InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale of Ever After ❯ Chapter 120

[ 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 119

At Tameo’s compound, Susumu and InuYasha wound their way around the back side of the big house, doing a quick check of the office, just in case, but finding no one there, the two men bypassed the path that led to the family shrine, and instead made their way toward the cattle pen and other outbuildings.  

The air was rich with earthy smells - compost and straw, manure and cattle. Nearby was the shed they kept the miso in. Something else InuYasha wasn’t sure of was fermenting near by. An ox lowed, and a man said soothing things to it.

“This is the heart of what we do in the compound,” Susumu said, as they rounded one of the buildings. “The rice, the stores, the animals, are all in this area. We may sleep in the house, but this is where things are done.”

“I believe it,” InuYasha said, nodding and looking at the few people around working at various tasks. “It’s got the strongest smells of any place here.”

Susumu laughed. “I do believe you’re right. Can’t farm without making smells, it seems.”

Up ahead, they could spot a man with tied-back sleeves forking chopped straw into a handcart.

“Yo, Jun,” Susumu said. “Hiding back here are you?”

“You might call it hiding, but some of us, we call it working.” Jun, a big brawny man, neither old nor young, dropped his fork load of straw into the cart.

The two men rounded the corner of the building they were passing and saw Isao working there as well, raking up the straw that Jun scattered behind him.

“Of course, it is a good day to be seen to be busy. That’s why I brought the young one back here with me.” Jun jerked his thumb and pointed to where Isao was busy raking up straw that the farmer had scattered in his work. “He seemed kind of lost, and your okaasan wanted something for him to do. He’s been more help here, I think, than he would be in the big house.”

Isao, still bruised, but looking better all around, raised his head and smiled at the two men. “Susumu-sensei, InuYasha-sama,” he said, bowing. “It’s good to see you.”

“You’re looking better than the last time I saw you,” InuYasha said, nodding at the youth.

“I feel a lot better, too. No more headache,” Isao said. “Thank you for helping me.”

“Keh,” the hanyou said, crossing his arms, but giving the young man a kind look. “Hope you don’t need help like that again for a long time.”

“Found something that Haha-ue said you could do?” Susumu asked.

The boy nodded. “She said I couldn’t do heavy lifting, or anything that put weight on my neck or head, or that made me dizzy.” He pulled up a bit of straw with his rake. “Funny thing is, I got the feeling that Hisa-obaasan was trying to find something for me to do, to get me out of the house.  She seemed really happy to send me out with Jun-sama. Did I do something wrong?”

Susumu laughed. “No, no, I’m sure you didn’t.” He gave a knowing look to InuYasha. “No, it’s just that she’s having company this afternoon. I’m surprised she didn’t think up something for you to do to help her get ready. Maybe Haha-ue might have thought you needed some fresh air. She’s smart about that type of stuff, but she always kicks all the men out of the house the morning before one of these things, except when she needs them to do the heavy lifting or carrying. You’re lucky, though, that you didn’t end up washing dishes or scrubbing floors.”

The boy looked rather relieved. “Ah, I was afraid she was mad because Mitsuo kept trying to hit one of his sisters with a toy, and I made him stop.”

Susumu shook his head. “Nope. That was a good thing. It’s just she gets...intense...when something like this is going on.”

“It’s true, young fellow,” Jun said. “Just like I told you. We’ve all learned to lay low on the days when the women come over. Even Tameo-sama.” He tossed another fork full into the cart. “I’d rather be pitching straw any time than needing to go to the house on a day like today.”

“Speaking of Chichi-ue, do you know where he’s at?” Susumu asked. “Emi thought he’d be here.”

“He was for a while. He went down to the west dry field,” Jun said. “Something about preferring a sore back to Hisa-sama’s eye.”

“Ah,” Susumu said, nodding his head. “Somehow, I’m not that surprised.” He turned to InuYasha. “I guess we have some more walking to do.”

“Sounds like it,” the hanyou agreed. Nodding their goodbyes, and dodging little Mikio, Jun’s youngest son, who was being chased by two of the older girls, they headed out of the compound and off into the fields.


Just like at Tameo’s household, there was plenty of activity around Tsuneo’s place. Several people were working around the outbuildings. A couple of roosters looked at each other warily before a dog ran by, disturbing their display.

“Hey, Akai!” Hitori, Isao’s older brother, said. The dog turned and headed back to the young man.  He had evidently been down by the river, and carried his fishing gear and a large fish. Even though he looked in Kaede and Kagome’s direction, he chose not to acknowledge them, and moved on to the house.

Kagome looked at Kaede, who shrugged. “I wouldn’t put too much in store by that,” the old miko said. “He’s always had a bit of an attitude. It’s hard, sometimes, to believe that he and Isao-kun are brothers.”

The young miko nodded. “With everything that’s happened...”

“Maybe,” Kaede said. They headed for the main house.

As they approached Amaya, Isao’s mother was working in the kitchen garden. She was bent over one section of freshly turned earth and there was a stack of weeds in one corner. Near her feet, though was a basket of freshly picked greens.

“Amaya-chan,” Kaede said. “It’s a good day for gardening, is it not? If I wasn’t so busy, I suspect that’s just what I’d be doing.”

Looking up, Amaya gave the two women a small smile, standing up and dropping her hand tool next to the basket. She was dressed in an old kosode and a plain wrap skit. It might have been merely practical for doing her job, but Kagome wondered if the fatigue and worry she saw in the woman’s eyes and mouth had anything to do with her choice in clothes.

“Miko-sama,” Amaya said, dusting off her hands, then bowing. “Yes it is a good day for it. I hope all is well. Hana-chan said you would be coming by.”

“It is with us,” Kaede said, watching as the younger woman bent over to pick up a basket she had filled with early greens. “I hope things are - ”

There was a shout, and a child began crying. “Otousan!”  

Amaya winced at the sound. “Now what?”

“Things aren’t as quiet here as you’d like, I see,” Kaede said.

“No, I am afraid not,” Amaya said. “I’m hoping they will calm down today. I’d like to go see Isao-kun, but I’m a bit nervous leaving with Haname feeling this poorly, and...”

“Oh, I understand,” Kaede said. “But  Isao is feeling much better. He says his head doesn’t hurt anymore, and the bruising is starting to fade.”

Amaya smiled, a little bit relieved. “I am glad. Susumu is a good man for taking him in. Isao was very excited when I went to see him to take him his things.”

“Good, good,” Kaede said. “I am hoping everything works out well.”

“Morio-kun,” said a shrill, young voice. “Leave Haha-ue’s pickles alone!”

“Not everything here is working out as well as Isao’s position,” Amaya said, sighing. “I don’t know what we’re going to do about him.”

“But I want to,” Morio said. His voice, whiny and a little frightened, boomed out of the house.

“Why Joben asked Setsuko to watch him is beyond me,” Amaya said. “What’s a girl her age able to do with a man his size?”

“Maybe we - ” Kaede started, but was interrupted by another banging sound followed by the squawk of a chicken.

“Otousan!” the girl said. “Morio got into the pickle tub again!”

As they watched, Morio ran out from behind a building, carrying the lid to a pickle tub, followed by Setsuko, trying to catch up with him. Joben came out of the main building, and stood in the pathway Morio was taking.

“Morio-kun,” Joben said, crossing his arms.“You have to put that back.”

“But...but...” the strange man-child said. “I need...” He dropped to the ground. “The youkai are going to get me,” he said, looking up at Joben. “I have to have something to keep safe.” His eyes grew big and sad and glittery. “Please, Joben-ojisan.” He began to rock back and forth.

Kagome took a step forward, wanting to help. Kaede pulled her back. “No, child,” the old miko said. “This is something Joben needs to learn to manage.”

The younger woman let out a deep breath. “If you say so.”

The man looked over his shoulder and saw the miko standing there, gave a terse nod, and turned back to his charge. “No, no, Morio-kun. You don’t need a shield. There are better things to protect you than the lid from Akina-chan’s pickle tub. I’ll give you something else that will work better.”

“You will?” Morio said, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. “You’re sure it’ll work? They want to eat me! I just know it.”

“We’ll put the lid up, and I’ll give you an ofuda that will keep all the evil monsters away.” Joben motioned to his daughter who came close. “Ofuda work better, you know. Much stronger magic.” He took the pickle tub lid from Morio’s hand. Even with reassurances, the cursed man was reluctant to give it up, but Joben finally pulled it out of his hands, and handed it to his daughter.

“Here, Setsuko-chan. Go put this where it belongs,” he said. “I’m sorry this happened while you were watching him.”

She nodded and went off.

“Now you, come with me, and I’ll get you your ofuda,” Joben said, lifting Morio back to his feet. “You need to stay away from the main house and play at the house where we put you. There are plenty of toys for you there, you know.”

Morio wiped his eyes again. “But I get lonely there, Joben-ojisan. There’s nobody to play with.” He started to sniffle. “What good are toys if nobody wants to play with me? And when you go off and talk to the other people, I’m all alone. I get scared. Every time I hear a noise, I think it’s the monsters.”

Joben sighed again. “We’ll have to see if we can find you someone to play with. I’ll talk to Chichi-ue.  He may know somebody we can ask over to play with you. But right now, Haha-ue needs lots of rest and quiet. You need to do what I tell you to do.” He took him by the arm. “Come on, now, and let’s go. You can be good for me right now, can’t you?”

Morio took a deep breath, nodded his head and let Joben lead him away.

“Oh, my,” Kaede said.

Amaya nodded. “I’m not sure why this happened, but we have a very lost and frightened boy in that body, and he’s busy frightening everybody who comes around him.”

“That’s so sad,” Kagome said. “I saw him playing with Susumu-sama’s son the other day, and they were having a good time. He really thinks like a five-year-old.”

“But has a body of an adult man,” Kaede said. “I brought some medicine over that might help calm him down for a while, but he’ll need more than that. I’ll talk to Tameo and the other elders about this. Something has to be done before Joben or the rest of you can’t take it any more.” She sighed and shook her head. “I wonder if Kazuo had any idea...”

“Maybe there are some children who could play with him?” Kagome asked.

“Who’s going to want to do that?” Amaya asked. She picked up her basket.

“The kami did say that Morio was everybody’s responsibility,” Kagome said. “Maybe someone would.”

“Maybe so,” Kaede said. She turned to Amaya. “So how is Haname this morning?”

“About the same, I think. Akina is with her right now. She might try to sit up for you, but she’s been spending a lot of time sleeping.”

“I’ll go check on her, and leave the medicine with Akina-chan, “Kaede said. “Then we’ll be on our way.”

“Do you want me to be there?” Kagome asked.

“With as much noise and strife as there has been this morning, perhaps, child, you should wait here,” Kaede said, shifting her basket on her hip. “She needs quiet to throw off the damage that spell caused her, and I’m not sure if she’s getting it yet.”

“It’s all right, Kagome-sama,” Amaya said. “I’ll keep you company until Miko-sama gets done.”

With a nod of acceptance, Kagome sent Kaede off to do her work, and Amaya went back to her gardening. Kagome walked over to where she was working. After a moment, she pointed to something growing.

“What’s that, Amaya-chan?” she asked. “I saw some of that growing in my garden, but I never gardened very much before, and Kinjiro put the garden in and hasn’t told me what he planted.”

“You never had to garden?” Amaya asked, with honest surprise.  

“No, never.  We...” Kagome thought a moment, how to phrase it. “We had someone else grow all our vegetables. I only grew some flowers and herbs.”

“Ah,” Amaya said, bending over to pick up her tool. “You were rich?  And you came back to living in a farming village?”

Kagome shook her head. “Not really. It’s just that I lived at a shrine, and other people did the gardening.”

The older woman looked at her, not sure of what to make of it, and shrugged. “This is tatsoi. In fact, it’s my second planting of it. Kinjiro didn’t tell you what he planted?”

Kagome shook her head. “Things got kind of crazy.”

“Huh,” she said. “Come see me if you need any help. The kitchen garden is my special place.” She shook her head. “Men sometimes have no sense. Plant a garden and not tell you what’s in it.”

For some reason, this made Kagome laugh. She knelt down next to the woman, and they began to talk about early vegetables and weeds and Kinjiro. By the time Kaede came back out, Kagome knew she had found a new friend.