InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Price ❯ Collateral Complications ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha; Rumiko Takahashi and a large publishing conglomerate hold his leash.

 

A/N: This chapter takes place from `Thursday' night to `Friday' afternoon in the fic's timeline… only about five days after Sha and Kagome first set eyes on each other at the Setsubun celebrations.

 

Bouquets to my CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

 

Warnings: WAFF, coarse language, violence.

 

The Price

Chapter Seven: Collateral Complications

 

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Kagome pulled her hand free and retreated; she could hardly meet Sha's confusion and disappointment as he growled, “I'll be right there.”

 

“A few human lookie-loos have also arrived,” Tsugane added helpfully before fleeing back around the corner of the house.

 

An errant evening breeze turned the hanyou's hair into a swirling silver curtain as he curtly muttered, “Better help the brats,” while pulling his concealment anchor off Tetsusaiga's hilt.

 

She watched him drop the necklace over his head and work his hair free with impatient movements as silver bled away into darkness and gold turned to violet. “Let me,” she offered hesitantly, feeling oddly like she should apologize.

 

“I got it.” However, he was having trouble tightening the cord without letting go of Tetsusaiga, so Kagome sucked up her courage and approached anyways. Sha let his hands drop, his expression unreadable.

 

With fingers that only slightly trembled, she reached up around his neck and deftly shortened the necklace. “I wish that you didn't have to wear this,” she murmured, tucking the magatama inside the neckline of his shirt.

 

“As long as you know what I am, I don't give a shit about anyone else,” he replied gruffly. Kagome managed a small smile as she stepped back, but Sha didn't return it. Gesturing with Tetsusaiga to indicate that she should precede him towards the house, he escorted her to the foyer door.

 

“Um, Mr. Nibanko offered to pick up dinner for all of us,” Kagome said when he slid open the metal panel.

 

“First good idea the brat's had in about fifty years.”

 

“Er, do you want my help with the storeroom?”

 

“Not right now. It's best if you stay inside with the cat and your brother in case something else decides to try its luck tonight.”

 

“May I ask how long you've known about Miss Buyo?”

 

“Since Mistress Centipede,” he replied shortly, but then elaborated, “She's the one who bandaged us up. Stick close to her, because even injured she's a formidable opponent.”

 

“She's also the reason why you left Mom and Gramps in the house while we fought Yura, right?” When he nodded, she remembered her earlier conversation with Tenmaru. “Why didn't Yura set off the barrier when she crossed it? Her jyaki was really strong!”

 

Sha reluctantly considered the question for a moment. “Good question. Maybe the fence marks the barrier's boundary on this side of the grounds? We can check later, but that makes sense why she lured us into the forest.” Inclining his head, he shut the door before she could say anything else and headed across the courtyard to where his nephews were almost finished smoothing dirt over the Bakuryuha's twisting tracks.

 

Wary of the older hanyou's dark expression and darker scent, and assuming the ire was directed at him, Tsugane kept his head down as he asked, “Can you secure the storehouse? The open door seems to be attracting undue interest.” A small group of teenagers loitered near the main shrine building, watching the clean up operation but not offering to help. Sha nodded and continued across the courtyard, swinging his thrumming sword in a casual manner, but the teens were smart enough to take the hint and sloped off towards the ruined torii gate.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Kagome washed the tea cups with extra care, mindful of her shaky grip. Glancing out the kitchen window, she frowned at Sha's tall figure as he spoke to his nephews. I can't believe that he tried to kiss me! I mean, it's only been a few days since we fought Mistress Centipede! Picking up a dish towel, she began briskly drying, until the memory of the hanyou's expression slowed her movements. He was so upset because he thought he'd failed… he takes his promises very seriously.

 

Setting the cups aside, she brought out the dinner bowls and submerged them in the sink to make sure they were free of glass shards. Going through the familiar motions of washing, rinsing and drying allowed her mind to wander back to the situation under consideration and admit the main reason for her panicked retreat. He loved Kikyo enough to sacrifice everything that he is for her. When he looked at me like that, I wondered if he was apologizing to me... or her?

 

She continued feeling sorry for herself until she remembered Sha's comment from the previous night and his words suddenly took on an entirely different meaning. I'm `nothing like her', so maybe… maybe that means Ichiko's right? Sha does see me? She again looked out the window to see the hanyou moving purposefully towards the half-dozen teenagers hanging around the main shrine. Bracing her hands on the counter, she hung her head. He was worried about me. I am such an idiot.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Tapping Tetsusaiga against his leg as he watched the teens leave, Sha turned on his heel and ascended the steps to the veranda while determinedly not thinking about Kagome's reaction. Scooping Yura's weapon on the way, he crouched a respectful distance from the case that had entombed his sword for so many centuries and eyeballed the blade against the existing indentation. I can't remember if the bitch had a scabbard or not; I'll check the forest later because that'll make it a helluva lot easier for me if I don't have to go looking for one tomorrow.

 

Wary of another encounter with the case's barrier sutras, he used Yura's sword to poke the box around the doorframe. Peering inside the room, Sha made a face at the tangled mess and the hole punched in the opposite wall. Flicking the wall switch, the damage looked even worse in the dim, yellowed light of the single bulb. This'll take a few hours; hope there aren't any more bespelled containers in there!

 

Turning the light back off and securing the wooden panel, he tucked the swords under his arm, cleared the staircase in a single jump and headed towards his nephews, who were having a discussion over the bisected carcass of his motorcycle. “What's up?”

 

Tenmaru bowed. “We were thinking of giving it a battlefield burial, Uncle.”

 

“Suit yourself. You called your old man?”

 

“He'll be by later.”

 

“I can't believe that Naraku reared his head so openly,” Tsugane muttered. “He's amazingly confident.”

 

“Amazingly fucking arrogant, you mean.” Sha ground his teeth in memory of the utter hopelessness that had swept over him once he recognized Naraku; his nephews edged away from his flaring youki and hastily set about entombing the machine in the deepest part of the trench. “You two go find dinner; I'll stand guard.”

 

“I'll stay with you, Uncle,” Tenmaru offered. “We don't know if Naraku has indeed retired from the field, and Lady Buyo is not fully recovered.”

 

“Whatever.” Sha pulled his wallet from his jacket and extracted several large-denomination yen notes. Handing them to Tsugane, he growled, “Don't forget the ramen.”

 

The younger dog-hanyou kept a very straight face as he pocketed the cash. “I value my life, Uncle.” Dusting off his hands, he loped across the courtyard and vaulted over the pile of collapsed timbers at the top of the staircase.

 

“Should we clean that up?” Tenmaru ventured, pointing at the remains of the torii. “It isn't much of a deterrent.”

 

“I ain't stopping' ya.”

 

Shooting Sha a look, Tenmaru crossed to the gateway and heaved the splintered wood aside into a more or less neat pile before asking,” Now what?”

 

“You're gonna guard the house while I go looking for a missing scabbard,” the hanyou replied, brandishing Yura's blade by way of explanation as he turned away. Tenmaru stifled a sigh as he followed in his uncle's footsteps until he broke off to circle the house while Sha made straight for the fence behind the Goshinboku.

 

Just before he ducked between the crossbars, he remembered Kagome's question and decided to test the theory. Loosening the restraints on his jyaki, he extended his hand towards the boundary. The resulting burst of spiritual energy threw him nearly twenty feet and brought Tenmaru racing around the corner of the house as Kagome's bedroom window slammed open. Sha picked himself up, gingerly testing his arm and shoulder for damages while Tenmaru looked back and forth between his uncle and the fence. “What happened? I sensed your jyaki and then… boom!”

 

Sha flexed his neck in an attempt to ease a painful crick before addressing the area at large rather than risking meeting Kagome's eyes as she hung out of her window. “The fence is definitely the boundary line and it's definitely triggered by jyaki.”

 

Tenmaru edged closer to the innocent-looking wooden fence and knelt to inspect the ground. Sniffing deeply, he zeroed in on one spot and cautiously brushed at the dirt. “Metal stakes hammered into the earth,” he exclaimed. “They are extremely old.”

 

“Probably etched with anti-youkai spells; lucky I only grazed the barrier with my fingers,” Sha muttered.

 

“Naraku had to use a dragon-youkai to cross it,” Kagome reminded them from above. “Unless he can scrounge up another one, we're safe tonight.”

 

“Won't do a thing to stop an evil human, though,” Sha observed.

 

Tenmaru daringly waved his hand over the buried stake, but nothing happened since he wasn't quite brave enough to fully test it. “What sort of spell do you think was used, Uncle?”

 

“More than likely an old-fashioned `Demon Begone', but the priest who cast it had enough spiritual power for several people. Probably the same one who sealed the Tetsusaiga.” The hanyou slipped through the crossbars, causing a minor crackle of blue sparks, but nothing more serious. Arching a dark eyebrow as his nephew hastily retreated, he said, “Back in a few minutes, if I'm lucky.”

 

Once Sha had disappeared into the undergrowth, Tenmaru addressed Kagome. “Brother should be back soon with dinner.”

 

“All right.”

 

Even though she didn't ask, the young hanyou felt compelled to add, “Uncle has gone to retrieve a scabbard.”

 

Sota's dark head popped up. “I know where it… crap. He's already gone.”

 

“I'm surprised that the barrier allowed the sword to cross,” Kagome commented, without mentioning Sha's errand. “Did you touch the scabbard?”

 

“Nope. The sword freaked me out enough when it had a hissy fit,” her brother sheepishly replied.

 

“I'll make sure that we're ready by the time Ichiko returns,” Kagome informed Tenmaru before closing the window, leaving him to wonder exactly what had happened between his uncle and the young woman under the Goshinboku.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Sha arrived in the foyer just after Tsugane was enthusiastically welcomed and relieved of the food cartons and bags, so he quietly entered the hall and merely observed the activity in the tatami room through the open shoji. Tenmaru graciously assisted Buyo to a seat at the low table; during the entire process, the cat-youkai didn't miss a beat of the lively dispute she was engaged in with Sota. Shifting slightly, the hanyou could see through the room into the kitchen due to the open screen on that side. Kagome bustled with bowls and cups and chopsticks; her bubbling laughter at some comment of Tsugane's made him scowl until she turned and caught sight of him, and her welcoming smile instantly lifted his mood.

 

“Come in, Uncle, before you lose your ramen to young Mr. Higurashi!” Tsugane joked, placing heaped serving dishes on the table.

 

“Keh. I can take `im.” Stepping into the room, he propped both swords in the corner closest to the wall niche and took an empty cushion.

 

“Not if you played a game of shogi for the rights to the food,” Buyo said, sipping her tea.

 

“Ah-ha! So you do admit it!” Sota crowed. “I was so whipping your butt before the game board `accidentally' fell off the bed!”

 

“You may have had the better of me by a move or two,” she conceded.

 

“More like twenty,” he chortled, scooping noodles and broth into his bowl and passed the ramen over to Sha.

 

“You were playing shogi with Lady Buyo… in bed?” Tsugane asked with mock-consternation. “Brother, cover your ears! Such a brazen confession!” Amid the general laughter, he noticed Buyo eyeing the tempura and passed over the plate. As Kagome took the last unoccupied cushion, which happened to be beside Sha, he jovially asked, “What do you fancy, Mishi? It's all guaranteed to be delicious!”

 

“Well,” she said slowly, perusing the table until her gaze came to rest on Sha's prize. “I was going to have some ramen….”

 

“Help yourself,” Sha replied without hesitation, sliding the serving bowl her way. There was a very long pause in the conversation as Kagome took advantage of his offer.

 

“Did you hear that, Brother?” Tenmaru asked in a hushed voice.

 

“I do believe I did,” Tsugane replied, cupping his ear and cocking his head. “The sound of the world as we know it tottering on its foundations… Uncle shared his ramen!”

 

“Shut up,” Sha snapped, his fiery glare turning briefly golden.

 

Kagome ignored them all as she thoughtfully slurped a noodle. “It is awfully good ramen… but oden is still better.”

 

“Seriously, Mishi… I think Uncle just proposed,” Tsugane insisted breathily, while Tenmaru clasped his hands to his chest and adopted a starry-eyed look. “We must tell Father to air out his formal robes!”

 

“What strange betrothal customs you follow in the House of the West,” Buyo blandly commented, her pale green eyes twinkling. “If you need a go-between, Lady Kagome, I volunteer my services.”

 

“Uh-uh. It's Gramps that has the mad negotiating skills,” Sota grinned around a mouthful of food. “He drives such hard bargains that he's scared off all of Sis' potential husbands so far.”

 

The brothers exchanged wolfish grins. “Our money's on Father if a bride price is being discussed!”

 

Buyo suddenly smiled, showing some very sharp teeth. “Now, that would be an entertaining encounter. You would, of course, have to remind the Western Lord that melting the other party to resolve a dispute is out of the question.”

 

On the other side of the table, Sha muttered to Kagome, “You know they're just being idiots, right?”

 

She cheekily stole a pink-swirled slice of fish cake out of his bowl. “We'll get `em back later,” she promised, and suddenly they were back on the same side, the awkward moment under the Goshinboku apparently forgotten.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

A few hours after Kagome fielded a worried phone call from her mother, the dishes were cleared away and a grumbling Sota was relegated to doing homework under Buyo's sharp eye while the rest of the group coughed amidst the dust of the dimly-lit storerooms. Using lengths of broken shelving, Tsugane managed to board up the hole in the wall caused by Sha's explosive encounter with the Tetsusaiga's sealing sutras while Kagome helped Tenmaru sort the room's contents into `destroyed' and `salvageable' piles and Sha took a turn standing guard outside.

 

They were all out on the veranda taking a breather when the young woman froze, her head snapping up as she stared hard in the direction of the ruined torii gate. “What is it, Miss Higurashi?” Tenmaru asked.

 

“Something's coming,” she exclaimed, reaching for her bow and arrows.

 

Sha hefted Tetsusaiga, but recognized the youki energy bearing down on them at almost the same moment. “It's okay… I know this asshole.” She looked at him in surprise but obeyed. After rolling their eyes at their uncle, Tsugane and Tenmaru straightened their clothing and dusted themselves off before taking up positions at the bottom of the stairs.

 

“Who is it?” Kagome asked quietly, watching their preparations.

 

“Their father,” came the curt answer.

 

“You mean… your brother?”

 

“Half-brother.” Sha made a show of stretching before folding his arms across his chest as if unconcerned, but Kagome noted the way his youki flared brighter against the evening darkness, not to mention the firm grip he had on Tetsusaiga. Therefore, she wasn't completely surprised when the hanyou subtly positioned himself between her and the approaching youkai… even if his words and actions made her wonder about their fraternal relationship.

 

A tall, slender, dark-haired figure appeared at the top of the stone staircase and glided soundlessly across the courtyard, trailing iridescent clouds of youki. Tsugane and Tenmaru bowed in perfect unison, holding their pose until the newcomer acknowledged them, and then approached. Tsugane gave a report, to which the tall man carefully listened, and then the brothers arranged themselves on either side like a pair of mismatched bookends and escorted him towards the watchers on the veranda.

 

As they reached the top of the stairs, the man's distinguished, middle-aged human appearance dissolved, revealing a knee-length curtain of silver hair, sharply pointed ears, vivid facial markings that included cheek stripes and a blue crescent moon blazoning his forehead, as well as a pair of intensely yellow eyes.

 

“Lord Sesshiro Nishiki, may I present Miss Kagome Higurashi?” Tsugane said in very formal tones; she hastily stepped clear of Sha and bowed… much to the hanyou's grumbled displeasure.

 

“Miss Higurashi,” Sesshiro calmly intoned, cutting across Sha's peevishness. “Tsugane speaks well of you.”

 

“Er… thank you?”

 

The concealment spell rippled back into place as Sesshiro turned his attention to Sha. “Well done,” he stated, his gaze lingering on the Tetsusaiga.

 

“Came in handy,” Sha said carelessly, but his posture was rigid.

 

Sesshiro turned his attention back to Kagome. “The House of the West offers its assistance to the Sunset Shrine for damages incurred by the battle.” After she jerkily nodded her assent, he murmured as if to himself, “The Tetsusaiga may not be suited to this modern era after all.”

 

Sha immediately bristled. “Like hell it isn't! I'll show you….”

 

“Where is the cat?” Sesshiro smoothly interrupted.

 

“Protecting Miss Higurashi's younger brother,” Tenmaru answered.

 

“Summon her.”

 

“At once, Father.” Tenmaru fairly flew towards the house; Kagome was impressed by his speed even as she wondered about Buyo's likely response. She was healed enough to eat something at dinner, so I suppose she can come out and meet him… if she feels like it, that is! The young woman had her answer a few minutes later when the cat-youkai exited the foyer and unhurriedly strolled towards them, her posture very erect, her pale eyes very bright… and streaming impressive contrails of youki.

 

“That cat has fucking shitloads of power,” Sha breathed. “Sess better watch himself.”

 

“Why couldn't I see it before?” Kagome wondered, her eyes riveted on Buyo's brightly flaring aura.

 

“She's good at hiding it… really fucking good. I'll bet her true form is as big as his.”

 

“True form?”

 

“Sess can turn into a dog about the same size as your house.”

 

Kagome gave a low whistle. “Can you do that?”

 

“Nope. Hanyou, remember?”

 

Buyo came to a stop about fifteen feet away from Sesshiro. The two youkai stared each other down for a long moment, their auras expanding like super-charged peacock tails until Buyo purred, “Western Lord,” then relaxed her stance.

 

Sesshiro minutely inclined his head. “Shrine Guardian,” he rumbled, and with that, the tension levels dropped dramatically, along with the size of their youki.

 

Immediately getting down to business, Buyo said, “I would welcome assistance to protect my humans and the Shikon Jewel.”

 

The dog-youkai contemplated the middle distance for a moment. “Agreed.”

 

“Only your very best. I will not tolerate sloppiness.”

 

“Hn.”

 

With an audible sniff, Buyo turned on her heel and stalked towards the house, her robes swishing in a very tail-like manner.

 

“Impossible creature,” the dog-youkai observed once the door closed, “but honourable.”

Sesshiro waited for Tenmaru to be freed from his impromptu guard duty and rejoin them before delegating responsibilities. “Tsugane, you will make the necessary arrangements, and Tenmaru, you will keep me informed.” Casting Sha an appraising glance, Sesshiro added, “Do as you please,” before nodding pleasantly enough to Kagome and making his departure. His sons escorted him to the top of the stairs where more words were exchanged before he disappeared into the night.

 

“Is he always so… terse?” the young woman asked in the following lull.

 

“Keh.”

 

Concerned over the way Sha's youki was practically crackling, Kagome lightly touched his arm. “What're you so upset about? I'm happy for the extra help to protect my family!”

 

“I just fucking hate it when he does that… rolls in and takes over, like I'm fucking incompetent.”

 

“Is he older than you?”

 

“What the hell does that have to do with anything?”

 

She smiled. “Trust me on this… I'm a big sister, and it's part of the job description to annoy your younger siblings with your inherent superiority. Bet he thumped you pretty hard when you were kids but wouldn't let anyone else go after you.”

 

The hanyou shot her an incredulous look. “Our old man died when I was just a little runt, and Sess was totally fucking pissed that I was left the Tetsusaiga. He had an attitude for fucking decades, and I took off as soon as I figured out how to unleash the Kaze-no-Kizu. Keh. Wouldn't have ended up pinned to that fucking tree if it wasn't for his fucking attitude….”

 

“Maybe… he was angry at your father? Not you?” she suggested.

 

“What shit are you talkin' now?”

 

“Maybe his pride took a beating when you were given such a powerful weapon, because it appeared that your father didn't think that he was strong enough to protect you?”

 

Sha's jaw dropped. “That's fucking ridiculous!”

 

Kagome shrugged. “You'll always be his little brother… Sota's taller than me now and a lot stronger, but I still try to protect him because that's my job as the eldest.”

 

“You're fucking insane.”

 

“Possibly. I've questioned my sanity quite a few times today, what with dragon-youkai trashing the neighbourhood and finding out that my cat is actually six feet tall and has bikini-idol curves.” She winked, and he could only shake his head as the brothers approached the veranda.

 

Tsugane snapped shut his cell phone. “The extra security will be here in a few minutes, and the resurfacing crew arrives in the morning,” he said. “Why don't you call it a night, Mishi? There'll be extra hands available tomorrow to continue with the storerooms.”

 

“I should… otherwise I'll be a wreck in class….”

 

“You're taking the day off,” he immediately responded. Holding up his hand to forestall the inevitable objections, he added, “I'll take the notes for you, because you really need to be here when your family arrives.”

 

Kagome exhaled and nodded. “All right.” Rolling her shoulders, she sighed heavily. “My archery practice schedule has been completely shot these last couple of days; I'm gonna tank at regionals!” Tenmaru stepped up to offer Kagome his hand as she descended the stairs, but stopped in his tracks when Sha growled warningly. She glanced over her shoulder. “Sounds like someone else could use a decent night's sleep,” she commented and then flashed Tenmaru a smile. “Thanks, Mr. Nibanko, but I can walk to the house by myself. G'night, everyone.”

 

The three hanyou watched her go; the door had barely closed when a couple dozen dog-youkai appeared out of the shadows and saluted. Tsugane took charge and issued orders, dispersing the newcomers around the perimeter of the grounds. Once they were situated to his satisfaction, he approached Sha, who had not moved from his position on the veranda. “Uncle? What will you do?”

 

“What else? Stay here and keep an eye on those idiots.”

 

Tsugane ignored the insult to his father's hand-picked troops. “Very well. Brother will return at first light with the work crews. I'll stop by after class with Mishi's notes; good night, Uncle.”

 

“Where the hell are you going?”

 

“Father has posted sentries at Mother's home as well, but I want to check for myself.”

 

“You're as anal as your old man.”

 

“We first-borns are all alike,” he smirked, and fled with Tenmaru hot on his heels.

 

Sha scowled darkly after his nephews, but the effect was lost since they didn't turn around. Dammit… when did this get so fucking complicated? Closing up the storeroom, he left Yura's sword in its scabbard inside the door, ready to masquerade as the Tetsusaiga. Hopefully the old man won't notice that it's slightly shorter.

 

Bounding down the stairs, he made a circuit of the grounds. Ending up under the Goshinboku, he considered the lights on in both Sota's and Kagome's rooms and decided to go for altitude. Launching himself into the branches, he settled on one with a view of Kagome's window. The curtains were open; she was already dressed in her pink kitten pyjamas and brushing out her hair. He allowed himself to be lulled by watching the rhythmic strokes even as another part of his brain happily reminded him of the softness of those same dark tresses.

 

He couldn't see her bed on his angle, so lightly pouted when she slipped under the covers and turned off her bedside light. Keh. How come the damn cat gets to guard her from inside, while the dog is stuck outside… up the fucking tree, no less?

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

The next day…

 

Sota decided to take the day off from school on the grounds of his bruises and the `earthquake damage' to the shrine, so after helping Kagome clean up the sanctuary as well as by their bedrooms, he worked on forging new sealing sutras for the case that now held Yura's sword. Sha had disappeared on an errand when Tenmaru arrived with the work crews that morning, and returned in the early afternoon with a zippered leather case slung across his back as he supervised the stonemasons.

 

“Is that going to work?” Sota asked sceptically when they met at the bottom of the stairs in the late afternoon, indicating the Tetsusaiga's new carrying case. “It'll slow down your release time.”

 

Sha shrugged. “I'd rather wear it at my hip, but that'll attract too much attention.”

 

Nodding, the teen held up the fake sutras. “How do they look?”

 

“So long as they fool your grandfather, they'll do. Where's your sister?” Sha glanced around the courtyard, where broken pavement was being carted away, the ground prepared and fresh paving stones fitted with impressive speed and precision.

 

“Inside with Buyo, tidying up Mom's and Grandpa's rooms; Mom phoned a little while ago to say they were on their way. I'll be back in a minute.” Waving the fake sutras, he jogged up the steps and disappeared into the storeroom while Sha surveyed the activity and had to grudgingly admit the value… again… of being a member of the Western House. He was contemplating the far more enjoyable topic of replacing his motorcycle when Tenmaru arrived at his elbow.

 

“Once they're finished laying the paving stones, the gravel can be brought in. We're making good time.” Seating himself on the stairs, he ventured, “You know, Uncle, it wouldn't be a bad idea if Miss Higurashi were to move away from the Shrine for the foreseeable future.”

 

“What're you driving at?”

 

The young dog-hanyou stared at his hands, because that was safer than meeting Sha's penetrating gaze. “If she remains here, the attacks are only going to escalate. Lady Buyo is more than capable, and Father has assigned some of his best to guard duty… and you are here, of course… but if there is an attack by massed forces, people will die.”

 

“I know.” Sha sat down next to his nephew and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Out with it… what did your old man say?”

 

Tenmaru squirmed. “He suggested that the Western House should take Miss Higurashi into protective custody.”

 

Sha let out a derisive snort. “Like she'd agree to that.”

 

“Brother said exactly the same thing,” Tenmaru admitted. “However, it remains the most viable option. If the offer was phrased in such a way that her family's safety was the outcome, then she might accept?”

 

The elder dog-hanyou gave his nephew a sharp look. “So, why're you tellin' me, if you lot have already decided?”

 

“Brother thinks that you have the best chance of convincing Miss Higurashi.”

 

“Me? She listened to Tsugane when he told her to stay home today, but I have a snowball's chance in the first hell of her following my advice.”

 

“Are you absolutely certain of that, Uncle?” A warning whistle snapped both their heads around, to see a bright red military-grade American SUV grinding its way up the access road. “Is that thing even street legal?” Tenmaru wondered. “Those look like gun ports!”

 

The metal beast dodged the construction vehicles, but when it appeared prepared to plough right through the freshly-laid paving to reach the house, it was instantly halted by a double line of bristling dog-youkai.

 

“Who the hell…?” Sha growled, rising to his feet.

 

Tenmaru bounced upright. “Yakuza,” he declared as the doors of the armoured vehicle opened and four men wearing very flashy clothing climbed out.

 

“Send in the clowns…” While Tenmaru sniggered, Sha noted that the driver remained inside. Inhaling deeply, he muttered, “Humans… wearing way too much cheap cologne… especially the one in the frilly shirt.”

 

“If I'm not mistaken, that's the gang known as the Band of Seven,” his nephew whispered. “Very rough customers.”

 

“Nice fake youkai markings,” Sha commented, and then his eyes narrowed. “I'm only counting five… fuck. Take some of our guys and go make sure the rest of `em aren't sneaking in the back while these assholes are yappin' at us out here. Warn the cat, too.”

 

As Tenmaru took off towards the house, collecting reinforcements along the way, Sha beckoned to the nearest workman. “Keep the whelp out of sight until these fuckers leave,” he muttered, and the dog-youkai leapt up the stairs to head off Sota. Planting his feet in a wide stance and hooking his thumbs into his belt, Sha bellowed, “What can we do for you, gentlemen?”

 

A deceptively young-looking man with a four-pointed blue star embellishing his forehead removed his dark sunglasses. “Quite the welcoming committee… we were hoping to have a word with the Shikon miko.” He flashed a predatory grin. “We have a business proposition for her.”

 

“I'll just bet you do,” Sha hissed, making no secret of his displeasure, especially when the feminine young man standing beside the leader began fluttering his eyelashes and making kissy-lips in his direction. Raising his voice, the hanyou said, “The Shikon miko is not receiving visitors at this time.”

 

“We heard that she'd had a little trouble,” the leader coolly replied. “We would be happy to take care of any future problems… for a price.” Again, the white teeth flashed.

 

“I'm sure you have an impressive resume of intimidating little old ladies, but the Shikon miko has no need of pachinko-parlour thugs like you.”

 

“Ah, so you are her spokesman? To whom do I have the pleasure of conversing?”

 

Sha reluctantly played his trump card. “The House of the West.”

 

“Ah… the Dog Pound has already pissed in all the corners, huh? Pity. We offer highly competitive rates.”

 

“I'm fucking sure you do, asshole… who the hell told you how to find this place?”

 

The leader replaced his sunglasses with deliberate care. “Our good friend Mr. Narakage Hitomi was kind enough to pass on the Shikon miko's location,” he said with a knowing grin. Sha loosed a furious growl and almost went for his sword, but before things got messy, the leader backed down. “Some other time, then. Ta, puppies!” With a jaunty wave, the men disappeared into the huge SUV and it retreated in a spray of gravel.

 

Tenmaru galloped back across the courtyard just as the yakuza disappeared from sight. “We caught two of them in the forest, but one of them laid down some kind of poisonous smoke screen and they took off,” he breathlessly reported.

 

“Anybody hurt?”

 

“A few trees were melted, but that's it.”

 

“Melted? Fuck.”

 

“Good news travels fast, huh?” Sota observed from the top of the stairs. When Sha and Tenmaru looked up, the teen pointed over his shoulder. “These guys are terrific! They've repaired the wall and cleaned up all the storerooms already, and it isn't even four o'clock.”

 

“Any more shielded containers?”

 

“Just one so far. We've named it the `haunted hibachi' because the guy who found it said there's definitely something in it, and it had a killer sealing spell that cleared the room.”

 

“Is he okay?”

 

“His ego took the hit.” As Sota spoke, Kagome emerged from the house with a chubby calico cat following in her wake. When he noticed Sha giving Buyo's appearance a puzzled look, the teen supplied, “Miss Buyo doesn't want Mom or Gramps to know her true identity… look sharp.” An older-model sedan inched up the access road, Mrs. Higurashi clutching the steering wheel with white-knuckled fingers while the old man gaped at the activity.

 

“Disappear, brat.” Sha quickly shed the Tetsusaiga in its carrying case and Tenmaru vanished with it into the storerooms.

 

Sota waited until they were out of sight before attracting attention to himself by moving towards the car. Stopping briefly to ask for advice from the foreman, he cheerfully greeted the occupants and directed the vehicle to a parking spot away from the work area. Scooting around the vehicle, he assisted his grandfather from the car while Kagome hastened to her mother's side.

 

“So much damage….” Mrs. Higurashi said, her hand covering her mouth. “Nothing we saw on the way prepared us for this!”

 

“I think I would like to lie down,” the old man announced abruptly, his voice thin and shaky.

 

“Sure, Gramps,” Sota soothed, leading the elderly man towards the house with Buyo anxiously meowing alongside.

 

Mrs. Higurashi stepped close to Sha and whispered, “Did you manage to find the Inuyasha-no-Tetsusaiga before the quake hit?”

 

“Yes, ma'am. Thank you for the opportunity,” he replied, suddenly feeling like a naughty little boy caught with his finger in the red bean paste.

 

“Mr. Nishiki arranged for the repairs,” Kagome said, quickly changing the subject when she noticed his guilty look. “He's covering the cost, too.”

 

Mrs. Higurashi's response was extremely gratifying, and Sha happily basked in her admiration. “Thank you so much! How will we ever be able to repay you?”

 

“I'm happy to be of help.”

 

Lightly squeezing his arm, her eyes as bright as her smile, she asked, “Will you stay to dinner? It's the very least that we can do to express our gratitude.”

 

“Thank you, ma'am. I'd be honoured.”

 

“Help me with the groceries, Kagome, and then I'd better see to Grandfather. I tried to prepare him for the shock, but….”

 

“It looked much worse earlier,” the young woman said before heading back towards the car.

 

Mrs. Higurashi lingered, then pointed at the piles of accumulated rubbish. “I see that the storerooms have been cleaned out, too.” Lowering her voice, she confided, “Some of those `treasures' are junk, plain and simple, but my father-in-law simply can't bear to part with them. This disaster might actually have been a blessing in disguise!” She winked and sailed off to assist Kagome with the bags, stopping several times to personally thank groups of workmen along the way.

 

When the women disappeared into the house, Tenmaru descended the stairs to join Sha. “That was your lady mother's reincarnation?” he asked.

 

“Keh.”

 

“She's very… motherly,” the younger dog-hanyou commented neutrally, but he couldn't quite keep the trace of envy out of his tone.

 

“Yours is pretty young, but look at it this way… she'll be with you for the better part of several decades,” Sha answered quietly.

 

“But it's never long enough,” Tenmaru murmured, his scent becoming heavy with sadness. “We have them for such a short period of time, and then have to watch them die, with no guarantees that we'll find them again.”

 

A chill shivered down Sha's spine, but he shook it off. “Be thankful for the time you'll have with her in this lifetime.”

 

“Don't wait too long regarding Miss Higurashi,” Tenmaru suddenly blurted out. “As the Shikon miko, her life expectancy is much shorter than the average human.” At Sha's plainly shocked expression, Tenmaru simply shrugged and went back to work.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“We are very lucky that your Mr. Nishiki was here; I feel much better knowing that he watched over you and Sota last night,” Mrs. Higurashi commented as she bustled in the kitchen.

 

Kagome chose to ignore the fond insinuation that Sha was now somehow `hers' and instead said, “He did his best to protect us from the worst of it… and we were very lucky that the buildings remained standing!”

 

Mrs. Higurashi looked over Kagome's shoulder out the window. “The workmen are now raking gravel, so they must be close to finishing. Oh… I wonder who that could be?”

 

Turning around, the young woman instantly recognized the heavily customized sports car adorned with oversized floral crests and a towering rear spoiler pulling up a safe distance from the gravel truck. “That's my friend Ichiko,” she admitted with a sense of resignation.

 

“Why haven't you mentioned him before?”

 

“Because he's just a friend, but he happens to be male and I didn't want Gramps to get all fussy about it if he found out.”

 

Mrs. Higurashi gently chided, “But why couldn't you tell me?”

 

“I'm sorry, Mom, but it just made things easier,” Kagome sighed. Buyo appeared and rubbed up against the unhappy young woman's shins; Kagome bent down without thinking and then froze in the act of scooping up the cat-youkai. Buyo cocked her head in confusion, then meowed plaintively and rose up onto her hind legs in an obvious appeal. Kagome smiled and lifted Buyo into her arms, whereupon the cat-youkai vigorously rubbed her head under the young woman's chin while purring mightily. Hugging the feline, she said, “Ichiko's probably dropping off my notes from class today and making sure I'm all right. He's thoughtful like that.”

 

“I would expect no less from someone that you call a friend,” her mother said, smiling warmly, and then slyly asked, “Do you consider Mr. Nishiki your friend as well?”

 

Kagome gave her a dry look. “If I said `yes', do you promise to not order mochi cakes and saké?”

 

The other woman laughed. “I promise! However, I must admit that I'd be quite content if he became more than a friend to you.”

 

“Mo-ther! We've just met!” she protested, her face turning red at the memory of their almost-kiss. Which would have happened if I hadn't chickened out!

 

“I'm aware of that, dear… but there's something about him that just seems… I don't know… so familiar. I had no qualms at all about letting him take you to school yesterday morning because I knew he'd look after you.”

 

“He even bought me a jacket and a helmet, but his motorcycle was wrecked in the, um, quake last night.”

 

“Oh, my. Well, at least I don't have to worry any more that he might hurt himself while riding it.”

 

“You sound like his mother!” Kagome teased… then wondered why Buyo's purr abruptly shut off and the cat-youkai stared hard at the older woman.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

A/N: Yakuza - Japanese crime families, akin to the Mafia, known for missing fingertips, florid tattoos and flashy togs to advertise their `outsider' status in the conform-until-it-hurts mainstream Japanese culture.

 

Hibachi - Often taking the form of beautifully-finished bronze urns or handsome wooden bowls lined with copper, or even elegant square wooden chests with a copper-lined brazier, these common household items were used as portable cookers and heaters. Kettles for tea could be boiled or food grilled on the hot coals contained in the metal-lined section, and the person of the highest status was accorded the honour of sitting closest to the hibachi in the colder months.

 

Mochi - Extremely sticky, chewy rice cakes made from pounded glutinous rice, served grilled, broiled or baked. An integral feature of traditional marriage negotiations and the annual New Year's celebrations, they are remarkably hazardous to the health; in Japan there are dozens of choking deaths every year among the elderly and the young due to this foodstuff.