InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tomorrow ❯ Chapter 11 ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter Eleven

 

“I should probably apologize for baka-nii-chan,” Haruka said, sitting down next to Mitsuko, who had come to watch the twins practicing with Akira on her lap. She hardly ever allowed herself to be separated from her brother. Haruka supposed it was because he was the only relative she had left. Or possibly because the little boy's presence tended to stop Kazuki groping her. The baka hadn't given up, even after several repeat incidents that always ended with him bleeding. Mitsuko shook her head.

 

“It's all right, if he wants to try it on, he can take what he gets,” she growled, cracking her claws. Haruka giggled.

 

“That's probably why he keeps `trying it on',” she said.

 

“What do you mean?” Mitsuko asked, looking confused.

 

“Well,” said Haruka knowledgeably, “He's never actually been turned down before. He can't help chasing anything running.” She was struck by a rather vivid memory of Isamu, at about seven years old, chasing rabbits all over a field. When he finally caught one, he was so surprised that he let it go again. “Must be a guy thing,” she said with a giggle.

 

“So you think he likes me because I don't like him?” Mitsuko asked, clearly in even more confusion.

 

“That's about the size of it,” Yuki said, dropping Hiraikotsu and joining in the conversation. “I don't even pretend to understand men. At least Haruka's got a better clue of how they work, she's the one with a fiancée-“

 

“YUKI!” Haruka yelped, turning red again. Yuki stared at her twin.

 

“Y'mean you two are sneaking off to make out every night for a couple of months now and he still hasn't proposed?” Yuki asked indignantly.

 

“Yuki, with everything that's going on, we agreed that it really isn't the time-“ Haruka began, but Yuki cut her off.

 

“On the contrary, there's no better time,” she said seriously. “I mean, what if the armies all come for us tomorrow? Do you really want to die a virgin?”

 

“Yuuuuu-kiiiii!” Haruka moaned again, but further speech seemed beyond her. Yuki giggled and turned her attention back to Mitsuko, who was almost as red. With her vivid orange-and-black hair, she looked vaguely as if she were on fire.

 

“Anyway, we're talking about you,” she said, causing Mitsuko to look scared. “Face it, the more you beat him off, the bigger his crush is gonna get. The question is, do you like him?” Mitsuko's paling cheeks flushed red again. Yuki and Haruka exchanged a glance, both grinning, Haruka quickly descending towards pink. Mitsuko went redder.

 

“But that's wonderful!” Haruka giggled, clapping her hands.

 

“Yeah, there's finally a girl who can- and happily will- tie that little sucker down,” Yuki proclaimed with malignant glee.

 

“No- that's not- you're-“Mitsuko stuttered, falling silent and Haruka patted her shoulders.

 

“It's okay, we won't tease you,” she said soothingly.

 

“In fact,” Yuki agreed, “We're happy to help.” Mitsuko gave up denying it.

 

“I guess he… is pretty funny,” she said grudgingly, her cheeks still burning red. “And kind of cute. But what…”

 

“What do you do?” Haruka asked, when Mitsuko trailed off. The tigress nodded.

 

“Keep doing what you're doing, I guess,” Yuki said, pulling up a semblance of seriousness. “I mean, he might just have a crush now, but keep his attention long enough and he'll be so far gone that he'll bow at your feet when you snap your claws.”

 

“Are you two training or gossiping?” Sango yelled from across the field, where she was showing Hitomi a few sword stances. The little girl was very quick with the bokken, but she wasn't showing much prowess with other weapons. Haruka patted Mitsuko on the shoulder before picking up her nunchaku and running to set the targets back up. Yuki followed her, winking at Mitsuko before hefting Hiraikotsu over her shoulder and walking away.

 

Mitsuko waved them off, then suddenly gasped as her vision was obscured.

 

A sea. A red sea. Red because it was not water, but blood. Blood that burned. And there were faces in the fire, howling, screaming…

 

She gasped for breath as the vision cleared. Akira was looking up at her, with worry creasing his little eyes, but no-one else had noticed.

 

Except the miko. Kagome-sama. Mitsuko smiled at her then picked up Akira, taking him on a walk through the forest as she tried to think. Kagome watched her go with a worried frown.

 

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“Do you think nii-chan really has a crush on Mitsuko?” Haruka said thoughtfully, trailing her fingers in the cool water. It was the beginning of autumn, and the nights were starting to get colder. She shivered slightly, and Isamu wrapped his arms around her, holding her close to his chest. Since it was warm, she had no complaints.

 

“Kazuki?” he said eventually. He seemed to have been chewing the thought over for a while. “Maybe. At first I thought it was just that no girl had ever slapped him before, but he seems to be thinking about her all the time- not just thinking about how to get into her kimono.” Haruka giggled, leaning her head back to look at him.

 

“Well, she has a crush on him, too,” she said lightly. “Yuki advised her to keep playing hard-to-get.”

 

“Are you sure she's not just indirectly bedeviling Kazuki?” Isamu asked. “Because it's a good plan. Wish I'd thought of that.”

 

“You're mean,” Haruka said, but she was smiling broadly. She leaned back to kiss him. He kissed her back. Holding her tightly. They opened their mouths to each other, exploring each other. Eventually, Isamu pulled back. With a heavy sigh, Haruka leaned against his chest.

 

“Makes me almost wish those damn armies would hurry up and attack,” she murmured. “The sooner they do, the sooner we flee, the sooner we're safe.”

 

“I wish they weren't attacking at all,” Isamu said. “Haruka, I… I love you. I really do. But…”

 

“I know,” Haruka said, tears welling up. “It's not safe. Nothing is.”

 

“I'm going to keep you safe,” Isamu promised, holding her hands as she sat up. “So that, when we find a new home- somewhere safe, somewhere peaceful- we can be together. I promise.”

 

“You'd better keep that promise,” Haruka said, and leaned forwards to kiss him again.

 

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The next morning, Isamu was shaken awake. He sat up, yawning, and staring out of the doorway at the pre-dawn sky.

 

“Otou-san, what the…?” he murmured, before his father shushed him, pointing at his sleeping mother and sister. He pulled Isamu from the hut.

 

“Happy 16th, pup,” InuYasha muttered. “I told you we'd go to see the geezer on your birthday if you did well enough in training, didn't I?”

 

Isamu couldn't help grinning broadly when he realized what his father meant. “You mean Totosai-jii-san's gonna make me a sword?”

 

“Only if you run,” InuYasha said, setting off. “Move it, pup!”

 

Isamu kept the grin as he took off after his father.

 

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“Here we are.”

 

Isamu looked up at the large skeleton of some dead youkai where the ancient swordsmith lived. Isamu had only met Totosai when he'd come to the village to create Taijiya weapons, but he'd seen Tessaiga in his father's hands and had long been looking forward to having such an amazing blade for his own.

 

“Oi, Totosai!” InuYasha yelled, stomping into the cavern. “You still alive?”

 

“Is that Myoga? Is he back?” the bug-eyed old youkai muttered, walking away from the forge which he'd been blowing fore into. He stared at InuYasha and Isamu.

 

“Neither of you are Myoga,” he said, scratching his head. “Inuyasha, did you break Tessaiga again?”

 

“Calm down, Tessaiga's fine,” InuYasha growled. “Isamu's 16 now. I figured it was about time he got his own blade.”

 

Isamu hadn't thought it possible, but the swordsmith's eyes widened even more as he looked Isamu over.

 

“Ohhh, Isamu, you're sixteen?” he said. “I thought you were only a pup…”

 

“Cut the senility,” InuYasha growled. He had little patience for Totosai , but so far he hadn't whacked the old man over the head, which was probably a personal record. “Can you make the pup a blade?”

 

“Hmmm…” Totosai turned around and came back with the biggest pair of pliers Isamu had ever seen.

 

“Um, Otou-san…?” he said, staring at the pliers.

 

“I need a fang. Fangs make wonderful blades,” Totosai announced. InuYasha rolled his eyes.

 

“Figures. Open your mouth, pup. And take good care of this blade, `cos this crazy old man's always looking for an excuse to pull teeth.”

 

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Isamu took another swig of water from the bamboo tube his father had brought. His gums were still stinging. InuYasha had finally given in and smashed his fist into Totosai's head.

 

“I need two because I'm forging a blade, not fixing one,” the old man said, unfazed. “And it'll take three weeks.”

 

“Three weeks?” InuYasha said incredulously. “But by then we'll have left! Oh yeah... you'll have to move soon, too,” InuYasha added thoughtfully. “Did Myoga-jiji tell you about the massacres?”

 

“Oh, I know all about the massacres,” Totosai said, washing Isamu's fangs in the water barrel. “I didn't know that you knew about it, though. I thought you were a baby at the time.”

 

“What?” InuYasha said, confused. “What are you talking about.”

 

“Ah wait, That was the old one,” Totosai said infuriatingly. “You mean the new massacre? In the south. Yes, now I remember. The old one was in the west.”

 

“What the hell are you talking about?” InuYasha half-yelled. Totosai stared at him in confusion.

 

“You mean you don't know? Human armies are killing youkai in the south. They're moving north. It's terrible. I'll have to move north, soon. Maybe live on one of the little islands.” InuYasha growled in frustration and stomped from the cave. Isamu followed him, bowing his head to Totosai as he left.

 

“We'll pick up your sword on the way north,” he told Isamu as they broke into a run. “At least the old baka still makes good weapons, even if his brain's gone into retirement.”

 

“What'd he mean by a massacre in the west?” Isamu asked. His gums had stopped stinging, so he felt up to talking. His father frowned.

 

“Dunno. Could've been the same one that Myoga-jiji was talking about, the one that bastard SesshoMaru was at. We were both born in the west, after all.”

 

“I wonder who was killed?” Isamu wondered aloud. InuYasha just shrugged and kept running.

 

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This chapter is both a “Happy Birthday” to Isamu and to my pal Taylor. Laser-tag parties ahoy!

 

InuYasha is the property of Takahashi Rumiko-Sensei, and I claim no ownership of any of it. All couples not involving original characters will be strictly canon. Aside from Haruka, Yuki and Kazuki, I made up all of the kids, though since birthdates other than Kazuki's were never really stated in the manga, nor names, I've made these up as well. This fanfic will make little sense if you have not read the entire manga, and I'm afraid that to read the last twenty or so volumes you will have to (at the time of writing) venture into the internet, but I strongly suggest that you do buy the Tankoban volumes for yourself, so that Takahashi-sensei can afford to continue gracing us with her imagination. Anyway, hope you enjoy the fic. ^_-