InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone ❯ Going Home ( Chapter 14 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: RhiannonoftheMoon 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 05.26.2005 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.9K | Visits: 3.8K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Hentai | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 05.26.2005 | Pages: 2 | Words: 1.9K | Visits: 3.8K | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other character created by Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 14 – Going Home
Inuyasha watched Kagome’s back as she led the way into Inuyasha’s Forest. She had been silent and distant since leaving Kaede’s hut. He had tried to take her hand but she had pulled away, shaking her head; she needed space and he let her have it. Even Shippo recognized it and kept pace with the hanyou. ‘She’s never faced this kind of rejection. She’s kind to everyone and they are kind back; it’s one of those special things about her. She’s never cared that I’m a half-breed.’ He glared over his should in the direction of the village and pinned his ears. ‘I wish I could have spared her…I didn’t think they would react that way.’
Kagome was upset about how the villagers had treated her, but melancholy had replaced anger. She didn’t understand how they could be so shortsighted. Wasn’t it who you were on the inside that counted? They had known her for two years and had accepted her as a miko. And Kaede…but she was just protecting her village. Hadn’t she tried to send Kikyo, her own sister, back to the grave after she had been resurrected as one of the undead? ‘Inuyasha’s right – who needs them. If they can’t get past their prejudice and see me under the claws and fangs, then they can find another…miko. Oh dear.’
“Kagome?” Shippo asked hesitantly.
“Leave her alone, runt.”
Kagome stopped walking and turned to the kit. “Yes, Shippo?”
“I was just thinking…you’re kitsune now, so you can disguise yourself as a human.” His emerald eyes were hopeful. “I can teach you.”
Inuyasha snatched the kit by the tail and held him in front of his face, “Why didn’t you mention this before? We could’ve prevented all…that.” He waved his hand in the direction of the village.
“Inuyasha, put him down. It’s not his fault.” She continued when the kit was safely on the ground and rubbing his butt, “I would rather know their true feelings. Even disguised, they would have found out eventually and then it would have been worse.” It had been one thing to see how their fellow villagers treated hanyou like Jinengi and Shiori. It was altogether different to feel the treatment firsthand. She fixed him with wide soulful eyes, “I’m so sorry, Inuyasha. I never really knew…it must have been awful for you.”
She looked so lonely; he was almost reminded of Kikyo. ‘Funny, I haven’t thought of her in days…’ He pulled Kagome into an embrace, gratified when she returned it. Stroking her hair, he desperately thought of something to raise her spirits. There had to be something…that was it! ‘Shippo, you are a genius.’ As much as he hated it…
“Kagome, let Shippo teach you shape change. Then you’ll be able to go to your school.”
She leaned back, still clutching his waist, her face lit by a brilliant smile. “Really? You think it’ll work?” her eyes gleamed. ‘Maybe I can still have a normal life! Normal for me, anyway.’
“Of course it will!” Shippo piped up, his chest swelling with pride, pleased that he could play such a big, important role. “Kitsunes are known for their illusions!”
“But my test is less than three days away! How can I learn to shape change and study for my math test at the same time?”
“Feh. Shape changing’s easy, especially with a teacher like me!” Shippo crossed his arms and tried to look smug.
“Yeah, well just make sure she doesn’t have a tail.” The memory of Shippo assuming Kagome’s form while he had been trapped in the hut rose in his mind. The illusion had been very realistic, except for the fluffy tail attached to her backside. He hadn’t appreciated it at the time, but…then again, it was kinda cute…
Shippo humphed at him and pouted.
Kagome giggled and hugged him again. “Thank you, Inuyasha. I know you don’t like me studying.”
“Keh,” he blushed. ‘Anything for you.’
Her giggling quieted down and she became serious again. “I have to go home tonight.”
“Don’t you want to learn to shape change first?”
“No, my family deserves to know, especially if we can’t change me back.”
He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent and tightening his arms. “We can go back tonight, if you like.” At a light tug on his hakama, he looked down through strands of her hair.
“What about me?” Shippo’s eyes were suspiciously watery and his tail quivered.
Kagome broke the embrace to scoop the kit into her arms, ignoring Inuyasha’s sound of protest. “I wish I could take you with us, but we’ll only be gone a short time. We’ll bring you back some candy.” She smiled at him encouragingly.
“Promise you’ll come back?”
“Of course we will. Shippo, what are you so worried about?”
“You called that other place home and…I don’t want to be alone again,” he snuffled.
“Oh, Shippo, you’re like my son, I would never abandon you. And we’ll be back soon; you promised to teach me to shape change, right?” Cuddling him to her chest, she crooned to him.
“I will look after him, Lord Inuyasha,” a wizened voice spoke from the hanyou’s shoulder.
“Well, if it isn’t Myoga the flea,” he reached up to flick the flea from his shoulder before the flea could bite him.
“Wait, my lord!” the tiny demon waved his arms frantically. “I was told to give you a message from your friends, the demon slayer and the monk.”
“Yeah? Speak up.”
The old flea composed himself. “First, I must extend my congratulations to you, my lord and lady, on your mating.” He bowed formally and would have looked quite stately if he weren’t an inch tall. “Lady Kagome, you must be proud to join the noblest of bloodlines.”
Kagome blushed prettily, “Uhh, thanks…”
Myoga eyed her critically, tapping a finger against his chin. “Your kitsune youkai becomes you, though that star looks familiar…Anyway, I met your friends at the exterminator’s village while I was doing some research. They bid me tell you not to expect them for at least a week. The library is in ruins and it will take them some time to sort through what is left. Why are you looking at me like that?”
Three pairs of eyes had riveted on him. Inuyasha pinched him by the back of shirt with his claws and held him at eye level. “What do you know about that star?”
“N-nothing, my lord! I just said it looked familiar!” Myoga flailed his arms wildly.
“Can you find out more about it?” Kagome exclaimed, almost breathless with excitement.
Realizing he was not in trouble (yet), Myoga settled down. “It would be an honor, my lady. Now, if you would just put me down, my lord…” Inuyasha dropped the flea into his palm. “There is a kitsune tribe north of here. I will start with them. Do you have any other distinguishing marks? Besides the mating mark, of course.” At Kagome’s shake of the head, Myoga pursed his lips. “Then the star will have to do.”
“But you won’t leave until Kagome’s back!” Shippo interjected, concerned again.
Myoga glanced to Inuyasha for confirmation, then sketched a short bow to the kit. “It is only appropriate that I watch the adopted son of my lord. So,” he clapped his hands together and rubbed them briskly, “back to the village?” The flea youkai was looking forward to a dinner of fresh, young maiden. He froze as a growl rose in Inuyasha’s throat. Kagome looked away and hugged Shippo tighter. “My lord?”
Inuyasha suppressed the urge to fling the flea into the trees. “We’re not going back there. Wait for us at Goshinbuko.”
“Aaah,” the old demon could only guess what had happened, but he had a knack for self-preservation that had always served him well. In this case, it told him not to pry and he chose to listen to it.
~~~
Kagome sat nervously at the edge of the well staring at the doors of the shrine. Inuyasha paced behind her, his arms crossed, waiting for her to move. Her anxiety had set him on edge and he was fighting with the urge to snatch her up and take her back through the well. She had said that her family would accept her change but she sure didn’t act like it. He liked her family but he hardly trusted them.
“If they say one fucking word, I’ll-“
“No you won’t, they’re my family,” but she stayed where she was. ‘Maybe I should have learned to shape change, after all. I could have broken it to them slowly…but they’ll be fine with it. They are my family,’ she absently picked at the fraying edge of her kimono.
“Uuh, Inuyasha? I don’t think we should we tell them about the mating-thing now.”
He stopped pacing mid-stride. “Why the hell not? You don’t want them to know?” She wasn’t embarrassed by him, was she? Would her mother not want her mated with a half-breed?
“No! It’s just that…this,” she gestured to herself, “…will be a big adjustment and, well, I’m still very young by my time’s standards and…” she heaved a big sigh, not realizing that she was babbling, “maybe we should take one thing at a time…”
When he didn’t answer, she twisted her body so that she could see him. He was glowering at the doors, eyebrows drawn together over fiercely glowing eyes. Kagome flared her nostrils, trying to smell what had made him so mad. “What is it?” she whispered.
“I won’t let them take you away from me,” he ground out through his teeth.
The shrine doors slid open with a bang and Sota walked in, stopping when he saw the two figures by the well. “Kagome, Inuyasha, you’re back! Hey Grandpa,” he called over his shoulder, “they’re here!” He flicked on the flashlight he was holding and shone it down on them. “Jeez, Kagome, what are you wearing?” He squinted down at her. “Have you changed your hair?”
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Chapter 14 – Going Home
Inuyasha watched Kagome’s back as she led the way into Inuyasha’s Forest. She had been silent and distant since leaving Kaede’s hut. He had tried to take her hand but she had pulled away, shaking her head; she needed space and he let her have it. Even Shippo recognized it and kept pace with the hanyou. ‘She’s never faced this kind of rejection. She’s kind to everyone and they are kind back; it’s one of those special things about her. She’s never cared that I’m a half-breed.’ He glared over his should in the direction of the village and pinned his ears. ‘I wish I could have spared her…I didn’t think they would react that way.’
Kagome was upset about how the villagers had treated her, but melancholy had replaced anger. She didn’t understand how they could be so shortsighted. Wasn’t it who you were on the inside that counted? They had known her for two years and had accepted her as a miko. And Kaede…but she was just protecting her village. Hadn’t she tried to send Kikyo, her own sister, back to the grave after she had been resurrected as one of the undead? ‘Inuyasha’s right – who needs them. If they can’t get past their prejudice and see me under the claws and fangs, then they can find another…miko. Oh dear.’
“Kagome?” Shippo asked hesitantly.
“Leave her alone, runt.”
Kagome stopped walking and turned to the kit. “Yes, Shippo?”
“I was just thinking…you’re kitsune now, so you can disguise yourself as a human.” His emerald eyes were hopeful. “I can teach you.”
Inuyasha snatched the kit by the tail and held him in front of his face, “Why didn’t you mention this before? We could’ve prevented all…that.” He waved his hand in the direction of the village.
“Inuyasha, put him down. It’s not his fault.” She continued when the kit was safely on the ground and rubbing his butt, “I would rather know their true feelings. Even disguised, they would have found out eventually and then it would have been worse.” It had been one thing to see how their fellow villagers treated hanyou like Jinengi and Shiori. It was altogether different to feel the treatment firsthand. She fixed him with wide soulful eyes, “I’m so sorry, Inuyasha. I never really knew…it must have been awful for you.”
She looked so lonely; he was almost reminded of Kikyo. ‘Funny, I haven’t thought of her in days…’ He pulled Kagome into an embrace, gratified when she returned it. Stroking her hair, he desperately thought of something to raise her spirits. There had to be something…that was it! ‘Shippo, you are a genius.’ As much as he hated it…
“Kagome, let Shippo teach you shape change. Then you’ll be able to go to your school.”
She leaned back, still clutching his waist, her face lit by a brilliant smile. “Really? You think it’ll work?” her eyes gleamed. ‘Maybe I can still have a normal life! Normal for me, anyway.’
“Of course it will!” Shippo piped up, his chest swelling with pride, pleased that he could play such a big, important role. “Kitsunes are known for their illusions!”
“But my test is less than three days away! How can I learn to shape change and study for my math test at the same time?”
“Feh. Shape changing’s easy, especially with a teacher like me!” Shippo crossed his arms and tried to look smug.
“Yeah, well just make sure she doesn’t have a tail.” The memory of Shippo assuming Kagome’s form while he had been trapped in the hut rose in his mind. The illusion had been very realistic, except for the fluffy tail attached to her backside. He hadn’t appreciated it at the time, but…then again, it was kinda cute…
Shippo humphed at him and pouted.
Kagome giggled and hugged him again. “Thank you, Inuyasha. I know you don’t like me studying.”
“Keh,” he blushed. ‘Anything for you.’
Her giggling quieted down and she became serious again. “I have to go home tonight.”
“Don’t you want to learn to shape change first?”
“No, my family deserves to know, especially if we can’t change me back.”
He buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent and tightening his arms. “We can go back tonight, if you like.” At a light tug on his hakama, he looked down through strands of her hair.
“What about me?” Shippo’s eyes were suspiciously watery and his tail quivered.
Kagome broke the embrace to scoop the kit into her arms, ignoring Inuyasha’s sound of protest. “I wish I could take you with us, but we’ll only be gone a short time. We’ll bring you back some candy.” She smiled at him encouragingly.
“Promise you’ll come back?”
“Of course we will. Shippo, what are you so worried about?”
“You called that other place home and…I don’t want to be alone again,” he snuffled.
“Oh, Shippo, you’re like my son, I would never abandon you. And we’ll be back soon; you promised to teach me to shape change, right?” Cuddling him to her chest, she crooned to him.
“I will look after him, Lord Inuyasha,” a wizened voice spoke from the hanyou’s shoulder.
“Well, if it isn’t Myoga the flea,” he reached up to flick the flea from his shoulder before the flea could bite him.
“Wait, my lord!” the tiny demon waved his arms frantically. “I was told to give you a message from your friends, the demon slayer and the monk.”
“Yeah? Speak up.”
The old flea composed himself. “First, I must extend my congratulations to you, my lord and lady, on your mating.” He bowed formally and would have looked quite stately if he weren’t an inch tall. “Lady Kagome, you must be proud to join the noblest of bloodlines.”
Kagome blushed prettily, “Uhh, thanks…”
Myoga eyed her critically, tapping a finger against his chin. “Your kitsune youkai becomes you, though that star looks familiar…Anyway, I met your friends at the exterminator’s village while I was doing some research. They bid me tell you not to expect them for at least a week. The library is in ruins and it will take them some time to sort through what is left. Why are you looking at me like that?”
Three pairs of eyes had riveted on him. Inuyasha pinched him by the back of shirt with his claws and held him at eye level. “What do you know about that star?”
“N-nothing, my lord! I just said it looked familiar!” Myoga flailed his arms wildly.
“Can you find out more about it?” Kagome exclaimed, almost breathless with excitement.
Realizing he was not in trouble (yet), Myoga settled down. “It would be an honor, my lady. Now, if you would just put me down, my lord…” Inuyasha dropped the flea into his palm. “There is a kitsune tribe north of here. I will start with them. Do you have any other distinguishing marks? Besides the mating mark, of course.” At Kagome’s shake of the head, Myoga pursed his lips. “Then the star will have to do.”
“But you won’t leave until Kagome’s back!” Shippo interjected, concerned again.
Myoga glanced to Inuyasha for confirmation, then sketched a short bow to the kit. “It is only appropriate that I watch the adopted son of my lord. So,” he clapped his hands together and rubbed them briskly, “back to the village?” The flea youkai was looking forward to a dinner of fresh, young maiden. He froze as a growl rose in Inuyasha’s throat. Kagome looked away and hugged Shippo tighter. “My lord?”
Inuyasha suppressed the urge to fling the flea into the trees. “We’re not going back there. Wait for us at Goshinbuko.”
“Aaah,” the old demon could only guess what had happened, but he had a knack for self-preservation that had always served him well. In this case, it told him not to pry and he chose to listen to it.
~~~
Kagome sat nervously at the edge of the well staring at the doors of the shrine. Inuyasha paced behind her, his arms crossed, waiting for her to move. Her anxiety had set him on edge and he was fighting with the urge to snatch her up and take her back through the well. She had said that her family would accept her change but she sure didn’t act like it. He liked her family but he hardly trusted them.
“If they say one fucking word, I’ll-“
“No you won’t, they’re my family,” but she stayed where she was. ‘Maybe I should have learned to shape change, after all. I could have broken it to them slowly…but they’ll be fine with it. They are my family,’ she absently picked at the fraying edge of her kimono.
“Uuh, Inuyasha? I don’t think we should we tell them about the mating-thing now.”
He stopped pacing mid-stride. “Why the hell not? You don’t want them to know?” She wasn’t embarrassed by him, was she? Would her mother not want her mated with a half-breed?
“No! It’s just that…this,” she gestured to herself, “…will be a big adjustment and, well, I’m still very young by my time’s standards and…” she heaved a big sigh, not realizing that she was babbling, “maybe we should take one thing at a time…”
When he didn’t answer, she twisted her body so that she could see him. He was glowering at the doors, eyebrows drawn together over fiercely glowing eyes. Kagome flared her nostrils, trying to smell what had made him so mad. “What is it?” she whispered.
“I won’t let them take you away from me,” he ground out through his teeth.
The shrine doors slid open with a bang and Sota walked in, stopping when he saw the two figures by the well. “Kagome, Inuyasha, you’re back! Hey Grandpa,” he called over his shoulder, “they’re here!” He flicked on the flashlight he was holding and shone it down on them. “Jeez, Kagome, what are you wearing?” He squinted down at her. “Have you changed your hair?”
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