InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Price ❯ Led Astray ( Chapter 8 )

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

 

A/N: Muneate are leather breastplates worn by female practitioners of the Japanese sport of Kyudo, the `Way of the Bow'. The keiko-gi is a short-sleeved kimono top worn by archers of both sexes, but some compete in long-sleeved kimono (depends on their club uniform requirements). Regardless of the uniform style, male archers bare the left side of their torsos in competition. Since public nudity is out of the question, women must tie back their kimono sleeves if their uniform requires one.

 

I made up the format of the archery tournament pretty much from whole cloth due to a lack of primary sources, but based it on the structure of other types of martial art competitions.

 

Bouquets to my ever-patient CMAs, Forthright, Ranuel and SilverOnTheRose.

 

For Chip and Leif's humans, who lost their four-legged companions far too soon.

 

Warnings: WAFF, kitty porn, coarse language, messy bits.

 

The Price

Chapter Eight: Led Astray

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

The same afternoon…

 

Tsugane left the grounds after handing Sha a folder and exchanging a few words; Kagome had the distinct feeling that the two hanyou were doing their best to not give away their familial relationship to casual observers. Changing the topic away from Mr. Nishiki, she grumbled that she hadn't managed to pull off an archery practice in all the excitement, and Mrs. Higurashi obliged by excusing her from kitchen duty. Jumping on the opportunity, Kagome dragged Sota outside to help set up her gear and then managed a solid hour of training under Buyo's watchful eyes.

 

When Sha came looking for her, he paused by the corner of the house to admire her slender figure and the confidence with which she handled her weapon. Releasing her final arrow of the flight, she watched it join the tight cluster in and around the bull's-eye before turning to smile at her audience.

 

As the hanyou passed her on his way to Kagome, Buyo wrinkled her nose at the masculine interest threading through his scent.

 

“How's it going?” Kagome asked, brushing a tickling strand of hair away from her face.

 

“They'll be finished within the hour,” he replied. “I gave your notes to your mother.”

 

“Thanks… hey, where's your sword?” As she again tried to capture the offending tendril, Sha's fingers practically itched with the desire to tuck it behind her ear just for the excuse to touch her skin.

 

He tried not to be disappointed when Kagome managed to secure it without his help. “Safely out of sight for now. How's the practice?”

 

While Buyo rolled her eyes at Sha's lame conversational skills and began vigorously washing her ears, Kagome nodded towards the butt bristling with the contents of her quiver. “Not bad. I just might avoid being skinned by my coach if I pull off a top-five finish.”

 

Sha sighed. Gotta say this just the right way. “D'you really think attending this competition is a good idea?”

 

“I know it isn't… but I still really want to go. I've been training so hard, for so long….” She looked towards the forest before continuing, “I have a feeling that the Shikon Jewel has only just begun to change my life, but I'd like to hold onto what I can for as long as I can.” Peeking at him through her bangs, she shyly asked, “Will you come with me?”

 

“Like you could stop me,” he sniffed..

 

“Thank you,” she said, smiling quietly before heading towards her target to retrieve her arrows.

 

Sha was feeling rather pleased with her request when the cat-youkai emitted a gagging noise. He shot Buyo a narrow look, but she merely gave him an aloof glance, pointed one hind leg towards the sky and proceeded to lick a rather private part of her anatomy. The hanyou instantly turned beet-red, spun around and growled, “Do you mind?”

 

Tenmaru trotted down the side of the house, and came to a full stop when he caught sight of Buyo's very public ablutions. Instantly looking anywhere but her, he announced, “W-we're finished with the repairs; should we take the damaged items with us, or would Mr. Higurashi like to sort through the pile first?”

 

“Let me check with Mom,” Kagome answered. “I don't think Gramps is up for much right now.” Tenmaru nodded politely and disappeared while the young woman headed in the opposite direction towards the front door. Sha alternately glared at Buyo, who utterly ignored him, and contemplated the target circle full of arrows until Kagome called out to him. Answering her summons, he found Mrs. Higurashi putting on her shoes. “Why don't you give Mom the grand tour and show off all the hard work that was accomplished today?” Kagome suggested, and he willingly agreed.

 

Mrs. Higurashi looped her arm through his in a proprietary manner. “My father-in-law is sleeping, so I'll inspect,” she declared. Kagome winked at Sha and vanished back around the house to continue with her archery practice, so he guided the older woman across the gleaming courtyard. “Such lovely work!” Mrs. Higurashi enthused, admiring the precisely-laid rectangular paving stones and the neatly-raked gravel. “Thank you so much, Mr. Nishiki!”

 

“No problem, ma'am. The crew wants to know what to do with the broken stuff from the storerooms.”

 

“Oh, please… take it away and dispose of it!” she exclaimed. Sha gestured to Tenmaru, and the bulging garbage bags were tossed into the back of a utility truck. His nephew then bowed politely and disappeared into the cab of the vehicle along with the remainder of his crew. As it rolled down the access road in the wake of the empty gravel truck, Mrs. Higurashi looked around the pristine courtyard and smiled happily. “Absolutely wonderful. I'm sure that my father-in-law will be very pleased once he's over the shock.”

 

“At least the shrine and the house weren't damaged,” Sha offered, feeling slightly guilty for the amount of destruction that he did cause.

 

“We are very grateful for small mercies,” she said. “The gods surely smiled on us yesterday. Can you collect that daughter of mine? Dinner is almost ready.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

The meal was enlivened by Mrs. Higurashi telling the story of the `haunted hibachi' after Sota casually asked about the item; the teen and Sha exchanged speaking glances when they heard that the relic supposedly contained an 800-year-old frog demon that was sealed away to stop it from feasting upon young maidens. Genma Higurashi missed dinner but put in an appearance after the dishes were cleared away. The old man was still very grey-looking, and Sha didn't like the taint of illness in his scent.

 

“I think some air would do you good,” Mrs. Higurashi declared, and between herself and Sota, chivvied the old man outside. After giving Sha a discreet swat on the way past, Buyo scampered after her humans with her tail rigidly upright.

 

While Sha rubbed his arm and quietly cursed contrary cat-youkai, Kagome hurried to look out the kitchen window. “Gramps is really sick, isn't he?” she asked in a low voice as Sha joined her.

 

“Keh. A trip to the clinic might become necessary,” he replied.

 

“Is it that serious?”

 

“His scent is wrong,” Sha confirmed.

 

Kagome contemplated that idea. “A youkai nose would be really helpful in my profession,” she said thoughtfully.

 

“The other side of the coin is over-sensitivity to smells that can literally knock you out,” he advised. “That wouldn't be much help in an emergency situation. Want some help with the dishes?”

 

“Oh! Thank you.”

 

While she filled the sink, he lounged against the counter, trying to figure out if his proximity was welcome through her scent and her body language… without much luck. Gods, could she just pick `interested', `maybe' or `drop dead' and stick with it? I can't keep up!

 

“So, where is the Tetsusaiga?”

 

“Now it's in the foyer under your brother's martial arts equipment. I figure that I can tell people I'm delivering swords to clients if anyone asks.”

 

She began moving dishes into the sudsy water, looking pensive. “D'you think Naraku will come back tonight?”

 

“I won't say `no', because I'm not up on all his capabilities, but from what I saw yesterday, you did a pretty thorough job of purifying his ass.” Sha frowned at the dishtowel he held. “His scent was strange, like his body contained a mix of dozens of different kinds of youkai.”

 

“Is there anyone you can ask about him? Miss Buyo, or maybe your brother? Ichiko said that Naraku attacked his mother while you were still pinned to the Goshinboku.”

 

“Both the cat and Sess personally dealt with Naraku only once, so they won't be much help. I put the word out this morning among my contacts, but nothing so far. The problem is that Naraku is spreading information about the Shrine and you through his network. Those yakuza that showed up this afternoon won't be the last threat.”

 

“It's becoming more dangerous for my family,” she whispered.

 

He decided to broach the ticklish subject of relocation. “It might be a good idea if you left the Shrine… for a little while, anyways… because if the Jewel isn't here, the main attraction for most of these assholes is gone. If anyone still decides to target your family, between Sess' guardsmen and Buyo, they don't stand a chance.”

 

“Where would I stay?”

 

“Uh… probably at the main house,” he answered, uncomfortably aware that he didn't know what his brother had in mind, and then instantly dismissed that option. Fuck it. She's my responsibility. “Or you can stay with me.”

 

Startled grey eyes met his, and then she blushed. “I-I'll think about it.”

 

They didn't say much after that, with Sha often distracted by the way her scent spiked when their hands brushed. I shoulda just kissed her last night so she knows where I stand! When Kagome bit her lip and her scent became fraught with nervousness, he realized that she was following a different line of thinking.

 

“Mr. Nishiki, may I ask you something?” Her expression was extremely serious.

 

He instantly replied, “Of course, Miss Higurashi,” but just as she opened her mouth, Genma returned with Mrs. Higurashi and Sota.

 

As Kagome turned around, her grandfather stiffly said, “Well done, Mr. Nishiki.”

 

Sha stepped clear of Kagome and bowed. “It was my pleasure to assist, sir,” he said graciously, fully aware that he held the upper hand. The old man managed a teetering bow of his own with his escorts' help, and then announced that he wanted to return to his room. Kagome gave Sha an anxious look as the trio disappeared down the hallway. “He's a tough old goat; I'll let you know if his condition worsens,” he promised.

 

Mrs. Higurashi reappeared with Sota in tow. Hesitating for a moment, she gave Kagome a hug. “I'm very sorry, dear, but I don't know if we'll be able to attend tomorrow's tournament.”

 

Pouncing on the opportunity, Sha immediately spoke up. “I'll escort Miss Higurashi to her competition.”

 

She smiled up at him and impulsively took his hand into hers. “What would we do without you, Mr. Nishiki? At least you'll have someone in your cheering section, Kagome.” A frown furrowed her brow. “But… your motorcycle was damaged, wasn't it?”

 

He extracted his hand as quickly as possible without being rude. “I can borrow a car.”

 

“I give you fair warning; Kagome's gear takes quite a bit of room!” As Sha grinned, her smile became wan. “If Grandfather doesn't improve, he might have to go to the hospital.” Rubbing her temples, she added, “Today seems to have set back his recovery from that virus of a couple of days ago.”

 

“I'm sure he'll be fine with some rest,” Sha consoled. “What time should I be here tomorrow morning?”

 

Kagome quickly replied, “Eight-thirty, please. The tournament doesn't start until ten, but the venue is in the Asakusa district, and Coach Sagara likes us to arrive at least an hour beforehand.”

 

“How long does it take you to dress for one of these things?” he demanded after a rapid calculation of the distance.

 

“Full traditional outfits, including hakama, keiko-gi and muneate,” Sota put in. “They're graded on their turn-out as well as their shooting.”

 

“I see,” Sha said, still sounding sceptical, and then bowed. “Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Higurashi. I'm being thoroughly spoiled for my usual fare.”

 

“You're very welcome, Mr. Nishiki. Kagome, why don't you walk out with our guest?”

 

Sota gave the couple a droll look over the top of his mother's head; Kagome just managed to not stick out her tongue at him before they left the house. She pulled shut the foyer door to cover Sha's retrieval of the Tetsusaiga and then skipped outside ahead of him. He carried the weapon inside his coat, tucked against his chest, but Kagome made sure that she helped block the view from the kitchen window just in case.

 

“You're not really going… are you?” she asked when they were a little ways from the house.

 

“Only until sundown; there's guardsmen on duty, don't forget.”

 

“Will you let me know when you're back?”

 

“Keh. The cat'll know.” Picking up on her anxiety, he relented. “I'll bang on your window or something.”

 

“But my window's on the second floor!”

 

“Could make it onto your roof in one jump without tryin',” he smirked. “Don't know me very well, do you?”

 

She gave him a long, considering glance. “That's an understatement,” she murmured.

 

He wasn't sure how to interpret her words, so instead changed the subject. “Oi… what did you want to ask me, before we were interrupted?”

 

Kagome's eyes went wide, but she quickly adopted another of those too-bright smiles and shook her head. “It's not important; some other time.”

 

“Keh. You sure?” he demanded.

 

“Yes, I'm sure. Um… see you later?” They'd reached the top of the stone staircase; she bowed politely before heading back to the house.

 

Sha watched to make sure that she reached her destination without incident before descending the stairs to the street. This girl is driving me crazy with her mixed messages! Retrieving his cell phone, he punched in `Foxfire Cycles' private number and after exchanging a few profane pleasantries, commenced negotiations with the owner while hailing a cab.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Not a single fucking model available anywhere in Japan! I don't fucking believe it!”

 

“You did request a number of expensive options, Uncle, so it's no wonder that your new motorcycle had to be ordered,” Tenmaru pointed out. “When is the delivery date?”

 

“Not for two fucking weeks at the earliest,” Sha pouted.

 

The brothers gave each other long-suffering looks before Tsugane spun his keys across the table. “Take my car, Uncle. It'll be more comfortable for Mishi if she doesn't have to carry her gear on her back, and it'll definitely up your `cool' factor.”

 

Sha's youki began crackling ominously; Tenmaru hastily glanced around the crowded bar to see if anyone noticed just as the elder hanyou demanded in a menacing tone, “How the fuck do you know about her gear, brat?”

 

Tsugane unflinchingly met Sha's furious glare. “I've attended her tournaments for the last year… can't sit with her family, of course, because her grandfather is pricklier than a full-blown puffer fish… but she really appreciates my support.”

 

All the frustrations of the last few days boiled over as Sha thoughtlessly sneered, “Oh, yeah? How does she show her appreciation?”

 

His nephew didn't even blink before his youki flared warningly. “You dishonour Mishi with your insinuation, Uncle, and I demand that you retract your question.”

 

“Stop this at once!” Tenmaru hissed. When the two other hanyou ignored him, he grabbed both of them by their spell-concealed ears and yanked.

 

Without taking his eyes off of Tsugane, Sha whacked Tenmaru's hand away and slowly rubbed his abused ear under the guise of smoothing his hair. Leaning across the table, he bared his teeth at Tsugane. “She's mine to protect, brat. Keep your distance… and stop callin' her Mishi!”

 

Tsugane's gaze became every bit as steely. “Mishi is my friend,” he stated with deliberate emphasis. “I will not `keep my distance' simply because you've decided to become her guard dog. You don't know her the way I do, Uncle. When you've won her trust and her friendship, perhaps you'll be permitted the great honour of giving her a pet name.” His lip curled. “I recommend against `bitch', however, since I know she would be offended.”

 

“You fucking little… ow! Dammit, Tenmaru! Touch my ear one more damn time, and I'll rip your fucking tail out by the roots and shove it up your ass!” Sha exploded, but shut up when he belatedly realized that he was making a spectacle of himself.

 

“Brother, stop antagonizing Uncle… and Uncle, grow the hell up!” Tenmaru ordered, his patience clearly fraying. Tossing his brother's keys back across the table, the younger dog-hanyou slapped another set in front of Sha. “Take my car because there's a good chance that Brother's vehicle would be recognized from when he dropped off Miss Higurashi's schoolwork this afternoon,” he directed. “At least the family crest isn't plastered all over mine.”

 

Tsugane made a show of checking his watch before clasping his hands behind his head and rocking back in his chair. “I believe that you are wanted elsewhere, Uncle,” he drawled. “The guardsmen's shift change takes place in half an hour and you should be on-site to supervise `those idiots', don't you think?”

 

Sha calmed himself with an effort. “You two little pukes are the biggest fucking pains in the ass… keh. I'm sorry, all right? It's been a totally fucking weird week, and I'm a little on edge,” he gritted out from between clenched teeth.

 

The brothers gaped at each other and then back at Sha. Tenmaru finally ventured, “Are you feeling all right, Uncle?”

 

“What the hell do you mean by that?”

 

“You voluntarily shared your ramen last night, controlled your temper tonight, and then apologized.”

 

Sha closed his eyes and searched for patience. “Like I said, this has been one of the most stressful weeks of my entire fucking life… at least since my sealing wore off.” Rising to his feet, he rolled his shoulders, then added, “I made the suggestion to Miss Higurashi that she should leave the shrine; she said she'd think about it.” Scooping Tenmaru's keys, he gave them a little shake by way of thanks, then fixed Tsugane with a direct look. “I heard ya, brat.”

 

“Good, because otherwise I'd have to kick your ass,” the other dog-hanyou responded coolly. “A word to the wise, Uncle… Mishi needs to be reassured that you see her, not the Lady Kikyo.”

 

“Eh?”

 

“She told me as much yesterday at lunch, after you deserted us in favour of the wolf prince.”

 

Tossing off a rude salute in reply, Sha retrieved the Tetsusaiga and headed out of the bar, giving the hostess a charming smile instead of a tip. Tenmaru looked at Tsugane. “That was certainly a memorable conversation.”

 

His older brother smirked. “Two things are now abundantly clear: our ridiculously reticent uncle views Mishi as `his' and, where she's concerned, he has a jealous streak the size of Honshu. The question of the moment is how do we assist this awkward romance?”

 

Tenmaru leaned back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest, regarding his brother with wary interest. “Why so determined to bring Miss Higurashi and Uncle together? I thought you liked her!”

 

“I do… she'd make an awesome Aunt!”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Another night of bark burn… keh. Sha shifted on his branch, pulling the collar of his jacket up higher and settling the Tetsusaiga against his shoulder. A guard captain hidden in the forest somewhere behind him woofed quietly, his call repeated all the way around the cordon as the rest of the troop reported in… except for the one joker who hooted like an owl. So far, so good. Naraku isn't stupid; he'll assume that security has been tightened around the shrine. Bet the fucker sent those yakuza to test our defences… but they were too stupid to realize that they were being used. The hanyou allowed himself a rather fanged smile. The bastard also didn't find out about the guardsmen, so we still have the upper hand.

 

The light in Kagome's room was on, but the curtains were closed. Sha glanced at the lights burning in Mrs. Higurashi's room on the same floor and decided to wait a little longer before announcing his presence. Unfortunately, this delay gave him time to think about his confrontation with Tsugane over Kagome and the final tidbit of information imparted to him by his nephew. How'm I supposed to prove to her that Kikyo's the furthest thing from my mind when I'm with her? Fuck. Shouldn't have told her, but she had a right to know. He scowled lightly at the closed drapes. Okay, to be honest, I've thought about Kikyo more in the last week than in the last three hundred years, but it isn't because I'm pining away for her! Kagome might look like Kikyo, but she's so totally different in every other way…. A small smile curved the hanyou's lips. Kagome's not afraid of me or of what I am… and if her scent's anything to go by, she prefers my eyes to be golden. The smile turned into a pout. Well, most of the time, anyways, when she's not freaking out because I tried to kiss her.

 

The lights in Mrs. Higurashi's room clicked off and he tensed. The whelp's still up… probably doing homework, the poor bastard. The old man must be stable, or Mother… uh, I mean, Mrs. Higurashi wouldn't have gone to bed. After waiting a decent interval, he stood up on the branch and slung the Tetsusaiga's case over his back as he gauged the distance to the house. Grinning, he took a running leap off the branch, using the springy wood to launch himself into the air. Landing lightly on the tiled roof, he rolled onto his stomach and slid forward until he was hanging upside down over the eaves and within easy reach of Kagome's window. Rapping his knuckles against the glass, he waited expectantly.

 

And waited some more.

 

Frowning, he tapped again, with a little more force, and this time the curtains whipped open. Buyo fixed him with an annoyed glare and held up her finger for silence as she glanced towards the bed. Puzzled, he waited while the blood rushed to his head, until the cat-youkai slid open the window and sharply demanded, “What?”

 

“Miss Higurashi asked me to check in with her when I returned,” he growled back.

 

“She fell asleep waiting for you to show up,” Buyo grumbled.

 

“I figured it was smarter to wait until her mother was in bed,” Sha retorted.

 

The cat-youkai narrowed her pale eyes. “Come in before you pass out.” She stepped backwards, allowing him enough room to execute a controlled somersault in through the open window and land soundlessly on Kagome's bedroom floor. “Is your footwear clean?” she hissed.

 

Sha glanced down at the pristine tatami mats and curled his toes inside his boots as he sarcastically asked, “Ya want me to go lookin' for house slippers?”

 

“Hurry up and sit down,” she chided, and he sat cross-legged, which wasn't much of a sacrifice since it brought him eye-level with Kagome.

 

She lay on her side facing him, her dark hair spread over the pillow, her lips slightly parted as she slept, oblivious to both the light of her bedside lamp and the two youkai within easy striking distance. “So vulnerable,” Sha murmured.

 

“Hardly, since both you and I are here, not to mention a score of guardsmen outside,” Buyo pointed out.

 

“You know what I meant,” he snapped, not giving up his intense scrutiny of Kagome's sleep-softened features.

 

Buyo propped her chin on her fist. “Lord Inuyasha, is there a second reincarnation of interest to you within this house?” she bluntly asked.

 

He instantly realized that his shocked reaction told her everything she needed to know. “Yeah.”

 

“Lady Yayoi, correct?” When he reluctantly nodded in confirmation, Buyo continued, “Luckily for you only her soul is the same, eh? Otherwise your pursuit of Lady Kagome would be illegal in every prefecture.”

 

“I'm not `pursuing' her,” he objected. Kagome sighed deeply at that moment and shifted onto her back, stretching her arms up over her head and baring her throat in an innocently provocative manner that made Sha gulp. “Tell her I was here, all right?” he mumbled as he hastily retreated outside.

 

Buyo hid her grin behind her hand as she moved to close the window. The room suddenly became too hot, I think… that pup is as transparent as this glass pane.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

The next morning…

 

“My goodness… I see Mr. Nishiki has merely replaced two very fast wheels with four,” Mrs. Higurashi exclaimed as she peered out the kitchen window.

 

Kagome looked over her mother's shoulder as a sleek, low-slung sports car with tinted windows and low-profile tires purred into the parking area. “I hope that it has a big trunk,” she commented as she watched Sha exit the car and walk towards the house, the early morning sun gilding his dark hair. She admired the way that he moved, alert, loose-limbed… ready for anything.

 

“A fine-looking man,” Mrs. Higurashi commented, and Kagome couldn't disagree.

 

Was it only seven days ago that we were standing in this very spot discussing him? It's been quite the week! the young woman wryly thought as she went to answer his knock. “Good morning!” she chirped as she let him into the foyer.

 

“Good morning, Miss Higurashi,” he rumbled with a slow smile, and the butterflies in her tummy instantly began fluttering. Looking over her head at her mother, he executed a polite bow to the older woman. “Good morning, ma'am.”

 

“And a good morning to you, Mr. Nishiki!” Mrs. Higurashi bubbled. “I'll have lunch ready for when the two of you return. Oh, here's the instructions on how to reach the venue's parking garage; the approach is a bit tricky because it's on a one-way street.”

 

“Thank you.” After accepting the piece of paper, he stooped and grasped the handle of a long, narrow case that he assumed held the young woman's unstrung bow, while Kagome donned her leather jacket, hefted a garment bag over one arm and swung a second bag over her shoulder.

 

“See you later, Mom.”

 

“Best of luck, dear… I'm so sorry that we couldn't attend.”

 

“S'okay, Mom. Grandpa's health is more important; there'll be plenty more tournaments,” Kagome replied brightly enough, but Sha's spell-concealed ears twitched at the catch in her voice. She bustled out the door, pulling him along in her wake, but remained quiet even when Sha accidentally set off the car alarm as he tried to unlock the car. At his badly-muffled expletive as his claw again slid off the tiny button on the key fob, she took it away and deactivated the alarm.

 

“Thought my fucking ears were gonna fall off,” he grumbled, giving his head a shake to dispel the ringing.

 

“Who supplied the wheels?”

 

“Tenmaru. He figured that your mother might recognize Tsugane's car.”

 

“It is pretty flashy,” Kagome admitted. “But it totally suits Ichiko's personality.”

 

“Loud and obnoxious? Keh.”

 

Elbowing the hanyou in the ribs, she eyed the unobtrusive floral crest adorning the trunk lid and examined the small chrome numbers indicating the horsepower lurking under the hood. “It appears that Mr. Nibanko prefers to be discreet about his true power.”

 

“He's like his old man,” Sha grunted, attempting to fit the case into the trunk without damage. When it finally slid into place with a whisker to spare, he breathed a sigh of relief. “D'you want your stuff in the front or in here?”

 

“I'll put my uniform in here, and keep this bag with me,” she replied, arranging the rustling garment bag and watching as Sha closed the trunk. He then held the passenger door for her like a gentleman and closed it with a brisk pat before moving to the other side of the car. As Sha opened his door, a pyjama-clad Sota tumbled out of the house.

 

“Break a bowstring, Sis!” he yelled, exuberantly waving with both hands before diving back inside.

 

Chuckling, Sha slid behind the wheel. “I'm surprised that he isn't coming as a chaperone,” the hanyou commented as he started the car and put it in reverse.

 

“Gramps suggested it, but Mom made a fuss about all the school work Sota missed yesterday.” Kagome tugged on her jacket and settled more comfortably into her seat. “His buddy Kenji is coming by later with his notes; guess I'll be doing homework when I come back, too.”

 

They drove in silence for a few blocks while the stereo played classical music, until Sha finally growled, “By the fifth hell… can you find something else?” Kagome quirked a brow at his archaic curse but pressed the select button through an eclectic selection of swelling movie themes, warbling enka and thundering death metal until she hit a traditional koto performance. Sha instantly nodded. “That'll do; reminds me of my mother. She was a gifted koto player.”

 

“You said that your mother was a human princess?”

 

“Lady Izayoi of Setsuna,” he answered easily.

 

“She must have been very beautiful,” Kagome mused.

 

“Why d'ya say that?”

 

The young woman instantly blushed and tripped over her tongue. “Well, um… I mean… you're….”

 

“I'm what?”

 

Sneaking a desperate peek in his direction, she saw his amused grin. “You're a brat,” she sniffed. “Your nephews would be proud.”

 

He dramatically clutched at his chest. “Oi… right through the heart!” As Kagome giggled, he navigated through a busy intersection, then commented, “I'm told that I look very much like my mother with this concealment spell… and not just because of the black hair… but more like my father without.”

 

“You said that you were a child when he died?”

 

“A baby, actually,” he answered.

 

She was silent for a moment. “Who was your father?”

 

“The Inu-no-Taisho… the Dog General of the Western Lands.”

 

“What happened to him?”

 

“He was mortally wounded in his battle against Ryukotsusei, but held on long enough to protect my mother and me against a retainer who thought it was his duty to destroy a youkai's whore and her half-breed child.”

 

Kagome's hand flew up to her mouth. “That's horrible!”

 

Sha shrugged. “He was at least honest about his prejudice, unlike the other servants who said the same thing behind her back.”

 

“Her family wasn't supportive?” She was plainly aghast.

 

“Are you kidding? The only reason why my human grandfather allowed my mother and me to remain under his roof was because he was afraid of retaliation by the House of the West. I went to my father's people after my mother died and I've never been back.” Staring moodily out the windshield, he added, “My mother had an elder brother and a younger sister, so I suppose that I have human relatives somewhere if they survived the centuries.”

 

He seems talkative, and I really need to know… “Um, is there… uh, are you… er, do you have anyone special?” she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

 

Sha reached over the console and gripped her sleeve just hard enough for his invisible claws to leave dents in the leather. “It takes a very special woman to cope well when they find out about these, and they're few and far between… about once every five hundred years, as a matter of fact.” Satisfied that his point had been made, he started to pull back, but Kagome was faster. Catching hold of his hand and holding on tight, she made her own point by delicately testing the length and sharpness of his claws.

 

“I can see why most people would find these unnerving, but whether they're dangerous or not is up to the person who has them and the situation in which they find themselves.” Squeezing his hand, she continued, “It's too bad that people are hung up on appearances.”

 

“You're the fucking exception,” he mumbled. “Hanyou still have a tougher go of it because of what we are… not quite youkai, not quite human.”

 

“Equal to both, in my opinion,” she said softly. “Despite what you say, there must be quite a few human women and men willing and able to `cope' with a youkai or a hanyou partner.”

 

“What makes you say that?”

 

“Your own nephews' existence, for a start… not to mention all my hanyou classmates,” she observed, rubbing her thumb over the smooth tops of his nails.

 

“Keh. I was afraid that your mother might find out about my claws when she grabbed my hand yesterday,” he said, trying to change the topic while not being distracted by the way her warm fingers glided over his.

 

“I think Mom might surprise you.”

 

“I'm not willing to take the risk,” he replied. “Buyo was afraid that you'd reject her if you found out that she was a youkai, and she's lived with your family for centuries.”

 

“It is kinda weird to know that my cat is… well, a cat-youkai… but we're managing.” The young woman laughed softly and added, “Gramps would probably try to exorcise you because you're male, not because you're youkai. If he knew about my lunch dates with Ichiko, he'd have a coronary.” Looping a lock of Sha's dark hair around her index finger, she laid it over the back of his hand to admire the sheen. “Maybe some day, Mom can learn the truth?”

 

“Maybe,” he agreed evasively. “Okay, Miss Higurashi… my turn. Ever had a serious boyfriend?”

 

Kagome abruptly released his hand and hair, folded her arms across her chest and looked out the passenger window. “I was engaged to marry my high school sweetheart, but Gramps refused to give his permission, so I had to break it off,” she finally answered. “After that, he found fault with every boy who dared ask me out, until I stopped bringing boys home at all.” Giving Sha a quick glance, she admitted, “I've spent more time with you this past week than any man since Hojo.”

 

They drove in silence for several blocks, Sha's nose working overtime to keep track of her emotions through her scent. She's working her way up to asking something upsetting again….

 

“Mr. Nishiki, I was wondering….”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Tell me about the Lady Kikyo?”

 

I'm damn sure that's not exactly what she wanted to ask, but it's definitely related. “That's a long, long time ago, Miss Higurashi; you'll have to give me a minute to think.” She did, while watching him closely and anxiously biting her lip. What can I tell her? More to the point, what do I remember? “Kikyo was brave and kind… kids loved her… and very serious. She hardly ever smiled, but when she did, it was like the sun came out,” he finally answered.

 

“D-do I… do I remind you of her?” she whispered, twisting her fingers together.

 

Tsugane was right, the asshole. “You nearly gave me a fucking heart attack when I saw you at Setsubun; I thought you were Kikyo come back from the dead!” Sha couldn't help chuckling at his near-panicked reaction. “But, by the time I'd spent ten minutes in your company, I knew you were your own person. To me, you are simply yourself… and always will be.”

 

Her surprise gave way to a brilliant smile, her grey eyes lighting up with happiness… and then she blushed prettily. “Thank you, Mr. Nishiki,” she mumbled. After a short pause, she asked, “How long did you know each other before…?”

 

“Six months, I think.”

 

“You were going to give up half of who you are after only six months?”

 

He gave her a dry look. “More like four, actually. We are talking the feudal era, don't forget; shorter life spans and all that?” A small, icy prickle when up his spine, but he continued, “It wasn't exactly love at first sight, y'know. She spent the first couple of months using me for target practice because I was after the Jewel.”

 

“That sounds like a promising start to a relationship,” she snorted. “What changed?”

 

“One day, we started talking, and I saw Kikyo for the first time. Not as the Shikon miko, not as the village's protector… but as someone with feelings like my own. She was the first person who gave a shit whether I lived or died since my lady mother; I wanted to stay with her because she gave me a place to belong. How long did you know this Hojo guy?”

 

“Three years,” she replied with a touch of superiority, but then she stopped dead and slumped a little in her seat. “But you know…” she said slowly, obviously turning an idea over in her mind, “I think I loved the idea of getting out from under Gramps' control more than I loved Hojo. He was a really nice guy; steady, dependable, predictable….”

 

“Boring?”

 

“Maybe just a little bit,” she sheepishly admitted. “He could go on for hours about homeopathic cures for rheumatism.”

 

Snickering as he consulted Mrs. Higurashi's note, he asked, “Are we there yet? The venue was supposed to be four blocks after that last turn….”

 

“Oh!” She sat forward and peered through the windshield, scanning the buildings up ahead. “Right there… Isshi Sports Hall!”

 

Sha turned into the multi-story parking garage next to the older building and was rather nonplussed when they ended up finding an empty stall only one level below the roof. “I didn't realize how much interest there is in archery,” he muttered.

 

“This is a regional tournament,” Kagome reminded him. “There's probably thirty teams represented here today!”

 

“Shoulda brought along a couple of guardsmen,” Sha muttered uneasily as he retrieved Tetsusaiga's case from behind the driver's seat and slung it across his back, then moved to extract Kagome's bow from the trunk. After closing all the doors and fumbling with the key fob, Sha finally handed it to Kagome to press the `lock' button.

 

His nervousness increased as they made their way down the garage's crowded staircase to the ground floor and joined the throngs of people heading towards the venue. Dammit, I really should call for back-up… but then I'd have to face Sess' wrath for letting her run around loose when he's all set to take her into protective custody. Sha's nose went into overdrive as he identified more than a dozen types of youkai. Making sure he had a firm grip on her bow as a makeshift weapon, even with the reassuring weight of Tetsusaiga on his back, he cupped Kagome's elbow and drew her closer. She gave him a startled look, but went along with the contact until they entered the building and she tried to shake him off. “Oi! Where do you think you're going?” he demanded, tightening his grip.

 

“The locker room,” she replied, indicating a side corridor. “I'm meeting my team there, and it's women-only.”

 

He rolled his eyes. “If I decide to raid your panties, I'll keep that in mind,” he growled. Stooping to reach her ear, he murmured, “Be careful, girl. This whole situation is making me jumpy.”

 

Kagome patted the hand gripping her elbow, turned her face up to his and smiled. “I'll be on alert, I promise.”

 

“I'm serious, Miss Higurashi. You can't trust anyone… not now.”

 

“Except you?”

 

Her carefully neutral tone wilted his invisible ears. “You have a few more people in your corner than just me, but you haven't seen these people since the Jewel woke up. Some might be youkai…” he paused and inhaled deeply, “scratch that, some are youkai and they could be interested. Try not to glow, okay?”

 

“Glow?”

 

“Higurashi!”

 

“Ohhh, shoot!” Kagome squeaked and spun around. Bowing as deeply as possible despite Sha's hold on her arm, she exclaimed, “Good morning, Coach Sagara!”

 

The broad-shouldered older man, imposing in his formal robes and crisp buzz-cut, raked Sha with a decidedly disapproving glance before replying, “You're late, Higurashi.”

 

“Yes, sir,” she meekly agreed, her subservience to the man setting Sha's teeth on edge, never mind the unjust accusation of tardiness. He glared at Sagara, refusing to take the obvious hint that he should move away from Kagome.

 

“And who is this?” The belittling emphasis on the final word turned Sha's instant irritation with the human into full-blown dislike… and gave him an idea. Kagome shot her escort a panicked look, but Sha was already stepping forward.

 

“Sha Nishiki,” he replied, his voice deepening as his youki rose, and was gratified by Sagara's immediate and flustered response. Take that, asshole! “I am Miss Higurashi's corporate sponsor.”

 

“Corporate sponsor?” Sagara weakly asked, looking to Kagome for confirmation, but she was too busy staring up at Sha.

 

“She is an impressive talent; definitely national-level,” the hanyou smoothly continued. “I will watch her performance in this tournament with keen interest.” Pointedly turning back to Kagome, who was still open-mouthed… hopefully with admiration for my quick thinking… he intoned, “Best of luck, Miss Higurashi. We will reconvene afterwards to discuss the details of our sponsorship.”

 

“Ah, er, um… certainly, Mr. Nishiki! Most definitely!” she floundered, then gamely took on her role as dewy national hopeful. “Thank you very much for carrying my bow, sir,” she added and moved to take the case from his hand. Bowing to the hanyou, she bobbed another to her coach and escaped through the locker room door behind Sagara; Sha easily heard the excited exchange of greetings from inside.

 

Favouring Sagara with a thin smile as he sorted through his options, he realized that his hands were tied. Can't exactly go in there without causing a riot, and don't feel like making small talk with this idiot… I have to trust that Kagome can handle this. “Miss Higurashi's abilities are undoubtedly due to your excellent coaching skills, Mr. Sagara. Good day.” Barely inclining his head, Sha turned on his heel and headed back to the main concourse, where he joined the spectators streaming towards the seating area. Fuck. Lots of youkai blood in this crowd, too… raptors, mostly, from the smell of `em. Makes sense, since they have the keenest eyesight.

 

Sha ended up not taking a seat, instead restlessly roaming the building until he ended up on a mezzanine with a view across the stands as well as the indoor range. Despite having Tetsusaiga within easy reach, his sense of unease increased exponentially as the stands filled up with chattering spectators. Dammit, I'm gonna call Tsugane for a couple of troopers. Better to ask him than his old man because I won't get the lecture! Retrieving his cell phone, he punched in his nephew's number and promptly got a busy signal. Fuck. Tenmaru, then. Trying the younger hanyou's number he had exactly the same result. Just my fucking luck; the brats are probably talking to each other.

 

He noted that Kagome was right about the number of teams, judging by the affiliated groups sitting together wearing matching headbands and carrying paper fans printed with their club crests. The sheer amount of people, with the resulting mix of human and youkai scents, kept him on edge until a chime alerted the crowd that the tournament proper was about to begin. The parade of athletes, led by a Shinto priest, filed into the hall and took their seats in respectful silence; Sha nearly left grooves in the metal stanchion until he spotted Kagome… although he almost didn't recognize her. Her black hair was tied up into a perky topknot, and she wore a crisp white keiko-gi tucked into pleated navy blue hakama. A gleaming, dark leather muneate contributed to her martial appearance, along with the quiverful of precisely-matched, white-fletched arrows and the long bow towering above her head, which was carried on precisely the same angle as the rest of her team mates. Looks like Sagara's spent a few hours drilling them on proper presentation!

 

After a short prayer by the priest, the teams got down to business. Sha was surprised by how quickly the competition moved through the cut-throat elimination rounds until only two teams remained. One was from the prestigious Chiyoda district and the other from the much-less-prestigious Shinagawa, and the underdogs promptly out-shot their opponents in an unexpected success that caused much twittering in the crowd. Kagome's team placed eighth overall; while Sagara maintained a scowl, Sha noted that the club members seemed pleased with the result.

 

As the ranges were reset for the individual competitions, the atmosphere became tense. Things are getting interesting; I wonder if there's betting going on, even though this isn't a professional tournament? He quickly realized that not all were taking part in the individual competitions, as uniformed men and women joined their friends and family in the main seating area. While Sha kept an eye on Kagome, who remained in the competitor area with several of her team mates, he began to overhear snippets of conversation that perturbed as much as they entertained him.

 

“Guess what? I heard that the Sokko Club's Kagome Higurashi has a sponsor!”

 

“Wouldn't a sponsor compromise her amateur status?”

 

“That's the only way you could ever beat her, Kishimoto… if she wasn't competing in your division any more!”

 

“Maybe she'll get product endorsements! That'd be so cool!”

 

“Feh. Her name's already everywhere in the grocery store….”

 

“Sour grapes, Fujimori?”

 

“Grape juice, more like!”

 

Sha couldn't help snickering at the exchange as he admired Kagome, who easily moved through the rounds until she defeated her opponent in the quarter finals. She's cool and collected, focussed on the task at hand; grace under pressure. Now I understand how she was able to take out Yura. Hell, Naraku didn't seem to rattle her as much as he did me! Kagome's opponent in the semi-finals was another girl from her team, a young woman with an imperious style that featured a great deal of hair-tossing and restless movement.

 

The two young women bowed to the judges, then turned and stepped up onto the firing platform in perfect unison. They took up identical stances, notched their arrows and brought their bows up into position as if they'd rehearsed the moves together a thousand times. Their backs very straight, their eyes locked on their targets, they waited for the official's flag to drop. In the time it took Sha to draw a breath, two arrows thudded into the two targets as if released from one bow and were rapidly followed by a total of four more.

 

Kagome and the other girl bowed to each other and then stepped down while their scores were assessed; after much deliberation that involved a measuring tape, her team mate was awarded the match by a single point. Sha watched Kagome warmly congratulate the other girl, accept her arrows from one of the officials and then return to her seat to await her final competition while her opponent prepared to meet the other semi-finalist winner for the top prize.

 

The hanyou paid the final almost no mind because his attention was fixed on Kagome. She was smiling brightly, as if an immense pressure had lifted. That's right! She wanted a top-five finish so that asshole Sagara wouldn't hassle her. She can't do worse than fourth, so she's safe… from him, at least. Kagome's team mate lost by a very narrow margin to the other finalist from a Shibuya district club. While the proud girl's manners were impeccable, it was obvious that she was not pleased with her second-place finish. Kagome then stepped up to try for third-place honours and handily beat her opponent by a three-point spread; Sha couldn't help but feel a surge of pride in her accomplishment.

 

An intermission was announced, with the promise of a special exhibition to follow the men's competition and the women trooped out in considerably less-formal fashion than when they first entered, chattering animatedly, their bows angled every which way. The spectators also took advantage of the break, and Sha found himself trapped on the wrong side of the hall by the mass of humanity. Sharp thinking, hanyou! Fuck! Setting his jaw, he determinedly worked his way down the stairs through the milling throng, held up several times by celebratory groups. Would be so much fucking easier if I could jump over `em!

 

It was the same story on the exit ramp and in the concourse, as everybody seemed to have decided to purchase tea and visit the toilets at the same time. Curbing his temper, but just barely, he made it to the main entry. However, passing a group of young men, a familiar scent wafted to his nose and he spun around. Naraku? The men, all competitors from a couple of different clubs, continued talking in complete disregard of the gimlet-eyed stranger prowling along the edge of their loose circle. Dammit… I know I smelt the fucker!

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“You did terrific today, Abihime!”

 

“I deserved better,” the other girl replied with a toss of her head.

 

Kagome gave her friend a playful swat on the way to her locker in the next row. I should've known Abihime's a youkai because she's so strong! Pretty golden aura, too. “Come off it; today was that girl's day… you'll get another crack at her during the national trials.” Dropping her bow and quiver and pulling out her gear bag, she rummaged through it for her hairbrush. When Abihime followed her, she continued, “Look on the bright side; Coach'll get off your back because you went from a fourth place to a second. Hey, what did that guy want with you?” she curiously asked, remembering a stranger with a deeply-hued aura who had beckoned her friend aside in the entry hall.

 

“Oh, just a crackpot with a can't-fail suggestion for improving my ranking. What did Coach want to talk to you about?”

 

“Um, he had some questions about a sponsorship I'm considering…” Kagome guiltily fibbed, fiddling with the brush.

 

“A sponsorship? What kind?”

 

“Er….”

 

“Hurry, Kagome! C'mon, Abihime! We'll save you seats for the men's competition! Don't want to miss those studs from the Dageki Club flexing their muscles!”

 

Kagome grinned in relief and scampered to the end of the locker bank. Waving at the girl, part of a group that were already changed and ready to charge out the door, she said, “We'll be there!” As quiet descended in the locker room with the closing door, she turned and smiled fondly at Abihime. “I'm proud of your showing, even if you're grumpy. I'll bet that your mom will be pleased… hey, how is she feeling?”

 

“Still not over that bout of food poisoning,” the other girl responded, examining her nails. “Kagome, you'd help me out if I needed something, right?”

 

“Of course!” Kagome immediately replied. “Anything you…. Oof!” In one movement, she was seized by the throat and slammed against the row of lockers, then her muneate was torn away as razor-sharp claws carved into her flesh. Choking on the blood welling up into her mouth, belatedly grappling with the scale-covered talons driving ever deeper into her body, she stared in terrified confusion into a steely pair of glittering yellow eyes.

 

“Thanks for the Jewel, friend… I'll think of you when I'm national champion.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Naraku's distinctive scent tickled his nose again, a faint thread that led away from the group and back into the crowded concourse. Sha unhesitatingly followed it, his eyes darting from face to face as he tried to locate the source, his fingers inching towards the sword on his back. Every time he thought he had it, the scent would wisp away, only to reassert itself further into the building.

 

An announcement recalling the spectators to their seats for the men's competition thinned the crowds, and Sha was able to clearly follow the scent up the ramp and back into the stands. The chime sounded when he was halfway up one of the staircases, requiring him to sit immediately or draw attention to himself. Cursing quietly, he plunked down on one of the risers and inhaled deeply… just as realization struck like a thunderbolt. How could I be so fucking stupid! He deliberately lured me away from Kagome! Baring his teeth in a feral snarl, Sha practically threw himself down the stairs, over the railing and hit the exit ramp in a dead run. He's a fucking shapeshifter, and I fucking fell for it! Gods, please let her be all right!

 

Taking the corner into the concourse at full speed, he skidded on the polished concrete and fell but managed to roll up onto his feet and keep going. Dashing through the empty entry hall, he released Tetsusaiga from its case and drew the blade. As it hissed to its full size, he raced across the wide expanse and down the darkened corridor to the locker room.

 

The door was closed and all was quiet; Sha strained his invisible ears for any sound of conflict… or life… and the hairs on the back of his neck went straight up when he detected the coppery tang of spilled blood. Her blood. “Kagome!” he shouted, throwing social niceties to the wind, but he heard only the echoes of his own voice. “I'm coming in!” Dread twisting his guts, he raised Tetsusaiga in one hand and put his shoulder to the panel, bursting into the room in a rush… just as a blood-soaked body toppled towards him.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

A/N: `Sour grapes' - Japanese grocery stores sell various types of fruit and vegetable juices and sauces (such as ketchup) under the `Kagome' brand name.