Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Black Widow Miko ❯ Seeing,Telling, Feelings ( Chapter 3 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

am completely gratified and humbled by the response to this new story!! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for taking the time to read the product of an obsessed mind. Special thanks to those of you who have been able to leave a review behind to mark your passing through my twisted version of Takahashi and Togashi’s worlds -- you guys are the best! Responses to reviews will be at the end of the chapter.

DISCLAIMER: Though I may long for some of the brilliance, and revenue, accorded to the great Takahashi-san and Togashi-san, which they are rightfully credited with due to their stunning creations of “InuYasha” and “YuYu Hakusho,” I have to be content with pulling the strings and jerking their characters around like a mad puppeteer for my own amusement. *sigh*

talking
mental/telepathic conversation - “Hiei” “Kurama” “Youko”
(thoughts to self)

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Last time:

“Crap! Just what we don’t need! No one knows they’re in the Ningenkai yet, do they?” Yusuke ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

“Um, no. There hasn’t even been a whisper about their whereabouts yet, as far as we know. But, um, … one of the youkai who swore out the original complaint against the miko is the current Princess of the Northern Lands, Ayame, so, … well, Lord Koenma is expecting a visit from her any day now.” She stood there and looked at them, and then back down at her feet.

“Is there something else you wish to tell us, Botan?” Kurama asked her politely.

“Well, Lord Koenma already received one visitor this evening asking about them,” she said nervously.

“Who?”

“Lord Yemon of the Northern lands. He wants to know where the miko is because he wants to take her as his mate.”
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“Is he out of his freaking mind?!!?” Yusuke yelled, breaking the stunned silence that had followed Botan’s announcement. “He wants to take her as his mate, knowing she probably killed three mates already?!!? That’s insane!”

“Well, that would solve the problem of her son’s claims. Just let her mate with all the current Lords and when she kills them, her sons will inherit their lands back,” Hiei commented blandly.

“Hiei, I know you’re kidding, but that isn’t funny,” Botan scolded him.

“What makes you think I’m not serious?”

“Did he give Koenma a reason for wanting to pursue her as a mate?” Kurama wanted to know.

“Hai. He knew her when she was mated to Lord Kouga. He says she is powerful, beautiful, and charming. But most of all, …” Botan’s cheeks turned an alarming shade of red, “he says she is obviously extremely fertile and bears strong, healthy sons.”

Kuwabara started choking.

“He wants to take a mate just so he can have lots of sons?” Yusuke asked in disbelief.

“What other reason is there to take a mate?” Hiei asked him.

“Because you want to be with someone you love. To spend time with them, to know they’re there when you need them, to be there when they need you, to enjoy building a life together …” Kuwabara lectured him.

Hiei rolled his eyes at him. “If I hadn’t seen you train and fight without your shirt before, I might mistake you for a female, -- albeit an exceedingly ugly one.”

“Why, you little …!”

“Ahem. Can we focus on the problem at hand?” Kurama called their attention back to him. “And what does Koenma intend to do about Lord Yemon’s request? Surely he didn’t tell him where she is?”

“No, he didn’t. But, he had to promise to let him see her in a few weeks. During that time, he wants you two to try to capture her affections,” Botan pointed to Yusuke and Kurama, “so she will turn Lord Yemon down. If not, you at least have to interfere with his courting her, because she can’t be allowed to mate with any high-ranking leaders until the matter of her guilt or innocence is cleared up.”

“Why doesn’t Koenma just tell her that?” Yusuke asked.

“Well, because he can’t really enforce it. I mean, how is he supposed to keep her from … you know, if she wants to? He can’t exactly lock her into a chastity belt.” Botan said, still blushing.

Kurama chuckled a bit. “Indeed.”

“Now that is one treasure it would be a shame to keep locked away, like that damn dog tried to do.”

“You’re talking about Lord Sesshoumaru?”

“Hn. It sounds like you are more interested in spiting the memory of her dead mate than in actually bedding the onna yourself.”

“I won’t deny that having something that arrogant jackass tried to keep away from me is part of the appeal of this assignment.”

“Even after all this time, I am still surprised at what motivates you sometimes.”

“Arigatou.”

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

“So, you’re saying that in addition to babysitting, and investigating three murders that took place 500 years ago, we’re supposed to censor who she sleeps with?” Yusuke asked, staring at Botan in disbelief. “You know, I think I’m beginning to agree with Hiei -- let’s just let her mate with Lord Yemon and see if she kills him. It would make things a lot easier.”

Hiei smirked.

“Well, I really need to get back. Lord Koenma fired half the staff over the lack of information they had on the whole affair. I’ll bring you any other information they dig up.” And Botan waved and left.

“I think I’m going on to bed. This whole thing is just too unbelievable for words.”

“Yusuke, don’t you think we should look through the files Botan brought us?” Kurama said, pointing to the stack on the pool table.

Yusuke just grinned at him. “I know how much you and Hiei love to do that kind of stuff -- you can fill me in on anything you find out in the morning. Good night.”

“I think I’ll turn in, too.” And Kuwabara got up and followed Yusuke out of the room.

So, after glaring at their backs, Kurama and Hiei split up the files and sat down to read them.
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The next morning, Yusuke and Kuwabara wandered outside to find the others after having a late breakfast. Kagome had been kind enough to ask the small staff Jaken had hired to prepare them something whenever they got up. Fortunately for the late-risers, the four youkai were staying in a house somewhere in the woods on the estate, and they always arrived at the crack of dawn and didn’t leave until after the evening meal. She and her sons had headed out to begin training at 5:30 a.m. with Shippou, Ginta, and Hakkaku. Kurama and Hiei had followed, interested to see what their routine was.

They began with a half hour of meditation, then a 5-mile run. Kurama had been especially intrigued when he saw Kagome and the boys were wearing what appeared to be Tai Chi-style uniforms, -- hip-length tunics with mandarin collars and frog buttons across the chest, and flowing, yet still close-fitting trousers that were gathered at the waist and ankles, -- but the cut was more reminiscent of the Shaolin tradition. The boys’ were in their House colors again, and Kagome’s was solid white. As far as he knew, none of them had traveled to China, but then again, there was a lot they didn’t know about them. He also noted approvingly that she had her hair pulled back out of her way in an attractive twisting braid that swung gracefully down her back, the end resting against the curve of her buttocks. He believed the woman took her sons’ training seriously.

When they returned to the open field where they had meditated, Kagome led them through what looked like Tai Chi Ch’uan forms, which Kurama had seen before, though they were slightly altered. The subtle and intricate movements emphasized and showcased the young widow’s natural sense of rhythm and grace. Hiei had snorted as Kurama had explained the principles behind the ‘soft, internal martial arts,’ scoffing at the ningen’s need to classify and differentiate whole styles according to the use of blunt force and counter-force as opposed to letting your opponent expend his force and either avoiding or redirecting it -- it seemed obvious to him that both were necessary to survive. Leave it to ningen to foolishly focus on one, and the lesser one, at that.

Youko had studied many forms of both Japanese and Chinese martial arts in his lifetime, and while the style they were practicing looked familiar, there were notable differences. He wondered who they had studied with, and he had to confess, he was a little surprised to see the young male youkai use a soft style, too. It seemed at odds with what he knew about their heritage and their fathers, who he believed would have taken a more direct approach in their fighting styles. Then again, Kagome was the one who had primarily raised them.

After they had finished, Daitano and Sassouta headed to the dojo with Ginta, Hakkaku, and Shippou, while Kagome and Eishumaru prepared for a little target practice. Hiei followed the others to get a good look at their fighting styles, while Kurama stayed in the field. He was impressed with the strength and accuracy of Kagome’s Hama no Ya, and he would have worried about that level of power being detected and drawing youkai to them if he hadn’t noticed that the entire estate appeared to be enclosed in an invisible barrier. Eishumaru quickly captured his attention when he saw that he was practicing with some form of energy whip that he summoned from his claws. He was fairly accurate with it, but seemed to have to focus an awful lot of his concentration into controlling it even though he was standing still. Kurama doubted he could effectively use it in combat yet. To his surprise, that was exactly what Kagome said to him. Then she surprised him further when she told her son he needed to practice with a moving target, -- and she began to circle him.

At first, he was a bit alarmed that she would present herself as the target, then he realized she had summoned a close-fitting barrier around herself. Reassured that she wouldn’t be hurt, he settled in to watch. Without a break, they spent the next two hours in the macabre dance they were performing. As Kagome ducked, dodged, and otherwise evaded strike after strike, he finally recognized her style and his eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in thought.

“Hiei, you should come see this.”

A moment later, Hiei appeared beside him. After watching them for a few minutes, he turned to Kurama with a questioning look on his face.

“She is a snake.”

“Meaning …?”

“She is a snake stylist in Shaolin kung fu. After seeing her celestial powers over the earth, it makes perfect sense -- there are the 5 animals of Chinese martial arts, which represent 5 elements: the tiger is fire, the crane is metal, the dragon is water, the leopard is wood, and the snake is earth. See how grounded her footing is? Yet her stances are very fluid, allowing her to maximize the whipping power which travels up her spine into any of her movements and direct it to her fingers. Do you see how she is holding her hands? They are like a snake’s head. I’m sure you have noted the fact that she isn’t blocking his attacks, she is deftly evading them.”

“Hn. It looks like an effective method for training purposes, and she is certainly adept enough to use it if she is in a defensive position, -- it seems well-suited for a female, especially such a small one, if she can’t fight. But what about it captures your interest so?”

“You are correct about the intrinsic defensive nature of this style. A snake is never supposed to be the attacker. But, when they do strike, they only strike once, and only when they know they will have a 99.99% success rate, and that no other effort will be needed. They focus on the weakest points of the body, and apply the Black Touch, which will incapacitate their opponent by maiming them or rendering them unconscious.” He paused and turned to Hiei to emphasize what he was telling him. “There is a forbidden technique that hasn’t been taught for centuries, but I wonder if she knows it. It’s called the Death Touch.”

“You are thinking about what the new files said about her third mate, Kouga, -- that one of the servants said there were no marks on his body to account for his death.”

“Hai. We need to find out when she learned this method of kung fu.”

“What the fuck is she doing?!!?” Yusuke yelled as he and Kuwabara came running into the field.

“Relax, Yusuke. She has a barrier around herself,” Kurama told him calmly.

After watching them for a few minutes, Yusuke couldn’t help but comment, “You know, if she wasn’t dodging deadly blows, I’d be tossing money at her feet because the way she’s moving is like the most erotic dance I’ve ever seen. It’s almost hypnotizing.”

As the slight scent of arousal tinged the air, Hiei rolled his eyes. “Your interest is noted, detective.”

“The toushin has a point. That style is perfectly suited to her -- not only is her opponent expending his force to no avail, but many males could become distracted while facing her, thereby providing the opening she is waiting for.”

“Hai. His use of the word ‘hypnotizing’ was particularly apt since the snake style is usually patterned after the cobra, whose swaying motion has been thought to be a method of practically putting its enemy in a trance as a way to incapacitate it.”

“And she does look damn good doing it. I’d like to see her move like that in our bed.”

“At least you won’t have to worry about your mother not being able to identify your corpse since her method doesn’t leave any marks.”

And they all four watched as she continued to evade Eishumaru’s strikes for another half hour before the others joined them.

“How long have they been at it?” Sassouta wanted to know.

“About 2 hours and 45 minutes.”

“Then kaa-san’s good for about another 45 minutes before she gets too tired and he finally hits her,” the youngest son said.

“Seriously?” Kuwabara asked. “She’s been dodging his attacks for that long without him hitting her yet?”

“I don’t think she’s going to make it for another 45 minutes,” Kurama said, assessing the male youkai’s moves. “I believe Eishumaru has come up with a strategy. He has been calculating his reach and reading her movements intently for the past 20 minutes. I think he is driving her where he wants her.”

Sure enough, in just a matter of minutes a loud crack sounded throughout the field as the whip made contact with Kagome’s barrier. “Excellent!” her voice rang out. She dropped her barrier and stepped up to her son, embracing him in congratulations, and causing a slight blush to tinge his cheeks. “That was precisely the calculated type of move your father would have made.”

“Only he would have done it 2 and a half hours ago,” Daitano said.

“Daitano, I am certain that he was just learning when he was Eishumaru’s age, too. And he had the advantage of his father’s training, while Eishu has had to figure it out for himself since we never found someone adept enough with the whip to teach him,” his mother rebuked him gently.

“Excuse me, but if you wouldn’t mind, I would be happy to work with him while we are here,” Kurama spoke up, flashing a lazy smile at her.

“Really? You are proficient with the whip?” she asked him eagerly as she approached the detectives.

“Hai.” And he stepped further into the field and demonstrated his prowess with the Rose Whip, quickly and accurately hitting all of the surrounding targets seemingly effortlessly with a minimum of movement.

Kagome clapped her hands. “That’s wonderful! Arigatou gozaimasu. We would be delighted to take advantage of your kind offer,” she said with a slight bow.

The avatar smoothly returned to her side and reached out and took her hand in his, bringing it to his lips. “It would be my pleasure to serve you in any way I can,” he purred.

“Oh!” Kagome couldn’t disguise her startled response to his actions and words, and a light blush stained her cheeks attractively, causing a wide grin to slowly spread across Kurama’s face, and a scowl to gather on Daitano and Shippou’s.

Seeing his chance to make a good impression on her, Yusuke also volunteered his services. “Hey, yeah! And Kuwabara and I could help them with their hand-to-hand skills -- we’re the best street fighters around,” he said proudly.

Kagome turned to him with her eyes sparkling in a way that almost took his breath away. “Would you really be willing to do that? We would be most grateful.”

He waved her thanks aside with a cocky grin. “Sure, why not? We need to keep in practice anyway.”

Then Kuwabara chimed in with “And Hiei could help them with their swordswork -- I can spar with them a little, but I don’t have any real technique like he does.” The apparition glared at him.

Seeing his look, Kagome said, “That would be nice, as well, but perhaps Hiei-san will be occupied with other matters. I’m sure you all have other things you will want and need to attend to -- please do not feel obliged to exert yourselves on our behalf. I’m sure we will be able to find someone to take on the task.”

Still glaring at Kuwabara, the fire demon curtly replied, “I will work with them if they are willing to learn kenjutsu, instead of the simple battojutsu they must have learned from Ikiji -- while it may have sufficed in the Sengoku Jidai, it will not be enough if they have to fight to reclaim their lands.”

“And who was your sensei?” Shippou asked.

“Shigure.”

“The surgeon who stood with Lord Mukuro? He’s dead, isn’t he?” the kitsune continued to pry.

“Hai.”

“Actually, Hiei killed him. Then he was revived, and later Kurama had to kill him,” Yusuke told them.

Kagome blinked at that, but made no comment. “Well, … if you are sure you don’t mind, arigatou gozaimasu.” She bowed slightly to each of them again. “I think we will go in now to clean up before lunch. Afterwards, we will go into Tokyo.” She smiled. “It’s time my sons met their obaa-san.”

“Do you think she will make some of those cookies Shippou says you used to bring back for him?” Sassouta asked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they walked back to the house.

Kurama managed to separate Ginta and Hakkaku from the others as they walked, to try to find out more about Kouga, since they had received a little more information about his death. Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara trailed along behind them, listening intently. “I take it Sassouta looks like his father, since I know Eishumaru greatly resembles his.”

“Oh, hai,” Ginta said with a smile. “And Daitano is the spitting image of Inuyasha, too.”

“You knew all three Taiyoukai?” Yusuke asked in surprise.

“Of course. After all, we were all involved in the Great Quest. We didn’t spend much time around Lord Sesshoumaru, but Kouga and Inuyasha used to fight over Kagome all the time,” Hakakku laughed.

“Hai. They had it out for each other ever since Kouga kidnapped her,” Ginta agreed. “She really captured Kouga’s attention right from the start, when she slapped him, -- I thought he was gonna throw her right off the cliff for sure. Instead, he decided to make her his woman.”

“The only problem was, Inuyasha wasn’t about to let him have her, even though he refused to claim her himself. Of course, we all knew she was in love with him.” Hakakku and Ginta both nodded to each other.

“You’re saying Kouga was the first one to claim her, but he was her third mate?” Yusuke was completely confused.

“Hai. Oh, but don’t get the idea that she was leading Kouga on or anything. She was always very nice and kind, but she told him time after time that she didn’t feel that way about him. But he never gave up, and in the end he was finally able to take her as his mate. He would have taken her after Inuyasha died, but Lord Sesshoumaru said it was his duty as the head of the family to take in his brother’s widow,” Hakakku explained.

“Excuse me, are you saying that Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were brothers? I thought Inuyasha was a hanyou?” Kurama asked, trying to put all the pieces together.

“He was. But he and Lord Sesshoumaru shared a father -- the Great Dog General -- only Inuyasha’s mother was a ningen hime. It wasn’t until near the end of the quest that they resolved their differences and stopped trying to kill each other.” Ginta shivered. “That Lord Sesshoumaru was as scary as Naraku -- maybe scarier.”

“These two are a font of information. Ask them more questions.”

But Shippou called for them to hurry up, and the two wolves smiled and took off.

“Did you guys catch all that? Two of her mates were brothers. Why isn’t that in the files?” Yusuke fumed.

“And that Kouga kidnapped her? And they thought he would throw her off a cliff -- I can’t believe she ended up mated to him,” Kuwabara said, shaking his head.

“What has you thinking so hard, fox?” Hiei asked.

“The fact that while everyone says she loved her first mate, it seems apparent she did not feel that way about the other two. She had turned Kouga down repeatedly, and Sesshoumaru took her in out of a sense of duty. Perhaps she killed them just to be free of them.”

“Hmph. He may have said he took her in because it was his duty, but I’m telling you, Sesshoumaru sure acted like he cared for her.”

“She was carrying his heir. Maybe he was just being protective of her because of that.”

“No, you didn’t see the way he looked at her.”

“It doesn’t matter how he felt about her -- what matters is that she killed him.”

“I agree.”

“Are we all going to the shrine with them?” Kuwabara asked.

“Hell, yes! Didn’t you hear Sassouta ask about cookies?”
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As they reached the bottom of the steps to the shrine, Kagome stopped, and just stood there for several minutes. Her sons looked down at her in concern. “If you would rather come back another time, it’s okay, kaa-san,” Sassouta told her quietly.

“No,” she said softly, “gomen, … I’m just nervous. It’s been so long …”

“Not to them. From what you have said, they are probably just starting to get worried about you now. It would be better to relieve their fears now, wouldn’t it?” Eishumaru pointed out gently.

She smiled and reached up and he leaned down slightly so she could touch his cheek. “You’re right. Come on, let’s go.”

The detectives watched as they began to climb the stairs. The three boys were dressed casually in blue jeans. Daitano had on a white t-shirt that said “I AM the Top Dog Around Here,” while Eishumaru was wearing a plain, black muscle shirt, and Sassouta’s light blue t-shirt read, “Keep Staring! I May Do a Trick.” Around their necks, each wore the pink jewel shard their retainers had placed there, only now they were strung onto leather strips and were surrounded by black beads and bits of bone. Shippou was wearing a pair of tan slacks with a white polo shirt. He was walking on one side of Kagome while Sassouta was on the other, with the other two brothers directly behind them.

Kagome looked extremely small and fragile surrounded by so many tall males. She had agonized over what to wear. She had started to put on one of her more formal kimonos, then decided she should go with modern clothing. At first, she had donned a solid black suit, complete with black stockings and a single strand of pearls, -- looking for all the world like a new widow attending her husband’s funeral. Shippou had convinced her that seeing her dressed like that would startle her mother. So Kagome had changed into a solid white suit. Like the others, this one was simply tailored and flattered her figure, -- the only real differences being the skirt hit right above the knee, and the lacey white blouse she wore under the jacket had a vee-neck that showed the barest hint of cleavage. She was also wearing the pink jewel shard Shippou had placed around her neck, but it dangled elegantly from a fine gold chain.

Yusuke grumbled a bit about the stairs, but he was thankful there weren’t as many as at Genkai’s. When they reached the top, they all looked around a bit. “So, this is the Goshinboku Shrine,” Kurama said as he moved up closer to Kagome.

“Actually, it’s really the Higure Shrine, hence my family’s name: Higurashi. My family have been the caretakers here for generations. It’s just that most people come here to see the Goshinboku, so that’s how it is more popularly known.” She walked over to the huge tree that had what appeared to be hundreds of omikuji tied to its lower branches, and placed a hand on the bark and closed her eyes. Kurama could swear he heard the tree sigh with pleasure.

Daitano stepped up beside her and placed his hand higher up, his fingers barely touching an old wound in the great tree. “You can still see where otou-san was sealed, even after all these years,” he remarked quietly. He looked around at the shrine grounds. “It is amazing that this is the same place you used to bring me. The forest is practically gone. You had told us of the many differences between your time and ours, so we have not been completely lost amongst the many gadgets that fill the house we are living in. And Shippou has been good enough to show us what we need to know so far, and obviously much of the progress is convenient, but I have to confess that I will miss the lifestyle of our time. Yet as difficult as it may be for us to adjust to being here, you grew up here -- with all these things, and so little contact with the natural world, -- I never realized it before, okaa-san, but it must have been even more difficult for you, especially as a ningen, to adjust to living in our time.”

She tilted her head to the side consideringly and smiled at him. “Hai, it was difficult. I didn’t know how very spoiled I was. And for the two years of the quest, I must confess I relied heavily on my visits back here, where I indulged myself with hot running water, convenience foods and snacks, and other things. But when the well sealed and I could no longer pass through, I realized the only things I truly missed from here were my family.” Then her eyes brightened and her smile grew, captivating the males who were watching her and listening to her conversation with her son. “Fortunately, I was blessed with family in that time, too. Now, shall we go in?” He nodded at her and she took his arm.

“We will wait out here so you can have some private time with your family,” Kurama told her.

“Arigatou gozaimasu. But I will send one of the boys to get you in a little while so I can introduce you, all right?”

And she and her sons and Shippou went into the house.

“I don’t care what you guys say. She didn’t kill anyone.” Kuwabara glared at them and pointed at the house. “That lady is just too kind and gentle to do something like that.”

“You are letting yourself be fooled by her frail appearance and soft words. Wake up, you baka. She is not some weak, ningen onna in need of your defense and protection.”

“Yeah, well, you all haven’t found any proof that she did anything yet.”

“Of course, we have just begun to uncover some of the facts, but you have to confess, it doesn’t sound good for her, -- her powers and abilities, and the circumstances of her matings are very suspicious,” Kurama prodded him. He saw Hiei heading to the side of the house. “Where are you going?”

“To hear what she tells her family.” And masking his scent and aura, he jumped into a tree near an open window.
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When Kagome had opened the door and walked in, removing her shoes and setting them just inside, she called out hesitantly, “Kaa-chan?”

Her mother looked around the corner from the kitchen. “Kagome! I’m so glad you’re back!” And she came up and hugged her. “You were gone a long time this time.”

“Longer than you know,” she replied softly, reveling her mother’s embrace.

Looking behind her daughter, she saw several young men waiting patiently just inside the door, but she only recognized one of them. “Come on in, Inuyasha,” she beckoned with a wave of her hand. As he stepped towards her, she wondered briefly why he was in regular clothing until she noticed he didn’t have his fuzzy little dog ears.

“Kaa-chan, this is Daitano,” Kagome said reaching out and touching his arm. “He’s Inuyasha’s son, … and mine.”

Her mother looked back and forth between them for a minute, then stared at Kagome. There was something … different about her. It took her a moment to understand what she was saying, then a tear slowly rolled down her cheek. “You got stuck on the other side of the well, didn’t you?” she whispered. At her daughter’s nod, she hugged her again, this time holding her tighter. After another minute had passed, she reached out and hugged Daitano. “I have a grandson.”

Now standing behind her, Kagome chuckled a bit. “Actually, … you have three.”

Looking back over her shoulder at her, her mother’s eyes grew wide, then she turned back to the other young men standing behind Daitano. She backed up and Kagome led her into the living room so they could all stand there together. Indicating the tallest boy, who also resembled Inuyasha a bit, but had short silver hair and slightly finer features, Kagome introduced him, “This is Eishumaru,” and then she pointed to the dark-haired boy, “and Sassouta.” After her mother had hugged each of them in turn, Kagome pulled the last boy forward, only he was more of a man than a boy. He was taller than Daitano and Sassouta, and he had long, red hair, which was tied back at the nape of his neck. He was slim, but obviously solidly-muscled, and his green eyes sparkled, enhancing his good looks.

Putting two and two together, Mrs. Higurashi said, “And you must be Shippou. Kagome spoke of you often.”

As she hugged him, too, he chuckled. “Finally I can thank you for all of the wonderful treats you used to send to me.”

“It was my pleasure,” she said, wiping her eyes. “Gomen nasai, I am just a little overwhelmed.”

Kagome sat down and patted the couch beside her. “I have so much to tell you. Are Jii-chan and Souta here? It will be easier if I only have to explain things once.”

“Hai, of course. They are out cleaning up the haiden. I’ll get them.”

“I’ll start some tea,” Kagome said, as she stood up and headed for the kitchen. “Oh! And there are 4, um, men outside. They’re … friends of ours.” Daitano snorted at that.

“Then make plenty of tea, dear. And there are cookies on the counter.” Then Mrs. Higurashi went outside. Spotting 3 of the detectives near the Goshinboku, she walked over and introduced herself and invited them in for tea, which they politely accepted. She sent them on into the house while she went to prepare her father-in-law and Souta for the surprises that awaited them inside.

As Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara got to the door, they were a little surprised when Hiei joined them. “Hn. She already told her mother she had four friends waiting outside. It would be suspicious if only the three of you went in.”

When they entered, Kagome took them into the kitchen and poured them some tea and set out some cookies. “Would you mind sitting in here for a bit while I fill them in on what has happened?”

“Not at all,” Kurama assured her. But Kagome knew they would be listening to every word she said. And while no one had said anything, she knew they were suspicious of her. Frankly, she was surprised Lord Koenma hadn’t sat her down and subjected her to the third degree back in Kakuremichi. She had half-expected him to lock her up in the Reikai. And she just assumed their “bodyguards” would be on the lookout for any indication of guilt on her part. Three Taiyoukai don’t just die under mysterious circumstances without someone having to pay, and she knew she had enemies who would have run to the Reikai demanding her blood as soon as it had been set up as the realm with authority and jurisdiction over crimes in the Makai. And honestly, she yearned for the truth to be discovered, -- she knew she needed to put that part of her life behind her, but she was afraid of what the consequences of an investigation might be. Hell, 500 years had passed, -- who was to say what could be discovered after all this time? She had to make sure her sons were settled first. Then, maybe, she could lay her personal ghosts to rest. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her shoulders and joined her family in the living room.

After many more hugs were exchanged and a few tears shed, she turned to her mother, who was sitting beside her. She knew what she was wondering. “We did defeat Naraku and complete the Shikon no Tama. It was a fierce battle, and there were many injuries, but we were successful.”

“And did you wish on the jewel?” her grandfather wanted to know.

“Hai. We wished for the souls inside it to be at peace. The Shikon no Tama is no more. All that is left are these four shards,” she lifted up her necklace and indicated the ones around her sons’ necks. “Since it had served as a receptacle for the souls of Midoriko and the youkai she fought, when we had to go into hiding, I split the jewel to store some of our ki in to help revive us when the time came. But, I am getting ahead of myself,” she said at their confused looks.

“During the quest and the battle, Inuyasha and Kouga steadily grew stronger and more powerful. When it was all over, they each had a purple kaikyuushou stripe adorning their cheeks. Sesshoumaru confirmed that this was the outward symbol that they had reached a level which made them Taiyoukai. This was also communicated to me when my soul ascended.” She held up her hands to stave off their questions. “I … died from my injuries. But for some reason, my soul ascended and I was returned as a celestial representative on the earth. I was told that there was talk among the kami of splitting the world into three realms -- the Ningenkai, the Makai, and the Reikai. As a ningen, a miko, a celestial being, and the future mate and mother of youkai, I was told I would serve as a bridge between the three realms. Inuyasha was given dominion over the Eastern lands, and Kouga’s rule was extended to cover the entire Northern lands, instead of merely his pack.”

Her grandfather interrupted, “They are full youkai, then?” He pointed to his great-grandsons. “Because you are not ningen anymore? Inuyasha’s youkai blood must be very strong, indeed.”

“Hey, yeah! Where is Inuyasha?” Souta asked, looking around.

Kagome’s mother reached over and squeezed her hand. She had already deduced that Inuyasha must be dead.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kagome smiled, even though her eyes were bright with unshed tears. “Hai. His youkai blood was very strong, and I don’t know if it was my miko powers or my celestial powers, but I think they somehow acted as a filter to allow our son to be born a full youkai.” She paused here and kept her eyes glued to her mother’s. “Unfortunately, Inuyasha died before Daitano was born.”

“I’m so sorry, dear,” her mother comforted her. “I know how much you loved him, and how much he loved you. We will miss him.”

They all sat there silently for a little while before her jii-chan spoke up again. “If Inuyasha died before Daitano was born, then who fathered your other sons?” he demanded. Her mother had been wondering that, too, but had wanted to let Kagome tell them in her own time.

“I was very blessed to be able to find love again, not just once, but twice more. Eishumaru’s father is Sesshoumaru.”

“What?!!?” Souta yelled. “You married Inuyasha’s brother -- the one that tried to kill you?!!?” he asked incredulously. That grabbed the attention of the eavesdroppers in the kitchen.

“Um, hai. That was before he and Inuyasha resolved their differences. He had been helping us for some time before the final battle. I’m sure I told you that.”

Souta looked around a little sheepishly, especially at Eishumaru. “Well, … yeah. Gomen. I just never expected you to end up married to him.”

Kagome laughed. “Neither did I. He took me as his mate when Inuyasha died, and much to everyone’s surprise, including ours, we fell in love. I wish you could have met him. He was … truly wonderful.” A small smile appeared as her eyes took on a faraway look. She mentally shook herself, then continued. “Then, … he was killed. I barely had time to think before Kouga came for me. I know you would have liked him -- he reminded me of the stories you used to tell me about otou-san. He was dashing and charming, and very easy to love,” she grinned.

Her mother squeezed her hand again and asked gently, “And he is dead, too?” The smile vanished, and she saw that her daughter was blinking rapidly, and struggling not to cry. She stood up and took her hand, “Please excuse us.” And she led Kagome back outside, where she placed an arm around her shoulders as they walked over to the Goshinboku. Then she put both of her arms around her daughter and said, “My poor sweetheart. To lose three mates.” And she just stood there and held her while she cried. After a few minutes, she told her, “You know, you are far stronger than I ever was. After your father died, I wasn’t brave enough to risk that kind of pain again, so I never let myself love anyone else. But you were able to open your heart again and now you have three fine, strong sons.”

“I know, and I don’t regret loving any of them. But, I understand how you felt about otou-san. I have lived 112 years since Kouga died, and I may live for thousands more, but I will never take another mate. I … can’t. I couldn’t bear to lose someone like that again, and …” her voice lowered to a whisper, “I won’t be responsible for another death.”

“Honey, it’s not your fault your mates died. You were living in dangerous times, fighting dangerous enemies. I know all three of them were strong and powerful warriors, but no one is completely invulnerable.”

Kagome turned away from her. She ran her fingers lightly along the bark of the Goshinboku. Her voice still barely a whisper, she said, “True. And their greatest weakness was … me.” She took a deep breath, and turned back around, giving her mother a shaky smile. “We should go back in. There is so much more to tell, but for today, I think I would like to just enjoy visiting with you and jii-chan and Souta.”

“Visiting? You are staying somewhere else?”

“Hai. On an estate outside of town. The boys have to train hard so they can reclaim their lands, which are now in the Makai. And, it isn’t … safe for them there until they do. It may not be completely safe for them here, either, -- that is why the other four are with us. The Reikai has sent them as protection.”

“I wondered where and how you had met them. Are they youkai?”

“Three of them are, though one of them is an avatar, and another one is Raizen’s heir, so he basically grew up as a ningen. Oh! Do you think jii-chan could find that scroll with Raizen’s story on it? I told Yusuke I’d ask if he could borrow it.”

“I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. And the fourth one from the Reikai is a human?”

“Hai. But he has a high spiritual awareness and some spiritual powers. They work together to protect the Ningenkai from rogue youkai who manage to get through the barriers.”

“That explains why you and Inuyasha never sensed many youkai in our time, doesn’t it?” She paused a moment. “You know, this is an awful lot to take in. Just a little over two months ago, my 17-year-old daughter jumped down a well. Now, she is back, and she has lived through hundreds of years, mated and lost three husbands, and introduced me to my three grandsons, who appear to be Souta’s age or older. Yet, she doesn’t look much older than when she left.” She sighed. “And I didn’t get to spoil any of my grandchildren when they were babies.”

This time, Kagome put her arm around her mother. “I know. It seems unbelievable, doesn’t it? But, if it makes you feel any better, your daughter is only 134 years old,” she giggled. “We went into hiding for the last 400 years, when the barriers were about to be formed. Midoriko allowed me to cast a spell to turn us to stone in a safe place. Shippou and some other friends just revived us about 5 days ago. I have to confess, I had hoped the situation in the Makai would be favorable for my sons after 400 years, but I really chose this time so I could see you again. I didn’t want you to worry about what had happened to me.” She smiled brightly then. “I had a really good life during the two months I was gone.”

Mrs. Higurashi smiled back at her. “I’m glad.”

When Hiei rejoined the other detectives in the kitchen by coming back in through the window, he was frowning fiercely. “Did you find out anything?” Yusuke asked quietly.

“Hn. Did you expect her to confess to her mother that she killed her mates, detective?”

“Well, no. But it would have been nice.”

“I could not hear all that was said because I tried to stay far enough away that she wouldn’t sense me, but after her mother sympathized with her, she claimed she would never take another mate. Her mother seemed to think she felt guilty over their deaths and assured her it wasn’t her fault. But then, I think she knew I was there and she changed the subject and came back inside.”

“Well, if even her mother can tell she feels guilty, that’s good enough for me. Can we take her in to Koenma now?” Yusuke asked hopefully.

“Yusuke, that’s hardly a confession. It is definitely not the proof we need,” Kurama told him.

“Yeah. Just because she feels bad doesn’t mean she did it. And she definitely sounded like she did love all three of them after all. Hell! Maybe they were killed while they were protecting her or something,” Kuwabara insisted.

Kurama turned to him and gave him an appraising look. “That is an interesting theory, Kuwabara.”

“None of the servants in the Northern lands that Koenma had interviewed said anything about them being under attack,” Hiei pointed out. “If that were the case, his death would not be considered suspicious.”

Just then, a knock at the door drew everyone’s attention. When Souta answered it, Yusuke let out a groan upon hearing the visitor’s voice.

“Hello, Souta. Is your sister feeling well enough for visitors today?”

“Uh, I don’t know, …” the boy began, but Hojo spotted Kagome sitting on the couch and smiled as he stepped into the house.

“Higurashi-san! It’s so good to see you up and about,” he enthused.

Kagome was startled by his unexpected visit. “Hojo-kun! How … nice to see you,” she said as she stood up.

“I just wanted to see if you were feeling better and to drop off this basket of fruit,” he said, handing it to her. “The vitamins they contain are a natural remedy for many aches and illnesses.”

“Arigatou gozaimasu, Hojo-kun. It’s very thoughtful of you to come by to bring these to me,” she said graciously.

Hojo stared at her for a minute. “You are certainly looking well, Higurashi-san.” She smiled and bowed slightly in acknowledgement. Then he got a look at all the guys in the room. “You have company.”

“Hai, these are my …”

“Cousins,” her mother broke in. And she introduced each of them to Hojo, who bowed politely, even though Daitano and Shippou frowned at him, while Eishumaru and Sassouta looked mildly amused.

“It’s very nice to meet you. I don’t want to intrude on your family gathering. Would you mind if I spoke with Higurashi-san outside for just a minute?” he asked. At their nods of agreement, and not seeing Kagome’s slightly uncomfortable look, he took her hand to lead her out. But when he turned, he saw Yusuke leaning against the wall just outside of the kitchen. “Urameshi. What are you doing here?” he asked, the surprise evident in his voice.

Yusuke just grinned at him lazily. “The old man hired us to move some heavy boxes.” He gestured to the others still sitting at the kitchen table. Hojo recognized Kuwabara, but the other two were strangers. “So, this is your girlfriend, huh?” Yusuke was enjoying watching the prissy, know-it-all squirm, -- he never had liked him.

“Um, well, …” Hojo self-consciously scratched the back of his neck. While he had always kind of assumed they had a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, he realized nothing had ever actually been said between them. (Trust Keiko’s thug of a boyfriend to put me on the spot like this.)

Kagome felt sorry for Hojo. She had never seen him look so uncomfortable before. “We should go on out -- I don’t want to keep my family waiting too long, all right?” And the boy nodded, grateful that she had spoken up and broken the awkward moment.

“I’ll tell your cousin you said hi,” Yusuke called out after them.

“Yusuke, you shouldn’t have taunted him like that,” Kurama scolded.

“Yeah, well, the self-righteous prick had it coming. He thinks he knows everything about everything, and I told you how he’s always going on and on about his girlfriend, and she said she’s not. I couldn’t resist calling him on it.”

As Kagome and Hojo walked outside away from the house, he kept stealing surreptitious glances at her. There was something different about her. It had been a long time since he’d seen her last -- over two months, in fact. He had always thought she was really pretty, but as he looked at her now in the waning light, he thought she was stunningly beautiful. Her long, ebony hair was shiny, and it looked so silky he wanted to reach out and touch it. Her skin almost seemed to be glowing, and he wondered what it would feel like under his fingers, -- not that there was a lot of it showing. She was dressed very modestly. She seemed to carry herself differently, too. She moved with an unconscious grace that just highlighted her appeal. He would almost swear she was older than the 17 years he knew her to be. (Wait. I didn’t miss her birthday, did I?) Shaking his head slightly at the thought, he smiled at the evidence of her newly-discovered maturity. She would make an excellent wife, perhaps even sooner than he’d thought. But, first things first.

“I was hoping, if you were feeling well enough, that you might be able to accompany me to a party next weekend. Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi will be going, too.”

“Oh, Hojo-kun, gomen nasai. I don’t think I can do that.” She floundered around for a good reason before saying, “I will be going to stay with my cousins at their home for a while. They live outside of town, and the air is supposed to be good there for strengthening the respiratory system.”

He looked very disappointed, but shrugged good-naturedly. “Well, your health is more important. But if you should be back in town next Saturday, please call me. I will be happy to escort you.”

“Arigatou gozaimasu. But, perhaps you should make arrangements to go with Ayumi and the others,” she said gently, touching his arm.

He smiled at her. “Maybe I will offer them a ride. That way if you’re back, we can all go together.”

“That’s a good idea,” she nodded approvingly. She knew her friend Ayumi liked Hojo, and they had a lot in common. She couldn’t resist trying to nudge him in that direction.

A cool breeze blew some strands of her hair across her face, and Hojo reached out and tucked them behind her ear. “I’m glad you are feeling better, Higur … Kagome-chan,” he said softly. His change of address startled her, and she looked up at him in surprise. But before she could say anything, he had leaned down and covered her lips with his, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her close.

Too stunned to move for a minute, Kagome finally brought her hands up to push lightly on his chest. He let out a low moan and lifted his head slightly to look at her, -- too wrapped up in his own bliss to recognize the shock in her eyes. “You taste like … fresh strawberries.”

“Your … cousins are waiting for you,” a scornful voice came from behind her.

She spun around to see Hiei leaning against a tree with a bored look on his face. The color drained from her face and Hojo’s cheeks took on a pink hue. “I should go. Please call me when you can,” he said as he let go of her and nodded politely in Hiei’s direction. “I will stop back by from time to time, just in case you are visiting here. I hope to see you again soon.” And he walked off, feeling rather pleased with himself, leaving a horrified Kagome facing a rather contemptuous fire demon.

“I see you are wasting no time renewing old acquaintances.” And he turned and walked off back towards the house.

This time, he found the other detectives sitting in the living room, while Mrs. Higurashi was giving the others a tour of the upstairs, which included a look through some photo albums. They had found one in Kagome’s room that was full of pictures of her friends from the quest. Naturally, there were lots of Inuyasha and Shippou, but there were also a few of Kouga and even a couple of Sesshoumaru. Shippou was able to regale them with stories about when the photos had been taken. Daitano told his obaa-san that they had some paintings at the house that she would probably like to see. Each of their fathers had commissioned one of themselves with Kagome when they took her as their mate. He told her Sesshoumaru had even had two done while she was pregnant with Eishumaru, and one of them was of her and him as an infant. Her eyes lit up at the thought of seeing them, and she promised to come visit them in a few days.

When Kagome came into the house, Hiei just stared at her rudely, and she bit her bottom lip, while Kurama told her that her family was upstairs. After she had gone up to join them, he turned to Hiei. “What was that about?”

“Hn. So much for her vow of chastity. Our widow was in a rather passionate embrace with that ridiculous ningen when I found them outside.”

“What?!!?” Yusuke yelled. “Damn. I thought the idiot was making more of their relationship than it was.”

“Technically, she didn’t say she would remain celibate, -- just that she wouldn’t take another mate. You didn’t really expect a woman like that to keep to herself forever, did you?” Youko arched a brow and shook his head, making little ‘tsk, tsk’ sounds.

“I expected her to be a little more discreet, considering her situation. She knows we are suspicious of her. I think she is toying with us.”

“Really? She was really kissing him?” Kuwabara seemed stunned. “Are you sure? Because she told her sons he wasn’t her lover or boyfriend or anything, and I can’t imagine her lying to them.”

“I believe his exact words were that she tastes like fresh strawberries,” Hiei said with a sneer.

“Strawberries, huh?” Youko licked his lips. “I wouldn’t mind verifying that for myself.”

“Hn. If you are wanting to crawl into her bed, you may have to stand in line since it seems she already has lovers waiting for her.”

On the way back to the estate that night, Kagome noticed Kurama looking at her slyly every now and then, though he was as polite and charming as ever. Yusuke couldn’t quite hide the disgust that crept over his face when he thought she wasn’t looking. And Hiei made no secret of his contempt for her. All of their reactions hurt because it just wasn’t in her nature to ignore how others felt about her, even though she knew their feelings were unwarranted. But what hurt most of all was seeing the disappointment on Kuwabara’s face, -- as if she had somehow let him down. Although none of them had been overly friendly, and she knew of their suspicions, it was particularly painful knowing their current reactions were due to them thinking she had lied to her sons about her relationship with Hojo. And she knew that was what they were thinking. But to try to explain would only make things worse, so she kept silent, refusing to let them know she was affected by their opinions of her. She had learned to hide her feelings from the best: Sesshoumaru had often told her that her every emotion was written on her face, and he had worried that enemies would use them against her to hurt her where she was most vulnerable -- her tender heart. So he had patiently taught her how to school her features and control her breathing and pulse so no one would know when they had hit a sore spot. She just wasn’t always as successful at it as he was.

She deliberately pulled her thoughts away from the events of the evening and from the unsettling people surrounding her and focused on her sons. She didn’t know how much time they had until their presence became known, so they had to make the most of it. Tomorrow they would begin training with their bodyguards, and she would send Myouga to try to find her own sensei. She had every intention of fighting alongside her sons if necessary. With that thought in mind, she bid everyone goodnight as soon as they reached the house.
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During the next week, the Spirit Detectives found out just how serious the boys were about their training. They were up every morning and out in the field by 5:30 a.m., rain or shine. They would meditate, and run, then follow their mother’s lead in Tai Chi Ch’uan forms. Then they would spend the next 4 hours sparring. After a break for lunch, they would return to the field for more forms, followed by lessons in swordsmanship. When Kurama would take Eishumaru for some target practice and special lessons with the whip, Daitano would spend extra time with Hiei working on some more advanced kenjutsu, and Sassouta spent extra time working on his fighting style with Yusuke and Kuwabara. They usually continued until time for supper. While the detectives worked with the boys, Kagome would often workout with Shippou or Ginta and Hakkaku, or spend time in her office. In the evenings, she spent time with them and Jaken, finding out which of their former allies were still around in the Makai and which were most likely to support them. But she wouldn’t contact them yet. She didn’t dare. Hiei and Kurama were actually rather impressed when they had searched her office and found the map she had drawn of the Makai, carefully and accurately indicating where their sources of support and opposition likely were, along with the unknowns.

Kagome’s family came to visit one day, and Souta and her grandfather were mightily impressed with their obvious strength and powers when they watched them train. They had never really had the chance to see what Inuyasha was capable of. But seeing them spar, and witnessing Kagome shoot some Hama no Ya at targets just brought home to her mother the incredible dangers she had faced, and the fact that she and her grandsons would probably always face such dangers. Sensing her mother’s growing unease, Kagome released a small wave of her celestial energies to soothe her and restore her feelings of confidence. Then she took her into the house for some tea.

When the others came in, Eishumaru and Sassouta took Souta into the game room to play some video games, and Yusuke and Kuwabara decided to join them. Daitano and Shippou joined the women in the dining area, while Kurama politely listened to some of jii-chan’s tales, after he had handed the scroll with Raizen‘s story on it to Yusuke. Hiei just made himself scarce. And Ginta, Hakkaku, and Jaken gathered in Jaken’s office to talk over some business dealings they were involved in that had brought in a lot of revenue for their respective Houses. Based on Kagome’s knowledge of the future and her advice, they had been able to secret away enough money from each House and had invested it wisely through the years through contacts in the Ningenkai so that when the young heirs reclaimed their lands, they would be able to rule from a position of financial stability and prosperity.

When her family left to go home, Kagome joined Jaken and the wolves in Jaken’s office, where they talked until late in the night. After donning yet another long, white sleeping yukata and securely fastening the sash on the robe, she quietly left the house. Long after everyone else had gone to bed, a silent shadow followed her on what had become her nightly walk through the garden, watching her as she relived the past, sometimes taking comfort in her memories and sometimes returning to the house laden down with sorrow and regret. She knew he was there, but she didn’t ask him to join her like she had the first time, preferring to ignore the unsettling effect he had on her with his icy glares and barely-disguised hostility. She was troubled enough without adding a disturbing, elemental hybrid who was out for her neck into the mix. She sighed, and headed back to the house. Soon, it would be time to get up for the day’s training.

As the days went by with no further word from Koenma and no real suspicious activity from their suspect, Kuwabara and Yusuke began to come back around to a point where they weren’t so sure about her guilt. She continued to be kind and gracious to them, even when they had been rude, and she slowly began to win them over. Kuwabara even told the others that after he thought about it, he didn’t think it meant anything even if she had kissed Hojo after telling her sons they were just friends. After all, she had been gone for 500 years -- so any relationship they had had just didn’t have any bearing on what had happened to her mates, and she might just have been embarrassed to admit to her sons that she had had that kind of a relationship with someone besides their fathers. He could understand that. Besides, it wasn’t like she was seeing the guy or anything -- she could have just kissed him as a way of saying goodbye. Hiei just rolled his eyes and called him a baka.

As a few more days passed, Kuwabara drifted into an easy friendship with Kagome and all of their charges, convinced of her sincerity and unable to resist championing such a nice lady. Yusuke began to feel at ease enough with her to actually flirt a little, and often succeeded in making her giggle with his slightly perverted compliments, accompanied by winks and exaggerated brow waggling. She told him he reminded her of her friend Miroku, which often led to more stories of their adventures during their quest.

Kurama’s feelings about the whole situation began to change and he began to pursue her more intently. He knew that Koenma had promised to let Lord Yemon see her soon, and he agreed that she couldn’t be allowed to accept his offer. Unlike Kuwabara and Yusuke, he had not chalked Kagome’s “lie” up to embarrassment of letting her sons know she had had another lover. He knew very well that even Sassouta, who appeared to be 13, and was still a youngster at 113 by youkai standards, would not be embarrassed or think less of his mother for having a lover. Youkai were simply more open and understanding about their sexuality and natural urges -- whether they were kitsune or not. They knew their mother was a young and desirable woman, and they wouldn’t expect her to live a celibate life whether she ever mated again or not.

And Hiei’s comment that she might be toying with them really got under his skin, pricking at his pride. He had picked up on the way she had carefully hidden her feelings from them, -- how could he not, when Youko was so damn good at it when he wanted to be? It just further convinced him that she had reason to hide them. Her sons might be brave and strong and honorable, but if they were ever going to be good leaders, they couldn’t stay under the influence of a greedy, manipulative, female. There was no way he was going to let her get away with murdering her mates, nor would he allow her the opportunity to do it again. Using beauty and sex to undermine the very males sworn to cherish and protect her was a despicable act of treachery. At first, Youko had gloated over the way the Great Sesshoumaru had been toppled by a slip of a female, but the more he thought about it, and the more he got to know Eishumaru through the time they spent training together, the more indignant he became that she had cheated him out of the chance to know his father. To think that such a powerful and wise tactician had been bested by his mate! She was clever, and beautiful, and deadly. And he would win this little cat-and-mouse game they were playing.

The avatar even agreed to let Youko take the lead in their seduction efforts, and the kitsune had lost no time, stalking her with the intensity of a predator after his favorite prey. He left behind the charming ways and pretty compliments and was concentrating on the outright seduction of her body with subtle and not-so-subtle touches and caresses. He grinned as he thought about the way she had shrugged off his first moves, thinking they were accidental and unintentional. But he knew she was beginning to realize now what he was doing. If she reached for something on a shelf, he was always right there behind her, pressed up against her as he also reached out to help her. If she bent down to pick something up, he would bend over her, forcing her to brush against him when she rose. Whenever they sat down to relax, he managed to find his way to one side of her or he would lean over the back of her chair, resting his forearms on it and letting his warm breath caress her ear, cheek, and neck as he spoke. So far, her responses had consisted of startled glances and suspicious looks, but she hadn’t pulled away from him or called him on his behavior. And she wouldn’t, either, because he knew she didn’t want to put her sons in the position of defending her honor. So, it was just a matter of time before she gave in.

As for Hiei, nothing much had changed since their visit to her family’s shrine, other than the fact that he was more irritated than he could remember being in his entire life. All because of that damn onna. Like Kurama, he was firmly convinced of her guilt. Unlike Kurama, he really couldn’t care less that she had killed her mates or that she might kill another one. It was their own damn fault if they were so foolish to fall for the wiles of a female so much that they let their guard down around her. Oh, he wanted to prove she was guilty, because that was the task he had been given, but he thought Koenma’s idea to keep her away from Lord Yemon, and possibly other high-ranking males by having Kurama and/or Yusuke seduce her was ridiculous. They should just lock her up in the Reikai and force a confession out of her. Why go to such lengths and use such sneaky tactics when a straight-out confrontation would be so much easier? And they might say they can’t dictate who she takes to her bed, but they could. Koenma was just too much of a weakling to use the force necessary to get the job done. And listening to the toushin’s comments about her figure, and her breasts, and her ass, and watching the fox graze his fingers up and down her arms, and rub his body against hers, and breathe on her neck was getting really sickening. It was ridiculous. And annoying. And so damn irritating that he wanted to just take them both out to that big field and run them through with his katana.

(Damn it!) He hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep since he had seen her in that damn ningen’s arms and heard the man moan about her tasting like strawberries. Ever since then, he had been tortured with thoughts and images of her spread out in his bed, and wrapped around his body, and moaning his name while he pounded her into the sheets and finally got rid of the damn tent that had taken up permanent residence in his pants, so he wouldn’t have to keep wearing his cloak every minute he wasn’t training with the others. He had even started making frequent visits to that frigid lake to relieve his problem. (Blasted onna!) He didn’t like her, and he sure as hell didn’t trust her, but what he hated most of all was that he couldn’t deny, -- at least not to himself, -- that he was seriously attracted to the lying, murdering, dangerous female. And he really didn’t like that.

So, to say that he was a bit irritable was a serious understatement. And he was taking it out on everyone with cutting remarks and deadly glares, which is why his teammates didn’t really notice that anything unusual was going on with him. But Daitano was starting to get irritated with his continued rudeness to his mother, and if he didn’t tone it down, he was going to find himself on the wrong side of an irate inuyoukai.


Usually, Daitano was the most composed and controlled of the three brothers, having modeled himself after the first father he had known, Sesshoumaru. But when he lost his temper, it was easy to see that he was Inuyasha’s son. And he was rapidly approaching that point with his new sensei. He could overlook a lot of things and focus on what he saw as his duty and responsibilities, which right now mainly consisted of improving his skills and becoming stronger. But disrespect to his mother was not something he was willing to overlook. Sensei or not, Reikai detective or not, they were going to have it out.

As soon as they had reached the dojo for their morning’s sparring, he gestured for the apparition to stay outside with him. They both stood there facing each other with their arms crossed over their chests for a few minutes before Daitano finally broke the silence, -- his words causing Hiei’s eyes to narrow dangerously. “You and your partners made no secret right from the beginning that you suspect my okaa-san murdered my otou-san and her other two mates. I could tell you you’re wrong, but I know my words won’t convince you. That’s fine. I know you are hoping to find some evidence that she did it so you can take her back to the Reikai to be locked up or executed. I don’t like that, but since I know you won’t find anything, I have ignored it and allowed you to continue your futile little investigation. But I won’t continue to ignore or tolerate your rudeness and blatant disrespect for her. You will …”

Just then an enormous outpouring of power washed over them, followed just seconds later by the unmistakable coppery tang of blood in the air. “Okaa-san!” And the inuyoukai took off in the direction of the open field.

“Fox! The miko’s blood is in the air,” Hiei communicated to his teammate before becoming little more than a black blur, as he took off in the direction Daitano had gone just as the doors to the dojo were thrown open and the males inside came racing out. Arriving at the edge of the field just ahead of Eishumaru, he saw an extremely tall male with a straw hat slung over his back, and Kagome’s limp body hanging over one shoulder, disappear into the forest on the other side. In the middle of the field, a small patch of grass and clover turned brown and withered before their eyes. Right next to it lay a short, double-edged sword.
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Hai - yes
Gomen nasai - “forgive me” -- a formal apology
Arigatou gozaimasu - a formal “thank you”
Hama no Ya - sacred arrows or arrows of exorcism
Kenjutsu - the art or science of the sword -- particularly referring to partnered sword training, usually consisting of pre-determined forms, called kata. Advanced students would increasingly graduate to higher degrees of freestyle practice.
Battojutsu - the art or science of drawing a sword -- the predominant style of swordsmanship during the Warring States Period, it also consists of kata training, but mainly focuses on stepping up to the enemy, drawing the sword, performing a few cuts, and sheathing your weapon again. (Very Sesshoumaru, I think, and he would have had special training, I assume.)
Omikuji - fortune telling paper slips found at shrines and temples -- they contain predictions ranging from dikichi (great good fortune) to daikyo (great bad luck). By tying the piece of paper around a tree’s branch, good fortune will come true, or bad fortune may be averted.
Haiden - the offering hall at a shrine -- this is where visitors come to pray and make offerings
Kaikyuushou - rank insignia -- I thought this term would be suitable for the unidentified stripes on the Taiyoukai’s faces that signify their status. I figure that Inuyasha and Kouga would have had one across each cheek since they had just reached that level of power. They would have to become even more powerful to gain more, like Sesshoumaru’s second one on his cheeks and the ones at his wrists -- remember, he’d been a Taiyoukai for centuries already. The new stripe he would have gained as a result of the Great Quest was probably somewhere only Kagome would get to see. Heh heh! (This is my story, so I’ll put ’em where I want ’em.)
Obaa-san - grandmother
Jii-chan - a less formal grandfather -- more like “gramps”
Otou-san - father
*A/N: You may have noticed Kagome’s sons each have a slightly different form of “mother” they use for her. I chose to have them use the different forms to demonstrate their ages and personalities more. Daitano’s “okaa-san” is more formal. Eishumaru’s “kaa-chan” indicates the closeness he feels to her and that he thinks they are more ‘equal‘ perhaps, due to his age. And Sassouta’s “kaa-san” is less formal than “okaa-san,” but I thought because of his age (being the youngest) he wouldn’t necessarily call her “kaa-chan” yet. There are many other similar words for mother in Japan, and actually, “mama” is becoming more popular there all the time. Those were just my thoughts behind that, in case you were wondering.

You reviewers are simply awesome!! Thanks so much your kind words, questions, and input!

SadBrokenWings - Thanks for the ego boost -- I’ll try hard not to let you down!
Miss Mischief - I’m glad you’ve enjoyed some of the details I’ve put in -- every time I look something up, I end up spending hours reading up on it and furiously scribbling notes. I hope you enjoyed some of the goodies in this chapter, too.
Sardave - Sometimes I can’t seem to turn the words off -- they just keep pouring out onto the computer screen. (Then I have to go back and delete whole scenes or pages because I rambled on too much.) I get so anxious to put it all down that I have to back up and slow it down. I’m biting my nails, too, because I never know how a chapter’s going to go over.
Selenity potter - Most of my chapter are decent-sized, I hope, and I try to get 1 out at least every 10 days or so, if I can. Hope you like this one!
Vyncent - Thanks for the wonderful words of praise -- I’m a big fan of your work! And thanks for the catch on the shrine -- I have to confess, I did not remember ever seeing the name of the shrine in the manga, and I honestly thought that calling the shrine “The Sunset Shrine” or “Higuarashi Shrine” was more like fandom canon. And since I was tinkering around with the set-up and rulers of the Makai, (among other things!), I thought I’d take a little poetic license with the shrine’s name, too, since the Goshinboku seems to be its claim to fame, along with the Bone-Eaters Well. But, I do like to stay true to those little bits of canon that I can, so I quickly pulled out my manga and started flipping pages. Sure enough, right there in the first volume where Grandpa is selling charms was a small sign proclaiming it to be “Higure Shrine.” *sigh* I’m so embarrassed. I hope I fixed it satisfactorily in this chapter. Thanks so much for pointing that out!!
Dawn Illusion - Glad you like the sons! Yep, Hiei and the others all took on the task of teaching them. Prince Yemon will be making his appearance in the next chapter.
Thief Lava - Thanks! I’ll try to keep cranking the chapters out!
Animeboysrock23 - I’m glad you’re enjoying it!
Seiteki Tenshi - Yeah, that Kagome is one popular girl. It must be nice to be wanted -- even after 400 years!
Kawaii-KeKe-Chan - Glad you like the boys! And you just can’t stop Hiei’s mouth!
Halfblackwolfdemon - Thank you so much for your kind words!
InDecent - Don’t worry -- if I start a story, you can bet your boots I’ll finish it. I promised myself that before I ever posted my first chapter.
Loveinuyasha911 - Thanks for the high praise! Hmmm. I won’t make any promises about “Hentai Bets,” but I won’t say never. I like your idea.
PureMiko Kagome69ner - What? You don’t think Kagome should turn out to be guilty? But, …
LestatsDarkAngel - More and more details about what happened to Inu, Sess, and Kouga will come to light. And I’m still in love with Hiei/Kag, so they’re my couple in this.
Bloodbunny - Thanks so much for all the details about what you like so far -- it really helps me to know what is going over with the readers! Yeah, I kind of wish I had included a few definitions in “Hentai Bets” -- it’s one of the things I decided would be good to include from now on. And if you’re offering to babysit MY crew, I may come to Minnesota just for that! (So, I wouldn’t answer the door anymore if I were you -- heh heh!)
Jem89 - I’m so glad you’re liking this so far, -- and it’s just getting started!
Smilingkitsune - I agree: Kurama and Youko are such an interesting …person? … couple? … Let’s go with duo or combo. I take my hat off to Togashi-san for coming up with such intriguing characters. They really are fun to work with. (Or play with. Heh heh!)
Dyquem - Thank you! I will definitely complete it -- it’s all plotted out. (The whole story was in my head before I started posting. It’s the only way I know how to do a story.) I would love to comment on your speculations, but if I did, what would be the fun in reading the rest of it?
FoxVixen - There will be more memories, and yes, probably some flashbacks coming up soon. I hope you like them!
Todavialoca - Yeah, I couldn’t resist trying my hand at a mystery. I hope I can pull it off okay!