InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Torn Apart ❯ Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own any copyrights to the Inuyasha characters and storylines nor any of the plot or elements referred to in this story based on Striking Falcon's, You don't know what you have `til it's gone.

 

ouja: regal ruler

shiro: white

Mikata: ally

hnoo: flame

konbu dashi: kelp soup stock

yakitori: skewered chicken

avocado make: avocado rolled in rice

sashimi: raw squid

seijitsu: faithful

yobiko: Speialized `night' school that help seniors prepare for university entrance exams

 

Chapter 8:

 

Higurashi Aikouitsu carefully maneuvered her way from kitchen to dining room carrying a large ceramic tureen of konbu dashi with tempura, scallops, onions, and shitake mushrooms. Looking up from her burden, Aikouitsu surveyed the impromptu seating arrangement.

 

Jiichan was obviously afraid of sitting next to his grandchildren because he had positioned himself at the head of the table with Sesshoumaru on his right and Inuyasha on his left. He had apparently forgiven their demonic origins to gain neutral allies against his enemies of the unfortunate `pocky' event. Kagome, on the other hand, sat at the foot of the table with Sango sitting to her right next to Inuyasha. Shippou sat on Kagome's left leaving a space between himself and Sesshoumaru.

 

Walking to the empty seat, Aikouitsu carefully set the last of the dinner platters on the table next to fried vegetables, rice, grilled yellowtail, seaweed salad and various sushi concoctions including sashimi, yakitori, and avocado maki. Aikouitsu knew that although it was a lot of food, she could only hope it would match the insatiable appetites of three demons.

 

“Well, that's the last of them,” said Mrs. Higurashi as she sat down. Looking from one end of the table to the other, she took note of the ever-present hostility flashing back and forth between Kagome, Shippou and her father. Sango appeared to have given up the argument in favor of watching what else would come out of the night.

 

“Kagome will you please do us the honor of serving our guests? The tureen might be a little to heavy to pass around.”

 

Kagome pulled her gaze away from her grandfather to look upon the calming countenance of her mother. “Yes, mama.” Extending her glance to encompass the entire table, she continued, “Please, pass me your bowls.”

 

Standing to her feet, Kagome gracefully picked up a soup ladle and with careful movements dipped it into the aromatic liquid and pulled it back out to poise in the air for a brief moment. Brushing the drips from the bottom of the ladle against the edge of the ceramic basin, she carefully upturned it over the bowl now held in her tiny hand to create a turbulent waterfall as liquid was transferred from one vessel to another. This ritual was repeated until every bowl had been filled and passed back to its owner. Returning the ladle to rest on top of the tureen, Kagome sank back down into her seat and viewed her guests as dinner officially began.

 

Sesshoumaru captured Kagome's gaze as he stared into her cerulean blue eyes. The faint spark of admiration glinted in his own as he sampled the succulent fare. `Who ever knew such grace was at her command? Even at her most graceful, she still seemed to find it necessary to belie that fact.' Sesshoumaru smiled openly as he remembered a particular display of dancing and the feel of her body pressed against his own when he saved her from a fall in his courtyard so long ago. Savoring the taste of tempura, spices, and memories, he watched as a delicate pink shade washed over her features as she averted her gaze to sample her own bowl.

 

“It tastes wonderful, Sango. Absolutely wonderful.”

 

All eyes focused on Inuyasha as he savored the rich stew. Sango blushed a pretty red as she avoided looking at the hanyou sitting next to her. “How could you tell I had a hand in making it?”

 

Inuyasha snorted as he took another sip. “No one can cook as well as you. The memory of it nearly did me in for lack of good cooking these past five hundred years!”

 

Sango's blush deepened to cherry red as it crept down her neck. “Surely there was at least one person in those five hundred years who could cook better then me,” she murmured.

 

Inuyasha looked mournfully down at his bowl as the bottom began to show through the translucent liquid and scattered pieces of mushroom and tempura. “No, no one else ever came close.”

 

He growled softly as Sango once again tried to protest. “No, Sango. Just because other people can turn out a pretty meal does not mean they are better then you. With everything so commercialized, it's nothing to turn out a well cooked meal. There's not a single thing that hasn't been doused with chemicals or genetically modified to taste better. You, on the other hand, made absolutely wonderful creations out of practically nothing. If you were to take any of these modern day so-called chefs and placed them in the wild for three days, they'd become no better then rabid squirrels!”

 

“Inuyasha!” protested Sango as she finally turned to look at the hanyou's profile. “You shouldn't say things like that. Just because they are unable to survive in today's wild does not mean you can belittle them. They can't because they don't have to.”

 

“That's my point. They don't know how to truly create anything because nothing is ever out of season. If they want it, they can get it. Where's the challenge in making something when all you have to do is pick up a phone and ask for a delivery?”

 

Sango turned to face the hanyou as her protective nature surfaced. “There's the challenge in trying to make something new, and there's the challenge in making something common your own. Besides, because of that so-called `tampering' scientists have done, most of your foods are better! So why should they want to find wild herbs and half starved animals when domestic products are more nutritious and tasteful?”

 

“For one, everyone knows that wild ginger is the most potent; therefore, they should have left the damn food alone!”

 

“Stop it!” yelled Kagome from her seat as she gripped her chopsticks. “Food is food. Deal with it. Just because you had to forage for your own food at a young age does not mean they should. Every era has its own complications and this one is no exception. So lay off of Sango!”

 

Inuyasha fumed as he attempted to regain his temper. “It's no wonder humans took over. They couldn't survive on their own if they had to so they ganged up on everything else! They made it so everything is dependent on them. You have to have the `humans' take care of them if they want a shot at life!”

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome glared the hanyou into submission as he gulped and ducked his head.

 

“I was just trying to give Sango a compliment,” he muttered underneath his breath. `Why did I have to open up my big mouth? So much for my promise to be good.' Gathering his wits together, he vowed to try again.

 

“What did you say?” asked Kagome as she continued to glare at him.

 

“Nothing,” he growled.

 

“That's what I thought.” Kagome turned to Sango after making sure the half-demon was properly cowed. “You really did do wonders while we were traveling. You almost had to if you wanted to get Inuyasha away from the ramen.” Kagome sent another glare down the table. `That baka never did have any sense. He probably took one beating to many, not that he ever tried to avoid them. And the nerve of the guy! He compliments Sango for cooking and never once said anything about my own no matter how much effort I put into it!' Fuming now, Kagome prodded at Inuyasha's tenuous control. “Admit it. You still prefer to eat ramen over anything I made for you!”

 

This time it was Inuyasha's turn to blush. Attempting to hide the revealing color and avoid another argument, he bent his head to drink the remaining liquid from his bowl.

 

Smack! Jiichan grabbed a hidden ofuda from his sleeve and slapped it onto the closest appendage which happened to be Inuyasha's arm. “I can't believe I'm having dinner with a rude demon. I demand that you leave my house right now! Out, out, out!”

 

“Ouch! What did I do this time? You've never had a problem with my manners before when I came to get Kagome so what's wrong now!” Inuyasha slammed his bowl down on the table making Sango and Aikouitsu cringe as a piece of fish flew towards the seaweed salad.

 

A pair of chopsticks shot out over the table as it grabbed the errant piece of flesh from midair. Jiichan's mouth gaped as a precise flick of the wrist sent the offending morsel back into Inuyasha's bowl.

 

“You should be more careful, Inuyasha.” Sesshoumaru set down the amazing chopsticks and bent to pick up his tea.

 

“Show off,” snarled his half-brother.

 

“I merely wished to keep your germs from tainting the rest of the food. It was your carelessness that prompted the action.”

 

“Carelessness?” Inuyasha wrinkled his brow in contemplation for a second. Glancing down at the offending ofuda still adorning his sleeve, he ripped it off and waved it at his brother. “It's not my fault the old man had to slap me with a flimsy piece of paper!”

 

Jiichan watched as the paper waved back and forth under his nose before grabbing it out of Inuyasha's hand. “I've never met such a rude demon in all my life! First your eating habits are worse then a common mongrel's what with throwing food all around and shoving it into your mouth, then you embarrass Sango, and now you insult my ofudas! I can't take this anymore. Back in the day, I was a respected holy man. Now, no one visits the shrine, the new generation disrespects their elders, and they disregard the lessons of the past! On top of that, I get stepped on by rude demons and have to endure back-talk. Even from my own grandchildren!”

 

Inuyasha's face turned purple as he attempted to retain his rage. No one insults Kagome and Sango like that. No one. “Wait just a damn minute! First of all, I was not trying to embarrass Sango. I was only trying to say that I've missed her cooking. If you can't handle that, then you'd better try something better then a stupid piece of paper. Second, I'm older then you by at least four hundred years, old man. I'm the one who should be demanding the respect here!” He gritted through his teeth. “And third, you've only met three demons!”

 

“And you're still the most annoying one I've ever met! You're too rude and loud and impatient and….and…. immature to be considered an `elder' let alone fitting enough to date my daughter! So, don't give me any of that. I know better then to believe anything a lying demon has to say!”

 

“Jiichan!” cried Kagome from her seat as she stared in shock at the explosive argument. If she didn't know any better, she could almost swear she saw sparks fly out of her grandfather's ears. “Calm down please! I'm sure Inuyasha didn't mean any offense. Right, Inuyasha?”

 

Inuyasha's ears drooped in resignation. “My apologies. I'll try to restrain myself even though the food is more then worth it.” Turning back to the man sitting next to him, he had to add in one last dig. “Besides, I don't think you should say that Kagome doesn't respect her past when she lived it five hundred years ago! She's old enough to make her own decisions and has been since she fell in the well over three years ago.”

 

“Well, so long as you know you're wrong, I'll accept your apologies. It doesn't matter anyway. While my daughter may be capable of making her own decisions, I still have a say in what she does. I am, after all, the one who's taught her all she knows.” Jiichan reached for the bowl of rice sitting on the table next to him and began to shovel huge amounts onto his plate. Looking at the food, his eyes spotted the yellowtail and looked expectantly at his granddaughter. “Kagome, pass me the yellowtail.”

 

“Jiichan, don't you think you should let our guests have first pick?” Sango smirked from her seat as she saw the adopted elder fume in protest again.

 

“I'll take some of that!”

 

“Me too!”

 

Inuyasha and Shippou glared at each other as they both reached for the coveted morsel. Kagome intercepted the dish to keep the two from starting a game of tug of war. “Behave! There's plenty here for everyone.” Glancing back and forth between the two childish adults, she handed the fish to Shippou. “Here you go, but make sure to leave some for Inuyasha.”

 

“Hmph, you always did like the kitsune better then me. You always take his side,” said Inuyasha with a twinkle in his eye. It was just like old times.

 

“Well, if you could have restrained yourself from picking on him, I wouldn't have to take his side. Besides, you asked for it.” Kagome looked down at her hand in nonchalance and started to inspect her nails for dirt.

 

“I did not!” cried Inuyasha hoping to get the sparkle to shine in Kagome's eyes again.

 

“Did to! You're just too mule-headed and obstinate to ever admit being wrong.” Kagome grinned sweetly at the hanyou as they continued to banter back and forth.

 

Sesshoumaru watched Kagome's fiery display of feigned temper as she gallantly attempted to defend her pup. It was really quite amusing since Shippou was now her senior by five centuries to her two decades and more then capable of manipulating the older hanyou. Glancing down the table to his heir, he noted Shippou's own eyes brighten at the defense she was erecting in honor of himself. Smiling inwardly as he followed the childish display of character, he marveled at how well she still knew Inuyasha. `Perhaps we haven't changed that much through the years.' Hope grew in his heart that the love she had once held for the half-breed might easily rekindle. It was a bittersweet hope as his heart warmed at the thought of her happiness while his soul died with every spoken word. Shaking his head mentally, Sesshoumaru turned away from the conflicting emotions that only Kagome could inflict to focus on the conversation.

 

“I only hit him when he called me names!”

 

“He only called you names because you were being a baka!” Kagome glared down the table. The argument was turning more serious and less playful with every passing second.

 

“You still didn't have to sit me every time!” Inuyasha cringed in memory. Those face-plants really hurt and made him taste dirt for days at a time, assuming he could go that long without warranting another attack of course.

 

“If you could have restrained yourself, I wouldn't have done it so many times.” Kagome crossed her arms as she took a deep breath in an effort to hang onto her sanity. This game went downhill quicker then she expected. “You know, you can just let things go every once in a while. It's really not that hard.”

 

“Not with you and Shippou I can't!” Inuyasha glared at the infuriating woman sitting kitty-corner from him. It was amazing how much he had forgotten the exhilaration he felt when arguing with the girl. Even more amazing was how he had forgotten how easily she made his blood boil in anger and frustration.

 

“Can to!”

 

“Cannot!”

 

Kagome threw up her hands at the irritating hanyou. “If you don't stop it right now, I'll say `it'!”

 

Inuyasha's face scrunched in indecision before finally relenting and resuming his seat. It seemed as though his temper was determined to get the best of him no matter what he did even though he half wanted to remember the thrill of their arguments. Shippou quietly handed him the plate of fish with a smirk on his face and watched as he grabbed a filet and piled it onto his plate.

 

“I told you, you could.”

 

Inuyasha's head snapped up to glare at Kagome who was looking quite smug. `She always did enjoy getting in the last word,' he thought as he verbally sulked. “Fine. Whatever.” Turning back to his plate, he began to pile on the food as he grabbed one plate after another and passed them down the line. Soon, everyone was quietly munching on their chosen dishes while peace settled over the group at last.

 

Kagome glanced up from her food and looked resignedly at Inuyasha, Jiichan and Shippou as they shoveled the food into their mouths as though it was their first meal in a very long time. Sesshoumaru, however, appeared to pick almost daintily in comparison at his food as his amused gaze wandered over his companions. It was quite obvious he was used to their lack of table manners.

 

Glancing back down at her heaping plate, Kagome grabbed a piece of sashimi and dipped it into a bowl of soy sauce before placing the raw squid into her mouth. `He must really like me to be sitting here with his baka brother.' A warm feeling began to spread through her at the possibility. `It's too bad Inuyasha can't control his temper even though I have to admit to loving the fire that lights up his eyes in the middle of an argument. Still, he wouldn't be Inuyasha without it. I wonder how they can get along. They haven't once fought over me tonight. Well, except for that incident at the door.' Kagome's thoughts were interrupted when her mother at last bravely ventured to break the contented silence.

 

“So what do you gentlemen do for a living? Shippou has been very secretive.” Aikouitsu looked expectantly at the three demons as she hoped one of them would allow this safer change of topic to take root.

 

“I am the active senior partner of Shirouja and Mikatahnoo. Shippou splits his time between the firm and teaching while Inuyasha—what's that word?” Sesshoumaru smirked openly in anticipation of getting a rise out of his younger half-brother. “ —freeloads.”

 

“I do not freeload!” exclaimed Inuyasha as he pointed his set of chopsticks at his brother. “Just because I've been in America the last hundred years or so does not mean I can't earn a living!”

 

“True, you did do fairly well at playing the stock market although it beats me how you could manage that.”

 

As everyone watched the banter passing back and forth between youkai and hanyou, Jiichan's mouth dropped as enlightenment dawned within him. “Did you just say you worked with Shirouja and Mikatahnoo? You mean, you're the one who took down the Fujiwara family?” Jiichan trained his eyes on Sesshoumaru as he paused with chopsticks half way to his mouth and dripping soy sauce down his clothes.

 

Sesshoumaru's fangs glinted in the light briefly before disappearing. The old man truly was an amusing human. “Yes, I did. I'm surprised you've heard of it.”

 

“Of course we heard of it! It's only the biggest scandal Japan has seen in years. I mean, they were only running the biggest blackmail and extortion ring this side of the world has ever seen not to mention alleged dealings with some of the most ruthless gangs in Japan and China.” Kagome huffed from her seat as the law firm name finally registered.

 

“I agree. You handled the case very well. How did you get your hands on all that evidence? It dated back from, what was it, two hundred years ago?” Sango leaned forward as she waited breathlessly for him to continue.

 

“The earliest documented evidence was from 1824 although nothing concrete was truly found until after the Hiroshima bombing. That's when the Fujiwara family stepped in and attempted to retake control of the country. Since Japan was a mess after the bombing, they had the perfect opportunity to bribe and blackmail their way into controlling the government and gaining the ear of the emperor.” Sesshoumaru put down his chopsticks and leaned back minutely, basking in the adoration. “The last time the Fujiwara family held reigning power was in the Heian period if you can recall your history correctly.”

 

“Wow, I think that's the most I have ever heard you speak.”

 

Sesshoumaru shifted his gaze to glare at Sango until a blush stained her features and a hand leapt up to cover her errant mouth. Satisfied that the interruption was sufficiently squashed, he finished his monologue. “The Fujiwara family was thankfully brought down, and soon the Fujiwara Incorporation, itself will be split into smaller assets to pay for court costs with the remainder siphoned off into a number of charities.”

 

“Serves them right. They should have known that they'd get caught sooner or later.” Jiichan muttered from his chair in outrageous indignation.

 

“They would have gotten away with it for another hundred years, old man, if we hadn't been watching them.” Inuyasha grimaced slightly before continuing. “If it had been anyone other then Sesshoumaru handling the case, they'd still be walking free.”

 

“What do you mean?” asked Aikouitsu suspecting the worse.

 

Inuyasha felt a chill pass over him. Turning to look at his half-brother, Inuyasha felt as though he would be burned alive inside a pillar of ice by the intensity of his cold glare. Gulping, he let Sesshoumaru divert the conversation away from his near slip.

 

“It means, if we hadn't been keeping an eye on the family for so long, there would have been little success in gathering the necessary evidence.”

 

“Is that why you were in America? To gather information on their business practices?”

 

A shadow flitted across Inuyasha's face as he turned to look at Sango. “Not originally, no.” Glancing back at Sesshoumaru's stern expression, Inuyasha wisely chose to change the topic of conversation. “I was there to keep a promise to an old friend. Miroku asked me to watch over his children and make sure that none got into to much trouble.” A smile flickered over his features as he recalled the past. “Of course, Miroku's children were all hentais. Every last one of them.”

 

Sango laughed. “I should have known Miroku would have perverted children. Trust the man to pass on that particular gene.” Setting down her chopsticks, Sango pulled her hands into her lap as she stared down at the clasped hands. “Just how many children did he have?”

 

“Half a score or so, I think. I never could figure out what the real number was.”

 

“That's not true. He only had five children.” Shippou glared at his surrogate father. “You just couldn't keep track of the imps since he had them right after the other, and he added a few orphans to the lot every now and then.”

 

Inuyasha glared at the kitsune. “I could handle the kids fine. They just didn't know when to leave me alone.”

 

Shippou turned to Kagome and Sango. “You should have seen them. Every time he sat down, he'd have one kid or another climb on top of him to play with his ears. He couldn't hide in Goshinboku because they figured out how to transport ladders so they could get to him. There was nowhere for him to hide!”

 

Inuyasha eyes narrowed in warning at the fox. “You didn't fare much better if I recall correctly. You used that stone trick of yours so you could run away from them on more then one occasion.”

 

Shippou's tail flattened in remembrance. “We were playing hide and seek! It was only fair since they used ofudas.”

 

“Ha! I knew it! They had you wrapped around their little finger.”

 

Shippou sniffed in submission. “I couldn't help it. I loved those little tykes.”

 

Sango smiled tearfully. “I would have loved to see Miroku's kids. It just seems fitting that he had so many. I mean, it serves him right for proposing to all those women.” Swallowing, Sango looked up and asked, “So who did he choose to settle down with?”

 

Uncomfortable silence filtered into the room. Sango looked from Inuyasha's sheepish gaze to Sesshoumaru's ever blank stare to Shippou's downcast eyes. “What's wrong? He did settle down with someone didn't he? He had to have if he had that many children.”

 

Shippou cleared his throat to break the silence. “Of course he settled down with someone. She was a lovely lady, hard-working, and the daughter of another ex-monk so she knew well the ways of hentaish Houshi-samas.”

 

“What was her name?” asked Sango looking tearfully into Shippou's clear brown eyes.

 

“Seijitsu, her name was Seijitsu.”

 

“Faithful,” whispered Sango. “How perfect. Miroku deserved someone more faithful then what I was.”

 

“He was happy with her although you could tell that you were often in his thoughts. He named his first daughters after you and Kagome.”

 

“He did?” The two girls looked at each other as their twin voices echoed in the room.

 

“Yes, he did. He also used to slap himself if he felt the urge to grope one of the ladies. Eventually Seijitsu figured it out and was more then happy to take up the role. I think that was one of the first things that truly caught his attention and made him look twice at her before proposing marriage.”

 

Sango laughed freely and the tension in the room broke as others joined in her laughter.

 

“That man thoroughly amazes me sometimes.”

 

“In more ways then one,” said Shippou. Turning to Kagome, he innocently asked, “So how is Souta doing? I hope he isn't following in his ancestor's footsteps.” Glancing meaningfully at Jiichan, he continued. “We already know Jiichan has. You can't keep him away from the girls, young or old.”

 

“What! What are you talking about young man?” blustered Jiichan as he turned a bright red. “I haven't touched a single woman in ages!”

 

“That's only because everyone knows what to expect if they visit the shrine,” Shippou shot back.

 

“What in the world are you talking about Shippou?” asked Kagome.

 

“Feh, if you're going to say it, just say it!” said Inuyasha as he continued to shovel rice into his mouth.

 

“You just don't want me to have any fun!”

 

“Will you just spill it?” asked Kagome as she rubbed her forehead. `If I have to listen to one more argument, my head is going to explode.'

 

“Uh, well, Miroku built this shrine in honor of you and Sango. As such, there has always been a direct descendant taking care of it.” Shippou nervously twitched his tail as he waited for the news to sink in.

 

“You mean, Miroku grabbed his own great, great whatever granddaughter's ass?” asked Sango as her jaw dropped.

 

“That's about it. The Houshi really is a pervert.” Inuyasha just had to add in his two cents worth to the conversion.

 

“You've got to be kidding me. I'm descended from Miroku?” Kagome couldn't believe her ears. Never in her life did she ever think she had some connection to the monk prior to falling in the well.

 

“Yep. Where do you think your spiritual powers came from? Just because you're Kikyo's reincarnation doesn't explain how your powers more then doubled. You got an extra boost from the monk and others through the centuries.”

 

“But—“

 

“No buts, Kagome. We've been keeping track of all the offspring for a long time now.” Inuyasha smiled as he enjoyed Kagome's flabbergasted expression.

 

“So, I was destined to go back to the past. Otherwise, what would have happened to Miroku if I failed to kill Naraku and cured his kazaana?” Kagome shuddered at the possibility that her life could have been snuffed out so easily if the evil hanyou had known the truth of her origins. All he had to do was kill the monk.

 

“Don't think of it. Things turned out as they were meant to be,” Inuyasha said softly. Taking pity on the poor girl, he tried to steer the conversation away to other topics. “So what are you planning to do now that your schooling is done?”

 

Kagome's face scrunched up in a frown. “I'm planning on going to a yobiko to spend more time preparing for university exams. I've been so behind since I fell in the well that I'm just not ready for them yet. Sango's thinking of doing the same thing.”

 

“Shippou can help you out with that,” said Sesshoumaru from his seat as he continued to cradle his tea.

 

“Shippou? How can you help me?” asked Kagome as she turned to look at the kitsune.

 

“I teach the sciences at a local yobiko when I'm not working at Shirouja and Mikatahnoo as the second senior partner. That's why I had to cancel my lunch appointment with Inuyasha a few Saturday's ago. One of my students got bitten by a rat and had to go to the hospital.”

 

`Oh,' thought Kagome. `That's why Inuyasha was home when I dropped off that cursed letter.' Clearing her throat, Kagome asked, “Is the kid okay?”

 

Shippou frowned. “He's fine, although it's a little strange. No matter how hard we or the exterminators looked, no rats were found. It's not the first time it's happened either.”

 

Silence permeated the room. “At least he's better. Who knows what kind of horrid diseases one can get from a rat.”

 

“First lesson then. Rats are notorious for spreading plague. For some reason, the microbe just loves the vermin.”

 

“Plague? Are you talking about bubonic plague?”

 

“Yep, also known as black death although it can be either bubonic or pneumonic depending on how it's spread. Killed something like one third of the human population during the middle ages. Absolutely nasty stuff. Especially since there's a 50-90% mortality rate depending on the form of transmission and how quickly one can get antibiotics. And that's only one strain of Yersina. The other two are not quite as lethal.”

 

“Microbes? Yersina? What are you talking about Shippou?”

 

Shippou took a deep breath and hoped no one had a queasy stomach. “A microbe is an organism that is composed of a single cell and originated something like three billion years ago if you want to believe modern evolutionists. Yersina, itself is comprised of three species that are distinguished by the route of infection and disease symptoms.

 

Two are food borne pathogens—err, disease causing organisms—and affect the gut. The third, Yersina pestis, is a blood borne pathogen and is the deadliest of the three. It is the cause of plague or `the black death.' It's called such due to the gradual blackening of skin caused by tissue death.”

 

“Ew, that's just gross!” cried Kagome.

 

“Yeah, but thankfully nothing happened with the kid. We made sure to give him a healthy cocktail of antibiotics just to be sure.”

 

“Maybe we should adjourn to the living room. This isn't necessarily appropriate for dinner conversation.” Aikouitsu looked around the table at the queasy expressions gracing her family's faces.

 

“Sure thing mom. I could use a little fresh air actually if you don't mind me stepping outside for a few minutes.” Kagome looked hopefully at her mother. “I'll help clean up in here as soon as I get back.”

 

“Don't worry dear, I'm sure your grandfather would be more then willing to help me move everything into the kitchen.” Standing up, she turned towards her guests. “Would you like any more tea or coffee?”

 

“No thank-you. I won't be here much longer,” said Sesshoumaru as he stood up from the table.

 

“Well, I'll just make a pot of tea then and bring it into the living room. Please join us as soon as you can Kagome.” Aikouitsu picked up her plate and bowl and walked into the kitchen, leaving Inuyasha and Jiichan to furiously clear off their plates while Sango shook her head and carried her's and Kagome's into the kitchen.

 

Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome shook her head and headed out the back door to get her breath of fresh air. `I should let her be. She's been through enough revelations tonight.'

 

Shippou looked at Sesshoumaru who was staring at the swinging door as it closed behind Kagome. Pushing back his plate, he stood up and tugged on the taiyoukai's sleeve to adjourn to the living room.

 

“I know you wanted to catch her alone to talk about Rin. You should do that now while everyone's busy. I'll make sure to keep Inuyasha away for as long as it takes.” Shippou watched as conflicting emotions flickered in the demon lord's golden eyes before he inclined his head slightly in defeat.

 

“You are right. There is no point in waiting. She should know how Rin chose to live and die.” Taking a deep breath, the unrelenting taiyoukai squared his shoulders and exited the house. He would not let the weight of memory keep him from unveiling the path of Rin's life.

 

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