InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Lucky Ones ❯ Chapter Forty-Seven ( Chapter 47 )

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

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: www.wordsmiths.net/Botta

A/N: In this chapter I describe a Shinto wedding ceremony. This ceremony is brief and full of solemn tradition. I have done a lot of research about this ceremony, the clothes and the ritual, and I hope I got it right. I ask forgiveness from anyone who knows better if I got something wrong. Because Kagome's family is a Shrine family I have chosen to go with a conservative Shinto ceremony in which the nakodo (Matchmaker) plays a significant role, performing the purification and reading the marriage oath on behalf of the couple. This is not done as often in contemporary Shinto weddings anymore.

Kagome and Inuyasha also wear the traditional wedding kimonos for the ceremony.

Kagome's wedding attire is the white Japanese wedding kimono called shiro-maku. The wedding kimono actually consists of two different kimono. The white wedding kimono is worn for the wedding ceremony and an elaborate rich patterned silk brocade kimono called uchikake is worn over the white kimono at the wedding reception. Some brides choose a white uchikake and wear it throughout the ceremony. The shiro-maku is worn with a formal obi. A woman's formal obi is usually 4 meters long and 60 centimeters in width. The width is folded in half and the obi is wrapped twice around the waist and then tied in the back, sometimes in a butterfly pattern.

The whole ensemble, even without the uchikake (which can add an additional 3 to 5kg to the outfit) is very heavy and constricting, and often the bride needs assistance walking. When worn properly there are 14 parts to the ensemble plus the tabi socks and white wedding sandals:

1. Hadajuban--Undershirt, 2. Susoyoke--Half slip, 3. Nagajuban(Juban)--Full-length under kimono, 4. Han eri--Half collar, 5. Eri shin--Half-collar lining, 6. Datejime--Under sash, 7. Koshi himo--Sash, 8. Obi . 9.Obi ita--Obi stay, 10. Obi makura--Obi-pad, 11. Obiage--Bustle sash, 12. Obijime--Obi cord, 13. Shiro-maku - White wedding kimono, 14. Uchikake - Heavy outer kimono worn without an obi

In a traditional Japanese wedding, the bride's hair is also styled in the traditional hair style called bunkin-takashimada and adorned with beautiful gold combs and accessories called kanzashi. This can also take the form of an elaborate and very expensive wig. A white wedding hood called a tsuno kakushi is meant to hide two front golden "tsuno" or horns during the wedding ceremony to symbolize obedience. The bride carries a small purse style sack called hakoseko tucked into her collar, a ceremonial fan and a small encased sword called kaiken.

Inuyasha is dressed in a formal Montsuki kimono which has been dyed black and stamped with his family crest in white and grey pinstriped hakama pants. He also wears a matching black haori that has been stamped with his family crest. He carries a fan for luck tucked into his obi and of course, Tessaiga is at his side.

As you can see Inuaysha's wedding attire is considerably less elaborate and constricting than Kagome's so he really has no reason to complain. Not that that stops him. :P

Other Japanese terms used in this chapter:

Torii- The wooden gateway that the top of the shrine stairs
Honden - Place of the god in the shrine, small building that houses the main deity of the shrine
Tamagushi - Offerings to the Kami, usually a sacred branch
San-San-Kudo - Ritual of three-three-nine wherein the couple being married exchanges sake cups three times
Chihaya- white long-sleeve top worn by a Shinto miko
Hibakama - Red wide trousers worn by a Shinto miko
Chichi-ue - Polite, formal term for 'father'
Oyaji - Rude term for 'father'

*********

Chapter Forty-Seven

The sakura blossoms were in full bloom and the April morning dawned sunny and clear. It was the perfect day for a wedding but it was lost on Inuyasha as he sat, fiddling nervously with the lapel of his black haori for the umpteenth time, while he waited for the clock to read three. Three was when he could go over to the shrine and wait for the ceremony to begin. Kagome was already there, changing into her wedding attire in her mother's house. He had been forbidden from seeing the clothes his mate had chosen to wear, but Eri had told him it was the traditional white shiro-maku kimono.

'Which means it will have too many layers and will probably weigh more than she does,' he thought.

He didn't like it. He hated ceremony. He hated wearing pompous clothes and having to worry about his manners. He was a simple man. He had wanted a simple wedding, but somewhere over the course of the past eight months his mate and her mother had hijacked his plan for a quiet, no-nonsense wedding and run off with it.

'Whatever happened to her dream of a simple ceremony on a Hawaiian beach at sunset, surrounded by our pups? I would have gone with that,' he moaned to himself.

"Awwww, Otou-san, you are looking miserable," his eldest teased, making him stop staring at the errant clock that refused to move any faster.

Yukio looked magnificent in his formal ceremonial garb. He'd chosen a kimono and hakama in royal purple with a matching haori, and looked like a perfect Nakodo, albeit a bit young. Kagome's grandfather was their first choice to play the matchmaker role in the Shinto ceremony, but Kagome decided that the old man was better served standing in for her absent father. Yukio was chosen as the second choice, and in many ways he was the more appropriate of the two because the pup's presence in their lives was directly responsible for him and Kagome furthering their relationship and becoming mates. He would never forget the look on his son's face when they asked him to stand for them during the ceremony.

'Pup almost broke down in tears he was so touched and happy.'

"Bah! I'm not miserable. I'm just uncomfortable! This damn Montsuki kimono itches!" he complained.

Yukio chuckled and straightened his obi. "The trouble you suffer for love."

"Keh! This whole thing's a circus. I should have jumped at the chance to fly Kagome to Hawaii and get married in the Fern Grotto like she wanted when she was in her Elvis stage."

Yukio laughed again and shook his head. "Oh, Otou-san. It's okay. I understand. I went through this with Miaka remember? And you've stood in as the father for all of the other pups' weddings. You should be an old hand at this."

"Yeah, but I haven't been the groom in over 450 years," he groused, scratching another itch on his chest.

"Relax. You'll never have to do this again. Focus on that and you'll get through it."

He nodded. "What time is it?" he asked because he couldn't see the clock through his son's body.

"2:42, 2 minutes after you looked the last time."

"I want to go now."

"You still have fifteen minutes before three."

"I don't care. If I have to sit here in this monkey suit for another minute I'll go insane."

Yukio looked him up and down. He knew what his pup was seeing: a formal black Montsuki kimono emblazoned with his family crest, matching black, emblazoned haori, and a pair of dark gray, pinstriped hakama pants with a formal white obi. The whole thing had three layers: a thin white kimono underneath it all, the Montsuki kimono and hakama pants and then the haori on top. He felt like he was practically suffocating in clothes. He'd adamantly refused to wear tabi socks or traditional Japanese sandals, opting instead for his black Birkenstocks.

"All right, we'll go. Being outside by Goshinboku might actually calm you down some. You're wound up tighter than a coiled spring."

He stood up abruptly and headed for the doors. Yukio had to stop him to give him Tessaiga and his ceremonial fan, then they walked to the shrine together.

"You owe me 5000 yen, dog-breath. Pay up," Eri said to his pup, Miroku, as he and Yukio came through the Torii at the top of the shrine stairs.

Inuyasha saw her slap the younger pup on the arm and put out her hand, palm up.

"Huh?" he asked, confused.

"I bet him that you wouldn't be able to wait until three and here you are fifteen minutes early," she explained.

Never one to go with tradition, his full neko-youkai pup had forgone the formal kimono and dressed in another one of her famous self-designed outfits that made her renowned in the youkai world. The dress was a swirling dye of orange and red, just a shade or two lighter than her hair, and fell in multiple layers of fine raw silk. The fabric had been hand-stamped with the outlines of leaves and flowers in gold paint at odd intervals, the gold almost invisible against the colored silk until she turned. While the skirt was almost obscenely short in the front, the back reached down to her ankles, and the bodice clung nicely but not too tightly to her lean form. The whole effect was stunning and his daughter looked radiant in it.

'Why couldn't Kagome have worn something like that?' he wondered.

Miroku glared at Yukio as he dug into his wallet. "You couldn't keep him away for another fifteen minutes could you? I almost had her."

Yukio shrugged. "You know there's no reasoning with him."

"Oh, Inuyasha-kun, you look so handsome!" Ayumi gushed as she came towards them.

Ayumi was dressed in a traditional kimono, but Inuyasha was not surprised. The girl had a taste for history, which was probably what made her such a good match for Miroku- so far. The two had really only been officially "seeing" each other for three months. Before that, they had just been occasionally meeting for lunch or coffee as their schedules permitted. But with the advent of the wedding, they'd started to spend much more time together and their relationship had blossomed. He and Kagome were trying to keep a hands-off policy when it came to them, but Ayumi often looked to Kagome for advice and guidance in the care and handling of an inu-hanyou.

"Keh. I'm dressed up like a clown," he countered.

She reached over and straightened his collar. "No you're not. You look wonderful. Kagome will cry tears of happiness when she sees you."

"She'd better not after all the work we did putting on her make-up," Eri growled.

Inuyasha sighed and shook his head, taking in the scene before him. The shrine had been decked in festive red and white, the colors of happiness. Red and white streamers decorated the buildings and Torii, and red and white paper lanterns had been hung for later use in the evening. The tables for the reception were draped in red cloth with white napkins and china, and each table had a large jar candle and a flower arrangement of orchids and star lilies. The raised platform where he and Kagome would be seated after their nuptials had been set with the wedding table and toasting glasses.

All in all, he had to admit that it looked beautiful, but perhaps the most beautiful decoration of all was the sacred tree in full bloom. He stared at it, dumbstruck, as the magnificent flowered boughs waved softly in the breeze.

"Goshinboku…" he breathed.

Miroku smiled. "Yeah. Souta-ojichan said it started yesterday, but it's in full glory today."

"Ohhhh."

He walked over to the sacred tree and laid his hands on the rough trunk. Looking up into the branches, several petals fell and drifted down to land on his face and hair, and it was as if the tree itself was blessing his union.

'Thank you, old friend.'

"Otou-san, are you all right?" Yukio asked him softly.

He nodded. "Yeah. Where's Ian?"

"Miroku said he was with Izayoi."

"Is he behaving?" His 8-month old son was just beginning to talk, and the most interesting words were coming out of his mouth. Kagome blamed him, of course, even though he protested his innocence.

"He didn't say he wasn't so my guess is he is."

He nodded again and looked up higher into the branches where one flower-laden bough high above him beckoned enticingly. Kicking off his sandals, he heard Yukio chuckle beside him just before he leapt up.

Settling onto the branch, he looked out at the sprawling city of Tokyo with its multitudes of skyscrapers and millions of inhabitants. Some youkai and hanyous loved the hectic, crowded human world, but he had always preferred the open places, the forests and the endless seas of green. To be here had always made him feel trapped, and he missed his Alberta home more and more each day, but he knew he had agreed to stay in Tokyo until the wedding, and also until it was safe for Ian to fly. Some parents flew with their newborns anyway because doctors said it was okay to do so, but he was never one to take chances with his pups and he wasn't about to start now. There wasn't any reason for them not to wait until after the wedding to put Ian on a plane, and there were enough protection spells on Tokyo House to keep the pup safe from pollution and noise.

"Not much longer before we can go home," a voice beside him promised.

He turned his head to see Yukio sitting one branch over, his back to the broad trunk.

'Should have known the pup wouldn't leave me alone. He's not one to let me brood.'

He snorted. "Place stinks."

"I know. I miss home too."

Inuyasha blinked. They'd never really talked about what would happen when he and Kagome moved back to Alberta after the wedding. It had always been assumed that Yukio would move with them because he'd been living with them for the past forty years, but now he realized that he hadn't asked his son what his plans were.

"You're coming with us then?"

"Of course. I'm welcome, aren't I?" Yukio replied.

"Keh! You have to ask?"

"I'm not sure. Many parents don't want their grown pups living with them."

He shrugged. "It's never been a problem for us. House is big enough."

"That's for sure."

"Besides, you have more patience with the clients. If it's someone I think I'll want to kill by the end of the design meeting, I just send you."

Yukio laughed softly. "I'm your pinch architect."

"Feh. You're as good as me; you just don't want to admit it."

Yukio shrugged. "Surpassing you has never been a priority with me. I'm not even sure I could. Taking over as Alpha for the brief time you were comatose with Okaa-san after Ian was born taught me a lot about what it's like to lead."
"Feh. You did fine. Everyone's told me so. You took over when you had to and made the hard decisions. That's what it takes to be a good leader."

"Still, they're awfully big shoes to fill."

He wiggled his toes. "I try very, very hard not to wear shoes."

Yukio laughed. "I know. Me too."

"What time is it?"

"2:50."

"Okay."

They grew quiet and he looked down at the shrine. Soon he would be able to go down and wait for Kagome, then they would both enter the honden through separate doors. The old man and her mother were standing for Kagome, and Sesshoumaru and Rin were standing for him. Aside from those four, Kagome and himself, only Yukio and Souta would be allowed into the Shinto ceremony, and Yukio would have been excluded if not for his role as Nakodo. Since the inner sanctum of the shrine was too small to fit all of their pups, they had decided not to play favorites and limited the witnesses to parental stand-ins and Souta. The officiant was a close friend of the old man's who, surprisingly enough, turned out to be an Earth youkai, and two of his hanyou daughters were serving as the mikos for the ceremony.

From his vantage point high in Goshinboku, Inuyasha could see the guests gathering and the preparations being made. It looked very hectic and he was glad to be out of it. If he wasn't there, he couldn't mess anything up and no one would get mad at him.

'I just want this to be over.'

"I will miss this tree though," Yukio commented, breaking the silence.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"I have such fond memories of this tree while I was growing up. It's an old friend."

He nodded. "Yeah."

"I remember one night when I was human, you brought me up here and held me all night. I think I was about six years old then."

"Seven," he corrected. He remembered that night too. There had been a lunar eclipse and Yukio had wanted to see it.

Yukio chuckled. "I thought you'd remember."

"Why wouldn't I?"

His son shrugged. "No reason."

"Keh!"

"Some of my most vivid memories are of you on my human night; how you used to sit at the entrance of the house with Tessaiga across your lap, guarding me. Do you remember what I did the first New Moon after you gave me Kenshuga?" Yukio continued.

He snorted to hide his smile. "You sat in the doorway of the house with the damn sword across your lap like a stupid pup."

"Like my Otou-san who guarded me when I was without my youki. And I was the good son who protected my Otou-san when he was without his," Yukio amended with a smile tugging at his lips.

"Feh! As if I needed anyone to protect me."

"Oh no. Never. You've never gotten into trouble on your human night, ever."

"Keh!"

"If I knew Okaa-san wouldn't whack me upside my head, I'd kick you out of this tree."

"Go ahead, make my day," he shot back.

Yukio laughed out loud and shook his head.

"What time is it?"

"2:55."

He growled.

"Poor Otou-san. So impatient."

"I just want to get out of this damn kimono."

"It itches. Yes, I know. Don't worry. It'll be over before you know it."

He saw Yukio touch the naked place on the ring finger of his left hand and stared at it. After forty years, there was no evidence that his son had ever worn a wedding band, but he'd seen Yukio touch the spot often enough to know that his pup still missed its presence there.

As for himself, he'd secretly envied Yukio his little gold ring. For years he had wanted one of his own; a physical symbol of his union with his mate that the majority of the human population understood. It surprised him how many women thought they could take liberties with him because he lacked a wedding ring. Or thought he was being dishonorable when they saw him with Kagome when she was pregnant and they knew he was the father.

Humans lacked the senses that youkai and hanyous used to claim their mates. To any youkai or hanyou, it was plainly obvious that he was mated and therefore unavailable because inu-youkai were strictly monogamous. No rings or other outward signs of mating were needed when scent alone broadcast his marital status. But humans, with their dull noses and dim eyes, couldn't smell or see his claim on Kagome or hers on him. They needed their little rings to tell each other who was mated and who was not, and even then a ring was no guarantee that one would be protected from unwanted advances. Humans were not, by any stretch of the imagination, monogamous. Some claimed to be, and were true to one mate for their entire lives, but the vast majority of them had roving eyes and hands.

Inuyasha couldn't understand it. There was no one more beautiful, perfect or sexy than his mate. Even after 450 years, she could still light the fire in his loins the way no one else ever had, and he could not imagine being with anyone else. The very idea unsettled him, and some of his female clients' more blatant advances had made him almost physically ill. He'd never been the touchy-feely type, and he still had difficulties expressing physical affection with his own pups. For a stranger, or near stranger, to become familiar with his body was something he wasn't at all comfortable with, and if a wedding ring would keep them at bay, then he wanted it.

There were other reasons for his wanting a ring as well. Men and women were proud of their rings. Kagome had gushed over the diamond engagement ring he had given her on their wedding anniversary two years ago. He'd known that the reunion with her family was coming up and that meant their wedding was soon to follow. Typical engagements lasted about a year, so he had given her the ¾ carat pear-shaped diamond at about the right time, give or take a month or two. If they had kept with the original date instead of pushing the wedding back almost a year, it would have been perfect.

Kagome had worn the platinum banded ring constantly until pregnancy made her finger swell too much to keep it on, and she'd shown it to anyone who would look at it. Even though they'd been mated more than 400 years, somehow the ring brought a new sparkle to her eyes and it had nothing to do with the brilliance of the rock on her finger. Shortly thereafter they had gone shopping for the wedding bands and chosen two platinum rings. Hers was inset with twelve small round diamonds in a thin band and engraved on the inside with the date of their nuptials and the kanji symbol for aisai, beloved wife. His ring was a simple unadorned platinum band with two thin black ridges etched along the edges as its only decoration. It was flat and not too wide so it wouldn't snag on anything or get in his way, and was engraved with the kanji for devotion, protection and fidelity on the inside of the band: all symbols of his love and commitment to her.

Both rings had been waiting patiently in their little black velvet boxes for over eighteen months, and every now and then he'd take them out and try his on when no one was looking- just to make sure it still fit of course. The fact that his ring size hadn't changed in 450 years was irrelevant, and he longed for the day when Kagome would put it on him and it could stay there for good.

"Soon, Otou-san," Yukio promised, and he looked up to see that his eldest had caught him staring at his ring finger.

He snorted and looked away to hide his blush.

"I know how you feel. I think Miaka gave me my wedding ring as a joke after I said I wanted one. She never really understood the Western custom, and she took hers off years before she died. I didn't take mine off until I buried it with her."

He nodded. "I remember. You put it in the casket before it was burned."

Yukio nodded as well and looked down at the gathering crowd. Sesshoumaru and Rin had arrived, both dressed in traditional Japanese ceremonial clothes. Sesshoumaru had even dragged his armor out of storage and dusted it off.

'Pompous bastard,' he thought dourly as he watched Miroku introduce Ayumi to them.

"They don't understand what it's like. Okaa-san does and Rin does. They know what it is like. But her, that little human Miroku has taken a shine to, she has no idea what it's like to be the mate of an inu-youkai. Most of them have no concept of what it is like to be the object of someone's complete devotion. Humans are always looking for the next best thing. For me Miaka was it. I never gave another female so much as a second glance once I was mated. I know she compared me to other males sometimes but she tried to hide it. I never thought anyone was better than her," Yukio admitted sadly.

"Do you think you'll mate again?" he asked. His pup still had many years of life in him, and it made him sad to think that he might spend them alone with no mate by his side.

"I don't know. Uncle told me there's an inu-youkai clan from Scotland who are interested in an alliance through marriage. They've got a daughter who's about my age, give or take a few decades. He wants to arrange a meeting and see if we're compatible," his son answered.

"Full-blood or hanyou?"

"Full-blood."

"Hmph, why ask you? Sesshoumaru's youngest is unmated."

Yukio shrugged. "My guess is Uncle already asked him but he either said no or someone in the Scottish clan disapproved. Uncle's pups are a little…"

"Ruthless?" he offered.

"I was going to say distant but ruthless works."

He nodded.

"It's three. Are you ready?" Yukio questioned.

'Finally!' "Keh! I've been ready. Let's get this circus over with."

He didn't wait for his son to answer before he leapt out of the tree and landed at the base of the massive trunk. Putting his Birkenstocks back on, he tromped up to Sesshoumaru and presented himself.

"Oi."

His brother turned towards him and raised an eyebrow. "Ah."

It was all the greeting that passed between them. Rin, however, was more demonstrative. She reached over to give him a brief hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"You look wonderful," she assured him.

"Feh. I feel ridiculous."

"Hmph. You always rejected tradition," Sesshoumaru commented.

"Oi. At least I didn't go with the tradition of 'claiming' my mate while the rest of the pack howled around us," he snorted.

"Oh, that can be fun. In the right setting of course," Rin replied with a twinkle in her eye that made him shiver.

'Everyone thinks she's sweet and innocent, but she's been mated to Sesshoumaru for over 400 years. She can be as scary as he is.'

"Rin," his brother admonished softly.

"Well, never mind that, dear. Are you ready?"

"Keh. Of course," he replied.

"Let's go then, shall we?"

"Where is your Nakodo?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"I'm right here," Yukio replied, joining them.

"Ah! Yukio, you look so handsome," Rin exclaimed with a huge smile.

Inuyasha saw his son bow too and bit the inside of his cheek to keep from snorting.

"Uncle, Aunt Rin. I am happy you agreed to stand for my father."

"It's an honor," Rin answered.

"Let us go," Sesshoumaru ordered, not waiting for them.

"Feh," he spat, but followed.

The guests gathered to watch them pass. Everyone was dressed in their finest, with quite a few multi-colored traditional kimonos mixed in with Western dresses and suits. They were mostly made up of his pups and their mates, plus Shippou and his brood, numerous high-ranking individuals from the youkai world, some business associates and benefactors of the shrine (all under the Spell of Normalcy), friends of the family and some school friends of Kagome's (also under the Spell.) Miroku's little human wench was the only non-family human who wasn't under it, and he blamed that on Mariko.

They stepped up to the small building which housed the honden and waited at the open door. Peering into the inner sanctum, Inuyasha saw that the floor had been covered with rice paper and tables were set up on each side of the room for the family members. There were three seats and place settings for Kagome's mother, the old man and Souta at the table on the far side of the room, and two seats and place settings for Sesshoumaru and Rin at the table closest to him. At the front of the room was the marriage table with two seats for him and Kagome and set with the tamagushi offerings for the god after the ceremony and the three cups for the san-san-kudo. There was a separate seat closer to his family table that had been set out for the Nakodo.

The Earth youkai and his two hanyou daughters were already there dressed in full ceremonial garb. His heart twinged at the sight of the two miko's dressed in their white chihayas and red hibakamas, but he tamped it down immediately. Today was for the future, not the past. A few moments later, the priest and his daughters exited out the far door and he knew that the procession was about to begin. Yukio led the way into the honden and stood beside him as they waited for the bride to arrive. Sesshoumaru and Rin stood by their places at the table nearest to him. Outside he heard the drum and flute of the marriage procession making their way from the house.

The first person he saw was the old man, dressed in a formal kimono, hakama and haori combination in austere black. Beside him was Kagome's mother dressed in a formal kimono that had flowers on a black background and a huge floral patterned obi. Her hair was up in a traditional bun and she carried a ceremonial fan. The fan reminded him of his own and he looked around for it frantically until Yukio tapped him on the arm with it and gave him an amused smirk. He sneered and snatched the fan from his son, ignoring his snicker. Behind the 'parents of the bride' came Souta, looking about as uncomfortable as he felt in his formal clothes.

Once the families were in, they took their places at the tables set for them but did not sit. Standing in the doorway were the two mikos, blocking his view of Kagome whom he knew was directly behind them. Then they parted and his bride was revealed as she entered the honden to the sound of gentle flute music.

Many grooms are awestruck the moment they see their wives-to-be all decked out in their bridal splendor. Some have been known to fall to their knees or even weep. Others gasp or are stunned speechless. However, Inuyasha had no doubts in his mind that very, very few bridegrooms felt the way he did upon seeing his bride for the first time.

He was absolutely shocked.

The woman coming towards him was not his mate. She was a poor imitation of Kagome and bore only a token resemblance to the woman he loved. She was swathed in a huge white shiro-maku kimono that reached the floor and a wide white formal obi with the traditional fan and ceremonial knife tucked into it. It was so big and heavy, she could barely walk and one of the mikos had to hold her hand to keep her from losing her balance. On her head was a monstrous black-haired wig piled high with beads, tortoise shells, ribbons and pearls wrapped with a wide band of white silk around her brow that served as the tsuno kakushi meant to hide her horns. Her face was painted white and her lips a garish red so she looked like a doll and not a living, breathing human female, and the paint tainted her scent so much that he almost sneezed from the stink of it. She was wrapped so tightly that her fingers had begun to swell, and he could see her struggling to remain upright under the weight of her clothes.

This was not his Kagome. His Kagome was unfettered and free, and she smelled of wildflowers and her own unique, gentle scent. Her hair was a wild cascade of silken black, her skin rosy and flushed with life, not pale as death. She moved with an easy grace, light on her feet as if walking on air, not stiff and staggering. This Kagome was a mockery of the headstrong, vibrant, beautiful woman he loved, and he cursed the Japanese tradition of insisting their women fit an ideal that had no bearing on reality.

"Kami-sama…" Yukio breathed beside him and he cast a glance at his son to see if the younger inu-hanyou was similarly affected. The pup looked traumatized, as if he didn't recognize Kagome either.

'Holy fuck is more like it. Where did she get that thing? Please tell me I won't be getting a bill for that sometime soon.'

He desperately wanted to run over and strip her out of the suffocating clothes, scrub her face to reveal her natural beauty, and throw the wig to Kirara for shredding, but instead he tried to force a smile and look happy for Kagome's sake because he knew this day was extremely important for both of them. The miko walked Kagome up to him as the priest entered and stood at the altar. She looked at him, her eyes brimmed with tears and smiled softly.

"Inuyasha," she whispered.

"Kagome," he answered, taking her hand in his as they turned to face the priest. 'Even her hand is painted white…' Her hand was too warm and showed signs of discoloration. 'There is no way I'm going to be able to get a ring on her finger with her hand in this condition.'

Still holding her hand and subtly supporting her, he guided her to stand before the nuptial table for the priest to begin the ritual of purification for all present. He beat the taiko drum to wake up the spirits and begin the purification as the rest of the witnesses took their seats. Yukio was handed the sacred tree made of paper streamers and he performed the act of 'sweeping' away the evil spirits with the branch. Inuyasha smiled to himself when he saw the fine tremors in his son's movements as he nervously fulfilled his duties as Nakodo.

Once purified, they approached the altar, bowed twice, clapped twice and bowed again to honor the god. Then they returned to their seats while the priest chanted prayers to Kami to bless them and accept their petition for marriage. The priest then offered food and drink to the Kami as an offering.

The next step would be for Yukio to make the vow of obedience and fidelity on their behalf, but before his son could speak, he stood and bowed to the priest.

"I wish to request a change in ceremony," he said, still bowing respectfully.

There was silence for a moment then he spoke again. "I wish to postpone the exchange of rings until after the ceremony so that we may speak our vows before all of our guests."

'There. It doesn't tell them that I don't want to say my vows to a China doll that looks like my wife and sounds perfectly reasonable,' he thought to himself, even as he cringed and expected Kagome's wrath to descend upon him at any moment.

There was another moment of silence then the priest replied, "Are there any among us who object to this change in ceremony?"

The room was quiet and he ventured a glance at Kagome. He was surprised to see that she looked… relieved and offered him a reassuring smile. He smiled back and straightened up.

'Looks like I did good.'

"If none object so be it. The exchange of rings will occur after this ceremony is completed," the priest announced, giving a nod to Yukio to continue.

One of the mikos gave Yukio a sacred scroll and he read the oath of marriage for them, his voice quaking only a very little bit as he pledged their intent to be faithful and obedient to each other. Then he sat down in the chair that had been provided for him, and the mikos began the san-san-kudo.

'Pick up the cup and give it to her. Let her drink. Take the cup back, drink three sips. Rinse and repeat,' he reminded himself.

He picked up the first small lacquered cup and the miko filled it with sake. He handed it to Kagome who accepted it with the tips of her fingers and drank from the cup in three small sips. She gave it back to him and he drank from the same cup with three small sips, the sake burning its way down his throat. He hated sake.

The first cup was set aside and the second, slightly larger cup, was filled with sake. Kagome picked it up and handed it to him. He drank in three sips and gave it to her to finish with her three sips. Then the third, and largest, cup was filled and handed to him, and they repeated the ritual of three a third time to finish the rite of three-three-nine that symbolized luck and happiness.

San-san-kudo completed, they stood in unison to offer the tamagushi to the Kami at the altar. He helped her stand, supporting her under her arm as they walked around the table and faced the altar. He placed the sacred branch before the God then he and Kagome bowed twice, clapped twice and bowed again. The witnesses then bowed and clapped as well. The mikos poured sake into the cups of the witnesses and the two families drank in unison, making the pledge that they were now all relatives as their two families joined.

The mikos then announced the end of the ceremony, congratulated them on their new marriage, played music, and the wedding was over.

'And that's it. We're married,' he thought. 'We can now get out of these clothes!'

Putting out a hand to help Kagome, they turned and faced the witnesses, and were immediately blinded by the flashing of cameras.

"Argh!" he complained, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!" the old man exclaimed.

Kagome's mother and the mikos came forward and draped a brilliantly dyed and patterned formal uchikake over Kagome's shiro-maku and removed the tsuno kakushi from her head. The uchikake was a deep red and had been decorated with cranes, flowers and nature patterns in gold, white and black. It pooled around her on the floor for about half a meter and he could see her bending under the weight of the heavily brocaded outer kimono. He watched as his mother-in-law fastened the obi-less kimono with practiced ease and made sure the whole thing draped properly.

'Oh great. More clothes. Are you people trying to crush my wife?'

"Congratulations," the priest said, coming over to them.

"Err, thanks. Thanks for doing this ceremony for us too," he replied, casting a concerned glance to his wife who was starting to sweat, small beads of perspiration darkening the white make-up she wore.

"Yes, thank you very much. It means a great deal to us," Kagome added, with a small hint of her normal self. Her voice was faint however, probably because she was finding it hard to breathe.

The priest bowed. "It was an honor."

"We still need to exchange our wedding rings, but we will do that after we've changed," he said, his hand discreetly under Kagome's elbow to support her. She was leaning on him rather heavily.

"How about we set up a little nuptial table in front of Goshinboku?" she suggested.

"Excellent idea Kagome," her mother agreed. "I'll see to it after I help you change."

"Bah woman. I'll help her," he insisted.

"We can't change right away, Inuyasha, we have to present ourselves to our guests," Kagome argued.

"Most of them are our pups and they'll understand."

"Still. I want to present ourselves to our guests. And I want pictures," she repeated through gritted teeth.

He lowered his ears and submitted. "Okay. But only for a minute!" 'You spend any more time in that huge thing and you'll collapse! Won't that be fun if you keel over right in front of all our pups and guests!'

She nodded.

Taking her by the arm, they walked together out the door Kagome had entered through and exited the honden. They moved slowly because the uchikake was long all around and she was trying not to trip over it.

'Forces her to take small, dainty steps otherwise she'll fall flat on her face,' he realized darkly.

A paper umbrella had been set up for them to stand under so they took their positions and waved as the guests cheered and more cameras flashed.

'I'm going to be permanently blind by the end of the day.'

They stood for a few minutes, posing for formal pictures and Inuyasha tried to drag the last dregs of his patience out of a very empty barrel.

:Pup. Help, pup. Help Alpha-female,: he barked softly to his eldest when the photographer refused to back off and his concern for Kagome grew.

"Pup help,: Yukio replied, then whispered, "I promise, I'll keep the speech quick. Then you cut off the guests of honor and announce the ring ceremony. Okay?"

He nodded.

"What are you two up to?" Kagome hissed.

"Nothing."

"Don't 'nothing' me. I heard you whispering and you asked him for help."

"He's promised to keep his speech short so we can change."

"I'm fine, Inuyasha."

"Sure you are, that's why you're holding onto me for dear life."

She didn't reply and he knew that she wasn't about to argue with him.

"I just don't want to be disappointed. I went through the trouble of getting into this kimono and I want to have my pictures," she admitted softly.

"And you will have your pictures. They've already taken dozens."

"You hate it, don't you. I can tell."

He didn't reply, but merely mustered a small smile as the photographer took a picture of them with their witnesses: Sesshoumaru and Rin at his side and Kagome's family next to her.

Finally, after about fifteen minutes and hundreds of pictures later, Yukio cut off the photographer and stood beside them to greet the gathered crowd, performing his last duty as Nakodo.

"I know that traditionally the Nakodo gives a long speech about the couple's educational and occupational backgrounds but in this case, I think I will forgo that tradition," Yukio began. "This family, despite what you may think, has never been one to keep with tradition, and my father certainly does not hold it in very high esteem.

"What can I tell you about these two individuals who stand here before you? I can tell you that my father had nothing to offer my mother except the clothes on his back, a rusty sword and a life of hardship. I can tell you that she accepted those offerings with love and devotion and helped him build the fortune he has today. I can tell you that I have never seen two individuals more devoted to each other and to their family than my parents, and I modeled my own marriage after theirs. I am honored to stand as their matchmaker because apparently I brought them closer together. Being as I was a little pup at the time, I don't really remember much about it, but I'm willing to take their word for it.

"I really have nothing more to say except that I am so happy for you both. I love you both, and I hope that you will continue to be together in love and joy for as long as you both shall live. Everyone, I give you Fushikenwa Inuyasha and Kagome."

Yukio finished with a tender smile and a kiss to his mother's cheek. "I love you, Okaa-san."

Kagome, whose make-up had already begun to run, lost her fight with her tears and they rolled down her cheeks.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

The crowd cheered and he stepped up to speak, effectively cutting off any further speeches.

"Kagome and I are going to go change. After that, we will do the exchange of wedding rings in front of Goshinboku. I know this breaks with tradition, but as my eldest said, I've never been one to go with that. I'm sure my pup Eri has entertainment planned for while we're gone so, ummm, you'll be entertained. We'll be back."

With that, he grabbed Kagome by the arm and practically dragged her to her mother's house, ignoring the cheers and laughter from his pups who knew him all too well.