InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mating Season ❯ I Do… ( Chapter 52 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: SplendentGoddess 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.20.2006 | Updated On: 07.31.2008 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.5K | Visits: 10.3K | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama / Adventure | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.20.2006 | Updated On: 07.31.2008 | Pages: 1 | Words: 2.5K | Visits: 10.3K | Status: Completed
Blanket Disclaimer:
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
========================
Chapter 52 - I Do…
It was weird, with the way his ears were pinned down. The drumming seemed to come from nowhere, and everywhere, all at once. Yet logically, he knew it came from directly down the shrine’s walkway, as the wedding procession slowly approached. Inuyasha could tell they were getting closer, because despite his inability to hone in on the drumming, it was still getting louder. Nervously, he gulped, only to realize it after the fact. Why was he nervous again? Oh right, the two miko and the priest. Oh well, he trusted his mate; Kagome wouldn’t let anything happen to him.
He had to pause for a moment at his own thoughts, then. When in the ten hells had he started intrusting Kagome to protect him? Or more over, when had he openly accepted said protection?
When she pulled that damn arrow from my chest… he confessed in his mind.
Forgoing his hearing altogether, as useless as the sense was for the time being, he relied on his nose to tell him where the group currently was. They were almost there. Unconsciously, his left hand rose to rest upon Tetsusaiga’s hilt. Kagome’s school friends hadn’t paid much attention to the sword at first, figuring it decorative more than anything else, just like the dagger that Kagome would be carrying. But being fellow men, neither Hojo nor Tojin could miss the way Inuyasha’s posture seemed to calm at the contact, and they suddenly wondered if the sword wasn’t actually his. It wasn’t uncommon for people to have katana that day and age, though most were just made for decoration. But something seemed odd about that particular sword; it seemed too old and beat-up looking to be a new, decorative piece. No, they both realized with small gulps… That sword was ancient, and it had seen battle.
Inuyasha missed their gulps, his audio sensory currently not up to par, as it were. Perhaps he could have sensed their sudden waves of nervousness, were he not so caught up with his own. Gazing out the doorway, he had to mentally resist the instinct to move his ears back. They had arrived.
The first to enter were Kagome’s mother and grandfather, each dressed in their own rather formal kimono sets. He was used to seeing Jii-chan in what he considered “normal” clothing, but seeing Mrs. Higurashi all done up in her folds of silk had somehow seemed odd. But not necessarily odd in a bad way, he decided, as he continued to observe them approach, and take their places at the wedding tables. Nodoka was positively glowing, and had an aura about her that only a proud mother could possess. Inuyasha decided in that moment that had her hair been longer, she would have looked just like his own mother. The way she’d smiled at him, and the way her eyes had shown with devotion, was exactly the same as he remembered.
Next to enter was Souta, and the hanyou had to admit, though he didn’t have any personal reference to go from, that in his humble opinion, that boy was just about the best damn brother anyone could ever have. He hadn’t sought to avenge his sister’s honor when he’d found out ‘the lowly hanyou’ had mated with her. Instead he had simply yelled “Cool!” Inuyasha had to suppress a small chuckle at the reminder; Souta always had been overly enthusiastic regarding his very existence. What was that nickname he’d given him? Ah yes…Inu Onii-chan. Dog Brother.
After Souta joined his mother and grandfather standing at their places at the wedding table, the light in the doorway became blocked once more. Inuyasha had begun to notice a soft flute music drifting closer and closer as the drums slowly died down, and now he knew why. Directly behind those two women was his mate. They parted, walking up either side of the room, revealing Kagome in all her splendor, who slowly entered the honden as the soft flute music continued to play.
To say he was speechless would have been the understatement of the year. Later he would suppose, looking back on that moment, that his expression matched perfectly with what one would expect of a groom, awestruck by the glorified appearance of his bride. But what had actually been passing through his mind was more along the lines of “Who are you and what have you done with my mate?”
She looked like a porcelain doll. A horrible, freaky, gaudy porcelain doll. The kind of doll that woke up in the middle of the night and murdered its owners. Was she dressed for a wedding, or a kabuki theater? Of course, immediately following that train of thought was a little mental warning to not dare voice such opinions out loud, or else risk rekindling the rosary’s original purpose. But then again, based upon what he could make out of her expression underneath all that junk, and the emotions he could quite clearly feel radiating off of her, perhaps…she actually felt the same?
Then their eyes met, and with a shared expression of “Let’s get this over with.” she swiftly finished her approach, and together, hand in hand, the pair approached the nuptial table where the priest had positioned himself after reentering behind Kagome. He had his fair share of spiritual powers too, and Inuyasha found himself wondering if they knew something he didn’t know. Why would they still practice the true art of purification, if there was no need for such an ability?
Standing before the priest, their eyes met briefly, and Inuyasha gulped at the look of recognition shining back at him in the holy man’s mahogany stare. He didn’t smile, but he also didn’t frown, merely nodding at the couple to acknowledge their approach. He then beat the taiko drum, to wake the spirits and begin the purification. Using a “sacred tree” made out of paper like a broom, he “swept” away the evil spirits. So far, Inuyasha thought that perhaps he felt a small tingling, but it could very well be his imagination running away with him because of his nerves. After all, it was purely ritualistic, for the ceremony. It wasn’t as if anyone were actually trying to purify him, right? Then another thought occurred to him. Was the priest deliberately holding back?
Once he was finished, they approached the alter of the shrine’s god, which resided within the small honden shrine, and proceeded to bow and clap to honor its presence. Inuyasha and Kagome then both proceeded to sit before the priest while he began to utter the prayers to the kami that they bless this union. The priest then continued by reading from a scroll the marriage oaths of fidelity, devotion, and obedience.
After the oaths were read, it was time for the san-san-kudo, which loosely translated as either three-times-three or three-three-nine. That ceremony consisted of taking three sets of three small sips of sake, to equal a total of nine sips of the rice wine by each partner. Kagome flashed her mate a nervous look, accompanied by a strong emotional pulse of concern, but he reassured her with a look of his own meant to say “Hanyou”, meaning that nine sips of sake wouldn’t hurt the pup.
As Inuyasha reached for the first cup, he couldn’t help but to notice the way three sets of eyes had fixated on his hands. Why did he get the feeling that they were expecting to see claws? It was a good thing he had bitten them off prior to the ceremony. Kagome had even gone as far as to give him a metal file to smooth away the rough edges that betrayed the fact that they had been bitten off. Despite the heat of their gazes upon him, Inuyasha proceeded to pick up the first cup and hold it while the miko closer to him filled it with sake. Their eyes locked, and he got the distinct impression that her soft expression was meant to say “Relax, we mean you no harm.” He allowed himself to do just that, then, as he proceeded to hand the cup to Kagome, for her to take her three sips, before she relinquished her claim of it, and he took his three sips as well.
It was then Kagome’s turn to pick up the second cup, which was then filled with sake by the miko who stood closer to her side. Despite her physical discomfort, she had not allowed herself to ignore her instincts, and she was just as aware of the spiritual powers present as her mate. She did not share his apprehension, however, for she had full confidence that should any of them even think of attempting anything, she would have ample time to erect a barrier around them. She mentally chuckled at how weak the miko before her was. Not in a dark way that made her feel superior, or above them, but in a way of remembrance, a sensation of nostalgia, to her earlier days. She was laughing at herself for her previous weaknesses, in the same fashion one might gaze upon their old yearbook photos, making fun of what dorks they used to be ‘back in the day.’ The girl before her reminded Kagome of herself, in every way. She had every belief that she too, one day, would unlock her true potential, along with her sister. She could feel it within them both. As she accepted the rice wine, she got the distinct impression that the young woman-child before her could feel it as well. She stared at Kagome with a sense of wonder, of awe, of longing…
With the slightest nod of her head, accented by a smile and the closing of her eyes, Kagome acknowledged the young woman, before promptly handing the cup of sake to her mate. Inuyasha then proceeded to take three small sips, before handing the cup back to Kagome who then also took three small sips before setting the cup back down.
Lastly came the third, and largest cup, which was filled with sake before being handed to Inuyasha. This time he happily accepted the wine, offering the miko a small smile himself, as he took the cup and passed it along to his mate, who drank from it before handing it back for him to drink from as well. With the san-san-kudo now complete, it was time to offer the tamagushi to the kami.
Shinto 101
The tamagushi is traditionally an evergreen branch with a shide (paper helix) attached with asahimo (hemp fiber). The shide acts as a spiritual antennae, while the asahimo is straight and clear, like kami energy. Tama refers to tamashii (soul) and gushi to "kushi" which means “to connect.”
Nobody refused when both Kagome and Inuyasha had wished to break with tradition, forgoing the typical evergreen to instead use a small branch from the Goshinboku. It was past flower season, and as such, the sprig possessed no blossoms, which aided in giving it more of a proper appearance. Ordinarily, nobody would ever dare alter the tamagushi, but the priest held no objections because sakura trees were, in themselves, a sacred symbol as well, and Jii-chan had also explained to him the significance (minus certain details) of that particular cherry tree. The visiting priest and miko might think it unorthodox, but Kagome’s family all knew that they could honor the kami no higher.
Standing, Inuyasha and Kagome made their way around the table towards the alter, Inuyasha holding the tamagushi in both hands, the cut end in his right. He bowed briefly before rotating the sprig clockwise, until the cut end faced the kami, before setting it down. He and Kagome both then proceeded to bow twice, clap twice, then bow once more. Everyone else followed suit then, bowing and clapping as well. As the priestesses made their way through the small shrine, they filled everyone’s cups with sake (including Souta) and the small group all sipped their drink at the same time, symbolizing unity. Even though Inuyasha had no family present, the custom still represented how he was now a member of Kagome’s.
Kagome nodded her thanks to the shrine maidens as they announced the completion of the ceremony, each offering their own congratulations to the couple.
It was over…
Then, both the two miko women as well as Kagome’s mother approached, draping a heavy uchikake over her wedding ensemble, while removing the tsuno kakushi from her head. The huge outer kimono hindered her ability to walk as it pooled around her feet, creating a small train that dragged on the ground, and Kagome was now positive that were it not for her enhanced strength, she would have collapsed under the additional weight. The heavy, obi-less robe was a vibrant red, in accordance with the general color scheme of the entire wedding. It wasn’t solid, though, but rather, intricately decorated with images of crane and koi, embroidered in metallic gold. However, it still made Inuyasha smile to see her wrapped up in that particular color. It reminded him of all the times in the past when he’d wrapped her up in his suikan, which was sometimes the only thing she had on at the time. It was only for protection of course, naturally. But even still, looking back on it, the memories were enough to cause some more red to be added to his appearance, as well.
Feeling his blast of emotions, Kagome glanced his way, and smiled when she noticed his rising blush. He quickly gained composure over himself, though, as he and his wife were whisked away, directed over towards the Goshinboku itself, for pictures upon pictures upon pictures. Somebody started yelling “Bonzai!” and before they knew it, everybody was.
Then the shamisen music started to play, accompanied by the drums and flute of earlier. Like clockwork, guests who had not been witness to the actual marriage ceremony started pouring into the shrine grounds, the area quickly becoming a buzz of activity.
Had they thought it was over?
It was only just beginning…
Inuyasha, and the characters therein, are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. I am in no way affiliated with Takahashi, or VIZ Productions.
========================
Chapter 52 - I Do…
It was weird, with the way his ears were pinned down. The drumming seemed to come from nowhere, and everywhere, all at once. Yet logically, he knew it came from directly down the shrine’s walkway, as the wedding procession slowly approached. Inuyasha could tell they were getting closer, because despite his inability to hone in on the drumming, it was still getting louder. Nervously, he gulped, only to realize it after the fact. Why was he nervous again? Oh right, the two miko and the priest. Oh well, he trusted his mate; Kagome wouldn’t let anything happen to him.
He had to pause for a moment at his own thoughts, then. When in the ten hells had he started intrusting Kagome to protect him? Or more over, when had he openly accepted said protection?
When she pulled that damn arrow from my chest… he confessed in his mind.
Forgoing his hearing altogether, as useless as the sense was for the time being, he relied on his nose to tell him where the group currently was. They were almost there. Unconsciously, his left hand rose to rest upon Tetsusaiga’s hilt. Kagome’s school friends hadn’t paid much attention to the sword at first, figuring it decorative more than anything else, just like the dagger that Kagome would be carrying. But being fellow men, neither Hojo nor Tojin could miss the way Inuyasha’s posture seemed to calm at the contact, and they suddenly wondered if the sword wasn’t actually his. It wasn’t uncommon for people to have katana that day and age, though most were just made for decoration. But something seemed odd about that particular sword; it seemed too old and beat-up looking to be a new, decorative piece. No, they both realized with small gulps… That sword was ancient, and it had seen battle.
Inuyasha missed their gulps, his audio sensory currently not up to par, as it were. Perhaps he could have sensed their sudden waves of nervousness, were he not so caught up with his own. Gazing out the doorway, he had to mentally resist the instinct to move his ears back. They had arrived.
The first to enter were Kagome’s mother and grandfather, each dressed in their own rather formal kimono sets. He was used to seeing Jii-chan in what he considered “normal” clothing, but seeing Mrs. Higurashi all done up in her folds of silk had somehow seemed odd. But not necessarily odd in a bad way, he decided, as he continued to observe them approach, and take their places at the wedding tables. Nodoka was positively glowing, and had an aura about her that only a proud mother could possess. Inuyasha decided in that moment that had her hair been longer, she would have looked just like his own mother. The way she’d smiled at him, and the way her eyes had shown with devotion, was exactly the same as he remembered.
Next to enter was Souta, and the hanyou had to admit, though he didn’t have any personal reference to go from, that in his humble opinion, that boy was just about the best damn brother anyone could ever have. He hadn’t sought to avenge his sister’s honor when he’d found out ‘the lowly hanyou’ had mated with her. Instead he had simply yelled “Cool!” Inuyasha had to suppress a small chuckle at the reminder; Souta always had been overly enthusiastic regarding his very existence. What was that nickname he’d given him? Ah yes…Inu Onii-chan. Dog Brother.
After Souta joined his mother and grandfather standing at their places at the wedding table, the light in the doorway became blocked once more. Inuyasha had begun to notice a soft flute music drifting closer and closer as the drums slowly died down, and now he knew why. Directly behind those two women was his mate. They parted, walking up either side of the room, revealing Kagome in all her splendor, who slowly entered the honden as the soft flute music continued to play.
To say he was speechless would have been the understatement of the year. Later he would suppose, looking back on that moment, that his expression matched perfectly with what one would expect of a groom, awestruck by the glorified appearance of his bride. But what had actually been passing through his mind was more along the lines of “Who are you and what have you done with my mate?”
She looked like a porcelain doll. A horrible, freaky, gaudy porcelain doll. The kind of doll that woke up in the middle of the night and murdered its owners. Was she dressed for a wedding, or a kabuki theater? Of course, immediately following that train of thought was a little mental warning to not dare voice such opinions out loud, or else risk rekindling the rosary’s original purpose. But then again, based upon what he could make out of her expression underneath all that junk, and the emotions he could quite clearly feel radiating off of her, perhaps…she actually felt the same?
Then their eyes met, and with a shared expression of “Let’s get this over with.” she swiftly finished her approach, and together, hand in hand, the pair approached the nuptial table where the priest had positioned himself after reentering behind Kagome. He had his fair share of spiritual powers too, and Inuyasha found himself wondering if they knew something he didn’t know. Why would they still practice the true art of purification, if there was no need for such an ability?
Standing before the priest, their eyes met briefly, and Inuyasha gulped at the look of recognition shining back at him in the holy man’s mahogany stare. He didn’t smile, but he also didn’t frown, merely nodding at the couple to acknowledge their approach. He then beat the taiko drum, to wake the spirits and begin the purification. Using a “sacred tree” made out of paper like a broom, he “swept” away the evil spirits. So far, Inuyasha thought that perhaps he felt a small tingling, but it could very well be his imagination running away with him because of his nerves. After all, it was purely ritualistic, for the ceremony. It wasn’t as if anyone were actually trying to purify him, right? Then another thought occurred to him. Was the priest deliberately holding back?
Once he was finished, they approached the alter of the shrine’s god, which resided within the small honden shrine, and proceeded to bow and clap to honor its presence. Inuyasha and Kagome then both proceeded to sit before the priest while he began to utter the prayers to the kami that they bless this union. The priest then continued by reading from a scroll the marriage oaths of fidelity, devotion, and obedience.
After the oaths were read, it was time for the san-san-kudo, which loosely translated as either three-times-three or three-three-nine. That ceremony consisted of taking three sets of three small sips of sake, to equal a total of nine sips of the rice wine by each partner. Kagome flashed her mate a nervous look, accompanied by a strong emotional pulse of concern, but he reassured her with a look of his own meant to say “Hanyou”, meaning that nine sips of sake wouldn’t hurt the pup.
As Inuyasha reached for the first cup, he couldn’t help but to notice the way three sets of eyes had fixated on his hands. Why did he get the feeling that they were expecting to see claws? It was a good thing he had bitten them off prior to the ceremony. Kagome had even gone as far as to give him a metal file to smooth away the rough edges that betrayed the fact that they had been bitten off. Despite the heat of their gazes upon him, Inuyasha proceeded to pick up the first cup and hold it while the miko closer to him filled it with sake. Their eyes locked, and he got the distinct impression that her soft expression was meant to say “Relax, we mean you no harm.” He allowed himself to do just that, then, as he proceeded to hand the cup to Kagome, for her to take her three sips, before she relinquished her claim of it, and he took his three sips as well.
It was then Kagome’s turn to pick up the second cup, which was then filled with sake by the miko who stood closer to her side. Despite her physical discomfort, she had not allowed herself to ignore her instincts, and she was just as aware of the spiritual powers present as her mate. She did not share his apprehension, however, for she had full confidence that should any of them even think of attempting anything, she would have ample time to erect a barrier around them. She mentally chuckled at how weak the miko before her was. Not in a dark way that made her feel superior, or above them, but in a way of remembrance, a sensation of nostalgia, to her earlier days. She was laughing at herself for her previous weaknesses, in the same fashion one might gaze upon their old yearbook photos, making fun of what dorks they used to be ‘back in the day.’ The girl before her reminded Kagome of herself, in every way. She had every belief that she too, one day, would unlock her true potential, along with her sister. She could feel it within them both. As she accepted the rice wine, she got the distinct impression that the young woman-child before her could feel it as well. She stared at Kagome with a sense of wonder, of awe, of longing…
With the slightest nod of her head, accented by a smile and the closing of her eyes, Kagome acknowledged the young woman, before promptly handing the cup of sake to her mate. Inuyasha then proceeded to take three small sips, before handing the cup back to Kagome who then also took three small sips before setting the cup back down.
Lastly came the third, and largest cup, which was filled with sake before being handed to Inuyasha. This time he happily accepted the wine, offering the miko a small smile himself, as he took the cup and passed it along to his mate, who drank from it before handing it back for him to drink from as well. With the san-san-kudo now complete, it was time to offer the tamagushi to the kami.
Shinto 101
The tamagushi is traditionally an evergreen branch with a shide (paper helix) attached with asahimo (hemp fiber). The shide acts as a spiritual antennae, while the asahimo is straight and clear, like kami energy. Tama refers to tamashii (soul) and gushi to "kushi" which means “to connect.”
Nobody refused when both Kagome and Inuyasha had wished to break with tradition, forgoing the typical evergreen to instead use a small branch from the Goshinboku. It was past flower season, and as such, the sprig possessed no blossoms, which aided in giving it more of a proper appearance. Ordinarily, nobody would ever dare alter the tamagushi, but the priest held no objections because sakura trees were, in themselves, a sacred symbol as well, and Jii-chan had also explained to him the significance (minus certain details) of that particular cherry tree. The visiting priest and miko might think it unorthodox, but Kagome’s family all knew that they could honor the kami no higher.
Standing, Inuyasha and Kagome made their way around the table towards the alter, Inuyasha holding the tamagushi in both hands, the cut end in his right. He bowed briefly before rotating the sprig clockwise, until the cut end faced the kami, before setting it down. He and Kagome both then proceeded to bow twice, clap twice, then bow once more. Everyone else followed suit then, bowing and clapping as well. As the priestesses made their way through the small shrine, they filled everyone’s cups with sake (including Souta) and the small group all sipped their drink at the same time, symbolizing unity. Even though Inuyasha had no family present, the custom still represented how he was now a member of Kagome’s.
Kagome nodded her thanks to the shrine maidens as they announced the completion of the ceremony, each offering their own congratulations to the couple.
It was over…
Then, both the two miko women as well as Kagome’s mother approached, draping a heavy uchikake over her wedding ensemble, while removing the tsuno kakushi from her head. The huge outer kimono hindered her ability to walk as it pooled around her feet, creating a small train that dragged on the ground, and Kagome was now positive that were it not for her enhanced strength, she would have collapsed under the additional weight. The heavy, obi-less robe was a vibrant red, in accordance with the general color scheme of the entire wedding. It wasn’t solid, though, but rather, intricately decorated with images of crane and koi, embroidered in metallic gold. However, it still made Inuyasha smile to see her wrapped up in that particular color. It reminded him of all the times in the past when he’d wrapped her up in his suikan, which was sometimes the only thing she had on at the time. It was only for protection of course, naturally. But even still, looking back on it, the memories were enough to cause some more red to be added to his appearance, as well.
Feeling his blast of emotions, Kagome glanced his way, and smiled when she noticed his rising blush. He quickly gained composure over himself, though, as he and his wife were whisked away, directed over towards the Goshinboku itself, for pictures upon pictures upon pictures. Somebody started yelling “Bonzai!” and before they knew it, everybody was.
Then the shamisen music started to play, accompanied by the drums and flute of earlier. Like clockwork, guests who had not been witness to the actual marriage ceremony started pouring into the shrine grounds, the area quickly becoming a buzz of activity.
Had they thought it was over?
It was only just beginning…