InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ YinYang ❯ Understanding ( Chapter 2 )

A/N: Another modified chapter. Enjoy!

 

Reminder: For those who can't remember, your punishment is to copy the line “Inuyasha does not belong to this author.” 100 times.

 

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Chapter Two: Understanding

 

Kagome had, by this time, seen, heard and done some pretty amazing things. She even had a list of some of the more interesting events. First and foremost was the fact that she could time travel about 500 years into the past through an old well on her family's shrine property. Her second item was when she had accidentally released a sleeping, and only slightly dangerous, inu-hanyou from a fifty-year-old spell. However there was a tie for third. It was a toss-up between the fact that the Shikon no Tama, something she had barely even heard of before, had been inside her body or the fact that she was the reincarnation of the miko Kikyo, Inuyasha`s dead ex-girlfriend who was now, oh so conveniently, hanging around as a self-moving ceramic Tupperware for dead souls. These two events only proved to her that at least a couple religions in her time had some things right and also that Fate is, indeed, a bitch.

 

Now here she was: standing next to this rude dog-boy, with whom she had fallen in love with (curse it all), finding out that he had a potential family member who wasn't trying to kill him on an almost daily basis. `Well, this definitely goes in my Top Ten Weird Stuff list,' she thought. `If I'm shocked, I can only guess how Inuyasha is taking this.' Seeing as he hadn`t moved from his protective stance in front of her, Kagome sidled up alongside him so she could study his face and his reaction.

 

Inuyasha was obviously flabbergasted, his amber eyes wide in shock and his jaw slack. Kagome giggled silently at his resemblance to a koi fish. `Of course, anyone would be surprised by this kind of information, and Inuyasha even more so.' She sighed, `He's had no one to really call family for ages. I suppose Miroku, Sango, Shippou and I are close, but it's not quite the same thing.'

 

Kagome had to break her train of thought when Inuyasha quietly coughed and shook off his daze. He re-sheathed his sword, sank into his signature thinking crouch, and shut his eyes. This left Kagome and Iza to stare at him and only guess at the emotions that must be running rampant through the hanyou`s mind. Both girls were still, watching and waiting for his reaction, as the tension in the air grew steadily thicker. A glance at Iza revealed her to be wearing a look of almost eager expectancy tempered with concern and not a little bit of fear. She appeared ready to snap from all of the stress and anxiety that Inuyasha's introverted reflection seemed to be pressing upon the girl. Silence reined for a moment longer until Kagome hesitantly called to the hanyou.

 

“I-Inuyasha?”

 

He drew a deep breath and slowly opened his eyes to examine Iza intensely. Kagome could see his thoughts running circles around and around each other as he tried to pinpoint his feelings for this revelation. She could practically read each thought as it crossed his face.

 

`Why the hell didn't I know about her? Why didn't Mother tell me I had a sister? How the hell was this kept from me?' She watched as he scented the air trying to find where the trap lay. When he didn`t leap to his feet and charge off after some unseen enemy, Kagome figured there was none nearby waiting for Iza to return. Uncertainty warred with hope until indecision won out. `He needs more space to think,` Kagome concluded.

 

Since she'd already known that he was going to move, Kagome didn't startle at his sudden standing up. Iza, unfortunately, wasn't expecting the movement and therefore jumped a foot in the air. Inuyasha looked over at Kagome and she smiled warmly at him. He didn't smile back, just nodded, but she understood that he was grateful for her comprehension. He stated out loud, more for Iza's benefit than Kagome's, “I'll be back later. You should be safe until then.” After a short nod from her, he bounded off into the trees and was quickly lost to sight.

 

Both girls watched as the hanyou ran off, but only Kagome seemed optimistic about it. The miko watched as Iza slumped to her knees on the forest floor and just stared at the spot where Inuyasha had disappeared. A heartbeat of silence, then-

 

“He ran away.” Kagome faced the dazed girl, a look of curiosity in her eyes. Iza gazed up at her, “He wasn't supposed to do that.” Than she laughed scathingly at herself, as she changed her position on the ground, “I can't believe I actually thought that he would just automatically accept and welcome a sister who he's never seen and probably never even heard of. I am a bigger fool than I thought.”

 

Kagome contemplated the young girl hugging her knees up to her chest. In a split second, she'd slipped down next to Iza and put an arm around her shoulder, offering comfort. Iza started at the touch, but was soon relaxing into the embrace. Minutes passed as Iza struggled to regain control of her emotions. When she finally spoke, it was with a much calmer voice.

 

“I didn't think he'd do that.”

 

Kagome looked at the girl, confused. “You mean run off like that?”

 

Iza nodded, “Hai. I thought he'd at least stay and ask me some questions or something.” She sniffled quietly, “I didn't really believe that he'd just accept me as his sister, but I thought that he would at least be happy to have someone to call family.” Iza shook her head slightly and rested her head on her knees.

 

Kagome couldn't help but smile. `Poor thing. She's so worried and she really has no need to be. Inuyasha will be back soon to claim her as his sister.' She paused mid-thought. 'Now why am I so certain that she is who she claims to be?' She studied her companion. Iza still had her forehead on her knees, but her face was turned towards Kagome, eyes unfocused. Dark brown eyes, nearly black, the same shade of brown as Inuyasha's on his human nights. `Strange. She looks just like Inuyasha on those nights. Except for the ears and being female.' Kagome gently rubbed Iza's back and the girl's eyelids slid shut.

 

The miko frowned slightly as she massaged away the tension in Iza`s back. `I'm almost positive that his mother didn't say anything to him about Iza-san, because he would've mentioned it or Sesshoumaru would have said something in his tauntings.' Kagome glanced down at the dozing girl, `Speaking of Sesshoumaru, I wonder if he knew about her or vice versa.' Kagome cleared her throat and shook Iza`s shoulder to wake her, dropping her arm when the girl opened her eyes, “Ano… Iza-sama?”

 

Iza lifted her head and winced partially. Still huddled about her legs, Iza said, “Please don't be so formal. It makes me uncomfortable. I really prefer to be as casual as possible, if you don`t mind?” She ventured a glimpse up into Kagome's now beaming face.

 

“Of course not, Iza-chan. I prefer it myself, too” She than frowned. “But I do have a question for you.”

 

Iza released a small sigh of relief, “Thank you, Kagome-chan. It helps.” She sat up straighter and folded her legs beneath her. “Now, please, what is your question? I shall answer as best I can.”

 

Kagome chewed on her lower lip as she pondered how to phrase her question. `Oh well, straight forward usually works best.'

 

“Iza-chan, do you know who Sesshoumaru is and his relationship to Inuyasha?”

 

Iza pulled a face that reminded Kagome of Sesshoumaru`s vassal, Jaken, and caused both girls to giggle. Having lightened the mood, Iza answered, “Yes, I know of my elder half-brother. I am also aware of his ridiculous hatred for Inuyasha.” She scowled and shook her head. “Honestly, how can you hate someone who had no control over who or what their parents were?”

 

Kagome grinned at Iza`s question, “I'm glad one of you siblings gets this concept. Maybe you can beat some sense into the other two.” Iza laughed. “But does he know about you? I mean if you were kept a secret from Inuyasha-”

 

“I was not kept a secret!” Iza proclaimed indignantly, both hands going to her hips to complete the image. “My father had a very good reason for separating Inuyasha and me at birth.”

 

Kagome frowned, “At birth? You make it sound like you two are-”

 

“Twins?” Iza offered.

 

Kagome nodded, her gaze intensifying.

 

“Yeah, we are. He was born first, but only by a couple of minutes. Father took me away almost immediately.” Iza was intently studying her hands.

 

“But why?”

 

Iza grimaced and glanced up at Kagome apologetically. “I'd really rather tell Inuyasha first, if you don't mind.”

 

“I don't mind,” Kagome shrugged, than examined the surrounding forest, “but, about Sesshoumaru, would he have known about you?”

 

“No,” Iza said, with a firm shake of her head. “Sesshoumaru knows nothing of me or what happened before or after-” She broke off suddenly, eyes wide in realization.

 

Kagome cocked her head to the side questioningly, but Iza shook her head. “I'm sorry, but I can't, won't say anything more.”

 

“It's alright, Iza-chan, I understand,” Kagome reassured the young hanyou. “But while we're waiting for Inuyasha to get back from his pouting session,” She waved her hand in the general direction of the forest, “I have some people I want you to meet. I have a feeling that you'll be traveling with us for a while.” She stood up at this, dusted herself off, than turned and held out her hand to help Iza up. Iza just stared up at her with a bemused expression on her face.

 

“What do you mean `while we wait'? You make it sound like he's coming back soon. And why would I travel with you? He clearly doesn't want me around.” She lowered her head in shame.

 

Kagome blinked down at the distraught girl for a couple of seconds, before suddenly bursting out laughing. Iza cringed as her ears flattened themselves against her head at the high-pitched quality of the sound. “Okay. Now I'm even more confused,” she muttered under her breath. She then ventured to gain the hysterical miko's attention. “Uh…Kagome-chan? What's so funny?”

 

It took some effort, but Kagome finally managed to get her laughter under control for the most part. Little bursts of giggles kept slipping out though and made it harder for her not to remember why she had been laughing so hard in the first place. Wiping tears from her eyes and still catching her breath, Kagome turned to comfort the poor confused hanyou girl.

 

“I'm so sorry, Iza-chan. I just forget sometimes that a lot of people don't know Inuyasha like I do.” She flopped back down to the ground. “I've been traveling with him for almost a good year and I'm one of the few people he actually trusts.” When Iza showed a wounded expression at this slight boast, Kagome hurried on to her point. “What I mean to say is that Inuyasha only ran off to collect his thoughts. Really, he did,” she insisted at Iza's disbelieving face. “He does this best when alone in the forest. I think the scents and sounds of too many people around just distract him from whatever he's thinking about. But trust me,“ she placed a hand on her companion's arm, “once he's finished brooding, he'll be back to ask all those questions you wanted from him earlier.” Iza smiled a little at this, so Kagome lay back onto the grass, hands behind her head, to resume her analysis of her hanyou's thought processes.

 

“And as for the traveling bit, if past experiences are anything to go by, he'll generally make rude comments towards you and ask why you don't just leave, but believe me, he doesn't mean it. You may have to disappear for a bit, but he will always come after you. So, it always works out in the end, mostly because you realize that if he really hated traveling with you, he'd either ignore you or kill you, and also, because you know that he is, in his own way, sincerely apologetic for his behavior.” A pause, then she continued seriously, “Plus there`s just…something about him that makes you want to be by his side, no matter what happens.” Kagome ended her musings by smiling tenderly up into the sky.

 

“Oh,” was all Iza could say after that heartfelt conclusion. Kagome had just explained Inuyasha's actions with such compassion and understanding that anyone with a heart couldn't help but admire her. One could also comprehend why Kagome had stayed by the surly inu-hanyou for this long and taken all the abuse (not that she didn't give back as well as she got) that he unwittingly dished out for her.

 

Iza sighed and spoke plainly, “You must love him very much.”

 

Kagome shut her eyes against the glare of the sun and turned her face back towards Iza. Opening her eyes halfway, she said just as plainly, “Yes. I do.”

 

“And either he knows it and doesn't return your feelings or he's the densest man in the world.”

 

Kagome chuckled, “Yeah, it's one or the other. Personally I prefer the `densest man' theory,” Iza laughed with the miko. Kagome fetched another sigh, “But I can't help but worry if it's the first one.” She sat up. “However it is slightly more complicated than all that, but remind me to tell you the whole story later. For now,” she stood and pulled Iza up with her, “it is time for you to meet The Group.”

 

Kagome said this last part so ominously that Iza looked a little worried. Unfortunately, she didn't have the time or breath to object, as Kagome had grabbed her hand and was now dragging poor Iza along at high speed behind her.

 

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