InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpeced Allies Part III: Trial of the Century ❯ Until We Meet Again... ( Chapter 19 )

SF: Before we get started, let me apologize, once again, for the last chapter. I am a little sad about having to kill this story, but it is for the greater good that I do this. I wouldn't want anyone to suffer and such and so on. Anyway, this chapter is happier to make up for it.

Chapter Seventeen:

Until We Meet Again

Kagome waited patiently for Shippou to finish dressing, as she looked at herself in the full-length mirror.

She was now nineteen, and she and Shippou were living in an apartment next door to the shrine. Her uncle gave her a job as a 'security guard' for an agency that knew what she was and what she could do. It seemed the industry hired youkai to guard and protect its multiple interests, which was fine with Kagome since it paid a six-figured salary every month. She also attended school, studying business law. However, because of her travels to Warring States Japan, she now had to take a freshman's history course.

Which was why she was now waiting for Shippou so they could go to the museum.

Kagome twirled a dark strand of hair around her finger, watching as the rest cascaded in soft, silky waves down her back to her waist. Her fingers released her hair to play with the little round buttons on her white blouse, then smoothed out her black knee-length skirt, flicking the thigh-high split in the side as she stepped into her black pumps. Shippou came scuttling in moments later, fastening the button on his shorts and smiling up at her.

"Ready to go, Hahaue?" he asked as he attempted to brush his unruly red hair. Kagome giggled and retrieved the brush from him, turning him around so she could brush the shoulder-length tuffs. "Not yet. You still look like a mess. Is my pack ready?"

"Yes, Hahaue!" Shippou chirped as Kagome tied his hair in a low ponytail. He grinned back at her and scampered away as Kagome smiled. 'Shippou's grown so much over the past two years. I remember when he couldn't reach my knees, now he's almost to my waist. And he does so well in school too.' She sighed and moved to the living room and out the door, grabbing Shippou's hand and the pack as she went. They walked the half a block to the museum happily, with Shippou telling Kagome all about the newest trick 'Uncle' Souta showed him. Kagome could tell that he desperately wanted to twitch his tail in excitement, but couldn't due to the fact that Kagome told him to keep his youkai features hidden.

They entered the library and headed toward the 'Ancient Weaponry' section of the building. Shippou held her hand as she led him to where the Tetsusaiga, the Tenseiga and the Toukijin were, only to find the cases empty.

"Excuse me?" Kagome asked as the same curator from before walked to her. The woman stopped and bowed before her.

"Yes?"

"I don't know if you remember me, but my friends and I were here two years ago with my high school class. We were looking at the Youkai Swords."

The curator's eyes brightened as she flashed Kagome a quick smile. "Yes, the miko. How are you?"

"I'm fine," Kagome said, fidgeting just a bit. 'So that's where Sesshoumaru got it from,' Kagome mused, unaware that the same thought flittered through someone else's mind. "Uh, please call me Kagome."

"Well, what can I do for you Kagome?" The curator asked. Kagome and Shippou glanced up at her, realizing there was something familiar about her voice.

"Yes," Kagome faltered, trying to figure out what made the curator so familiar. "Um, where are the swords? My son and I wanted to see them."

"The owner recently requested them. They're in the back." The curator motioned for them to follow her as she dipped past an ancient archery set and into a hidden door. They followed her down a well-lit passageway to a large storage room in the innards of the museum. They weaved through shelves after shelves of ancient artifacts until they came to the center of the storage room.

There were three small wooden crates in front of a large table covered in artifacts. In front of it stood a man in his late forties with short spiked black hair and small black, square-rimmed glasses. He had his back to them, dusting off an arrowhead carefully with a small camel-haired brush. He glanced up as Kagome, Shippou and the curator approached.

"Can I help you miss?" he asked, setting down the brush and the arrowhead.

"Kagome, this is the head curator and the owner of the museum, Morimoto-sama. Morimoto-sama, this is Kagome and her son. She visited us last year with her high school class and inquired about the Youkai swords. "

Morimoto raised a curious eyebrow at her. "Really?"

Kagome nodded. "Would you mind if I took one last look at them?"

He waved her toward the wooden boxes in front of him, then returned to his work. The curator opened the boxes for Kagome and watched as she ran her fingers along the hilts of the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga. The blades started to hum under her touch, shocking both curators.

"May I?" Kagome asked, reaching for the Tetsusaiga. The curator glanced at Morimoto and nodded.

Kagome reached inside and lifted the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga from the boxes to the floor. Shippou reached inside her pack and handed her the Reioseiga. Kagome took it and placed it between the two swords in front of her. She could hear the curator gasp, but paid it no attention as she tried to reach Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. The swords started to sing, but not before she was suddenly glomped from behind.

"KAGOME-CHAN!!!!"

Kagome abruptly stopped meditating, turning to look at the curator now draped around her. The curator smiled, revealing petite fangs. Her eyes flashed, then settled into an emerald green as her ears pointed and the blue crescent appeared on her forehead.

"Mira?" Kagome gasped, not believing her eyes. Mira nodded and Kagome hugged her back as Shippou squeezed between them.

"Why didn't you say something before?" Kagome cried as they calmed down.

"There have been at least four incarnations of you Kagome," Mira said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. "I didn't know it was you. How have you been, and is this little Shippou?"

Shippou nodded and transformed to his humanoid form. Mira hugged him just as fiercely as she hugged Kagome as Kagome glanced back at Morimoto. He said nothing at this, but smiled at Kagome as Mira returned her attention to Kagome.

"I've been better, Mira," Kagome said. "How are you?"

"Absolutely ecstatic now that InuTaisho and I have found you."

"InuTaisho?" Kagome repeated as she turned to look behind her. The man behind her smiled as he removed his glasses, his hair fading into a pale blonde and his eyes the color of molten gold. Kagome gasped. "I thought you were-"

"You wished him back, Kagome," Mira whispered as InuTaisho kneeled beside her. He watched as she traced his features with her eyes.

"Thank you, Kagome," he whispered as she started to cry.

"Now don't start that," Mira said as she wiped away her tears with a handkerchief. Kagome sniffed and smiled good naturedly.

"I've missed you," Kagome whispered as she hugged Mira again. Shippou decided that something in Kagome's pack was much more interesting as the conversation between the two females continued. InuTaisho equally found Kagome's pack interesting when Shippou pulled out two Snicker bars and handed him one.

"How are you?" Kagome asked Mira again.

"We have grandchildren!" Mira exclaimed with a wide grin. She failed to see Kagome's smile falter as she gushed about how cute they were and how much the two of them looked like their father. "And you?"

"I'm…fine," Kagome lied. Mira shook her head. "Isn't this just like the first time we talked? I know you, Kagome-chan. What is it?"

"It's nothing," she said as she picked up Reioseiga and put it back inside her pack. InuTaisho and Mira escorted her back to the door leading to the main part of the museum with a wide smile. They exchanged telephone numbers and addresses and promised to see each other again before Kagome and Shippou left. Mira turned to InuTaisho with a thoughtful look on her face.

"I wonder what was wrong with Kagome-chan. She seemed so happy to see us, then she seemed so sad."

InuTaisho kissed the crown of her head. "It may have been the grandchildren."

"Why would she be upset about…oh."

"That's right koi. Oh."

Mira blushed, then shrugged. "She'll find out soon enough. Now go back to work, mister."

InuTaisho snapped his heels together and saluted her. "Hai, my lady."

Mira whacked him on the arm lightheartedly as they went back to the storage room.

++++++

Kagome and Shippou climbed the steps to their door to find someone leaning against it. He turned to her slowly, his black hair falling over his shoulders and down the white t-shirt. His hands were in his jeans pockets. He smiled from behind his shades as Kagome approached him.

"I don't know what you want, but you've picked a really bad time to want it," Kagome grumbled as she tried to move past him to the door.

He smiled again and said "Now my lady, is that any way to speak to your general?"

Kagome whirled away from the door to face him as he took off his glasses. Yellow cat-like orbs smiled down at her. Kagome flung the door open, jerked him inside and slammed it shut with a bang

"Who are you?" Kagome nearly shouted. He winced, but said nothing as his hair suddenly striped with orange. Kagome leaped into his waiting arms, crying again for the second time today.

"Keni'Chi! What are you doing here?"

"Abandoning my lands for the moment. I'm sure Shorin can handle things," he said as Kagome finally released her grip on his neck. She giggled as she and Shippou motioned for him to sit down on the couch behind him. He sank back into the cushy white leather with ease as he watched her move around the kitchen.

"I can't stay long Lady Kagome."

"What did I say about that? How did you find me?"

Keni'Chi smiled and shook his head. "I looked up 'Higurashi' in the phone book. Do you know you left your history book in the past? If Sesshoumaru didn't have it, a lot of things wouldn't have gone the way they did."

"Have you seen him?" Kagome asked as she passed him a cup of tea. Keni'Chi graciously accepted it and shook his head.

"The last time anyone saw Lord Sesshoumaru was over 200 years ago. Shorin receives word from him on occasion, but not very often."

"How is Shorin?" Kagome said as she set her cup on the glass coffee table.

"Busy with the pups, I imagine."

Kagome and Shippou's eyes widened into saucers. "You…and Shorin?" they said in unison. Keni'Chi chuckled.

"Of course. You know she wanted me. She just couldn't resist my tiger youkai charm."

Kagome groaned. "I should have known you say something like that. I won't tell Shorin for fear she'd tear you're head off." She mentally groaned when Keni'Chi stood up and walked to the door. "Will you visit us again?"

"Of course, my lady," he said with a low bow. Kagome whacked him lightly in the back of the head and shoved him out the door.

"Don't call me 'lady'," she growled playfully. Keni'Chi shrugged. "I do as I please now that I'm a taiyoukai."

"Wow. When?"

"For a few years now. Shorin thinks its funny that she's now a Lady and all. But the pups keep her busy enough, though she's still Sesshoumaru-sama's general." He bowed again and turned toward the steps.

"Goodbye, Kagome. I'll see you again."

Kagome closed the door behind him and slid down it, landing on the floor with a thud. Shippou scurried to her side, fanning his tail under her nose as he checked her over.

"Do I need to get Okaasan, Hahaue?"

"No, Shippou, I'm fine," Kagome said as she wrapped her arms around him and struggled to her feet. "I guess it's the stress of the day."

"I'm sorry you're hurting," Shippou whispered as he snuggled against her neck. Kagome returned the hug and returned to the kitchen to make dinner.

++++++

"Hahaue, may I have some ice cream?" Shippou asked. Kagome looked up from her homework and motioned for her purse. Shippou scurried across the picnic blanket to where her purse was propped up against the tree with her pack and brought it to her.

"Here you go!" he chirped happily. Kagome fished inside and handed him a few dollars. "Go ahead, Shippou."

"Want any?"

"No thanks." Shippou scampered off toward the ice cream vendor on the other side of the sidewalk. Kagome sighed and stretched, reveling in the shade of the cherry blossom tree. She scratched her left side thoughtfully as she struggled with a math problem, her hand raising up the helm of the blue lace up tank top. She felt someone tug on her jeans and turned to look into the largest pair of brown eyes she'd ever seen.

"Yes?" she said as the little boy sat down beside her. He had on a t-shirt and a pair of shorts similar to Shippou's, except that his shirt was orange instead of gray and his shorts were denim instead of khaki. He smiled, his short brown hair tossing in the wind.

"You have the same scar as Papa. Do you know him?"

"I don't think so," Kagome said as Shippou came back, too enthralled in her homework to actually pay attention to what the child said. Shippou eyed the boy warily a moment, then shrugged and ate his ice cream. The little boy smiled at him, then returned to Kagome.

"You smell like Uncle Sesshou's pack."

Kagome's pencil dropped to her book with a clatter as Shippou choked on ice cream. "What did you say?" she asked.

"He said," came a voice from behind her. "You smell like his uncle Sesshoumaru's pack."

Kagome turned around just as a man with dark, long hair and a baseball cap walked toward her. Kagome grinned and jumped up. When she reached him, she hugged him fiercely around the waist.

"Inuyasha!"

"Ohayo Kagome," he said as he ambled to her blanket. He shook a finger at the small boy. "What did I say?"

"Not to leave Hahaue's side," the boy said softly. Inuyasha ruffled his hair affectionately. "Not a problem, Hamaru. This is your auntie Kagome."

"AUNTIE KAGOME?!!!" Hamaru screeched as he attached himself to Kagome's leg. Kagome stared at Inuyasha in confusion before shrugging.

"That's right, I guess."

Hamaru sighed happily then scurried off toward a woman with long, red hair and a little girl.

"That's his mom and sister," Inuyasha said sheepishly. Kagome grinned as they sat down. "Wow, I can't believe it. What's her name?"

"Amy. She's American, if you can believe it."

"Yup, I can actually. Only an American could deal with your mouth," Kagome said with a giggle. Inuyasha glanced at Shippou, who was still recovering from his near death experience with the ice cream.

"Hey, you ok brat?" he asked as he thumped Shippou on the back. Shippou looked up and gasped, then attached himself to Inuyasha's head. He accidentally knocked off the baseball hat, revealing…nothing. Kagome gaped in confusion.

"Oh, the ears," Inuyasha said as he tapped the top of his head. "They went away when Mira adopted me."

Kagome hugged him again as relief flooded into her being. "I thought, when Mira said grandchildren-"

"You though Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha finished as he stroked her hair. Kagome nodded and Inuyasha shook his head.

"Sesshoumaru never mated."

"Oh," Kagome said quietly. Inuyasha chuckled. "He could never replace you." Kagome looked up at him as he continued. "Sesshoumaru wouldn't mate another after you left. He just went into this robotic mode, only stopping for Rin. When Rin died, he shut himself up entirely. I never thought I'd see the day when Sesshoumaru's cold heart melted, but you and Rin actually did something to the man."

"Where is he now?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know, but when you see him, make sure he tells you the story behind the Reioseiga." Kagome stared at his back as he walked away.

"Will I see you again?" she called. Inuyasha stopped and flashed her a smile, his fangs glinting in the afternoon sunlight.

"Of course. I know where you live, remember?"

Kagome nodded as he walked back to his family and sighed. 'Now if only Sesshoumaru and this math problem were easier to solve.'