InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pack Law ❯ Pieces of the Future ( Chapter 4 )

Pack Law

 

Chapter 4: Pieces of the Future

 

The group had been very carefully tending their wounds from the last encounter with the bear, but it meant they depleted Kagome's stash of medical supplies much faster than usual. Kagome was still fairly weak from the rush of using her powers. InuYasha fretted over her as they slowly made their way back to Kaede's village.

 

On the way, InuYasha had taken note of the dwindling medicine and ramen supplies and offered to let Kagome go home through the well for a few days. It would certainly be a week before they had all recuperated. Kirara and InuYasha had healed almost overnight, but the humans in the group were all sporting injuries of some sort.

 

Five days after the battle with the bear, the village could be seen from the top of a hill. Waving to Sango and Miroku, Kagome gave Kirara a small kiss on the snout and admonished Shippou to behave while she was gone. Grabbing her pack, InuYasha walked with her to the well.

 

“I'll give you four days, wench.”

 

`Four? Usually I have to barter for three!' Kagome raised an eyebrow at the hanyou as he looked away from her. He still hadn't decided how to approach her about Sesshomaru's suggestion.

 

`Hell, I can use the time to bring this up with Miroku and Shippou… and maybe the lech will have a suggestion.' After a moment with his thoughts, he snorted. `Then again, maybe I don't want his hentai help. Maybe Sango?'

 

Kagome could tell there was something going on in InuYasha's head, but the expression on his face suggested prying wouldn't get her anywhere. She wasn't feeling up to arguing with him, and decided it was best not to question his sudden generosity.

 

Reaching out to InuYasha for her pack, she quickly replayed the best of her memories from the last few days in her head. InuYasha double-checking every few hours that she was okay, asking if she needed to rest… his concerned golden eyes holding hers as Sango tended to the wound across her back… holding her hands as she squeezed them, biting the inside of her cheek as she tried not to shout…

 

`He's really been worried about me!' The sudden realization flooded her with a renewed wave of adoration for the usually gruff hanyou. She grabbed the bag, and moving almost faster than Shippou after a box of pocky, pressed her lips to his. Then, blushing at her forwardness, she jumped into the well. The pale blue glow swallowed her up as InuYasha raised a hand to his mouth, golden eyes wide.

 

`She just…she… kissed me?'

 

**********

 

Kagome's face was beet red as her feet hit solid ground on the other side of the well.

 

`I just kissed InuYasha!' It wasn't their first kiss… but it was the first time she had ever actually initiated contact outside of trying to save him from himself. The days after the kiss at Kaguya's castle had been awkward at best, and downright hostile at their worst. Both had been so embarrassed, yet secretly pleased, and neither had known how to act. Miroku's constant teasing hadn't helped in the slightest. In fact, the monk had been lucky not to have been disemboweled by an enraged InuYasha at some of the more colorful comments.

 

Kagome brought her hand to her lips with a small smile. Well, they had been steadily growing closer. And, after all, she had four days to compose herself before she had to face InuYasha again. Hopefully this time they'd be able to look at each other without blushing. This time, InuYasha hadn't kissed her back. He really hadn't had much time. `I've actually had my lips on Souta longer!' she thought bitterly. `And I know he's had his lips on Kikyou longer… but that's okay. Baby steps!'

 

Her back spasmed a bit as she pulled herself out of the well, and Kagome's mind turned to the hot bath her mother would more than likely start running as soon as she saw her daughter through the window in the kitchen.

 

**********

 

“So you're saying we'd be immortal?” Miroku blinked his astonishment at his hanyou friend's suggestion.

 

“Feh. Not so much immortal… you'd age like me and Sesshomaru. I'm only hanyou, so I'll age faster than him. You'd probably age more at my pace than his, since the talismans would be made from my fangs.”

 

The monk had a contemplative look on his face as he ran a thumb over his unblemished palm. “I hadn't expected to live nearly as long as I have. I have all of you to thank for it.” Looking up, violet eyes met with gold, and Miroku noticed just how much emotion the young man was unsuccessfully trying to hide.

 

`He truly is afraid of being left alone again, though he would never admit it.' InuYasha looked troubled. After a moment, Miroku realized it was because he had yet to give an answer. `He's been alone for at least 200 years. He protects all of us fiercely,' Miroku's mind drifted to the time he thought he'd lose to the kazaana after sucking up a mantis youkai. InuYasha had threatened to chop off his hand if he opened his palm again. While InuYasha had insisted at the time that he didn't want to be held responsible for the monk's death, Miroku had caught a tell-tale gleam in InuYasha's eyes.

 

“You say you've spoken with Sango about this. Have you discussed the idea with Lady Kagome?” InuYasha turned away, crossing his arms over his chest in a protective gesture.

 

“That's… different, houshi.” Miroku's curiosity was peaked at the almost embarrassed tone.

 

“Why? It's obvious to us all that you and the lovely Lady Kagome have grown closer.”

 

`You have no idea how right you are, houshi…' InuYasha's thoughts danced to the thought of Kagome's lip pressed up against his, feather-soft. The kiss had ended much too soon, in his estimation. `Next time…'

 

InuYasha was torn from his musings as Miroku broke into a chuckle. It was obvious where the hanyou's thoughts had strayed: 500 years into the future.

 

Standing, Miroku clapped a hand on InuYasha's shoulder. “My friend, I would be proud to be officially part of your pack. I am willing to throw my considerable talents behind you to support Sesshomaru, as well. You did say that the protection would extend to any children Sango bears, right?” InuYasha nodded. “Then, with the knowledge that my family would be so strongly protected, I'm honored.”

 

InuYasha cleared his throat as Miroku moved to walk away, indicating their discussion wasn't completely over. “That's not all. I'm going to be Sesshomaru's beta… but I am alpha of this pack.” He turned his head slightly to judge the look on Miroku's face, to check for any sign of argument. There was nothing but acceptance in the monk's smile. “That makes you beta. If something happens to me... I want your word you'll protect the others.”

 

Miroku inclined his head. “You know I'd give my life for all of you, InuYasha, just as you would. If I may, as your subordinate?” Miroku gave a mocking little bow, but the glint in his eyes led InuYasha to realize the monk was teasing, and took no offense to the idea of being below a hanyou in rank. “You really should bring this up with Lady Kagome. Perhaps if she were to live as long as you say these talismans would let her, she would be more likely to make a decision in staying here, with us, in this era. 500 years is a long time… but she'd know she'd be able to see her family on the other side of the well again.”

 

InuYasha had been about to repeat himself, that asking Kagome wasn't just asking her to live so long, but Miroku's comment stopped his runaway mouth. He hadn't quite looked at it in that light.

 

With a smile, Miroku judged the sunset and looked to the direction of the well. “Perhaps after allowing her a night with her family, you should visit her and make the suggestion?” It was a sign of just how serious he was that Miroku was suggesting InuYasha head to Kagome's time early. Usually, the monk was the first to tell InuYasha to leave Kagome be. With InuYasha's nod of assent, Miroku began the walk back to Lady Kaede's hut.

 

**********

 

Kagome had gone straight to bed after a hot dinner and a hot bath. Mama had bit her lip when she saw the wound across her daughter's back, but was assured it was healing well. Kagome tried to avoid going home with any major injuries, but InuYasha had almost insisted, and she wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth. Well, not often, anyway.

 

When she awoke the next morning, her first thought was to the shopping she hoped to accomplish that day. There was no way to tell if InuYasha's giving mood would stretch the full four days he had offered; she planned on being prepared for him to come and drag her back the next day as usual.

 

`Ramen, pocky, potato chips, bandages…' Kagome began her shopping list as Mama heated up some leftover breakfast. `I must have really slept in!' Kagome realized she had completely ignored her alarm clock as she got up. It wasn't a surprise, really. She was becoming more and more used to a lack of most modern conveniences and had become rather adept at telling the time by the sun. Her body was usually attuned (thanks to InuYasha's constant “encouragement”) to wake up with the sun. Her healing wound, however, had made it difficult to sleep even with the padding of the sleeping bag. It didn't really shock Kagome that she had finally gotten a full night's sleep on her soft bed.

 

“I've got to get going, Mama! I want to get all my shopping done before dinner tonight!” She stopped to grab her mother's credit card before she left, thanking her mother and the kami for her understanding. All of them knew Kagome would probably be avoiding college, at least for her first year, and so had raided her college savings to help pay for stuff on the other side.

 

Kagome's first stop was to the museum. She felt guilty at what amounted to the small bit of deception, but when Miroku and Sango had found out just how much money she was spending on supplies, they had insisted they help in any way possible. Today, she was selling a “well-preserved” pot they had stumbled across in their travels. Pocketing the money, she shook hands with the thrilled curator and wandered out to the street. She had admitted that at least she wasn't selling fakes… the items she brought back really WERE from the Feudal Era, they just hadn't had the centuries to age. This way, though, her mother's card wouldn't take the brunt of a hungry hanyou, a greedy kitsune, and several humans who were becoming quite fond of modern conveniences.

 

Her next stop was her favorite department store. There, she picked up all the shampoos, conditioners and body washes the group went through. Each had favorite scents or, in InuYasha's case, a lack of scent. It had become habit to make little gift bags for everybody.

 

A good two hours later, Kagome suddenly wished for her hanyou's help. She gazed at the bags and bags of goodies and treats she had bought, wondering how on Earth she was going to get them all to the shrine. With a sigh, she loaded up the plastic bags and began staggering home.

 

Her back throbbed in counterpoint to every other step. Sighing and sweating, she utilized every bench between the store and the shrine, wishing she hadn't forgotten her bus pass.

 

Three blocks away from the shrine, Kagome was resting in a park when a cold tingle ran from the tip of her head to her toes. `A jewel shard!' Bags forgotten, the miko looked about. Slipping her ring off her chain and onto her finger, her eyes and aura centered on a tall man at the edge of the treeline. A quick glance around confirmed that nobody else was within sight.

 

Walking toward Kagome purposefully, the man smirked as Kagome gave him a once-over, moving into a defensive pose. His short orange hair spiked up in the back, giving him the appearance of a firecracker. Feeling the heat in his youki, she recognized him as a fire youkai, somewhat like Kirara. Unlike the nekomata, this creature radiated pure malice. The sensation reminded her disconcertingly of Naraku. His aura was like a shadow of the evil hanyou's. His eyes locked on the bottle of jewel shards that hung on her neck before he whipped his hand out.

 

“I'll relieve you of the stress of watching over those, thank you.”

 

**********

 

Ears flat back on his head, InuYasha knew Kagome was away from the shrine property the moment he scented the air after leaping out of the well. Her mother was home, though, and he didn't smell any of Kagome's useless friends, nor was that Houjo boy's scent nearby. The miko had insisted she didn't have any school right now, so she had to be out restocking.

 

`Her mother's always got ramen, though!' With a few hops, he was across the yard and sliding open the shoji.

 

“Oh, InuYasha! Kagome wasn't expecting you, I'm sorry, she went out.” Mama had gotten up to start boiling water the moment she recognized the white and red streak coming across the yard.

 

“Keh.” InuYasha sat at the table with an air of familiarity. Every time he came through the well, part of his felt like he was returning home. While he hated how loud, obnoxious and smelly Kagome's time was, he couldn't help but love how accepting Kagome's family was of him, even though he was a hanyou. Even her crazy grandfather had stopped flinging sutras at him. Heck, her kid brother basically hero-worshipped him. For a young man who was used to seeing people flee in terror from him, the love and awe he felt at the Higurashi Shrine was a welcome change. Even better, Kagome's natural, soothing scent permeated the whole area.

 

A pleasant silence fell over the kitchen as Mama prepared InuYasha's ramen. Catching his fangy grin as she placed the treat in front of him, she reached out and tweaked an ear, giggling slightly as it flicked in response. She was one of two people he would let do that. “Kagome should be home any minute now. She called just before you got here. She left her bus pass on her desk. She said she had plenty of bags, so it may take a bit for her to get home.”

 

InuYasha nodded, digesting the little bit of information and ears pricking to catch an undertone of worry in Kagome's mother's voice. He wasn't sure why. `Feh. This is the safer of the two worlds. Only youkai we've ever faced were the mask and the Soul Piper.'

 

**********

 

“Get down!” Kagome had barely enough time to register the masculine voice behind her before she hit dirt. Listening to shouts from behind her had saved her butt on more than one occasion, she wasn't about to doubt it now. Still maintaining a small bit of sense, she made sure to throw up a barrier, as well. No use courting trouble if the person behind her didn't have her best interests at heart. It seemed she moved too late, however. A blazing pain seared down her back, moving in a different direction than her original injury.

 

Kagome heard chanting behind her, and looked up as ofuda went sailing past her head. They smacked into the youkai, sending him reeling back, cursing all the while. It gave her a moment to focus. A glow radiated from his left shoulder. She cursed not bringing her bow and arrows with her, not really thinking about how silly she would have looked traipsing across Tokyo fully armed Feudal Era-style.

 

A shout brought her attention back to her savior, a young man who appeared to be her age. He wielded a silver staff with a sharpened point at the end.

 

“His left shoulder! His weakness is in his left shoulder!” Kagome was positive the young man who saved her was human. She was sure she could fend him off easier than the youkai. She was still weak from her exertions against the bear youkai, and could only do the bare minimum with her powers, even amplified with her ring. The pain in her back wasn't helping matter.

 

Causing another agonized scream, the young man plunged his staff into the youkai's shoulder as though he were wielding a spear. Almost as though he had seen the shard, almost as though he knew exactly where to hit, the jewel shard flew out. Cursing, the youkai man took to the sky as a ball of fire.

 

“Are you all right?” The young man came back to help Kagome to her feet. Her eyes fell on deep violet eyes that held a speck of humor to them, even following an encounter with a potentially deadly youkai.

 

“Mi… Miroku?” She just couldn't stop herself. When the young man lifted an eyebrow, she realized his hair was shorter and a very, very dark brown, rather than the monk's black. Still, he looked remarkably like her friend from the past.

 

`Miroku's reincarnation?' Kagome thought wildly, trying to come to terms with the sudden thought that if Kikyo had been reincarnated into her, her friends could easily have been reincarnated into her time, as well.

 

“My name is Hitomu… Zenguchi Hitomu. You're bleeding.” It was only then Kagome recognized the warm trickle down her back. Her wound must have broken open again.

 

Just a few seconds later, a white and red blur raced into the clearing. In a detached part of her mind, she wondered that nobody had come running to hear why the youkai had been screaming and shouting. InuYasha was right… most humans ignored what they didn't want to see.

 

“Kagome!”

 

“Unc-” Hitomu stopped himself as he saw the hanyou clad in red hakama and haori. A white baseball cap covered his ears, but nothing could cover those golden eyes, tilted at his suspiciously. InuYasha had a hand on his sword and had almost drawn Tetsusaiga before Kagome reached out her hand to stop him, swaying alarmingly.

 

“Damn it, Kagome! What the hell were you thinking??” He turned worried eyes on her, noting that the fear that had tinted her scent was gone. This boy was not a threat. At least, not to her person… He turned wary eyes back on the boy. “What are you doing here? And what were you about to say?”

 

InuYasha smelled a spike of nervousness in the boy as he bowed. “I am Hitomu. I happened by here when the young lady was attacked by a youkai. I helped drive Ken off, though he'll be back soon enough.” Turning to Kagome, he asked, “You look like… I was going to say, you look like you're about to pass out. Do you need help to a hospital?”

 

“I should be fine.” Kagome was slurring her words in pain.

 

“You're not fine, wench.” InuYasha's eyes were flecked with crimson as the scent of her blood filled the air.

 

“I just… did you see something bright fly out of his shoulder when you attacked?” InuYasha let out a low growl as Kagome ignored his assessment, looking instead at Hitomu.

 

“A Shikon Shard, am I right?” Hitomu willingly handed it to her. “Guard it well. Ken's master has almost half the jewel. It appears you have slightly less than that.” Blood flooded Kagome's face as she realized whatever attack the fire youkai had thrown at her had effectively cut open her shirt, displaying the little bottle of shards to the world.

 

“How do you know about the Shikon?” InuYasha's menacing demand drew Hitomu's gaze from where his eyes had settled - just above her breasts, too close for InuYasha's comfort - to the hanyou.

 

“We've been trying to…” His response was cut off as Kagome wobbled on her feet and slumped to the ground for the second time that week.

 

A/N:

 

Whoa! What's going on here? Friends from the past in the future? Reincarnations, perhaps? And what's with the creepy fire youkai… and why did he have a jewel shard?? The InuTachi tackle those questions and more… in the next chapter!

 

A major “Thank You” to everybody who's reviewed so far! I'm glad to see that people are getting into the story! I promise - I've got a lot left… we're just getting into the REAL story!

 

Hitomu - “One Dream”

Zenguchi - Roughly, “Virtuous Mouth”

Ken - Roughly, “Born of Fire”

 

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.