InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Naraku's Child ❯ Birthday Surprise ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: See previous chapters, or better yet, just KNOW I don't own it. I mean, come on! How could a tiny peon like me ever hope to own something as great as Inu-Yasha? Seriously…

 

Naraku's Child

Chapter 3: Birthday Surprise

By Ethril Dragon

 

“Mother I really don't like doing this!” Kiyomi complained as she was poked with another pin by the seamstress.

“I know dear, but you need a new kimono for your birthday celebration.”

“But mother, all my other kimono's are just fine! It's not like any of them are worn down or ragged!” Kiyomi countered. It was true, being from a spider demon clan had its benefits. The first one being the abundance of spider silk which was used for indestructible fabrics that self repaired and stayed just as beautiful as the day it was made.

“That doesn't matter Kiyomi,” Kagome sighed softly. “Darling, your 16th birthday is very special. Your father wants you to wear the very best for your celebration feast.”

Kiyomi grumbled but held still. “I'd rather just have a small party with my friends and family.”

Kagome sighed and shook her head. “I know. So would I, but with things as they are, your father and I feel it's time to introduce you to the demonic community.”

Kiyomi rolled her eyes. “I already know the demonic community. What other Lord's daughter goes out throughout the country side just to meet people?”

Kagome shook her head. “You know what I mean. The noble demonic community.”

Kiyomi stayed silent as the fitting finished and the lower spider demon took off her dress to make adjustments. “Thank you,” Kiyomi said just as she had been taught.

The spider demon bowed and left to go to her weaving chambers.

Kagome watched her daughter as she changed into her normal everyday kimono. “Kiyomi…I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but you need to know,” Kagome started to say. Kiyomi had a sense of dread and moaned softly. “After the feast, your friends and family are going to have a private party just for you ok? You just have to put up with the Lord's and their families for one night.”

Kiyomi perked up slightly. “You mean it? I can have a normal party afterwards?”

Kagome nodded. “Just don't tell anyone I told you. Shippo was making the party plans and he'll be devastated if he knew you knew.”

Kiyomi nodded happily, her mood changing completely. If Shippo was planning her party then it would definitely be fun. Last year, he had made what their mother called a piñata and had filled it with all sorts of sweets. The fun part was, that when you hit it, it exploded and all the parts had turned into butterflies while the candy fell.

Kibuki and Kamori had really enjoyed that.

“What does he have planned? Do you know?” Kiyomi questioned her mother.

Kagome laughed. “No you don't! No asking questions, at least let part of the party be a surprise.”

Kiyomi smiled and nodded. They left her room to head towards the dining room. As they walked in companionable silence, Kiyomi began thinking about the feast again. All the neighboring Lords, high and low, had been invited to celebrate. They were to bring their mates, and their eldest children to honor her.

`Honor? Yeah right, more like try to force mate me.' She thought with a mental sneer. She had made up her decision. Kiyomi was not going to mate until she was at least fifty. She at least wanted to travel all over Japan before settling down, if not travel the world. Just the thought of seeing distant lands made her daydream. Her daydreams, like always, lead her to imagine a certain silver haired demon and what wondrous adventures he would be having. Oh how Kiyomi envied Inu-Yasha.

`He gets to go anywhere he wants, see everything there is to see, and I'm stuck here. All I ever get to do anymore is train and practice, practice and train. Over and over.' She hated it. Not only did she have to train her demonic abilities, but for some odd reason she had inherited her mother's miko abilities, something that had really surprised her parents.

Kiyomi shrugged mentally, keeping her physical expression serene. That was something she had inherited from her father, the ability to mask her emotions. It didn't matter to her what powers she had, she just hated training. For some reason, her mother insisted on extensive training. After years of wheedling her older brother, she was able to find out that their mother hadn't been trained in her early years, and that Kagome didn't want what happened to her to happen to Kiyomi. Whatever that meant.

“Hello daughter, has your day been well?” Kiyomi snapped out from her thoughts, unaware of the fact they had just arrived at the dining hall.

“No father. I hate standing still for so long just for one dress fitting.” Kiyomi said with a disgusted face. “I would rather wear nothing at all at a party and be comfortable.”

Naraku laughed and motioned for her and her mother to sit. “That would create quite a stir, but with so many unmated males coming I don't think it would be a wise choice in atire.” Kagome smiled at the thought and sat down.

Kiyomi sat down with an irritated sound and hung her head. Just being reminded of the fact all those males were coming made her irritable.

“Why's Kiyomi in a fit?” Kamori asked her mother and father.

Naraku looked at his youngest daughter, who looked even more like Kagome than Kiyomi did. “Because Kiyomi is sad you and Kibuki won't be at the celebratory feast.”

The twins looked sad and began asking why they couldn't come. Kagome cut them off quickly and smoothly.

“You can't come dears because it's a grown up party and you'll be very bored.”

That didn't seem like an adequate reason for the twins, but they were grudgingly silent about it the rest of the meal.

Once dinner was over Kiyomi excused herself and headed outside. She needed to be alone for awhile, to think, to dream, and to wonder. But most of all just to get away from everything that reminded her of her birthday.

Kiyomi wasn't paying much attention as to where she was walking until she was close to the edge of the cliff that looked over the main road. The first place she had ever seen Inu-Yasha.

She stood there for awhile, letting her thoughts settle once more on what it would be like to travel the world like him.

“Now why would one of my children be way out here away from the palace and her guards?” Kiyomi looked behind her, unsurprised to see her father standing there. When she was a child, him just appearing like that would surprise her, now it was just a comfort she looked forward too.

“I'm just thinking papa.” She said as she looked back to the road.

Naraku stood next to his daughter and looked at the road too. He knew what his daughter was going through. It was the same thing he went through when he was the human Onigumo. The need to travel. “May I ask what it is you think about?”

Kiyomi took a deep breath and sighed. “What's the outside world like father? I don't mean your land. I mean Japan, the mainland, the rest of the world! What's out there! I want to see everything but…” Her voice faltered.

Naraku nodded. He knew it. His daughter was starting to get itchy feet. He expected it, since both he and her mother were well known for the traveling they'd done years ago. One day, he would tell his daughter about the past…

“Perhaps you can see it all one day my dear heart. But for now, be content with what you have. Enjoy your birthday the best you can, I have the feeling things will be different afterwards.”

Kiyomi nodded. She had that same feeling.

 

The boat bumped repeatedly against the dock as the captain and his crew tied it off.

“Thanks for ride,” Inu-Yasha said, his hands in his sleeves.

“T'was no problem. You helped out where you could and kept sea demons away. Good trade off both ways.” The captain replied as he straightened and looked at the silver haired demon. “Suppose you'll be off to visit your friends now?”

Inu-Yasha nodded. “I've got a couple days left of travel before I arrive. Figure I'll make it just in time.”

“In time for what?” The captain asked, whipping his brow with the cuff of his sleeve.

Inu-Yasha shrugged. “Birthday. Nothing really special. Just figured I'd show up after seven years.”

The captain laughed and nodded. “Well be off with ya, and may the weather be with ya.”

“I'll probably be back before you and the crew launch again.” The captain nodded, they'd been travelling together now for nearly a decade. Inu-Yasha nodded in return and jumped away, his legs once again carrying him towards Naraku's palace.

 

“My name is Haruko Kuma,” The bear demon said with a bow.

Kiyomi bowed in respect, but paid little attention to the older demon. She smiled subtly and nodded when it seemed appropriate. His voice grated on her ears and she was desperately trying to find a way away from him. For the last couple days the demon Lord's and their entourages had been arriving, and now her celebration was underway. And she hated every minute of it.

“Kiyomi dear, could you come with me for a moment?” Kagome said as she walked up to her daughter. She had noticed how unhappy her daughter was from across the hall.

Kiyomi would have almost cried out in joy if the look on her mother's face hadn't stopped her. “Yes mother.”

“Mother…do I have to meet with more people?” Kiyomi asked very softly once they were out of ear shot of the Lord Haruko.

Kagome sighed softly. “I'm afraid so sweet heart. They were all invited here to meet you and celebrate your 16th birthday. It would be rude to ignore them.”

Kiyomi felt like running to her room and hiding. This day was turning out to be the worst day of her life. If she hadn't been taught restraint by her father, she probably would have killed or attempted to kill half of the assembled demons with either her miko powers or her demon powers. It didn't help the matter that the majority of the males here were the sons of powerful Lords and Rulers. `Also doesn't help that most of them are a century older than me.' She thought, her heart sinking.

Just then, another male walked up to her. This one was one of the better looking demons there. “Hello,” Kiyomi said in greeting.

“Hello to you too. I am Kaito of the Southern clan,” the tall maroon haired demon said with a bow.

Kiyomi bowed in return, her back protesting slightly as she realized just how much she had been bowing today. `Worst. Birthday. Ever.'

“I am Kiyomi, eldest daughter of Lord Naraku,” She said in response. She rose from her bow and smiled her sweet, fake smile. Mentally she was thinking up all the ways she could kill, maim, and destroy every living male in her father's palace that didn't belong there.

“Sister!” Kiyomi felt like yelling in joy as her elder brother Shippo came up from behind her and lopped his arms around her shoulders. “What have you been up too tonight?”

Shippo's loud exuberance made Kaito irritated, from what Kiyomi could see. This pleased her greatly. Kiyomi turned slightly to give her brother her full attention, and to show Kaito he was excused from her presence whether or not he wanted to be.

“Just meeting people, receiving birthday wishes, and wishing I could destroy everyone here,” She said with false happiness.

Shippo laughed heartily and dragged her over to where her child hood friends were standing. “Well you've been neglecting your friends and family greatly! Why, poor Rin feels like you hate her!” Shippo exaggerated.

Kiyomi laughed at the mere thought of Rin feeling that way. Her laugh, similar to her mothers but more musical, attracted the attention of several of the closer demons. “I could never hate Rin! She's my cousin after all!” Kiyomi let Shippo lead her over to her group of childhood friends.

She let some of her restraint go to give Rin and Kanna hugs. Kohaku gave her a big hug and a kiss on the cheek while Shippo simply replaced his arms back around Kiyomi's shoulders possessively. Every now and then he would send a glare to the watching “eligible” males. He was Kiyomi's older brother, and it was his job to protect her from unworthy males.

For the next hour or so, the party wasn't completely horrible. She was able to spend most of the time with her family. Once in awhile someone would walk up intent on talking to her. If it was a demoness, she was allowed to stay a little while, but if a demon were to walk up, Shippo would get all growly and protective. Not that Kiyomi cared. Shippo mostly scared away most of the oncoming demons. He was a well known kitsune after all and his fox fire was awfully powerful.

Just before dinner was announced, Kiyomi excused herself for some fresh air. She walked out onto the balcony that was connected to the grand hall and fanned herself for a couple minutes.

“Lovely night isn't it?” Kiyomi spun around and her eyes narrowed when they landed on Kaito.

“I suppose,” Kiyomi replied, forcing herself to relax a little. She had to act at least civil after all, he was a guest.

Kaito stepped closer, his black eyes never leaving her crimson ones. The raven demon continued to watch her closely as he got closer.

“What would you be doing out here all by yourself my lady?” He asked as he stopped less than a foot away from her.

Kiyomi sucked in her breath and leaned against the rail of the balcony. “I just needed some air.”

“You shouldn't be out here by yourself.” Kaito said as he leaned closer.

Kiyomi felt like her head was spinning, but in a bad way. The raven demon was really starting to creep her out.

“I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” Kiyomi said nervously as his face was mere inches from hers.

“I'm sure you are,” he said, his eyes locking with hers. He reached out to grasp her wrists.

`I…I can't move,' she thought desperately. What was he doing to her? She should be able to fight him, she was strong enough…but she'd never been surprised like this before. She felt his hands on her wrists, she tried to summon up her miko powers, but for some reason nothing worked.

He held onto her wrists tightly as he leaned down to her left shoulder. He inhaled deeply and Kiyomi shivered in disgust. She bit her lip to keep from whimpering.

“GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!” a voice yelled from one side of the balcony. Before Kaito or Kiyomi could see who it was that yelled, Kaito was knocked away from her and a rather large sword was drawn in protection of her.

“You…you had no right to interfere!” Kaito said as he stood up slowly from where he had fallen.

“Fuck yes I did!” Inu-Yasha was fuming. He had just arrived, spoken with Naraku, and had gone to see where Kiyomi had wandered off too. Shippo had been worried since she had been gone for awhile. What he had walked out on had enraged him in a way he hadn't felt in a long time.

“What's going on out here?” Naraku demanded as he and Kagome came running out onto the balcony. What they saw surprised them. Kiyomi was rubbing her wrists with a pained and fearful expression, Inu-Yasha was standing in front of her with his sword drawn, and Lord Kaito was several yards away, dusting himself off angrily.

“I caught this scum placing a binding spell on Kiyomi!” Inu-Yasha snarled angrily, his eyes never left Kaito.

`So that's why I couldn't move…and why I couldn't use my miko powers,' Kiyomi thought.

Kagome rushed to her daughter and took hold of her wrists to look at them. She examined Kiyomi's wrists and sighed in relief.

“There are traces of a binding spell, but it's incomplete and should fade quickly.”

Naraku snarled angrily and faced Kaito. “What is the meaning of this? Explain yourself?” By this time several of the other lords had arrived and had been informed of what had happened. Most were on Naraku's side. To place a binding spell on a high ranking noble, especially in their own home, was dishonorable.

“I don't need to answer to you, low life.” Kaito spouted as wings erupted from his back. “I'll come back, and when I do I'm taking your lovely daughter with me.” With that he jumped into the air and left before any of the other demons could go after him. Several were willing to chase him down and capture him, but Naraku sent Kagura to follow him.

“Kanna, watch him. I want to know where he's going and what his reasons were for trying to harm Kiyomi,” Naraku said as Kanna pulled out her precious mirror from her kimono sleeve.

“For now,” Naraku said as he turned back to the waiting guests. “Let us return to the feast and enjoy the rest of the evening.”

Kagome held her daughters hand as she quietly asked her questions as to how she was feeling.

“I'm fine mother, just…just a little light headed.” Kiyomi said softly as she and Kagome headed for the dinning hall. Kiyomi didn't notice Inu-Yasha following close behind her.

“Light headedness is good. It means your miko powers were fighting the binding,” Kagome said softly. “I think it's time we increase your miko training.”

Kiyomi would have moaned, but she felt the same way. After what Kaito just tried to do, she could use a little more training.

 

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A/N: Well here you go, another chapter done. Hey, for those that are actually reading this, can I have a couple reviews so I know you guys like it? Otherwise I'm just going to stop. I just want like, 2 reviews for now.

 

Preview of next chapter:

 

“You're such a jerk!” Kiyomi yelled, her body ready for anything Inu-Yasha threw at her.

“At least I'm not a spoiled brat!” Inu-Yasha yelled back, his fists in the air in challenge.

“I'd rather be a spoiled brat then a bad mannered baka!” Kiyomi yelled back. Her eyes burned and she growled softly. To think, when she was a child this had been a game to her. Now she understood better.

“Well you were saved by this bad mannered baka, how do you like that?” Inu-Yasha retorted, a sneer on his face.

Kiyomi paused and blinked a few times. Her anger dissipated immediately and she felt really bad for starting the fight in the first place. Kiyomi sighed softly and bowed in apology.
”I am sorry Inu-Yasha, I hadn't meant to insult you. You did save me, and I should be grateful, not disrespectful.”

Inu-Yasha blinked in confusion and scratched his head. “You're just like your mother was.”

It was Kiyomi's turn to blink in confusion. “What do you mean?”

Inu-Yasha sighed and stretched. “She had these horrible mood swings when we were traveling together. One minute she would be just fine, the next she would be sitting me to hell.”

Kiyomi cocked her head in confusion and curiosity. This was one of the first things she'd ever been told about her mother's past. “Sitting you too hell? How could she do that?”

Inu-Yasha blinked and just stared at Kiyomi. “Didn't she ever tell you anything?” He scratched his head again.

Kiyomi shook hers. “No. My parents don't talk about the past. Shippo told me once it would just confuse me,” Kiyomi shrugged. “So I never asked.”

Inu-Yasha thought about this for a few minutes. `I need to talk to Naraku and Kagome…'