Inuyasha: A New Beginning
By:
Guardian Angel
Chapter Fourteen
“So, then you’re saying Nina turned into a full demon and Inukai turned her back to normal?” Miroku asked raising an eyebrow. He and the others had left the village and were taking a break near the river mainly because the kids kept complaining they were tired and Kagome wanted to go swimming. This caused most of the group to want to go and swim and so Inuyasha lost his battle to not stop.
Inuyasha growled.
Miroku took that as a yes and looked towards Inukai who was lying down on a tree branch with his arms crossed and eyes closed. He then looked towards Nina who was having a splashing war with the children and it looked as though she was winning. Miroku then grinned as a thought hit his head.
Sango and Kagome were talking about Inukai and Nina when Sango caught the huge grin on Miroku’s face. She knew that grin very well and knew it meant no good as well as the fact that he was thinking something lecherous. She sighed and got out of the water. She then went over to Miroku.
“I don’t even want to know what you’re thinking about,” Sango said as she hit Miroku on side of his head.
Miroku robbed his head as his grin disappeared and was replaced by an innocent smile. “I do not know what you are talking about, my dear Sango.”
Sango glared at him and returned to Kagome’s side.
The children had given up as Nina had been the winner of the battle. The little boy, whom they had found out was named Albert, jumped at Nina and she caught him in her arms.
“Not fair, you cheated,” Albert said.
Nina let out a small chuckle and began stroking the young cat demon’s hair. “I didn’t cheat. What ever would make you think such a thing?”
Albert pouted and gave Nina a small smile. “Okay. You didn’t cheat.”
Nina smiled down at Albert.
Inukai grunted and turned his back towards the river. He was still confused over the fact why he had growled at Koga and the thought of Nina having a boyfriend. He didn’t even get why he had been blushing when she was holding his hand or anything else that had caused him to blush when he was around her. He didn’t even know why he was being nice to her as well. When he was around her, he felt like a nervous wreck, but also felt like he could do anything in the world. He didn’t know why he felt this way or why he liked the feeling. He wanted it to go away because it was confusing him. He heard laughter and turned around to face the river to see Nina laughing happily as she threw Albert up in the air and caught him again. Albert was also laughing with joy. Inukai snorted. Just like a puppy to enjoy such things. He saw Miroku looking up at him and jumped down to the monk’s side. “What is it?!”
Miroku broke into a grin. “Oh, nothing.”
Inukai growled and
turned away from the monk as he went into his usual Inuyasha pose. “Then why
were you looking at me for?”
Miroku went over to Inukai and patted him
on his back. “Oh. Just because I wanted to let you know that I’m always here for
your girl troubles.”
Inukai turned to face him as he threw the monk’s hand off his back. “And what would a lecherous monk know about winning a girl’s heart?”
“Easy,” Miroku said. “After all, I did win one.”
Inukai grunted again and went back into his Inuyasha pose with his back to Miroku. “That’s because Sango must’ve been stupid when she did.”
Miroku wanted to hurt Inukai for the comment he just made and knew Sango would want to, too, but he restrained himself for he knew the half demon was just a boy and still had a lot of growing to do.
“Inukai, why don’t you go swimming with us?” a voice asked.
Inukai opened one eye and looked towards the one who had spoken to him. He then opened both his eyes. “Sota, give me one good reason why I should.”
“You’ll get to dunk people and get them mad,” Sota said a bit nervously.
Inukai smiled. “Sure. Why not.” He took his shirts off and dived into the river once he reached the deep end.
Sota let out a sigh and joined his best friend.
“You know, I’ve never really hated my teachers before,” Nina said.
“What’s your point?” Anna asked as she and Sharon began having a splash war.
“That the only one teacher I hated was the librarian,” Nina said. “But, even then, I didn’t hate her that much.”
“Go on,” Anna said.
“But I don’t like Yura,” Nina said. “She’s mean to me and thinks I’m a liar.”
“Well, you did really lie about why you were absent,” Anna said.
“Yeah, but I have to keep that a secret and you know that,” Nina said.
“Whatever,” Anna said. She and Sharon stopped splashing each other as Sharon had won the battle.
Nina let out a sigh and was going to swim further out into the river when she felt arms go around her waist. Nina turned her head a bit annoyed to see who was holding her to see Inukai’s face and he was smirking. She didn’t like the smirk he was giving her one bit.
“Hey, what’s up?” Inukai asked.
“Let. Me. Go,” Nina commanded. She felt Inukai left her up. Her eyes widened as she realized what Inukai was going to do. She began hitting his arms and kicking.
This only pleased Inukai as he began bringing her down with him into the water.
Nina didn’t have time to breath as she hit the water. She felt Inukai’s arms let her free. She also felt water reach her lungs. Her eyes widened and she quickly swam up to the surface. Once she reached it, she began gasping and coughing. Gasping so she could get air and coughing to get rid of the water that was burning her lungs. It hurt just to breath in. Breathing out was no problem as it didn’t cause her lungs any pain.
Inukai smirked as he had swum up to the surface long ago and had been waiting for Nina to surface.
Once Nina was sure she could breath properly again, she swam over to the shallow end and sat down at the edge of the shore. She shot Inukai a glare as he swam over to her.
“You have a nice swim?” Inukai asked still smirking.
Nina growled and got up. She then went over to her backpack and grabbed out her clothes. “I’m not swimming anymore.” With that, she hid behind the bushes to change out of her bathing suit and into her clothes.
Inukai frowned. “What makes you think I care if you’re not swimming anymore?” He then went back into the river to dunk his next victim.
Inuyasha lied down in a tree on a tree branch in his usual pose as he watched Sango and the others (except Sesshomaru, Miroku and Nina, of course) playing or swimming around in the river. He frowned and looked up at the sky. So, just who is the priestess and demon that create the so-called Chosen One? Will they be able to help us in time to rid of Naraku and the so-called greater evil? Or was Alendria lying to us from the very beginning? He then growled. Considering she works for Naraku. Did she work with him from the very beginning? Is that how Naraku knew where we were when we were in the village? He sighed and looked towards Nina who was fully dressed now wearing the outfit she had worn when she had actually met Inuyasha in person. He then looked towards Inukai to see him dunk Albert. He let out a growl. That puppy is so annoying. Someone should teach him a few things.
Oh. Do you mean like yourself? a familiar voice asked.
Inuyasha let out a growl. “Who are you and what do you want and where are you hiding?!”
Idiot. It’s me. Your wife and I want to talk to you and I’m not hiding, the voice said.
Inuyasha looked towards the river. “Kagome?”
Miroku looked up at Inuyasha from where he was sitting (which happened to be underneath the tree Inuyasha was sitting in) with a look that gave off the impression that said Inuyasha was crazy.
Yeah. It’s Kagome, Kagome said as she looked towards Inuyasha.
Sango was watching her in puzzlement.
“But you’re talking to me in my head,” Inuyasha said.
Kagome rolled her eyes. Obviously.
“How? Can I do it, too?” Inuyasha asked.
Yes, you can do it. As for how, I think it has to do with the Shikon no Tama, Kagome said.
Inuyasha looked towards Nina. But she has the jewel. Not you or me. So, how are we able to talk mind to mind?
Inuyasha, it’s simple. Remember when Sango and all of them told us the legend about Chihira and Antares? Kagome asked.
Yeah. So? Inuyasha asked.
Well, do you remember what they said about the priestess balancing out the jewel?
Yeah.
Well, do you remember when we were able to speak to each other and see each other in our reality like dreams while I was in Naraku’s captivity?
Yes, Inuyasha said as he began getting irritated. Kagome, what’s all this got to do with anything?
Well, I was able to balance out the jewel and it probably gave me the power to be connected to you no matter what, Kagome said. I don’t mind, though. There’s nothing for me to hide from you. Then in a softer voice she said, And I hope the same can be said for you.
Inuyasha heard the sadness in her voice. Kagome, there’s nothing for me to hide from you.
Really?
Really.
There was a slight pause between the two.
Inuyasha finally broke the silence. So, what did you mean by “do you mean like yourself?”
Nina looked towards Sesshomaru to see him sitting underneath a tree. She got up and went over to him. “Se-Lord Sesshomaru, may I ask you how many years ago it was when you thought Kagome had died?”
Sesshomaru looked up at her. “Why do you call me ‘Lord Sesshomaru?’”
“Umm, well, I thought you preferred being called that instead of just your name,” Nina said.
Sesshomaru let out a sigh. “Why do you want to know when Kagome died? Shouldn’t you ask her that?”
“Umm, well, she’s busy and I don’t want to bring up such memories for her,” Nina said. She quickly shot her head up as Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow. “Not that I’m saying I want to bring up such painful memories for you! It’s just…”
Sesshomaru nodded with understanding. “Very well. If you wish to know when she ‘died’ it was seven years ago.”
I knew it! Nina thought. So, is Kagome lying to me? No. She wouldn’t do that. But then how could Izumi be born when it was seven years ago and not three? She sighed. Guess I’ll have to ask Inuyasha about that.
“Let me go!” Albert cried as he tried to get free of Inukai who was holding him by his tail.
Inukai smirked. “You can’t make me, so there.”
Albert glared at him and looked around for help until he spotted the one person he knew he could ask for help. “NNNNNNNNiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!”
Nina, who was walking towards Inuyasha, turned around to see who had cried out her name. She let out a gasp. “Inukai, let him go!”
Inukai’s smirk only became bigger turning into a cocky smile. “Oh. And why should I? There’s nothing a little puppy like you can do and you know it.”
“Puppy?!” Nina asked. “I’ll show who’s a puppy.” She went over to Inukai calmly and placed a hand over the one Inukai was holding Albert up with.
Inukai raised an eyebrow as she did this. Why is she so calm?
“Let him go or I’ll make sure you regret it,” Nina said.
Inukai smiled. “And what will you do?”
Nina shot her head up as her eyes turned to ice. “You’ll see in due time.”
Inukai’s eyes widened in surprise when he saw her eyes. He was so shocked, that he didn’t even feel his grip on the little cat demon loosen or see him get taken away by Nina. He then shot back into reality and quickly ran up to Nina blocking her way.
Nina, who had been looking down at Albert stroking his hair and comforting him, looked up at Inukai as her eyes filled with ice again. “What. Do. You. Want.”
Her voice was void of all emotion as each of the words she had spoken were ice cold and chilled Inukai to the bone. “Well?”
“Umm, well, umm,” Inukai said completely forgetting why he had ran in front of the young priestess and cat demon in the first place. He then quickly remembered and regained his composure. “I want to have Albert back. I wasn’t done teaching him some manners.”
Nina’s eyes and voice remained cold as she spoke to Inukai again. “You are the one who has to be taught manners.” She then brought up one of her hands over her head. “Now, step aside before I hurt you.”
“Feh,” Inukai said. “You don’t have the guts to hurt me.”
“Oh?” Nina asked raising an eyebrow. She quickly brought down her hand to strike him as her claws became visible.
Inukai quickly grabbed her by the wrist, preventing her from attacking her. “Heh, just like a puppy dog. If you had really meant to hurt me, I wouldn’t have caught your hand so easily.” He smirked until he saw tears hit the ground as Nina had been hiding her face from his view when he had caught her wrist. She’s… crying? Why?
“Can’t you just leave him alone?” Nina asked her voice choked by the sobs she was trying to prevent from coming out. “He’s only a little cat demon. He’s not even half your size.” She shot her head up so Inukai could see the tears going down her face. “He lost a family for crying out loud! Why do you have to be so cold hearted? Why?!”
Inukai was taken aback by her sudden outburst. “I-I…” He had been trying to stop himself from acting comforting her, but it was so hard as seeing the girl only made him felt like he was the worse person to live on the planet.
Albert put a hand on Nina’s face wiping away the tears. “Don’t cry, Nina… chan.”
Nina quickly looked down at the cat demon. “What did you just call me?”
“Nina-chan,” Albert said.
Nina could only look at the cat demon in surprise. Her expression changed to one of happiness as she patted Albert on the head. “Arigato, Albert-chan.”
Albert beamed at the new name she had given him.
Inukai grunted at the new names the two had given each other.
Nina sighed and looked towards Inukai. “Will you… leave him alone now?” Her expression saddened as she said this.
Inukai felt like his heart had been ripped out as he saw her expression. He wanted more than anything to make her happy again. He sighed as he thought about his options. If he said he was sorry, people would think he was going soft, but it would make her happy if he did and he knew it. If he didn’t apologize, everyone would see him as a jerk (not that he really minded) and Nina would still be miserable. He gulped as he made up his mind. “Feh! I’m not leaving that whelp alone.”
Nina’s expression changed to one of no hope.
“Unless…”
Nina’s expression changed to one of hope and eagerness.
“… He leaves me alone,” Inukai finished waiting for Nina’s reaction.
Nina looked down at Albert who was pouting.
“I’m not doing anything for you, dog breath,” Albert said.
“What did you call me?!” Inukai demanded as a vein began popping with anger.
“Please?” Nina asked. “For me, Albert-chan?”
Albert looked up at her and let out a sigh. “Okay. I’ll do it. But only for you, Nina-chan.”
Nina smiled and hugged the cat demon. “Thank you so much.”
Albert beamed. He then asked, “Nina-chan, when speaking to me, can you say it in Japanese? My parents always spoke to me in Japanese and you remind me of my mommy.”
“Hai,” Nina said.
Albert beamed even more.
Inukai frowned and rolled his eyes. I don’t know what’s worse, a puppy or a kitten.
Nina went over to Inuyasha. “Can you come down here? I want to ask you some questions.”
Inuyasha nodded and jumped off his tree branch, landing nest to her. He then put his hands in his sleeves and gave her an inquiring look. “What is it?”
Nina sat down against the tree with her legs crossed and Albert in her lap. “I wanted to know, umm, well, Inuyasha, Izumi is only three years old. If the whole thing between everyone else thinking she had died was seven years ago, how can Izumi be only three years old. It’s illogical. She can’t actually be your daughter if all of this is true about her ‘dying’ seven years ago.”
Inuyasha looked at her puzzled then thought about what she had just told him. His eyes widened as realization hit him. “So, then something happened to make it so it was only three years ago for her? That or…”
Nina shook her head, as she knew what Inuyasha was thinking about. “Inuyasha, she wouldn’t do that to you. She loves you and only you.”
Inuyasha nodded. “Yeah. You’re right.”
Nina smiled and let the wind blow her hair back from her face. She looked off towards the distance. Albert shivered from the wind, as he was still wet from swimming. Nina wrapped her arms and drew him close to her so he could get warm.
Inukai stared up at the cloudy night sky. Once again, they were in a forest and had made camp. Inukai let out a sigh as he tried to get comfortable on the tree branch he was lying down on. He looked towards the tee to his left to see Sharon sleeping in it. He frowned. Since when humans slept in trees was beyond him. He turned to his right to see Inuyasha sleeping in that tree. On the ground that lied beneath the tree Inuyasha was laying down in were Kagome and Izumi. He then turned back to look at Sharon’s tree to see that underneath that lied Anna, Nina, and Albert. No matter what, it seemed that those four always seemed to be together. They were like an unbreakable bond. They must be really good friends to be together all the time. He looked towards the fire place to see Sango, Miroku, Sakura, and Kai around it. He then looked towards the tree in front of him to see Sesshomaru sitting in front of it asleep. How in the world anyone could sleep by sitting down, was beyond him. He frowned when he saw Koga lying down in front of the tree Nina and her friends were either lying down in or sleeping underneath it. He let a silent growl half of him wanting him to make it louder to wake up Koga while the other half said to keep it low so as to not disturb anyone and so that no one caught him. He was still confused about everything that was going on with him when he was around Nina. Sometimes she made him feel so happy that he could fly while other times she could be so stubborn and get him angry and irritated. Then she could be sad and he’d want nothing more than to calm her and make her happy. He had no clue why this was happening to him except that at times he wished it wasn’t while at others he didn’t give a care in the world if it was. He sighed and closed his eyes as he began to fall into a deep, peaceful sleep.
Nina held her microphone and looked towards her two friends. They had gone back to their world as soon as they had woken up (Nina was the first to wake up at six in the morning and she had to get the other two to wake up or else Inuyasha and the others would wake up and wouldn’t let them go to their world. At least for a while.) She and her two friends had made up their own little band and called it The Shikon no Tama. Sharon played the drums and guitar while Anna only played the guitar. They knew that they needed at least two more people, but they were okay so far. They played the theme songs from the show in both, Japanese and English. Most of the time they performed them in Japanese since most people preferred it that way, but Nina sung it amazingly well even if it was in English. They were holding practice in Anna’s garage since Nina usually got embarrassed whenever one of her parents caught her and if it was her brother, he would say all three of them sounded horrible. They couldn’t practice at Sharon’s because her house was small. So, they practiced at Anna’s at least twice every week for three hours, but now they had a performance in two weeks and so they practiced almost every day on the hour until it was time for Sharon and Nina to go home.
“Okay, guys, let’s do Fukai Mori first,” Nina said.
Sharon and Anna nodded and got ready to play their instruments.
Nina waited until it got the words.
“I’m sure that the heart I left behind
Still lies hidden in the heart of the deep, deep
Forest.
Exhausted, without the strength to search
People search into the infinite darkness.
If it’s so small, I wonder if I can see it even
Now?”
Nina broke into the chorus as did Anna and Sharon.
“As we live on,
We lose a little bit more.
Shrouded in falsehoods and lies,
We stand frozen to the spot, unable to cry
Out”
The chorus ended and Nina waited for her turn to go on with the song as Sharon and Anna continued playing the next few lines.
“The days pass by and change,
Without us realizing how blue the sky
Really is.
Overcoming that made-up scheme, we
Live the present,
And our rusted hearts begin to beat again!
If we can find the rhythm of time, we can fly
Once again.”
The three then broke into the chorus again.
“We live our lives
Wandering to the ends of the earth.
Believe (in you?), now I begin my journey
With you
In search of the light”
Nina tapped her foot to the rhythm as she waited for the next chorus to come.
“We live our lives
Wandering to the ends of the earth.
Believe (in you?), now I begin my journey
With you
In search of the light
We live our lives
Wandering to the ends of the earth.
Closing off
The way back,
We walk on for eternity.”
Sharon and Anna stopped singing waiting for Nina to finish off the song.
“We live our lives standing frozen to the spot,
Unable to cry out, for eternity…”
Sharon, Anna, and Nina let out a sigh once they had finished the song. Nina wiped the sweat away from her face.
“Umm, okay. Let’s do Every Heart now,” Nina said. She smiled as she saw her friends nod in agreement.
“Where are those three?!” Inuyasha and Inukai demanded.
“You actually think I know?” Miroku asked.
The two half demons growled at him.
Miroku backed up a bit and looked towards Sango for help.
Sango sighed and went between Inukai, Inuyasha, and Miroku. “You two, Miroku and I, as well as the rest of us, don’t know. We don’t know them that well yet.”
Kagome frowned and looked towards the tree the three girls were laying underneath the night before to see a piece of paper attached to it. She went over to it and read it. She frowned and looked towards Inuyasha and Inukai. “If you want to know where they are, here.” She handed the paper to the two half demons.
“Well, it’s time for me to go,” Nina said looking at her watch.
“Okay,” Anna said as began taking the strap of her guitar off. “Bye.”
Sharon began doing the same thing as Anna. “Bye!”
Nina was about to leave when Anna began speaking again.
“Are you sure we should stay here for two weeks?” Anna asked.
“Yeah,” Nina said. “Inukai and Inuyasha can wait. Besides, we need to get this down and ready for our performance.”
Anna nodded.
Inukai snorted as he finished reading the note. “Fine. She can stay home for two weeks. I’ll do the same. Besides, Sota and my band need to get ready for our performance.”
“Band?” Kagome asked raising an eyebrow.
“Yep,” Sota said smiling. “We have a band and it’s called The Dogs of Doom.”
“Dogs of Doom?” Kagome asked.
“Well, he wanted it to be called Flaming Dragons, but that’s so lame,” Inukai said. “Besides, every one knows that dragons have flames.”
“And we have a concert in America in two weeks, too,” Sota said.
“Plus, I think the guys are worried about us,” Inukai said.
Kagome shrugged. “Fine. Inuyasha, Izumi, and me will go with you.”
Inukai muttered something under his breath then said, “Fine, but I’m not paying for you guys.”
“Deal,” Kagome said.
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