Inuyasha, "The Unquiet Winds" chapter 24: The Appeal, rated T

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Fandom: Inuyasha
Title: The Unquiet Winds
Chapter Title: The Appeal
Characters: Sesshoumaru, Kagura's reincarnation (inevitable Kagura/Sesshoumaru), Shippou
Genre: Romance/Supernatural/Suspense
Rating: PG-13 (overall)
Universe: Canon AU/divergence, Modern
Notes: This serial has been completed for wipbigbang  2020. You can find all the previous chapters HERE and HERE. I recommend you look for the previous chapters at AO3 and FFnet, as those chapters have also been updated with fixes for typos and grammar.
Additional Notes: Thank you to danceswithgary for the beautiful banner HERE.

Story Summary: Natsumi dreams of another woman's past, a woman who desperately wants to reunite with the man she loves, even if Natsumi has to suffer in the end.

Links: (RECOMMENDED) FFNet | AO3

The moment they arrived at Achika’s shrine, Shippou felt a sharp pain in his stomach and he dreaded each and every second they got closer to meeting her. When he noticed the front of the shrine, guilt began to wash over him and he started to really miss coming to this place. Perhaps it really was shame and guilt that was making it impossible for him to want to come here, and he had to keep his head on, remembering that he was here to help Sesshoumaru and Natsumi.

The driver opened the door for them, and he hesitated to get out before Sesshoumaru gave him a boost with his steel-toed foot. Shippou launched onto the ground, breaking his fall with his hands. 

“Ow!” he said, and he turned backward to see Sesshoumaru step out of the car with his usual poise and grace. He straightened his tie and gave Shippou a sharp glare.

“Let us proceed,” Sesshoumaru said, and he walked up to the shrine’s gates, stopping before the usual wards that would prevent him from going any farther.

Shippou dusted himself off as he came to his feet, and he looked at the shrine with nostalgia and foreboding. He felt a tingle up his spine, and when a breeze lifted his hair, he felt his blood go cold.

He swallowed a lump in his throat, and he tried to focus on his breathing as his nerves were banging around in his body out of fear. He definitely felt like he was being watched, and as he approached the shrine’s wards, he cautiously put one foot in front of the other, certain the wards would send him flying backward. He closed his eyes and grit his teeth, and as he met the threshold of spiritual power he felt the familiar burn at his youki. 

Achika had blocked him, and he damn well knew he deserved it.

“You didn’t really think I’d let you back in my space after what you pulled, did you, fox?” a familiar female voice cut through the ominous silence in the air. Shippou cringed, both hating and loving the sound of her voice.

“Ah, well, no, ah…” He stammered, turning toward her as she stood at the other side of her wards inside the gate. He stared at her, getting a good look at her as she glared at him, arms folded over her white kosode. He inhaled a heavy breath, awestruck with her. Even angry she was breathtaking, and he never forgot how beautiful she was. She had dark golden eyes like American whisky, and her hair was long and dark, pulled back in a couple of plaits that were intertwined with red ribbons and fell to her ankles just past her red hakama. In the plaits, he saw her streaks of white and blue, some natural and some dyed.

“Don’t just stand there gaping at me. What do you two want?” she asked angrily, shooting her glare from Shippou to Sesshoumaru and then back to settle on Shippou again, boring a hole into him. 

“Ah, Achika…”

“Satoshi-dono,” she corrected him immediately.

“Satoshi-dono,” Shippou said, clearing his throat and feeling crestfallen that the privilege of using her first name had been so easily ripped from him. He supposed he deserved it.

“I need your help, Satoshi-dono,” Sesshoumaru chimed in with a respectful bow, clearly impatient they were going nowhere with this conversation. “I have found a way to delay the disease for myself but I have encountered a roadblock...it involves a woman who is reincarnated from a youkai...the youkai part of her soul still remains and is causing her pain.”

Achika’s anger subsided for a moment as she looked at Sesshoumaru and took in his words. “A human reincarnated from a youkai? Well, that’s unusual… No wonder there are complications.” The miko tapped her chin thoughtfully. “I don’t recall this ever happening before with a youkai.”

“The youkai was born of unnatural circumstances,” Sesshoumaru said.

“Specifically,” Shippou added. “It is Kagura’s reincarnation, as Kagura was born of Naraku.”

Achika’s eyes widened at the mention of the youkai’s name, which obviously, was well known in her family and the stories passed down from many generations. 

“Kagura has been reincarnated into a human?” Achika said and she shook her head. “I don’t believe it!”

“It is the truth,” Sesshoumaru said. “Her spirit has been following me around for centuries since her death. Only recently it was able to enter the wheel of reincarnation, and for a while she was gone from my side, and then I sensed her again, only she was a human child.”

“Her name is Minora Natsumi,” Shippou said. “She works at Sesshoumaru’s company and she is having dreams of Kagura. Her memories of the past are returning and causing her pain.”

“Hrmmm,” Achika said, processing all the information. “That is strange…” Her mood shifted completely and she grinned brightly. “That sounds so exciting! A once in a lifetime event!” 

“It is only exciting as she is my only hope to remain corporeal,” Sesshoumaru noted.

Achika furrowed her brow, not understanding the connection. “How can this human cure you of the youkai disease?”

“Let’s just say Sesshoumaru is quite fond of Natsumi-chan,” Shippou said, grinning at Sesshoumaru who was not amused by the implication.

“Well,” said Achika, her mood changing again. “At least Sesshoumaru-sama is taking some responsibility when he likes someone!” She raged at him, and before Shippou knew it, a large rock was barrelling toward his head. He barely had time to dodge it as it crashed into a nearby statue, chipping a piece of it. 

“Achika, please,” Shippou whined, and Achika proceeded to throw more rocks at his head, aiming for him as he ran around the front of her shrine.

“Don’t Achika me! We had ten great years together, and what do we have to show for it? Nothing, no ring, no wedding, no cute little fox babies, nothing. And the moment I make any suggestions you come and live with me and maybe settle down, you disappear! I thought you loved me, Shippou!” She was crying now, down on her knees sniffling and trying to wipe away snot and tears. “You told me you loved me and then you were gone, and now you show up to...save Sesshoumaru-sama’s love life!”

“Please, I’m sorry, maybe we can talk through this...” Shippou began.

“What is there to talk about? Clearly I wasted ten years on you!” she blubbered.

“Don’t say that!” he said immediately. “I don’t believe they were a waste. I am just scared… I’m a full-blooded youkai, and you’re a human, and I… I don’t want to one day lose you.”

“You idiot! What about what I want? And if you really wanted to, you could find me… in another life. You could be like Inuyasha and now… Sesshoumaru-sama is even going after a woman’s reincarnation,” she said.

“I don’t...I-I-...” he stammered.

“I just want us to be together,” she said softly, and she looked up at him with red eyes and narrowed brow. Anger seethed underneath her sadness, but ultimately, Shippou knew that Achika was hurt and he was solely the cause of it. He felt like the worst guy in the world, and Achika did not deserve it.

He sighed. “I’m sorry, Achika,” he said. “I...I was wrong. I just needed time to process what it means to be with someone and not be alone. I got scared…”

Achika’s attention perked up. “Then… are you willing to work things out again? Will you stay?”

She looked at him with hopeful eyes. Shippou swallowed uncomfortably as he felt Sesshoumaru and Achika awaiting his answer with bated breath.

“I...uh,” he stammered. Truthfully, he did want to be with her again. Sesshoumaru had been right about him being obsessed with her, even before he knew her. He kept up with Inuyasha and Kagome’s descendents pretty well, as well as Sango and Miroku’s. He didn’t know what he’d do without Achika in his life. If he broke things off now, he might never get the chance again. He couldn’t live with that; Sesshoumaru was right. He needed to find a reason to stay solid and stave off this stupid youkai disease. Achika was always going to be that reason.

“Yes,” he said. “I need you, Achika.”

Her eyes lit up at his confession. She jumped up from her spot and did a ridiculous happy dance and whooped in celebration. “Yatta!”

“Okay,” Shippou said, releasing another sigh of relief. “Can you let us through your wards now so we can discuss Sesshoumaru’s issue?”

“But of course, darling!” Achika said, blowing him a kiss. “But first you must promise to marry me.”

Shippou almost choked on his tongue. Marriage? “What? Isn’t that kind of…”

“He will agree to it,” Sesshoumaru said, stepping up, and Shippou turned to gape at him. Clearly, the inu-youkai was not amused by their romantic squabble, nor was he patient any longer. “And I will fund the dream wedding of Satoshi-dono’s choice.”

“Huh?” Shippou yelled. Oh shit, he thought. Now he owed Sesshoumaru another favor. 

Achika squealed in happiness. “That’s amazing, Sesshoumaru-sama. Now, I need to hear a verbal promise from Shippou that he will marry me and he will give me a ring.”

“But...but,” Shippou stammered. 

“You better promise or the wards are not coming down and you will never have my help again,” she said sweetly, but he knew there was poison in her tone.

“Y-Yes, of course,” he said, feeling defeated. “I will marry you, Achika-chan.”

“Ahhh! I’m so happy!” she screeched.  “And my parents will stop bothering me with blind dates and finding a husband!”

Shippou shot her a look. “Wait, your parents have been setting you up on dates?” 

She glanced at him with a haughty expression. “Yes, and what of it? You’re the one that left. I wasn’t going to sit around and wait for you forever. Besides, I even came close to choosing one of them this morning before I got your text.”

Shippou felt relief wash over again, but he was still unnerved that she was seeing other people. At least when he was gone, he didn’t see other women, and Natsumi didn’t count.

“Nevermind that,” Sesshoumaru said. “You both can figure out your situation later. I really need to help Minora-san, Satoshi-dono. She doesn’t have much time left.”

Achika turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru and raised an eyebrow. “She’s that much in danger?” Shippou watched as Achika’s back straightened and determination was present in her eyes, just as they had been Kagome’s eyes once. 

“Yes,” Sesshoumaru said. “The pain is so great that we believe that Kagura intends to take over Minora-san’s body, if she can, and rid the soul of her reincarnation forever.”

“We really have to help her, Achika-chan,” Shippou said pleadingly, and Achika nodded, still rattled by the gravity of the situation.

Shippou walked toward Achika as she began taking down her wards. They were finally able to walk past her threshold, and knowing Achika’s abilities, the wards were up and still strong for any other youkai that would dare come to her shrine. Only Shippou and Sesshoumaru were granted temporary access, at least long enough for them to come up with a plan to help Natsumi.

.