InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The New Student and Kagome's Secret ❯ Chapter 42: Inuyasha's Old City ( Chapter 43 )

A/N: Sorry for the delay! Again, gomen, gomen, gomen! But I really do love all of you readers who have stuck by me! Thank you so much! *throws roses into the crowd* I am going to try really hard to have the next chapter up before my birthday, but I don't know if that is going to happen! My birthday is Thursday, July 22! Oh, and it's my 21st! Yay!!! *glares and growls at people who think authoress is too old to enjoy good anime when she sees it* LOL! I can't wait to go out!

Anywho! I really do think you guys are awesome! Thanks again! Well…go on…READ!!! IT'S WHAT YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!

Chapter 42

In the nearby brush, a sinister smile crossed an eavesdropper's features, allowing everything previously witnessed and heard to sink in. The eavesdropper had seen most of the battle between the Shichinintai and Inuyasha's group. Unbeknownst to them, this eavesdropper now had a multitude of information, slowly beginning to learn each person's weaknesses.

"We will see each other again soon, Inuyasha," the eavesdropper whispered and disappeared into the darkness.

Inuyasha's ear twitched. He turned to look into the nearby brush. He could have sworn he had heard someone say his name. He looked back and forth and saw no one.

"Is something wrong, Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.

"Huh?" Inuyasha said, startled by the question. "Oh…um…no. I was just imagining things. Let's get Kagome to the castle. I can't guarantee its condition, nor if it's even safe for us to be there, but at least we can get out of the open. Kagome needs to be somewhere where she can recover."

Miroku nodded and stood. He looked in the direction of the castle. He knew they were almost there. Sango and Myouga stood up and walked next to Miroku, ready to lead the way. Inuyasha hoisted Kagome onto Kirara's back. He brushed Kagome's hair out of her face and patted Kirara's head.

"I'd carry her, girl, but I just want her to be comfortable. I think she will be more comfortable lying on your back. Is that okay?" Inuyasha asked as he pet Kirara. Kirara purred and nodded her head in response.

The group soon began making the long walk to the castle. Myouga led the way followed by Sango and Miroku, then Inuyasha and Kirara with Kagome on her back and Shippo on her head. They crossed over the bridge and entered into the city. The city was very medieval. There were a lot of stone and concrete buildings, but they all seemed to have some type of medieval look to them, almost as if you were traveling through a rich village during the Medieval Era. They walked along the street taking in their surroundings. They passed a lady beating her rug on the front porch, a man with a cart selling fruit, another man selling magazines, another man selling fresh seafood and so on and so on. It was almost as if the Medieval Era and current times had clashed together.

"Man! I wish Kagome could see this!" Sango said happily looking back at Inuyasha. "This is so amazing!"

Inuyasha smiled slightly, but then looked to the side and allowed his ears to droop as he looked at Kagome. Sango lost her smile and began to show concern for the poor hanyou. She knew he was really worried about Kagome, despite Miroku ensuring that she would be okay.

`He worries about her all the time,' she thought. `I don't guess I blame him, but why can't the idiot just admit that he loves her and get it over with?' She frowned and then turned around to look at some more sights.

Everyone seemed to be enjoying the sights of Inuyasha's city, but it was Miroku who first noticed Inuyasha's disposition. Inuyasha's ears were slightly drooped and he kept looking around as if he were reliving some awful memory. Miroku looked around. It was then he noticed that people were beginning to stare at them. They looked at Inuyasha, Shippo, and Kirara mainly. It seemed as though they stared partly because they were scared of them and partly because they couldn't believe their eyes. Miroku nudged Sango.

"Have you noticed Inuyasha's disposition?" Miroku whispered to Sango.

"Yeah," she replied. "But he's just worried about Kagome." Miroku shook his head.

"Look again," he said. Sango gave Miroku a funny look, but after a couple of seconds glanced over her shoulder at Inuyasha. She gasped when she saw how he was acting.

"Man, you're right!" she said. "He acts so timid and nervous. I've never known Inuyasha to act like that before!"

"Yeah, I know," Miroku said with a nod. "Have you noticed the way people have been looking at Inuyasha, Kirara, and Shippo?"

"No," she said. "I have actually been too busy looking at everything. Maybe Myouga would know something."

"You're probably right," Miroku said taking a few extra steps to catch up with Myouga. "Myouga, why is everyone looking at Kirara, Shippo, and Inuyasha the way they are?"

Myouga didn't even bother looking behind him. He knew what Miroku was referring to. He didn't even have to pretend he didn't know what he was talking about.

"Probably because all of the demons were supposed to be wiped out for one thing. They are probably shocked and confused to see demons in their city. For another, if news of Inuyasha and Kagome and the battle with Sesshoumaru had reached way into the mountains where Kouga lived, don't you think it would have reached the hometown of the Lord of the Western Lands?"

"I don't think I follow you," Miroku said with a confused expression. Sango walked a little faster until she was next to Myouga so she could hear everything as well.

"People have recognized Inuyasha throughout our entire journey, but even more have recognized Kagome. News travels fast and everyone has already heard of the half demon and priestess that defeated Sesshoumaru. Many already knew of the prophecy, and those who didn't probably do now. News probably reached the town, long before we arrived, that Inuyasha and Kagome were on their way. Many people know Inuyasha's story and how he was exiled from here and fated to return. Inuyasha's father, though demon, was loved by many because he served the good of the people. When Sesshoumaru took over, things changed. People were beaten and abused and things were taken from their homes and given to the demon homes. Sesshoumaru hated humans. He tolerated priests and priestesses mostly because he respected their powers, not because they were holy. Now Inuyasha is back. Many don't know what to think of it. Many have hopes that Inuyasha will be like his father, but others lost loved ones in the battle between the humans and demons and hate anything with demonic blood. Others have hope that Kagome will take over and make things right, but for the most part, it is going to be interesting to see how everything turns out."

Sango and Miroku exchanged glances and nodded their heads. They both looked back just in time to see a small ball roll towards Inuyasha and hit his feet. Inuyasha stood there and stared down at the ball. Miroku, Sango, and Myouga came to an immediate halt. Three young boys stood about twenty feet away from Inuyasha. Inuyasha stared at the ball as if he was thinking about something, reliving something. Sango, Myouga, and Miroku began noticing a small crowd gather around.

"Miroku," Sango said grabbing onto his sleeve as she watched people start moving in closer. They were all wide-eyed. None of them seemed to be looking at Inuyasha with a threatening demeanor. It was more out of curiosity and disbelief at who they were seeing. Whispers immediately swept through the crowd.

"It's a demon!" one woman said.

"That's impossible! The demons were all wiped out!" a man said.

"No! Look at the huge cat with long teeth! That's definitely a demon!" another man said.

"The one in red looks to be a hanyou!" a man said.

"Who's the girl? Is she okay? Did the hanyou hurt the girl?" a woman asked.

"The girl looks really familiar!" a woman said.

"The man in red looks even more familiar!" a man said.

Sango kept looking around her while Miroku and Myouga remained cool, calm, and collected. They just stared at Inuyasha waiting for him to make a move. But it wasn't Inuyasha who made the first move. The three little boys stood there timidly. They were slightly afraid, but they wanted their ball back. One of the boys, the bravest of the three, took a step forward.

"No," a woman said loudly. "Don't go near him! You don't know what he may do to you!"

Inuyasha's golden eyes flashed up to meet the crowd. When they made eye contact with him gasps could be heard, but then silence befell the crowd. Inuyasha took a deep breath as if he had just cleared his mind then bent down and picked up the ball with his right hand. He looked at the boy who had taken the step forward and then back at the ball.

"M-M-Mister? Um…c-c-could we have our ball…b-b-back please?" the little boy stuttered.

Inuyasha smiled and stood with the ball in his hand. He began walking towards the boy. A couple of shouts from the crowd were heard, telling the boy to run, but the boy put on a stern disposition and stood his ground. Inuyasha stopped just in front the little boy and raised an eyebrow. The child seemed scared to death, but refused to run away. It was almost as if he was frozen where he stood. The little boy looked up to Inuyasha. Inuyasha smiled and squatted in front of him and stared directly into the little boy's eyes.

"You got spunk, kid!" Inuyasha said as the little boy gulped. The crowd watched in disbelief. Inuyasha stood and tossed the little boy the ball. The little boy caught the ball and smiled at his friends, happy to have his ball back. He then looked back to Inuyasha. Inuyasha stared back at him.

"Go!" Inuyasha said. "Stay out of the street. You'll get yourself hurt."

The little boy nodded and ran off with his friends to a nearby field. Inuyasha smiled to himself as he watched the kids run away. However, something caught his senses. He sniffed the air and looked back towards Kagome. Kirara had her ears laid back on her head, a slow growl rising in her chest as men and women stepped towards Kagome to see if she was okay. Inuyasha growled and leapt towards Kagome, Kirara, and Shippo.

"Oh, boy! This is trouble!" Myouga said immediately running towards Kirara, Kagome, and Shippo.

"Oh no!" Sango said as she and Miroku raced towards the others as fast as they could.

Inuyasha, of course, reached the demon cat before everyone else did. One woman was actually reaching out her hand to touch Kagome when Inuyasha jumped in front of her, growling furiously. The woman's husband jumped in front of her to protect her of any harm the hanyou may try to inflict on her. The husband urged the wife to start taking slow steps away from the hanyou and the girl. Inuyasha's growl grew more and more aggressive as he whipped his head back and forth, daring anyone to try to touch Kagome. However, the wife was furious and held a desperate concern for the fallen girl that lay on the demon cat's back.

"We can't just leave that poor girl to that demon! Hey you!" the wife shouted, pointing a finger at Inuyasha over her husband's shoulder. "What did you do to the girl? Where are you taking her?"

Inuyasha crouched down a little lower as if getting ready to pounce on his prey as he glared at the woman. At about that time, Myouga arrived on the scene. He hurried over to Inuyasha and tried his best to calm him down.

"Lord Inuyasha, please! The nice lady was just trying to make sure that Kagome was okay! She wasn't trying to harm the girl or take her from you! Please try to calm down, my Lord!" Myouga pleaded.

Myouga's antics soon paid off. Inuyasha's growl turned more protective and less aggressive and then slowly started to fade away. Miroku and Sango arrived and stared at the scene before them. While Myouga continued successfully calming Inuyasha down, Miroku decided to explain a few things to the lady.

"Ma'am! Ma'am! If I may, I would love to explain a few things to you," Miroku said walking towards the young lady.

"Why it's a young monk!" her husband said.

"Why do you travel with such people?" the wife asked.

"Not all demons are bad," Miroku explained as many people began to gather in closer to hear what the monk had to say. "The hanyou means no harm to the young girl. She is a very dear friend of his. She was injured in battle and we are taking her to where she can rest and recover."

"Who are you people?" the wife said stepping out from behind her husband.

Miroku gave a quick glance over towards Inuyasha and Myouga. It appeared Inuyasha had almost completely regained his composure now. He wasn't growling anymore, but he still wore a frown upon his face…but under certain circumstances, that's not entirely unusual for Inuyasha. Myouga looked at Miroku. He sighed.

"Well, I guess they will eventually find out any way," Myouga said walking towards the man and his wife.

"I recognize you!" the husband said. "You worked at the castle as a servant!"

"Yes, I did," Myouga said nodding his head. "And now I am traveling with my companions back to the Lord's castle. This is the monk, Miroku Houshi. She is Sango Tajiya, a demon exterminator, and the little fox is Shippo of the bordering forest Fox Tribe. The young girl you speak of…"

Myouga hesitated for a moment. He wasn't sure if it was wise to reveal Kagome's name, but decided to do so nevertheless. He braced himself for the reaction he knew he was about to receive.

"…is Kagome Higurashi," Myouga finished.

Gasps immediately swept through the crowd. People began whispering back and forth and staring at Kagome. It was very apparent that almost everyone, if not everyone, knew who she was. A few were tempted to get closer to her, but one warning glare from Inuyasha made them stay where they were. Inuyasha looked around nervously. The whispering and staring were driving him nuts. He began to emit a low growl in his chest. He was getting very uncomfortable. He wanted nothing more than to take Kagome and speed to the castle right then and there.

"You still didn't tell us who the demon is," the man said. Myouga eyed the man warily. Myouga could tell the man already had a pretty good idea who Inuyasha was, but wanted to make sure before he made any assumptions. Everyone was growing curious and suspicious of Inuyasha.

"Why don't I let him introduce himself," Myouga said with a smile, as he turned to face Inuyasha. "Tell them who you are my Lord."

Inuyasha looked at Myouga as if he had just gone insane. Inuyasha didn't want to speak to all of these people. He huffed and rolled his eyes. He stood up straight and solemnly walked forward.

"My name is Inuyasha Takashi," Inuyasha said. "Lord Kizoku Takashi…was my father."

Gasps swept through the crowd like a wave. People talking among themselves and staring at Inuyasha. He was a little taken aback by their reaction, but stood his ground. They couldn't believe it was him.

"He has returned!" Inuyasha heard a man in the crowd say.

"It's him! It's really him!" another woman said.

"I don't believe it!" someone else said.

"But he's a hanyou!" a man said.

"It's Lord Kizoku's son! Oh, thank the heavens for Lord Kizoku!" a woman cried out.

"The prophecy has come to pass!" an elderly man shouted.

Eyes were immediately on Inuyasha. Some looked at Inuyasha in fear, others because they couldn't believe it was actually the Inuyasha they had heard so much about, and others because didn't trust Inuyasha's demon blood. Inuyasha, however, didn't notice how they were staring at him. He just knew that a lot of people were staring at him. He took a step back. He was shocked, to say the least. He looked at Kagome over his shoulder. Concern for her immediately conquered his thoughts and he knew he had to get her to the castle as soon as possible. The man and woman who had originally addressed him stepped forward. They stared at the entire group in shock.

"We have heard of all of you," the man said as the crowd began to quiet down a bit. "We have heard of the group that travels with the famed priestess and half-demon. We knew you all were headed in our direction, but we didn't know how soon you would arrive. Lord Kizoku has always been honored in my family and in many other families throughout the village. It is an honor to have met you Inuyasha. Your father and mother, Lady Naomi, were amazing people…true nobles."

Inuyasha stared at the man in shock for a couple of seconds before snapping out of it and resuming his normal stance with his hands folded into the sleeves of his haori.

"Thank you," Inuyasha replied, then turned his eyes towards the castle. He sighed and looked at his friends. "We need to get going."

They all nodded in response and Myouga stepped forward to lead the way. What happened next both shocked and astonished Inuyasha. The crowds parted allowing them to travel down the path with ease. Inuyasha blinked a couple of times as he stared down the street. Miroku nudged Inuyasha as if telling him to snap out of it. Inuyasha jumped then shook his head as if trying to clear his head of his thoughts. He turned towards the man and woman he had spoken to, and gave them one last nod before traveling down the road that had been made for them.

Miroku and Sango watched Inuyasha out of the corners of their eyes. Inuyasha looked around nervously, but stood tall as he walked next to Kirara. A few people bowed their heads out of respect as Inuyasha passed by. Some glared at him skeptically, and others looked on in amazement. Inuyasha decided to stare straight ahead, but his perceptive set of ears couldn't help but pick up a few of the things they were saying. Some talked about how honorable Inuyasha's father was. Others referred to Inuyasha as their savior. Some even questioned whether or not Inuyasha was going to be another Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha's ears swiveled left and right atop his head as he couldn't help but listen to what everyone was saying. He prayed and hoped that they would be out of the city soon.

"Mixed emotions are coming from the crowd, huh?" Sango said to Miroku. He nodded.

"Yeah," Miroku said. "But they all share one thing in common."

"What's that?" Sango asked.

"The fact that they are all looking at Inuyasha as if they are wanting him to prove himself," Miroku said. "Everyone seems to hold an utmost respect for Inuyasha's father, but after the Sesshoumaru incident, I think Inuyasha has a lot of proving to do."

"Yeah, I think you are right," she said. "It's almost as if they are giving Inuyasha a chance out of respect for his father, but because of Sesshoumaru, they don't trust him."

"Yep," Miroku said with a nod. "If Inuyasha does decide to rule the Western Lands, he is going to have to earn the respect of his people."

A/N: Okay, okay, okay! I know this chapter was kind of pointless! But I wanted to portray how the people Inuyasha was going to be ruling over perceived him. Okay…with that being said, I am starting my next chapter immediately! I hope you enjoyed this one! Next chapter will be the arrival at the castle! Woohoo! They finally made it!