where they come from. Probably from having too much caffeine or something.

 

EarthQueen: Thank you for the praise and I hope you can get your story written and online soon. I'd love to read it.

 

Silver Rain Drops: You reviewed each and every chapter right after reading! You've got to be the sweetest reviewer I've had! (no offence, guys) I sincerely hope you continue reading. BTW, I NEVER gave the man watching Kaugra a name. Are you sure it's Naraku?

 

NinaWilliamsSilentAssassin: Thank you for the praise. I'm gonna get a big head soon, but please, don't stop! And I based Inu's dad on… well I just get this image of him, he's youngish, still vital and fiercely loving. He's realized that he's made mistakes with Sesshomaru and tries not to make the same ones with Inu… It's like, he knows he not the perfect father, that he's been absent too much in BOTH of his son's lives, but he still tries to help them and wants to have an adult relationship with them. I feel that many parents make the mistake of treating their children like children ALWAYS. But eventually children grow up. Ok… Enough psychobabble…

 

Devine Red Canyon: Thanks for the review. It IS a lot of info, but I'm better at info than action, lately. There will be more action eventually and I'm pretty sure all the Taishos get to rumble with some badass villains… I love watching Sesshy fight. ::wistful sighs:: But that's still a ways off.

 

MMorg

 

Smittin Kittin: So glad you like. When are you going to update YOUR fics, girl? I'm dying for one of your juicy Kag/Inu lemons…

 

Sutlesarcasm: Dunno why more people aren't reviewing on this site, but I'm glad you feel that way about my story. Having my work called “quintessential” is a novelty and rather exciting. BTW, don't assume too much about Naraku… Because when you assume, you just make an ass out of me and U. :-P no offense meant. And get the bib ready…

 

QTpie: I hope you passed your exam! Chem is a hard subject! I haven't taken it since HS and… let's just say I was a hazard in the class; burning Skipper over an open flame, standing over the beaker and BREATHING. Yeah, I learned first hand LYE is a VERY caustic base and can cause permanent changes in your vocal range when inhaled… <<shaid is no longer a soprano>>

 

And thank you to the recent reviewers asking me why I never update…

 

Now I HAVE updated!

 

And with that, I shall say adieu.