A/N: This here is a really strange idea I had the other day. Don't ask me
why. I don't know. And if you guys are anything like my friends, let me
just tell you this: NO I am NOT pregnant! o_O ANYway, there is sort of a
twist to the end… Well, there isn't really an end at all! You'll see after
you read. Enjoy. ^_^
1 Rated: PG-13 for adult themes and implied sex. No swearing or lemon-fresh scent, it's just that this is a mature topic.
"Mama, I'm late…" Kagome blurted out.
For a whole day, the Japanese teenager had been trying to figure out a way to tell her mother. Finally, she decided to quit beating around the bush and just confess everything.
Mrs. Higurashi looked up from chopping vegetables for dinner, confused.
"What do you mean, dear? Late for what?" she asked.
Blushing, Kagome repeated, "I'm late," stressing the last syllable.
After a moment, Mrs. Higurashi's feminine intuition kicked in.
"Oh! Well, honey, don't worry. You're still young, and young ladies' menstrual cycles usually take a while to settle down," she reassured her daughter.
"But, Mom, I've always been really regular. My period has never been this late!" Kagome protested.
"How late, exactly?"
"Umm… Two weeks."
"Oh… Well, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. I mean, it's not like you could be pregnant or anything…" Mrs. Higurashi rationalized, half worried about what her daughter had been doing while gallivanting in feudal Japan with that dog boy.
"Um… See, Mom, that's the thing…" Kagome said softly.
The knife in Mrs. Higurashi's deft hands suddenly veered off course, slicing its user's index finger instead of the designated carrot. Blood oozed from the wound as both Higurashi women gasped and rushed to the sink.
"Mom! Are you okay?" Kagome asked.
"Yes, fine, dear. Would you please fetch me the antiseptic cream and bandages? The cut isn't too deep, I can wrap it up myself," Mrs. Higurashi said, running cold water over her injured finger. Right now, she was just glad to have something to take her mind off the possibilities of what her daughter could have been trying to tell her.
Kagome rushed to the medicine cabinet, retrieved the necessary items, and hurried back to her mom's side.
Together, they cleaned the wound and wrapped crisp, white bandage around the still-bleeding—but just barely—appendage.
Once any sign of danger had passed, the Higurashi women relaxed, leaning against the counter in awkward silence.
After a moment, Kagome ended the stillness.
"Mom—"
"Kagome, are you pregnant?" Mrs. Higurashi broke in.
"Mom, I…"
"Tell me, please. I'm your mother, I have a right to know. You can trust me…"
Kagome looked up at her mother with eyes filled with emotions—fear, confusion, hope, love.
"Answer me honestly. Is it possible—is it even conceivable?—that you could be with child?
Kagome broke their mutual gaze to study the blue and white tile of the kitchen floor.
Quietly, almost inaudibly, she said, "Yes."
At that one word, Mrs. Higurashi's breath caught in her throat. She felt the earth spinning around her. Her knees turned to jell-o, her whole body trembled, and she was thankful to already be leaning against the sturdy granite of the kitchen counter.
"Wh-what? How could this have happened? I knew letting you run around unsupervised with that demon was a bad idea! He's the father, isn't he? Or is it that boy from your school—what's his name? Hojo? Kagome, tell me your baby's father is human!" Mrs. Higurashi moaned, her shock fading away to anger, and then to dread.
"Mom, calm down! Let's go sit down!" Kagome suggested, leading her mother to the couch in the living room. She thanked her lucky stars today was the day Grandpa had chosen to take Sota to the zoo.
They both seated themselves facing each other. Mrs. Higurashi kept one hand over hand over her heart and one hand constantly fanning her face. Kagome nervously played with the yellow fabric of her weekend dress, eyes still glued to the floor, now a traditional Japanese tatami mat.
"Everything. Spill. Now," Mrs. Higurashi ordered, never ceasing the fanning motion nor glaring at the adjacent wall.
"Well, the biggest problem is… I don't know who the father is…" Kagome admitted, bracing herself for her mother's reaction.
"WHAT? What do you mean you don't know who the father is?! Just how many men have you slept with, Kagome?!" Mrs. Higurashi cried, turning her glare on her daughter.
"Um… Two…" Kagome mumbled, blushing ashamedly.
Mrs. Higurashi's heart crumbled. Abruptly, her hand stopped moving and her eyes shut. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself. There was a moment of silence as Mrs. Higurashi regained her composure.
"Okay," she said, her breath returned. "How did this happen? Tell me everything."
"All right… It all started about a month ago…"
*FLASHBACK*
Kagome tossed and turned. She could never get used to sleeping on the ground, no matter how many times Inu-Yasha refused to pay for a room at the inn.
After a few more sleepless minutes, the miko-reincarnate flung off her sleeping bag, yanked on her shoes, and approached the campsite's fire, leaving Shippo snoring loudly on her pillow.
As she neared the glowing heat, Kagome noticed a hunched silhouette sitting off in the shadows. Upon further investigation, she recognized the figure as a weeping Buddhist monk.
Miroku? Crying? she thought to herself with a start. She halted brusquely, but then resumed her path to her traveling companion.
"Uh… Mi-Miroku-ku?" she stuttered hesitantly.
He looked up, surprised. After seeing Kagome's worried expression, he hurriedly rubbed the tears out of his eyes.
"Oh, Kagome-sama! What are you doing up at this hour of the night? You should be conserving your energy for our journey tomorrow," he advised, trying to get her to forget about what she saw.
"I couldn't sleep," she replied dismissively. "Miroku, are you all right? I saw you crying…"
Kagome closed the distance between them, seating herself next to her friend and the fire.
"It's nothing, don't worry about me, Kagome-sama. You should go back to sleep now," Miroku insisted, avoiding eye contact.
"No, tell me! What's wrong? You know I'm trustworthy," Kagome said, placing her hand on his shoulder.
He looked at her gentle grip, then up at her dark, blue eyes gazing back at him compassionately.
"Well… I was just thinking about my curse… Just feeling sorry for myself. I'm just fine, don't worry about me, Kagome-sama." He tried to smile reassuringly.
"Oh, Miroku! Don't say that! I know this curse on your family weighs heavily on you and things seem a little hopeless now. But everything will be all right. We'll kill Naraku and lift the curse! We will!" Kagome declared confidently.
"I want to believe you, Kagome-sama, but…" He averted his eyes again. "What if we don't? I must have an heir to carry on the legacy, and I haven't yet found a willing mother. And the air void is constantly growing larger. I fear time is running out…"
"Trust me, we'll help you find Naraku and kick his ass. But even if we don't, I'm sure you'll find an amazing woman to bear your child. You just have to be patient," Kagome comforted, tentatively wrapping her arm around his muscular shoulders.
"Oh, but Kagome-sama," he whispered, meeting her eyes again. "I already have found an amazing woman. The problem is, she refuses to bear my child…"
"Miroku…" she breathed, her heart melting.
"Kagome!" he responded, throwing his arms around her slim body and engaging her in a passionate kiss.
*END FLASHBACK*
"So that's how it happened…"
Mrs. Higurashi had mostly recovered and sat quietly on the couch, listening to her daughter's story.
Calmly, she accepted the information and said, "All right. That's one. Who's the other?"
Kagome took a deep breath and began her second tale.
"Two days after my night with Miroku…"
*FLASHBACK*
Kaede's village was holding a fête in honor of the old woman's birthday. The festivities kicked off with a huge feast Friday night and would endure the weekend. Games, dances, meals, and ceremonies were planned to celebrate the elder's 65th birthday.
Luckily, Kagome, Inu-Yasha, Shippo, Miroku, and Sango returned just in time for the commencement.
Friday evening, the entire village gathered to dine together, enjoying both common foodstuffs and delicacies from all over Japan. Kagome and her friends, Inu-Yasha included, took this opportunity to stop thinking about the Shikon no Tama and just have some fun.
Of course, sake was present in abundance. In honor of the occasion, Kagome and Shippo, virtual alcohol virgins, partook in the drinking of the rice wine. After only one serving, the tiny kitsune passed out and had to be taken away by the sober Sango.
The merrymaking and inebriation continued well into the night. One by one, the attendees to the party retreated to their own huts for the night until only the guest of honor, the houshi, the hanyou, and the girl from the future were left.
Fortunately for them, there was also plenty of sake left.
Eventually, Kaede stood up and stretched.
"Well, it's time for me to rest my weary bones now that most of the guests have gone," she explained, yawning.
"Night, Kaede-sama," Miroku mumbled before promptly passing out from drinking too much.
"Good night, Kaede! And happy birthday!" Kagome giggled, more than a little tipsy.
"Yeah, happy birthday, old hag," Inu-Yasha slurred, also quite intoxicated.
Kaede rolled her eye and left the dining tent specially set up for this event.
Now all alone, Kagome and Inu-Yasha continued sipping sake and staring at each other over the rims of their cups.
Finally, not able to take it anymore, Inu-Yasha broke down.
"Kagome…" he growled before throwing himself on her welcoming body.
"Inu-Yasha!" she cried out in response. She found she wasn't able to control her actions in such a state of mind, so Kagome gave in to his feral advances.
*END FLASHBACK*
"I knew it was that dog boy!" Mrs. Higurashi mumbled.
To her daughter, she said, "So you are carrying the child of either a dog demon or a Buddhist monk from feudal Japan?"
"Ummmm… Yeah…" Kagome nodded weakly.
"Oh boy… So what do you want to do?"
She looked up in surprise.
"You mean you're not angry with me?" she asked, wincing.
"Angry? Unspeakably!" Mrs. Higurashi laughed. "But what's done is done. And I think your punishment will bring itself about, whether you choose to keep the baby, give it up for adoption, or have an abortion."
"An… abortion?" Kagome echoed. "I never even considered that…"
"Well, what were you planning on doing, dear? Did you want to keep the baby and become a seventeen-year-old mother? I mean, if that's what you really want, then you know Sota, Grandpa, and I will always support you. But it'll be really difficult…"
"I know, Mom, we learned about that in health class." Kagome sighed. "I guess I just never really thought that far ahead. I was so busy worrying about who the father is and how to tell you that any possible plans for the future never crossed my mind. And now that they have…"
Kagome sighed again and a tear rolled down her cheek.
"I just don't know, Mama!" she sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "What do YOU think I should do?"
"Honey, I can't make this decision for you. It's all up to you," Mrs. Higurashi soothed, hugging her daughter's shoulders.
"But I don't know!" Kagome cried.
"Kagome, honey, look at me," Mrs. Higurashi commanded tenderly, taking her hands in her own.
She gazed up at her mother, eyes still overflowing with tears and various emotions.
"Kagome, do you want to have a baby?"
A/N: OK, now do you see what I mean about no end at all? Yeah, so I'll write a second chapter if I get 15 reviews. Plus, I want you all to vote! You guys hold Kagome's fate in your hands! Who's the father? Miroku? Inu- Yasha? Someone else entirely? Cast your vote by reviewing and soon you'll find out. Remember: 15 reviews! Thankies! ^_^
1 Rated: PG-13 for adult themes and implied sex. No swearing or lemon-fresh scent, it's just that this is a mature topic.
"Mama, I'm late…" Kagome blurted out.
For a whole day, the Japanese teenager had been trying to figure out a way to tell her mother. Finally, she decided to quit beating around the bush and just confess everything.
Mrs. Higurashi looked up from chopping vegetables for dinner, confused.
"What do you mean, dear? Late for what?" she asked.
Blushing, Kagome repeated, "I'm late," stressing the last syllable.
After a moment, Mrs. Higurashi's feminine intuition kicked in.
"Oh! Well, honey, don't worry. You're still young, and young ladies' menstrual cycles usually take a while to settle down," she reassured her daughter.
"But, Mom, I've always been really regular. My period has never been this late!" Kagome protested.
"How late, exactly?"
"Umm… Two weeks."
"Oh… Well, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about. I mean, it's not like you could be pregnant or anything…" Mrs. Higurashi rationalized, half worried about what her daughter had been doing while gallivanting in feudal Japan with that dog boy.
"Um… See, Mom, that's the thing…" Kagome said softly.
The knife in Mrs. Higurashi's deft hands suddenly veered off course, slicing its user's index finger instead of the designated carrot. Blood oozed from the wound as both Higurashi women gasped and rushed to the sink.
"Mom! Are you okay?" Kagome asked.
"Yes, fine, dear. Would you please fetch me the antiseptic cream and bandages? The cut isn't too deep, I can wrap it up myself," Mrs. Higurashi said, running cold water over her injured finger. Right now, she was just glad to have something to take her mind off the possibilities of what her daughter could have been trying to tell her.
Kagome rushed to the medicine cabinet, retrieved the necessary items, and hurried back to her mom's side.
Together, they cleaned the wound and wrapped crisp, white bandage around the still-bleeding—but just barely—appendage.
Once any sign of danger had passed, the Higurashi women relaxed, leaning against the counter in awkward silence.
After a moment, Kagome ended the stillness.
"Mom—"
"Kagome, are you pregnant?" Mrs. Higurashi broke in.
"Mom, I…"
"Tell me, please. I'm your mother, I have a right to know. You can trust me…"
Kagome looked up at her mother with eyes filled with emotions—fear, confusion, hope, love.
"Answer me honestly. Is it possible—is it even conceivable?—that you could be with child?
Kagome broke their mutual gaze to study the blue and white tile of the kitchen floor.
Quietly, almost inaudibly, she said, "Yes."
At that one word, Mrs. Higurashi's breath caught in her throat. She felt the earth spinning around her. Her knees turned to jell-o, her whole body trembled, and she was thankful to already be leaning against the sturdy granite of the kitchen counter.
"Wh-what? How could this have happened? I knew letting you run around unsupervised with that demon was a bad idea! He's the father, isn't he? Or is it that boy from your school—what's his name? Hojo? Kagome, tell me your baby's father is human!" Mrs. Higurashi moaned, her shock fading away to anger, and then to dread.
"Mom, calm down! Let's go sit down!" Kagome suggested, leading her mother to the couch in the living room. She thanked her lucky stars today was the day Grandpa had chosen to take Sota to the zoo.
They both seated themselves facing each other. Mrs. Higurashi kept one hand over hand over her heart and one hand constantly fanning her face. Kagome nervously played with the yellow fabric of her weekend dress, eyes still glued to the floor, now a traditional Japanese tatami mat.
"Everything. Spill. Now," Mrs. Higurashi ordered, never ceasing the fanning motion nor glaring at the adjacent wall.
"Well, the biggest problem is… I don't know who the father is…" Kagome admitted, bracing herself for her mother's reaction.
"WHAT? What do you mean you don't know who the father is?! Just how many men have you slept with, Kagome?!" Mrs. Higurashi cried, turning her glare on her daughter.
"Um… Two…" Kagome mumbled, blushing ashamedly.
Mrs. Higurashi's heart crumbled. Abruptly, her hand stopped moving and her eyes shut. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself. There was a moment of silence as Mrs. Higurashi regained her composure.
"Okay," she said, her breath returned. "How did this happen? Tell me everything."
"All right… It all started about a month ago…"
*FLASHBACK*
Kagome tossed and turned. She could never get used to sleeping on the ground, no matter how many times Inu-Yasha refused to pay for a room at the inn.
After a few more sleepless minutes, the miko-reincarnate flung off her sleeping bag, yanked on her shoes, and approached the campsite's fire, leaving Shippo snoring loudly on her pillow.
As she neared the glowing heat, Kagome noticed a hunched silhouette sitting off in the shadows. Upon further investigation, she recognized the figure as a weeping Buddhist monk.
Miroku? Crying? she thought to herself with a start. She halted brusquely, but then resumed her path to her traveling companion.
"Uh… Mi-Miroku-ku?" she stuttered hesitantly.
He looked up, surprised. After seeing Kagome's worried expression, he hurriedly rubbed the tears out of his eyes.
"Oh, Kagome-sama! What are you doing up at this hour of the night? You should be conserving your energy for our journey tomorrow," he advised, trying to get her to forget about what she saw.
"I couldn't sleep," she replied dismissively. "Miroku, are you all right? I saw you crying…"
Kagome closed the distance between them, seating herself next to her friend and the fire.
"It's nothing, don't worry about me, Kagome-sama. You should go back to sleep now," Miroku insisted, avoiding eye contact.
"No, tell me! What's wrong? You know I'm trustworthy," Kagome said, placing her hand on his shoulder.
He looked at her gentle grip, then up at her dark, blue eyes gazing back at him compassionately.
"Well… I was just thinking about my curse… Just feeling sorry for myself. I'm just fine, don't worry about me, Kagome-sama." He tried to smile reassuringly.
"Oh, Miroku! Don't say that! I know this curse on your family weighs heavily on you and things seem a little hopeless now. But everything will be all right. We'll kill Naraku and lift the curse! We will!" Kagome declared confidently.
"I want to believe you, Kagome-sama, but…" He averted his eyes again. "What if we don't? I must have an heir to carry on the legacy, and I haven't yet found a willing mother. And the air void is constantly growing larger. I fear time is running out…"
"Trust me, we'll help you find Naraku and kick his ass. But even if we don't, I'm sure you'll find an amazing woman to bear your child. You just have to be patient," Kagome comforted, tentatively wrapping her arm around his muscular shoulders.
"Oh, but Kagome-sama," he whispered, meeting her eyes again. "I already have found an amazing woman. The problem is, she refuses to bear my child…"
"Miroku…" she breathed, her heart melting.
"Kagome!" he responded, throwing his arms around her slim body and engaging her in a passionate kiss.
*END FLASHBACK*
"So that's how it happened…"
Mrs. Higurashi had mostly recovered and sat quietly on the couch, listening to her daughter's story.
Calmly, she accepted the information and said, "All right. That's one. Who's the other?"
Kagome took a deep breath and began her second tale.
"Two days after my night with Miroku…"
*FLASHBACK*
Kaede's village was holding a fête in honor of the old woman's birthday. The festivities kicked off with a huge feast Friday night and would endure the weekend. Games, dances, meals, and ceremonies were planned to celebrate the elder's 65th birthday.
Luckily, Kagome, Inu-Yasha, Shippo, Miroku, and Sango returned just in time for the commencement.
Friday evening, the entire village gathered to dine together, enjoying both common foodstuffs and delicacies from all over Japan. Kagome and her friends, Inu-Yasha included, took this opportunity to stop thinking about the Shikon no Tama and just have some fun.
Of course, sake was present in abundance. In honor of the occasion, Kagome and Shippo, virtual alcohol virgins, partook in the drinking of the rice wine. After only one serving, the tiny kitsune passed out and had to be taken away by the sober Sango.
The merrymaking and inebriation continued well into the night. One by one, the attendees to the party retreated to their own huts for the night until only the guest of honor, the houshi, the hanyou, and the girl from the future were left.
Fortunately for them, there was also plenty of sake left.
Eventually, Kaede stood up and stretched.
"Well, it's time for me to rest my weary bones now that most of the guests have gone," she explained, yawning.
"Night, Kaede-sama," Miroku mumbled before promptly passing out from drinking too much.
"Good night, Kaede! And happy birthday!" Kagome giggled, more than a little tipsy.
"Yeah, happy birthday, old hag," Inu-Yasha slurred, also quite intoxicated.
Kaede rolled her eye and left the dining tent specially set up for this event.
Now all alone, Kagome and Inu-Yasha continued sipping sake and staring at each other over the rims of their cups.
Finally, not able to take it anymore, Inu-Yasha broke down.
"Kagome…" he growled before throwing himself on her welcoming body.
"Inu-Yasha!" she cried out in response. She found she wasn't able to control her actions in such a state of mind, so Kagome gave in to his feral advances.
*END FLASHBACK*
"I knew it was that dog boy!" Mrs. Higurashi mumbled.
To her daughter, she said, "So you are carrying the child of either a dog demon or a Buddhist monk from feudal Japan?"
"Ummmm… Yeah…" Kagome nodded weakly.
"Oh boy… So what do you want to do?"
She looked up in surprise.
"You mean you're not angry with me?" she asked, wincing.
"Angry? Unspeakably!" Mrs. Higurashi laughed. "But what's done is done. And I think your punishment will bring itself about, whether you choose to keep the baby, give it up for adoption, or have an abortion."
"An… abortion?" Kagome echoed. "I never even considered that…"
"Well, what were you planning on doing, dear? Did you want to keep the baby and become a seventeen-year-old mother? I mean, if that's what you really want, then you know Sota, Grandpa, and I will always support you. But it'll be really difficult…"
"I know, Mom, we learned about that in health class." Kagome sighed. "I guess I just never really thought that far ahead. I was so busy worrying about who the father is and how to tell you that any possible plans for the future never crossed my mind. And now that they have…"
Kagome sighed again and a tear rolled down her cheek.
"I just don't know, Mama!" she sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "What do YOU think I should do?"
"Honey, I can't make this decision for you. It's all up to you," Mrs. Higurashi soothed, hugging her daughter's shoulders.
"But I don't know!" Kagome cried.
"Kagome, honey, look at me," Mrs. Higurashi commanded tenderly, taking her hands in her own.
She gazed up at her mother, eyes still overflowing with tears and various emotions.
"Kagome, do you want to have a baby?"
A/N: OK, now do you see what I mean about no end at all? Yeah, so I'll write a second chapter if I get 15 reviews. Plus, I want you all to vote! You guys hold Kagome's fate in your hands! Who's the father? Miroku? Inu- Yasha? Someone else entirely? Cast your vote by reviewing and soon you'll find out. Remember: 15 reviews! Thankies! ^_^