Chapter 15

Plans

Yozora sat with a worried look upon her face. Kirara could sense her discomfort and rubbed her head against her knee, letting out a small purr. It did little however to comfort her, but it still reassured her that all was not lost. Sango gave her a smile, but the little hanyou only succeeded in letting out a cross between a sigh and a whine.

Her ears perked up when she heard her father's distinct foot falls, but her happiness was crushed as she heard the grating laughter of the kitsune. She buried her head in her arms, putting her forehead to her knees. She bit down hard on her lip trying to fight back tears. He didn't need her… He had the kitsune boy…

Inuyasha entered and was assaulted with the scent of depression. He looked straight a Yozora, who was in a distinctly familiar position. By the gods! He just couldn't have both of them happy at once, because no that would be just too easy! He gave out a sigh and sat by Yozora, drawing her into his arms. She had a familiar look in her eyes, one that rattled him to the core… He wondered how he could do this without sacrificing his pride completely in front of them. Really, all this mushy stuff was a bit degrading to his macho-ness that he'd made for himself over the years, but still he couldn't ignore her expression… Abandonment… That was the only word for it… And too, his instincts that he fought constantly, to nuzzle her and reassure her that everything was alright…

Sango and Miroku watched in sympathy for the Akita hanyou, something that was quite amazing. Surely this was hard on his nerves, dealing with two kids fighting for his attention.

Yozora complied with his actions, looking at him limply. Tears were welling up in her eyes. This was it… She told herself, He's going to tell me he doesn't want me…

Inuyasha drew her close, growling softly, almost a croon. It was a sound not meant to mean anything but to comfort. Like a cat's purr, it was only a vocal expression of emotion. But to Yozora, it was everything. It was reassurance that he still wanted her… that she was still important to him…

'Pup alright?'

'Yes, Alpha… Pup is fine now…'

'Good…'

Suddenly, she felt large hands grip her sides and pull her out of his lap. Inuyasha set her down next to him, a light coat of blush dusted his cheeks. Yozora snuggled into his arm. He didn't show his affection quite like her mother had, but he showed it and that's all that mattered, even if it was for brief moments like these.

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Yozora woke in the middle of the night to a tugging at her side. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as they adjusted to the dim light of the dying fire in the center of the room. She found herself looking at the little kitsune.

"Huh?" She whimpered softly in a yawn.

"Shh!" Shippo hushed her in a harsh tone, putting his index finger to his lips. He scampered to the exit and made a hand signal for her to follow.

Half asleep and vaguely intrigued, she complied. Silently, she got up and met him a couple hundred feet from the hut. The night was cold and crisp. The crescent moon hung over them, stars glittering around it. "Nani?" She asked in her sweet voice.

Shippo smiled with all his foxy charm. "I wanna talk to ya. Alone. No tellin' anyone!"

She blinked a couple of times and nodded. She would listen. After all, it's not like she was promising to not tell her daddy.

"I'm gonna let you in on a plan I'm working on. Top secret! And I want you to help me, cause I know you can." Shippo began.

"A…plan?" She chimed. Now she was really interested…

"Yeah! A plan to have parents!" He continued, praying she would agree.

"H-how?" She asked.

"Easy! We bring Inubaka and Kagome together and BAM! Instant parents!" He explained with vim and vigor. Yozora gave him a scolding glare for his snipe at their alpha.

"Think about it," He added, trying to redirect the conversation. "Kagome can be our Mamma and Inuyasha can be our Daddy! I mean the two ahhbviously like each other, so with a little help from us, they can finally admit what we already know!"

"B-but… Don't you… Not like me?" She queried.

"Ahh, that's a thing of the past! If we work together we can do anything! We can both get what we want. You can be my imouto. And I'll be your aniki!" He was out of breath by the time he finished and quite hyped up.

Yozora looked at him skeptically, biting her cheek, but after thinking about it for a few seconds, it didn't seem so far fetched. She closed her eyes. Shippo looked at her and prayed hard to every god he could think of. His future, no, everyone's future depended on this!

She tried to imagine it… Daddy-Alpha and Kagome as her mother and her… Shippo her aniki… All together… Sitting under the Goshinboku…Finally, she opened them and smiled. With a determined look in her eyes, she gave him a thumbs up. "Yeah!"

Shippo was ecstatic. "Now remember, don't tell ANYONE! If InuBaka learns about our plan, then they'll never get together!"

Yozora nodded soberly, choosing to ignore his insult.

"C'mon, let's go back." He grinned, happy to have gained an accomplice.

Together they headed back and as if nothing had happened, they went back to bed. Yozora chanced a look at her daddy before drifting off. He looked peaceful… The same look he'd had out in that field laying next to Kagome…

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Meanwhile in an obscure forest a certain undead priestess sat propped up by a tree. Her eyes clenched in pain and mouth in a tight, thin line. She stared at her arm in distaste. The once small bite had grown. The raven black swirls had spread down her arm and she watched in horror as her blackened fingers began to crumble away one by one. The swaying black aura burned to the touch and was unstoppable.

She sighed in anger. The girl was much more powerful than she'd expected. It was both draining her of her power and decapitating her. Not only was it spreading down, but up. It was three quarters of the way up her entire arm.

Kikyou contemplated cutting off the arm, but as she'd tried, the swirling had intensified and rushed an extra inch up. It was almost as if it were alive and knew what she was trying to do. She cursed aloud the girl who'd done this. Yozora… How ironic, a name almost as dark as her power.

The more she thought of the girl's power, the more it impressed her. To be so young and have such a destructive power! She was consumed with thoughts of revenge. How could she turn the tides in her favor? What could she do to exploit this new power she knew the girl had?

Her eyes widened. How could she have not though of it? He would just love to have her power. To make one die slowly and painfully, it was like the kazaana, but incurable, at least her knowledge. Oh, yes… Naraku would be most intrigued by this girl. Not only that, but the fact that her presence, or really the lack thereof would send Inuyasha in a loop. It would fluster him and open a weak spot. Perfect.

Kikyou knew one thing, one thing above all… She would not go out without a bang. She would make that girl pay for her pain. She would make her pay for thwarting her plan, for stealing him from her. But, most of all, for making her second in his mind and heart…Possibly even third…

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A/N: Hiya! I've just heard I was nominated….For something… Dunno what it is, but I'm still happy If anyone knows and wishes to enlighten me, please do so. Sorry 'bout the art, I wasn't all there when I made it and her eyes are too far apart… Blush…