InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Double Vision ❯ Chapter 66

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

“Methinks you used too much.” Kaede coughed, choking on the gritty dust that clouded the air.

Miroku stared in awe at the cloud of dirt and debris that hung in the air after he detonated Sango’s explosive powder. “That was most impressive. Better than the windscar!” He crowed, doing a victory dance and hefting the bag holding the remaining powder aloft in one hand. ‘Good, there was plenty left for future use. Who would have thought that blowing things up would be so amusing!’ He scrambled over piles of rubble to get to the ruined hillside. He plastered the area with sacred sutras, hoping that they had finally vanquished any influence from the villainous Onigumo that might be lingering around the site of the former cave.

Jaken sighed dejectedly, rubbing dirt from his bulbous eyes, refusing to let himself be amused by the monk’s antics. “Rin is still missing. It breaks my heart to think of her alone out there, with no one to watch over her and her pup.” Turning back toward the village, he mumbled and plotted as he stumbled along on his little clawed feet. ‘Fear not, Lord Sesshomaru. At risk of his own life, this Jaken will find our Rin.’ He thought, resolving to set things right for his little girl. In his robes he kept a little flute, which he could use to summon Ah-Uhn.

“The imp is correct. It is much too early to be celebrating.” As Kaede trudged along, she pondered what to do. The reasonable course of action would be to dispatch Miroku to look for Rin. On the other hand, the monk had finally stepped up to the plate and was taking an interest in his children. From what he had told her, a kami had told him that he had one last chance to redeem himself if he returned to Edo and become a good father to his family. She mentally reviewed the burden of responsibility she bore toward the village. Winter had closed in early, her garden was put to bed, and the herbs she had strung from her rafters would dry without any help from her. No babies were scheduled to be birthed for many months to come. The village could continue on without her if she saddled her horse and rode out tonight.

The trio returned to Edo, and sat around the fire in Kaede’s hut in silence, bowls of hot soup cradled in their cold hands. Jaken finished his first bowl of soup off quickly and smacked his lips in satisfaction. “You cook like a goddess!” he told Kaede, holding his bowl out to be refilled. “Actually, you cook much better than that. One time there was this goddess, who held some deluded hope of becoming Lord Sesshomaru’s mate. She prepared a special dish for My Lord, but of course he wouldn’t touch it. He forced me to eat her miserable cooking.” He shuddered. “I would have been better off taking the beating My Lord promised if I failed to swallow every last bit of it.” Kaede and Miroku both laughed. The imp was surprisingly amusing, when he wasn’t being obnoxious. When his bowl was empty, Jaken patted his tummy in appreciation. “Your cooking, my dear, is the kind that sticks to a demon’s ribs. Most delectable.” He bowed, and made his way out of the hut. He scrambled off to the darkening forest, where he found a secluded spot out of sight of the village. He fumbled in his robes until he found the flute that was used to summon Ah-Uhn. He blew a single long note on the flute, then settled down against the trunk of a tree to wait.

“Thank you for the most excellent repast, Lady Kaede.” Miroku rose to his feet gracefully. “Time to check in on my dearest children.” He waggled his eyebrows expressively at Kaede, who giggled, almost girlishly. The monk may be reforming, but he still had his charm.

Miroku made his way to Kaede’s garden shed. Kagome’s contraption rested there, surrounded by shovels and pitchforks and worn-down old brooms. As quietly as he could, he wheeled the “by-sik-el” out of the shed, pausing in the side yard to make sure the tires still held air. He remembered Kagome telling him that, once you learn how to ride a “by-sik-el”, you never forget. Taking her at her word, he swung his leg over and found the pedals with his sandaled feet. Black robes flapping like the wings of a bat, the monk rode off into the darkness.

Once the men had left her hut, Kaede donned her dark hooded cloak, slung her bow and quiver over her shoulder, and headed to the stable where her horse was kept.