InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale of Ever After ❯ Chapter 62

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

I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi

Chapter 62

Miroku and InuYasha began moving toward the nearest house, and the group of men followed, but they made a point not to get as close to the two as they had stood before.

As they moved, some children playing tag stopped, and watched them walk down the street towards  the first house. Miroku stopped in front of it, but turned toward Osamu. “Little Yume-chan, who was brought to my village was too drained to stay awake. I hear there are others like that here,” he  said. “Am I correct?”

“My Chou,” said Hotaka, the man who had whispered earlier. His face was lined with worry as he spoke. “She couldn’t get up today.”

“Mikio, too, my niece’s husband.” Ryuu looked up at Miroku. “What does it mean?”

“That the bakeneko has been feeding,” the monk replied. Turning back to the building, Miroku slapped an ofuda on the house.  The lettering glowed bright red briefly, then faded back to black writing. “Ah, the youkai has been here, but has left,” he said.

The men muttered among themselves at the flash of magic.

InuYasha nodded. He rested his hand on Tessaiga’s hilt. “Smells like it. Fairly fresh, too. Maybe early this morning.”

“Houshi-sama, that’s where Mikio lives,” Ryuu said. “So the monster has been here?”

“Yes,” Miroku said. “Yes it had. But anybody in that house should be safe now as long as the ofuda is not disturbed.”

The doormat lifted, and a sad-eyed woman peeked out. “Are you sure? He will get better?”

Miroku nodded. “The youkai will not be able to get to him to drain him anymore, as long as he keeps the ofuda on the house.” He smiled at her. “By tomorrow he will wake up and see your lovely self fixing breakfast.  Fortunate man.”

The woman covered her mouth with her hand, and her cheeks colored just a little, but whether she was hiding a smile or a frown, it was impossible to tell.  She bowed, and dashed back inside.

Ryuu looked at InuYasha, and whispered, “Does he always talk to women like that?”

The hanyou nodded. “Mostly.”

Before Ryuu could say anything else, Miroku  turned back to the elders. “People like to blame kitsune when youkai attacks happen. It is true that they are often to blame for many. But kitsune, when they attack, either possess the person, trouble the person by magic attacks, or impersonate someone the person knows.  They might be bothersome, or sometimes really cause serious trouble, but they are by nature tricksters. They don’t hide and drain the life out of people.”

“Ah,” the head man said. He walked up and looked at the ofuda, nodding at the monk’s words.

“Let’s move on to the next house,” Miroku said.  "We need to put ofuda on each and every building, or at least until we flush out the monster.” He walked down the street towards the next house.

InuYasha sighed, and rolled his shoulders, already tired of the show, then followed his friend. The little group of men hung back a few steps as they walked, afraid of all the magic they were seeing, but wanting to be sure to witness each and every move.   

As they reached it, a man, about thirty years old, stepped out on the verandah. He held a knife and a partially carved block of wood in his hand.  Sitting down on the ground, he began to work on the wood. He looked up once, then went back to carving. “About time you did the right thing, Osamu-sama,” he said.

“Pardon us, Takumi-sama. These are the persons who are going to get rid of the monster for us,” the headman said.

“Heh,” he said, flicking a chip of wood in the general direction of the elders. “I told you what you should do the first time.”

The elder shrugged. “Well, we’re doing it now.”

Miroku placed an ofuda on the wall of the house. Nothing happened this time.  “No youkai stopped at this house,” he said.

“Merciful Kwannon,” Takumi said. “I should hope not.”

Miroku gave the man a look, tilting his head as recognition hit him. “I’ve seen you at the market.”

“Yes.  I made the comb that you gave your wife last year. And sold another to your friend there,” pointing to InuYasha, “one a few days ago.” Miroku shrugged as the wood carver lifted up the piece of wood, and held it up at eye level to examine it closer. “Don’t remember? Must have been that pretty dancing girl who came by that distracted you.”

The monk grinned. “The one with the green and orange kosode?”

This made the woodcarver give a loud laugh. “Ah, I see. You remember her, but not old Takumi.”  He shrugged.

“So how come the youkai hasn’t bothered you?” InuYasha asked, stepping up behind his friend.

“Ah,” Takumi said.  “Soon as I realized something uncanny was going on, I put blessed sutras at all the doors and windows. They might not have listened to me, Houshi-sama, or sent for you before hiring that useless yamabushi, but that didn’t mean I was going to let the monster get me or mine.”

“Very wise of you,” the monk said.

“Tell that bunch,” he said, giving the elders a hard look, then stood up.  “I’m busy now.  Go chase your monster.” He got up, and went inside.

The men surrounding the monk stirred uncomfortably.

“Perhaps,” Miroku said, “We should try another house.”

Hotaka audibly sighed.  

“Let’s do that one,” Osamu suggested, pointing to a house on the left. The elders headed that way.

As they walked off, InuYasha grabbed Miroku’s arm before he could join them.“How many of these are we going to do?” he said.  His voice was quite soft so the village elders wouldn’t overhear. “You know I could run it down in a lot less time. We’d get home sooner.”

“As many as it takes,” Miroku said. “I have my reputation to maintain. They have to feel like they’re getting their money’s worth.”

“I thought you thought they couldn’t pay us anything.” InuYasha let Miroku go and crossed his arms.

“Even if they can’t, they’ll talk.  And that will get us even more business.” Smacking his staff to the ground hard enough to jingle the rings, he headed for the cluster of men waiting for him.

InuYasha scowled, but then giving in to the inevitable, just shook his head and followed.   



InuYasha wasn’t the only one unhappy with the way things were going. Back at Tameo’s house, Kagome shifted as she sat, staring down at the teacup she turned idly in her hand.

Hisa, Tameo’s wife, gave her a soft smile and gently touched her arm.  “Ah, Kagome-chan, you know there’s nothing really to be nervous about,” she said.  “Have one of the rice cakes. Aki-kun isn’t the first boy in the village who’s acted up and gotten into trouble. I could tell you stories about my boys.  Especially Kinjiro, who would no doubt deny it, and go find something serious to do if he overheard me talking about it.” She chuckled.

The young miko looked up at the older woman.  “I’m sure you’re right.  It’s just that . . . ”

“That your husband was worried about something happening while he was out, I bet,” Hisa said. She reached over and patted Kagome’s hand.

Kagome nodded. “And waiting. And the anger in Haname-sama’s voice when she came to talk to Kaede. And the being told to stay here.” She gave Hisa a sheepish smile. “I’m better at doing than waiting.”

“I’m sure you are,” Hisa said, nodding. “I’ve heard stories about your doing when you were here before.  People don’t always realize that staying behind and waiting is sometimes a lot harder and takes more bravery than running into trouble.”

Something about Hisa’s little speech made Kagome grin. “You sound like me talking to InuYasha when he’s ready to run off and do something when he really needs to wait. I’ve known him too long!  I’m beginning to sound like him.”

Hisa refilled Kagome’s teacup. “That’s what happens when two people are meant to be together, child. And I don’t know any two people more fated to be together than you two seem to be. Although,” she said, “I wouldn’t have guessed that when you two first showed up here.”

Kagome laughed a little, and refilled Hisa’s teacup in return. “We did argue a lot those days.”

“And loudly.  Sometimes, we’d come out to watch, afraid that someone might get hurt before it was over.  At first I was particularly worried that InuYasha-sama might hurt you, but after I saw what type of magic you had over him, I’m afraid that I peeked more than once to see how long it would take before you used it.”

The miko blushed.  “We were young . . . ”

“And he was rude and angry,” Hisa said, nodding. “I must say, though, he’s turned out rather well since those days.  Perhaps the magic knocked a little sense into him.”

“Or maybe,” Kagome said, “we just grew up.”  She sipped her tea.

“That, too.  Everything you and your friends went through, it made sure you grew up quickly, I believe.  And even though things might seem a little overwhelming from time to time, as I’m sure they do, I and many others are glad you’re here with us. Tameo and I were hoping you would settle down in our village even before you destroyed that horrible youkai.  You and your husband didn’t just avenge Kikyou-sama; you avenged our family for a great wrong done to it, and to the village as well.  Most of the people here know that.”

The door opened up, and Hisa’s grandson rushed in. “Obaachan!  Suzume-neechan took my horsie and won’t give it back!”  

The two women turned to look at the little boy. About five, he was angry, his bottom lip trembling, but he had a tear streak down one  cheek.  Hisa opened up her arms and he ran into them.

“Did she, Mitsuo?” Hisa asked.  “Took your horse?”

He nodded.  

“I thought you were playing ball with the other children,” she said.

He shook his head. “I kept dropping the ball. Stupid game. Yorime told me to go away.  So I was playing with Horsie.”

“Hmm,” Hisa said. “Maybe I should go see what was happening.  Didn’t you tell your mother?”

“Haha-ue took Horsie from Suzume-neechan but wouldn’t give it back!” the boy complained.

Hisa laughed a little. “And so that’s why you came to tell me?”

Chewing his thumb, the little boy nodded. “Horsie gets sad if I’m not holding him.”

“Does he?” Hisa said, ruffing her grandson’s hair. “Maybe I could go see what really happened.  Might be time to pick another game or do something else.  Would you like that?”

Mitsuo nodded.

The older woman stood up, holding her grandson’s hand.  “Would you like to come, Kagome-sama?  If they’re leaving the little ones out, it’s probably time to give them something else to do.  I’m sure Emi might like a break from trying to keep an eye on everybody right now.”

Kagome nodded and stood up.  “I hope having Rin-chan and the two other children drop in on you wasn’t too much.”

“Not at all,” Hisa said. “There are always plenty of people around the house, and it’s a good way for them to get to know each other better.  And to be honest, I like having them here. Everything seems so quiet when all the young ones are gone.”

As they stepped out of the house, Emi stopped her spinning. “Haha-ue, Mitsuo didn’t go bother you did he?”

“No, no,” the older woman said. “I think he’s just a little bored.  Sometimes the little ones need a different type of attention than the older children do.”

“He must,” Emi said with a sigh. “So much like his father! He was trying to ride his toy horse all over his sister’s back and head, and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Ah,” Hisa said, looking at her grandson. “So is that why your okaasan has your horsie?” she asked the boy.

The boy buried his face in his grandmother’s wrap skirt.

“Well?” she asked.

He nodded.

Hisa sighed, and looked up at Kagome. “Bored boys get into trouble so easily.”

Kagome grinned, “Tell me about it.  InuYasha used to drive me crazy when he came to visit and got bored.  And my brother, Souta . . . ” Her voice trailed off, even as  realization lit up her face.  “Do you think that’s why Aki’s been doing things on my side of the village?  I know I’m not the only one who’s had mischief happen.”

The older woman looked thoughtfully at the young miko.  “It’s quite possible.  I know his parents and grandparents have been rather indulgent of him, since he’s the heir to their family.  An indulged boy with little supervision and not much discipline is a grief waiting to happen.”  She touched Kagome’s shoulder.  “That gives me an idea.  We’ll have to wait until everybody gets back, though.”

She stepped off the verandah. “Now children, Matsume-obasan will have lunch for all of us in a little while, so it’s time to calm down, so that lunch does not give us all tummy aches. Who wants to hear a story?”

The girls stopped their ball game, and they and the boys gathered around the older woman.

“She’s very good with children,” Kagome said to Emi.

“I know,” Emi said, picking up another length of fiber.  She gave her spinning wheel a turn.  “Both her own and anybody she decides to mother. I’m very glad she’s my children’s grandmother.  Maybe one day, I’ll have that type of patience.”

Kagome sat down next Emi and sighed. “I know I don’t. I wish Tameo-sama would just get back so I would know what’s happening.”

“I imagine they’ll be back soon. They’re probably fussing about who’s responsible, and who’ll get to decide what to do about Aki-kun,” Emi said, as she pulled out a long bit of thread, turning her spinning wheel with one hand. Satisfied, she turned the wheel to wrap it around the spindle. “Haname-sama went there?”

“With Kaede,” Kagome said.

“If I know that bitter woman, she’s probably arguing about how none of this is her darling grandson’s fault, and Tsuneo-sama’s probably trying to figure out how he can get her to be quiet and not lose face. Otou-san will listen patiently. When everybody’s tired of all that, they’ll march back here.”

“And then what?” Kagome asked.

“They’ll decide what type of punishment or restitution Aki-kun needs to make.  He’s not the first boy who’s caused trouble. Usually they make the boy apologize and clean up the mess, and maybe he’ll have to do punishment work. I’m sure Otou-san will want to work something out that makes Tsuneo feel the punishment isn’t unfair. I don’t know if he could think of anything that Haname-sama would think was fair, but she’s got a really blind eye when it comes to her grandson.”

“I just hope it doesn’t cause resentment towards InuYasha,” Kagome said, chewing on her lip.

Emi stopped her wheel, and reached out to take the younger woman’s hand. “I suspect more than one person will be glad that Aki got caught. He’s really been a spoiled and willful child. If Otousan can get some discipline for him, and he straightens up, a lot of people will be quite happy.”

“I just wish I had some of Hisa-obasan’s patience,” Kagome said.  

“You and me both.  It would make spinning so much nicer,” Emi said, then turned her wheel around another turn.

Suddenly, Mitsuo ran toward the gate of the compound.  The women looked up as Tameo led a group of men toward the house.

“I guess waiting is over,” Emi said.