InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Lucky Ones ❯ Chapter Thirty-Six ( Chapter 36 )

The Lucky Ones

By Terri Botta

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Sole copyright belongs to Viz and Rumiko Takashi. I'm poor so don't sue.

Rating: R for later chapters.

Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome, Miroku/Sango

Summary: Sometimes Fate hands you a gift you never thought you'd ever get, and it's up to you to accept it for what it is.

Email feedback to: tci100@psu.edu

Webpage: http://www.wordsmiths.net/Botta

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Chapter Thirty-Six

The guests started arriving at a quarter to three. Yukio supposed he couldn't really call them guests because the majority of them were his family, but there were a few here and there who weren't directly related to him. When the others started trickling in, he'd left his spot under Goshinboku and joined his grandmother while Jii-chan sat by the main shrine and played the part of head priest. There he pointed out each newcomer and told her who the individual was and what relation they were to him. He could see her eyes opening wider and wider as she tallied the number of people he claimed as `brother' and `sister.'

"That's my sister Yumi," he told her, indicating a slender young woman on the arm of a robust man. "She's a kawauso-hanyou. The man next to her is her mate. He's a full-blooded kawauso-youkai. Not too many of them these days. The rivers are too polluted. They moved to the Netherlands about sixty years ago, before the A-bomb dropped."

"Yumi," Mama-baachan repeated.

"And over there is Kioshi. He's Mom and Dad's seventh son. His father was a panda-youkai from China."

"Kioshi… Yukio I don't know how I am going to remember all of these names! And none of them are showing their real faces," she admitted.

"All of their faces are very similar to their true face. It's just the youkai traits that are hidden. If you look at me on my human night, I look the same as I do now. Don't worry, Mama-baachan. All of them know you've never met them before. They'll all remind you of who they are."

"I'm so glad."

"Eggs?" a young man asked, coming up to them from the opposite direction they were facing. He was holding a shopping bag.

Yukio smiled at him. "And this is my brother Miroku. He's an inu-hanyou like me," he said. "Miroku, this is Mama-baachan."

Miroku bowed deeply and kissed her hand. "Mama-baachan."

"I know you," she gasped.

"We have met before. Years ago when my mother wandered into our woods as a toddler and I brought her back. I even left her on the roof once so she wouldn't try to follow me."

"It is you! I thought I knew you from somewhere!" she replied, her eyes wide.

"Of course I didn't know she was my mother at the time," Miroku commented, flashing angry eyes at his oldest brother. "I just thought I was going crazy when you and she smelled familiar. No one bothered to tell me the truth until three years ago."

Yukio gave him a sheepish smile and a little shrug. "Mom and Dad told me I wasn't allowed."

"Eri knew," his brother countered.

"Eri's a snoop."

Miroku rolled his eyes. "Anyway, here are the requested eggs," he said, handing Mama-baachan the grocery bag.

"Arigato," she answered with a bow. "I'll put these in the kitchen. Please excuse me."

They watched her go.

"She's holding up rather well," Miroku commented.

Yukio nodded. "She's used to the unusual. Look at how she handled Mom and Dad when they were still able to go through the well."

The other inu-hanyou nodded. "Mom and Dad aren't here yet?"

He shook his head. "No. Soon though. They're taking a hired car from the train station. Dad won't let Mom ride the subway."

Miroku just shook his head and snickered. "Frankly, I liked your idea of sealing him to a tree until after the baby is born."

"Me too. Pity Mom wouldn't go for it."

Mama-baachan rejoined them and Yukio offered her his arm, which she accepted. As she did so, Miroku sniffed and turned his head to look for someone.

"Ah, there's Ranma. I need to talk to him about the Frankfurt accounts. I'll see you later, okay?" he said.

Yukio nodded. "Okay."

Miroku bowed to his grandmother and kissed her hand again. "I am sure we will have plenty of time to talk and get to know each other. I live only a hop away from here."

Mama-baachan smiled. "You must come for tea or dinner sometime."

Miroku grinned. "I'd like that. Thank you."

With a final nod, he headed off to talk to his brother.

"He seems like such a nice boy," she sighed. "I remember when he brought Kagome back all those times."

Yukio nodded. "He's a little mad at me because I kept the truth from him, but I know why my parents made the choice they did and it was for Okaa-san's protection. If there was even a hint that my mother would be endangered, I'd have glued my mouth shut."

"Just like your father."

"No. Otou-san would never glue his mouth shut. Then he couldn't curse anymore."

Mama-baachan giggled.

They surveyed the growing crowd and Yukio looked up to the clouds.

"Looks like the weather is going to hold. At least the sun's not out and it isn't too humid," he noted.

"Yes. We aren't supposed to get rain until tonight."

He nodded. "Tetsu promised to make sure the weather would be okay. He can control storms when he wants to."

"Tetsu?"

"Tetsukazu. He's Mom and Dad's youngest. He's a dragon-hanyou. He's not here yet. I think he's coming over from Yokohama with Izayoi."

Mama-baachan gasped. "A dragon-hanyou?"

"Yeah. They're extremely rare. The only reason Mom and Dad got him was because his mother died and his human relatives were too afraid to kill him."

"Oh how awful."

Yukio shrugged. "He was better off with us anyway." `We were all better off. No one could have done a better job of raising all of us than my parents. I think this new baby will do them a world of good. Okaa-san's arms have been empty for too long.'

"It looks like Kagome did a wonderful job raising all of these children."

"Otou-san too. He is a good father. He was harsh at times, and firm, but none of us have ever doubted that he loves us."

"Inuyasha spent so much of his life hated and alone. It's no wonder that he tried so hard to make sure none of his children ever felt that way."

He smiled at her insight. "Exactly."

"YU-U-U-K-I-I-O-O!!!" came a booming voice.

`Isato…'

He grinned, pulled away from his grandmother, and faced the owner of the voice. The man was barreling towards him, his head down. Ignoring his grandmother's gasp and cry of warning, he stepped forward and butted his head into Isato's charge. There was a loud crack from the impact, and if both of them had been human they would have been comatose from the head injury, but because they were both hanyous they didn't even get a headache.

"Yukio! My brother!" Isato enthused, grabbing him into a huge hug.

"How are you, Isato?" he answered, gasping as his back was slapped enthusiastically.

Isato stepped away, grinning and Yukio noticed he had a new concealment spell. Instead of his former Japanese appearance, he had traded it for a dark haired, olive-skinned Spanish look.

`Huh.'

"Oh, I am well! Very well!" Isato answered in English.

"You got a new concealment spell." `And why are you talking in English? Spanish-accented English no less?'

"Oh yes. Do you like it? I look like Antonio Banderas, yes? The Spanish ladies love me!" he replied, spinning to show off his new look.

"Ah, and how is Spain?"

"Spain? Spain is magnifico! She is my Mother Country!"

Yukio raised one eyebrow. `You were born in Echigo, Japan,' he thought dourly, but said instead, "I'm glad that you have found a place where you are happy."

"Oh, happiness is not the word. She is a paradise! And the ladies... the ladies have no equal. You must meet Isabella, my brother! She is magnificent."

Yukio's eyes were drawn to a raven-haired, dark-eyed beauty that was coming towards them.

`Hmm, hanyou, but I can't make the cross.'

"Isabella, my darling. Meet my dearest brother, Yukio," Isato introduced, taking her hand.

The hanyou female curtsied perfectly and offered her hand to him. He bowed as he took it and placed his lips upon the back of her hand, all while taking a discrete whiff to make sure the scent of human death was not on her. Isato wasn't picky about who he took to his bed. In fact, his requirements were fairly simple: 1) was it female? and 2) was it breathing? It wouldn't be the first time he'd brought home a human-eater, and he'd have to break the news to him before their father found out. Isato's nose wasn't anywhere near as acute as his own and the bull-hanyou often couldn't tell.

`That and he's not the brightest of us. It's a shame Father's swords can't increase I.Q.'

Luckily, Isabella smelled clean.

"It is a pleasure, my lady," he said to her as he released her hand. "Once again my brother has chosen a lovely woman."

She giggled and snapped open a lace fan to hide her face. "You are too kind, Senor."

He managed another smile at her, then turned his attention to his brother.

"Isato, please meet Okaa-san's mother, Mama-baachan," he said.

"Ah! Senora! It is easy to see where my mother gets her beauty!" Isato exclaimed in Spanish-accented Japanese which made Yukio cringe because it was just wrong. "You are a Tokyo rose!"

He kissed her hand as she blushed and giggled. "Thank you."

"You must come to Barcelona. I have a villa there. It is most luxurious and beautiful."

"I'd... I'd like that someday. Thank you for the invitation."

"Come in July. We will go to Pamplona to see the running of the bulls, and cheer for the bulls, no?"

Yukio saw Mama-baachan fight to find words to answer. Thankfully, Isato's attention-span, which was never very long to begin with, was distracted by a newcomer to the gathering.

"Ah! I see my sister Mariko. Come Isabella. You two must meet!"

He grabbed the hanyou female and dragged her off. Yukio heard his grandmother give a small sigh of relief.

"Bull-hanyou," he explained. "Not the sharpest tack in the box, but... whew... strong. Very strong."

"He certainly seems very... passionate," she replied, choosing her words carefully.

Yukio snickered. "That is one way to describe him." He looked at his watch. It was 3:15. He frowned. `Mom and Dad aren't here yet.'

"Mama! Mama!" a familiar voice cried and he looked up to see Souta running up to them.

"Ah, okaeri nasai, Souta," Mama-baachan greeted.

"Who are all of these people?" the thirteen-year old asked, wide-eyed.

"Souta! I'm surprised you don't recognize me!" Yukio complained, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Eh? Who are you?"

"Well, I guess it could have something to do with the fact that the last time you saw me I was this big and could barely say your name," he replied, spreading his hands about one meter apart.

"Huh?"

Yukio gave a quick look around, confirming that there were no unaccounted for humans in the shrine, then he took off his ring.

"AGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!"

Yukio slapped his hand over the screaming teen's mouth to silence him.

"Souta! It's me, Yukio. Remember? Kagome and Inuyasha's son," he whispered hoarsely, kneeling on one knee behind the boy.

"Mmmmmmpphh???" Souta mumbled against his palm, his eyes wide.

"Do you recognize me now?"

The boy's head nodded vigorously.

Slowly he let Souta go, half expecting him to scream again.

"You don't look anything like you used to, but Inu-no-niichan always used to grab me like that when I walked in on him and Kagome so I knew it had to be you."

`Oh really?' he thought amusedly just as Mama-baachan gave a choked gasp.

"How'd you get so big so fast?"
He gave his young uncle a small smile. "That's a long story and I'll leave it for my parents to tell you."

"Are Kagome and Inu-no-niichan here?"

He shook his head. "No. They're coming from Osaka by train."

"Train? Did you take the train too?"

"No, I rode my bike up from Osaka this morning."

Souta gasped. "Is that your cool racing bike parked in front of the steps?"

He laughed. "Yeah, that's mine."

"Awesome! Can I have a ride on it, please?!"

He cast a nervous glance up at his grandmother who was looking rather shocked.

"You'd better ask your mother for permission."

Souta turned pleading eyes to his mother. "Mama? Can I please?"

"Souta... I... I don't know. Motorcycles are very dangerous..."

"And I don't have a spare helmet," Yukio added, rapping lightly on Souta's skull. "If I wreck the bike, I'll be fine, but your weak human head'd crack open and your brains would smear all over the highway."

"Eeeewwwwww!!!" Souta gasped and even Mama-baachan turned slightly green.

"Besides that bike's a little uncomfortable with two riders, even for a little scrap of a thing like you. I've got another that'll be better. I'll be here in Japan for a while so why don't I drive up with it sometime and we'll go for a ride?"

"Oh awesome!! That would be great!" Souta exclaimed.

"Put your ring back on before I graft it permanently into your forehead with my foot, you twit," Eri's furious voice commanded.

Yukio gulped and flattened his ears as he looked up at the raging neko-youkai.

`She's almost as scary as Okaa-san when she's angry.'

"Who are you?" Souta asked.

"This blithering idiot's sister," she answered harshly. "Now put it back on, Yukio, before someone who isn't supposed to sees you."

"Eri, there's no one here!" he argued.

"You've got a sister?"

"Yes," they both replied in unison.

Eri took a deep breath. "Yukio," she said patiently. "You don't spend enough time here in Japan since you moved to Canada with Mom and Dad. The Fushikenwa and Nishitaishou families are still big enough names to catch the attention of the press. At any time an entourage of reporters from the tabloids could come in here. Until we get a Spell of Normalcy cast over this place, you should keep yourself concealed. This is to protect you and to protect Mom and Dad. What do you think Dad would do if a bunch of slobbering paparazzi showed up here with cameras flashing and they could see you? There could be chaos. Someone might get hurt. Mom might get hurt."

One look at Eri's face and he knew she was being deadly serious. While he craved open space and the untainted wilderness, Eri loved cities and the urban life. She was far more qualified to make a judgment on the dangers of their situation than he. Where he lived, sometimes he could go days without meeting another individual. He nodded gravely and put the ring back on.

"That is so cool!" Souta enthused.

Eri nodded in approval. "Thank you."

Standing, he faced his sister. "Mom and Dad aren't here yet. They must have been delayed. I'll wait another ten minutes then I'll call Dad on his cell phone."

She nodded and crossed her arms. "About half of us are here already. I just saw Rumiko and Asame arrive. Ryoukan's not here yet, but I wouldn't expect him until after the meal is served. He still prefers his food raw."

"Is everything in place and to your liking?" Mama-baachan asked.

Yukio surveyed the tables, the canopies put up in case of rain, the floral decorations and the efficient catering staff that was now serving hors d'oeuvres and drinks from trays carried by waitpersons. Everything seemed perfectly in order and going smoothly.

"Well the ice sculptures are melting, but that's to be expected. I've got an ice-demon hanyou working on prolonging their lifespan, but she can only do so much," Eri replied.

"Whose bright idea were they anyway?" Yukio questioned.

Eri gave him a shrug. "I have no idea. Probably some simpering toady of Uncle's who thought they would make a nice touch. They weren't in anything I ordered, and the delivery boy listed them as a gift."

"My guess is it was what's-her-name. Haruichimirou-sama's mate. The ditz who doesn't have two brain cells to rub together. Swans seem right up her alley," he commented.

"I think I know who you're talking about. Blue hair, always has a vacant look on her face?"

He nodded. "Yeah her. The one who thought I was calling from jail when I said I was using a cell phone."

Eri snickered. "I remember that. It was the last time we went to Uncle's for New Year's and all the courtiers showed up." She looked at her watch and frowned. "Anyway, it's almost twenty after three. The band is due to arrive at 5. I have a harpist coming in to play during the meal. She should already be here actually..."

She gave a quick scan for the harpist but came up empty. However, she suddenly sniffed and went still. Yukio sniffed too and immediately recognized the scents. Then a wave of awareness passed among the guests and the din of conversation quieted to a whisper as all heads turned to face the entrance to the shrine grounds.

"What is it?" Mama-baachan asked nervously, whispering in the sudden quiet.

He opened his mouth to answer when a loud, irritated voice answered for him:

"Oh yeah? Well, you didn't have a needle shoved in your ass every week for six months!"

"Mom and Dad are here," he announced.

"Really? Are you sure? We could be hearing him bellow from the next prefecture," Eri commented.

"True. I'd better go check."

He stepped forward but his arm was quickly grabbed by his grandmother.

"Kagome?" she questioned, her eyes hopeful.

He gave her a reassuring smile and nodded. "Yes."

She gasped and moved towards the stairs, her pace increasing the closer she got to them. The crowd parted to let her pass and Yukio followed at her heels. She stopped several feet away from the shrine entrance and waited.

The first figures up the stairs weren't his parents, but his brother Tetsukazu and his sister Izayoi. He whispered their names to his grandmother, but she only nodded, her eyes fixed on the top step.

"They're right behind us," Tetsu said quietly as he and Izayoi came over to him.

"They were getting out of the car just as we were walking up. Mama looks stressed and tired," Izayoi added.

`Crap,' he thought. `I was worried the train ride would be too much for her. They should have stayed at fucking Tokyo House, steps bedamned! She had to climb these ones anyway so it didn't make a shit bit of difference.'

"Are you alright?" his father's voice asked, closer now.

No answer.

"You should just let me carry you, wench."

No answer.

"Why are you being so damn stubborn?"

Behind him and Mama-baachan, the rest of the guests began to gather close. He could feel the press of their bodies at his back and it made him slightly claustrophobic.

"You're just doing this to get back at me for this morning, aren't you?"

Still no answer from his mother and he frowned. `Either she's too busy concentrating on getting up the stairs to yell back at him, or she's too angry to scream.'

Two heads appeared over the top of the stairs and he tensed. The heads were followed by two sets of shoulders, then chests, and then the rest of their bodies as his father helped his mother slowly climb up. As always, while his voice was complaining and irritated, his father's body language said the exact opposite. His hand was lightly on the small of his mother's back, his other hand supporting her under one arm to both steady her and support her weight with each step up. His face was concerned and serious. His mother looked exhausted.

He almost went to help, but he knew how territorial his father had been lately so he kept his distance, and his parents finally made it to the top. They were dressed finely. His father was wearing a loose white raw silk shirt with rolled cuffs, his prayer beads peaking out from underneath the open collar, and a pair of black cotton pants. On his feet were the open toed Birkenstock sandals he preferred whenever he had to wear shoes. On his right ring finger he wore the signet ring that anchored his concealment spell. Tessaiga was at his side as always, in its sheath, but the concealment spell made it look like a cell phone that was attached to his waistband. Because the blade had been broken all those years ago and his demon blood had been released, Inuyasha never went far without the sealing sword; unlike Yukio whose sword had never been broken and his youkai blood never released. He still had it with him though. It was in the satchel he had packed that morning, in its own enchanted carrier that shrank the blade and made it fit into the small pack.

His mother was dressed in a lovely green silk dress with a matching long open jacket. It was loose and generous to accommodate her growing belly, and he knew she had gone for comfort rather than style. On her feet were the custom made walking sandals that she loved so much and that were easy for her to walk in.

Neither of his parents were looking ahead of them as they cleared the stairs. His mother was looking down at her feet, while his father's attention was completely on his mate. But when they finally did come out of their own little world to take stock of their surroundings, they stopped short at the sight of everyone gathered there waiting for them.

Yukio saw his father survey the crowd with both wary and approving eyes, and he also noted how he tightened his grip on his mother's arm and drew her just a little closer.

`Even here among his own family he's still defensive and territorial.'

His mother, however, only had eyes for Mama-baachan.

"Mama?" she said in a small voice.

The sound gave him pause. While he knew that his parents had stopped aging 450 years ago and still bore the same youthful appearance they had back then, he never saw them as "young." To him, they were always older and somehow wiser, especially his mother, but right now she looked every bit the tender age of eighteen she had been the day his father had made his wish on the Shikon no Tama.

"Kagome," Mama-baachan replied.

Kagome took a step forward, her arms reaching out. "Mama."

"Kagome," Mama-baachan breathed again as she rushed forward and, heedless of Inuyasha's warning glare, embraced her daughter.

"Mama!" Kagome cried, hugging her mother as she burst into tears and began to sob. "Mama. Mama."

Yukio moved closer, coming to stand only a few steps away from where his mother and grandmother were embracing, and he could hear their words perfectly.

"Shhh, Kagome. I'm here. Mama's here now," she comforted, stroking her daughter's hair.

"I missed you so much. It's been so long!" Kagome sobbed.

"I know. But I'm here now. We're together again."

"It's been so hard without you," Kagome admitted, hugging her mother tighter.

"I know, but it's alright now. Everything will be alright now," Mama-baachan soothed, tucking Kagome's head into her shoulder.

"Oi, be careful, she's delicate," Inuyasha warned.

Mama-baachan smiled at him and, much to Yukio's amazement, reached out to rub his father's ears. What was even more amazing was that his father didn't jerk away.

"I know, dear, I know."

Then Mama-baachan reached out and put an arm across Inuyasha's shoulders, drawing him close. Inuyasha's arm came up to loosely hug her and he buried his nose in her hair.

There were several expectant moments as the rest of them watched Kagome be reunited with her mother. No one approached too closely and let the three have their private moment of reunion until Inuyasha stepped back, followed by Kagome who beamed at her mother and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I love you, Mama," she said softly.

"I love you too, Kagome. So much."

As if by some unspoken agreement, the spell was broken and the heavy silence erupted into a cacophony of voices all vying to be heard at once.

Yukio knew they were making a mistake. Their father was far too stressed and protective for him to handle all of them converging on their mother at once. He tried to intervene before it became an `incident,' putting himself between his mother and grandmother and the others.

"Everyone wait! Just hold on a second!"

A few stopped and listened to him, but others, too excited to really hear his warning, simply went around him.

`Shit!'

"Hey guys, wait a minute. At least let Okaa-san sit down! She's pregnant and just climbed those steps!" he tried again.

His request was drowned out by numerous voices calling for their mother. He heard his father growl and smelled the tell-tale scent of his rage, then there was the unmistakable sound of sliding metal and he felt the pulse of Tessaiga. He took a brief look to confirm that his father had indeed drawn the sword and was now holding it horizontally over his head in a gesture that all of the children knew meant, `Freeze and shut up!'

They froze and shut up. Inuyasha didn't even have to say a word, but Yukio could hear him huffing under his breath and see the stress radiating from him. It was obvious that he was holding himself in check, trying not to come out swinging because he did not want to harm his children. Besides he had to know such a display would earn him repeated `sittings' if he even tried. It didn't look like his mother was in any mood to deal with her mate's overprotective temper.

"Someone bring a chair!" Yukio ordered into the sudden silence.

A chair was set down next to him immediately and he turned to his mother.

"Okaa-san, please…"

Kagome gave him a tired, grateful smile and moved forward to sit down. He gave her a swift hug.

"You look lovely."

"Thank you," she replied. "You're looking handsome as ever. I didn't see you. You left early this morning."

He smiled and kissed her on the temple, sneaking in a quick lick to her chin. "I wanted to get here and make sure everything went smoothly," he explained, then looked up at his father.

"Let's carry her over to the head of the table," he suggested.

Inuyasha nodded and sheathed Tessaiga. Then he and his father stood on opposite sides of the chair and they both lifted it up with his mother still in it as they carried it over to the long, decorated table, which was actually several tables placed all in a row. They set her down beside the table, but with the chair facing outward so the table was at her back.

"Is this good, Okaa-san?" he asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah, this is fine. Thank you."

"Do you need anything?"

"Something to drink?" she requested.

He smiled. "I'll get you some water."

"That would be wonderful. Thank you."

Once his mother was settled in the chair with her water, Mama-baachan came to stand next to her while Inuyasha took a few steps to the side to allow the others to come forward. It was chaos for the first fifteen minutes as children who hadn't seen their parents in three years came to greet them enthusiastically.

"Mama!" "Mother!" "Okaa-san!" "Mom!"

"Papa!" "Father!" "Oyaji!" "Otou-san!" "Dad!"

Kagome's obvious pregnancy was a hot topic of conversation and everyone wanted an update on how things were going. When the rush of greetings died down, Yukio took his place at Inuyasha's right shoulder and stood with him. His father gave him a nod but basically ignored him as he crossed his arms and kept a wary eye out for potential dangers.

"You can stop mate guarding, Dad. We're all family here," he reminded teasingly, hoping the light tone would get his father to relax a little.

"Feh. As if that ever meant anything," Inuyasha scoffed back.

"Okay, I amend my statement. We're all family here and none of us are Uncle. Better?"

"Heh," Inuyasha answered but a bit of the tension did go out of his shoulders.

"Mama, would you like me to cast the Spell of Normalcy?" he heard his sister Mariko ask.

Mariko was a bird-hanyou and she had some miko powers. If she cast the spell instead of his mother, Kagome wouldn't have to expend the energy to cast and anchor it.

"That would be wonderful, Mariko," his mother answered.

"Un."

Out of the corner of his eye he watched his sister, resplendent in a turquoise and silver dress with matching caftan, set the markers to define the boundaries of the spell and then anchor energy into them to cast it. The familiar feel of disorientation flowed over them, making them momentarily dizzy, but then they all breathed a collective sigh of relief and removed their concealment spells. Immediately the crowd of mostly black-haired humans became a sea of varied color and shape and size as all of them revealed their true forms.

"What's a Spell of Normalcy?" he heard Mama-baachan ask.

"It's a spell that makes people see only what we want them to see. If someone came in here now, all he would see would be humans gathered here and nothing would seem out of the ordinary. We cast it over whatever area we're gathered in to protect us but also to give them the opportunity to be themselves," Kagome explained.

"Ooooh," Mama-baachan breathed.

Mariko, now in her true form with a beak and teal feathers for hair, came back over in a flurry of turquoise and silver.

"There Mama."

"Thank you, baby. It's perfect."

Mariko bent to kiss her mother's cheek, as much as she was able with a beak for a nose and mouth. "Anything for you, Mama."

"Mama." "Okaa-san." Sango and Kaiya greeted as they came up.

"Hello, sweethearts."

Yukio turned his attention back to his father and let his sisters fuss over their mother.

"How was the ride up?"

"Long."

"I told you we should have stayed at Tokyo House. Mom had to climb the shrine stairs anyway so it didn't make a difference."

"Shut up," Inuyasha snapped irritably, which meant that he'd already realized his mistake, but didn't want to admit it.

Yukio just smirked to himself and took off his signet ring, dropping it into his pocket. He watched his father do the same, then kick off the hated Birkenstocks.

"Inuyasha," Jii-chan called as he and Souta came over to them.

A quick glance revealed that Kagome and Mama-baachan were still swamped so his uncle and great-grandfather must have decided to take their chances with Inuyasha. Inuyasha looked down at the thirteen-year old and Jii-chan, and Yukio swore he saw a shimmer of emotion. Then Inuyasha bowed slightly to Jii-chan, just a fraction but a bow nonetheless.

"Hello, old man." The words were harsh but the tone was respectful.

`Whoa…'

"Inu-no-niichan," Souta said.

"Whaddya want, kid?" his father asked, his voice irritated as usual, but his posture had softened making Yukio reassess what this reunion meant to his father.

He'd always assumed that Inuyasha was going to such great lengths for Kagome because she missed her family in the Modern Era. It never crossed his mind that his father might have missed them just as much, but his body language was saying just that.

`Well, I guess he could see Souta as a little brother and Jii-chan as the closest thing he has to a father-in-law. Okaa-san said her family always accepted Otou-san,' he thought.

"I was supposed to be the cool big uncle," the teen complained. "You promised that I could be, but Yukio's all grown up. I missed it."

Yukio watched as his father gave the boy a tender smile and that solidified his suspicions even more.

"Things didn't work out that way, kid, I'm sorry."

Souta pouted for all of three seconds then smiled. "But that's okay because my nephew is going to take me out for a ride on his cool bike!"

Inuyasha looked uncomfortable and scratched his head. "Ahhh, do your mother and sister know that?"

"Mama said I could!" the teen insisted.

He stepped forward and spoke softly in inu-youkai. :Pack-brother safe with beta-male.:

:Impulsive pup,: his father replied with an incredulous look.

His eyes opened wide and he snorted. :Impulsive leader-male!:

"Seriously, you know I'd never let him come to harm. My hanyou reflexes are much sharper and faster than any human's," he added verbally.

Inuyasha nodded. "It's not me you have to convince."

"Yukio said he'd ride up with a bike that's better for two riders," Souta clarified.

"Ahh, the Triumph?" his father questioned.

He nodded. The good thing about traveling overland and by yacht meant that he could bring three of his favorite bikes with him.

"Good choice."

"Inuyasha!" Jii-chan scolded sharply, making his father jump.

"Eh?"

"What have you been doing with my granddaughter?" the old man demanded.

"Huh?"

"How many years have you lived together? And now Kagome is pregnant!"

Yukio snickered at his father's shocked expression.

"And you're not properly married! The dishonor to our proud family! The shame!"

"Ehh? What?? We are too married, old man! We just celebrated our 450th wedding anniversary!" Inuyasha argued, flushed.

"You are? How? When?"

"Here! In the Feudal Era. 1549."

"Oh, well, I suppose it's alright then."

Inuyasha sputtered and Yukio hid his mouth behind his hand so his father wouldn't see his smile.

"Was the officiant a Shinto priest?" Jii-chan asked shrewdly.

"Ehh? She was a miko, and he was a houshi."

"Ieeeeee!! Not even a proper wedding!" Jii-chan cried. "The shame! The shame! I must pray to the ancestors and make offerings to the gods!"

The old man moved to hurry off, but then turned and wagged an accusing finger at Inuyasha. "You are marrying my granddaughter in a proper wedding! You will bring honor back to this family."

With that he scurried away, muttering about proper offerings and prayers. Yukio lost his battle with laughter and howled.

"Inuyasha, what did you do to my grandfather?" Kagome's voice accused.

Inuyasha looked even more trapped his eyes wide and scrambling. "Nothing! I didn't do anything to him!"

Yukio only laughed harder.

The potential sitting was interrupted by the arrival of Shippou, his mate, their kits and grandkits.

"Kagome-baachan! Kagome-baachan! Kagome-baachan!" six high-pitched voices cried as they swarmed around the chair, and Yukio had to stop his father from wading in and peeling the kits off his mother.

Kagome didn't seem to be bothered by them as she laughed and petted each red-haired head. "Hello, all of you. My how you've grown."

"We haven't seen you in forever!" the youngest boy, Ashi, exclaimed.

"We saw her in October in Disney World," his oldest sister, Kaede corrected.

"Well, that's forever, isn't it?" Kagome asked sweetly, humoring the kit.

"For a kit? Yes," Shippou confirmed as he came over. "Hello, Kagome."

Kagome beamed up at him. "Shippou. You're looking very well. Hello, Mitsiyomi," she said, greeting Shippou's mate.

"Hello, Kagome-san." The kitsune female still insisted on using the honorific.

"And you are looking very pregnant," Shippou teased.

Yukio saw his mother put a hand on her lower abdomen. "Really? Is it that obvious?"

"Only to us sharp-eyed kitsunes. Has Inuyasha noticed yet?" the adult fox said with a wink.

"Oi!" Inuyasha growled.

They just giggled and Kagome turned to Mama-baachan.

"Mama, remember the little kitsune kit I always told you about?"

"The one you always brought candy and crayons?"

"Yes. This is him, all grown up with kits of his own."

Shippou bowed and smiled. "Higurashi-san."

Mama-baachan bowed back. "I'm pleased to meet you. Kagome always spoke very kindly of you."

"She and Inuyasha became my surrogate parents after my father was killed. I see Kagome as my mother as much as any of their officially adopted children do, and as you can see, my grandkits adore her," Shippou replied.

"When are we going to go back to Disney World, Kagome-baachan?" another of the kits asked, tugging on Kagome's dress.

"I don't know, Genji. Not for a long time. Kagome-baachan is going to have a kit of her own soon," she answered.

The kit, Genji, put his ear to Kagome's belly, and Yukio had to step on his father's foot to keep him from going over and tossing the kit away from his mate.

"Easy, Oyaji. He's just a little kid."

Inuyasha just growled softly.

"I can hear him Kagome-baachan! He says he wants to go to Disney World," the kit enthused, making everyone around him giggle.

Two adult kitsunes came forward and started peeling kits away from Kagome.

"Come on now. We shouldn't tire Kagome-baachan out," one of them chided as she reached for three of the kits.

"Hello, Sakamae," Kagome said.

"Kagome-san."

Suddenly his mother gasped, making both he and his father start.

"You're pregnant!" she exclaimed.

Sakamae blushed and nodded. "Yes. A boy, finally," she answered, looking at her three girls. The remaining three kits, two boys and a girl, were gathered around the other adult kitsune.

"Congratulations! I'm so happy for you."

Sakamae cast a glance at the adult male kitsune behind her and he nodded.

"Kagome-san," she began slowly, looking at both his mother and raising her eyes to his father, making Inuyasha take a step forward. "With your and Inuyasha-san's blessing, we'd like to name this kit Akihiro."

`Akihiro. Oh my…' Yukio thought, feeling a pang for his dead kitsune-hanyou brother.

His mother took a sharp breath. "Akihiro? I…" She looked over at Inuyasha whose face had gone unreadable. He did, however, give her a short nod. "We would be honored, Sakamae. Thank you," she said, wiping a tear from her eye.

Sakamae bowed and kissed Kagome's hand. "It is our hope that such a strong name will help him become a strong and brave kitsune."

More tears fell from his mother's eyes and he saw his father clench his jaw even harder.

`He's holding back his own tears. He never cried for Akihiro; not like he cried for Sai. He said Akihiro didn't deserve tears because he died such an honorable death, and that we should be proud. I didn't cry in front of him, but I bawled with Okaa-san later.'

"If he is anything like his namesake, he will do you proud," Kagome said, wiping her cheeks.

Sakamae gathered her daughters and tugged them away. "Come now, we'll have more time with Kagome-baachan later."

A chorus of "Bye!"s came from the children as they followed their parents.

"We'll go find seats ourselves, Kagome," Shippou said, watching his children lead the grandkits away. "Don't tire yourself by trying to do too much, alright?"

"I won't. Besides, I really can't. I have an overprotective mate who goes ballistic if I sneeze."

Yukio snickered and cast a glance at his father who was looking irritated.

"Well, after this morning. Too much wax on the floor? Oyaji, really. Do we still have a housekeeper at Osaka House or will I be conducting interviews next week?"

Inuyasha huffed and frowned. "She didn't quit."

"Well, that's good news."

"Kagome gave her a 12% raise. Called it hazard pay."

"Hazard pay?" he repeated with a chuckle. "With you as an employer, I can see why."

"Shut up. The floors were too slippery."

Yukio just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

`Otou-san never admits he's wrong.'

"And you, Inuyasha. Yes, I see you there trying to play the alpha-male," Shippou said, coming over.

"I am the alpha-male," Inuyasha corrected irritably.

Shippou snorted but winked. "You take good care of her or I'll kitsune-bi your ass."

"Keh!"

Shippou lowered his voice and spoke softly, "Seriously. She's looking very tired and worn. I remember when Mitsiyomi was pregnant with Keitarou. She slept a lot and was tired all the time. Kagome looks the same way. You can't be too careful with her."

"Feh, tell that to pups who insist I'm overreacting."

"He is going ballistic every time she sneezes," Yukio confirmed.

"With all the trouble and disappointment she's had, I would too."

The adult kitsune put an arm around them both and patted their backs.

"Still, it's good to see both of you. Mitsiyomi and I will be sticking close until the baby is born, both of them now that Sakamae is pregnant too. If you need anything, just call us."

"Thanks," Inuyasha said.

"You call us when she goes into labor. We'll come down to the hospital. Are you going to be here or in Osaka?"

Inuyasha frowned. "Here. Kagome laid down the law and said we weren't going back. She wants to be near her mother."

Shippou nodded. "Mitsiyomi was the same way. Mothers really help their daughters when it comes to labor and birth."

"So we're staying at Tokyo House?" Yukio asked.

Inuyasha nodded. "Yeah."

"Okay. I'll take the train back tonight and come back on the Triumph in the morning. Do you need me to bring anything back with me?"

"No. We brought it all and took it to Tokyo House. That's why we were so late."

"Ah. I was wondering about that."

"We'll talk more later," Shippou promised.

"Okay," Yukio replied.

Inuyasha just nodded and they watched the kitsune go off with his family.

"Well, everything seems to be going well so far," he said to his father, giving him a nudge with his elbow.

"Seems so. Kagome's happy."

"So are you."

"Feh. I'm only here for the ramen."

"Sure you are." He looked around. "Looks like almost everyone is here."

He saw his father close his eyes and take a deep inhale through his nose. Inuyasha knew all of his children by scent and could easily pick out any one of them in a crowd.

"Ryoukan, Takuma, Hitomi and Jubei aren't here yet," Inuyasha said, opening his eyes.

"Neither is Uncle or Aunt Rin."

Inuyasha frowned. "Is he supposed to be here?"

Yukio chuckled. `452 years and they're still at it.' "I think so. Aunt Rin at least."

"Her I can deal with. Sesshoumaru… if he pesters Kagome about the latest investment prospectus, I'm decking him. I don't care if Kagome sits me."

"I'll distract her so you can get in a few good slugs before she makes you eat concrete."

"That's my boy. I knew I could count on you."

"Always," he answered with absolute seriousness.