Kaede waited, with her remaining eye tightly squeezed shut, for the inevitable explosion.
Surely Inuyasha would be furious. Ever the prideful warrior the half demon would no doubt be vehemently opposed to the idea of carrying a child. Having babies was something girls do and he most certainly wasn't a girl.
Reluctantly her mind went over her current stock of herbs. After he recovered from his initial shock probably the first thing out of his mouth would be an angry demand she abort the child. It wasn't something Kaede as a priestess normally did; her reverence for life wouldn't allow to perform such a task lightly. But what else could she do? If she refused Inuyasha would no doubt find some other way to rid his body of its unwelcome tenant. Better for her to do it than allow the half demon to mangled and possibly killed at the hands of some idiot healer.
A single tear threatened to spill from her lone eye. Already she mourned for the loss of this tiny life.
"I'm..pregnant..?" Inuyasha's voice was surprisingly soft and..tender?
"A-a-aye." She stuttered, watching a tiny smile blossom on his face.
Clawed hands settled protectively over his still flat stomach.
Pregnant, he was pregnant. Hidden within his belly was a small speck of life, something he and Ranma had created together.
Their child, a mingling of Ranma and himself. Closing his eyes he wondered over the possibilities. What traits would their child share? Would it inherit his silver or Ranma's magnificent raven locks? His golden eyes or that wondrous sparkling blue? And what powers would the pup inherit? The combinations were too numerous for him to guess correctly.
They would just have to wait till he or she was born to discover the answers to those questions.
Ranma would be ecstatic. He could just see that handsome face sporting a grin larger than anything, laughing and hugging his mate. The pigtailed boy would be such a great father and Inuyasha himself would be a good mother. Yes, he was carrying the pup so he was the mother. He'd be a great mother, his memories of his own mother and friends would guide him.
So lost in his blissful thoughts Inuyasha failed to notice Kaede's undignified retreat.
###
The villagers and Kagome's group alike were startled when the elderly priestess tumbled out of her own hut.
"Kaede!" The future girl scrambled to help the older woman to her feet and over to a nearby seat. "Why are you so pale? You're shaking!"
"Is Inuyasha all right?" The little fox demon asked worriedly.
"Give her a moment Shippo, let Lady Kaede compose herself." The monk stepped closer and knelt besides the old priestess.
Gulping down the water one villager kindly offered her Kaede studied the concerned faces surrounding her. "Inuyasha's condition is most serious indeed."
Miroku's unwarded hand came to rest on her red robed knee. "Is it what I suspected?"
"Aye, it is."
The young man sighed and sat down, staff resting across his lap. "What was his reaction to this news or have you told him yet?"
"I have told him. His reaction was not what I expected." Her hands shook as she finished her drink.
"Is there a cure?" Sango was half afraid to ask, fearing to hear there was nothing they could do to help their companion and friend.
"Only time," the old priestess replied softly. How were these youngsters going to take this news she didn't know. Kaede only prayed they would at least refrain from hurting the boy should they react badly.
"How much time are we talking about here?" Kagome joined the monk. "A few days? A week?"
"Months."
"MONTHS???" The school girl frowned, staring at the building where the half demon lay resting. "That's just great! Now how are we supposed to hunt for Naraku and the shards with stupid dog boy laid up?"
"Kagome!!" Kaede's voice was sharp. "Behave child."
Under the old woman's admonishment Kagome fell silent.
"This illness, what is it Priestess?" The village leader asked nervously. "Is it contagious?"
"Nay, worry yea not about young Inuyasha's condition spreading. Unless yea wishes for a larger family." She mumbled the last part so low he couldn't hear her as she waved him back into the crowd.
"You still haven't told us what Inuyasha's got Lady Kaede," Sango pointed out. "Maybe if we knew what we're dealing with we could search for a quicker cure."
At this Kagome's spirits perked up. Of course! Why didn't she think of that??
Medicine in her age was far advanced over the crude stuff they used here. Most of the time the villagers relied more on ritual prayer than on the various herbs and brews Kaede worked with. Once she knew what Inuyasha had picked up Kagome could just pop down the well, collect his cure, and return to the past. The white haired boy would be cured and up on his feet in no time!
Eagerly she leaned forwards so as not to miss a single spoken word.
"No, Inuyasha will not accept any cure. He wishes to see this illness through to its end."
"What? Why would Inuyasha wanna stay sick?" Shippo was really confused now and he wasn't the only one.
"Lady Kaede what exactly is Inuyasha's illness?"
Kaede sat the empty cup down. "Inuyasha is with child."
Dead silence filled the air; even the nearby birds had ceased their calling.
"Eh Kaede? I don't think I heard you right. Did you just say Inuyasha's pregnant?" Asked Kagome nervously, fearing the old woman had finally gone senile.
"Indeed. Inuyasha is with child."
"B-b-bb-but that's impossible!!"
"Perhaps for a human but you recall Inuyasha's part demon." Sango nodded to herself. Their friend's symptoms made sense now.
"It is a rare among the demon races." Miroku explained. "I remember hearing stories about such conceptions but never thought to see one myself."
"Wow! Inuyasha's really gonna have a baby?" Shippo's fluffy tail was bouncing eagerly.
"Yes Shippo."
"Yeah! I can be a big brother!!" skipping around excitedly the young demon was unaware how this stunning revelation was affecting his friends.
Both Kaede and Miroku wore masked expressions, their minds focusing on the daunting tasks ahead of them.
Due to his hybrid nature Inuyasha's pregnancy would not be normal by either race's standards. Neither the monk nor the priestess knew much, if anything, about demon pregnancies and only Kaede had an understanding about human ones; but her knowledge came from dealing with pregnant women not men. They feared for the half demon, feared that because of their lack of knowledge both Inuyasha and his child might suffer an untimely death.
Shippo was ecstatic. The little orphan demon, having no living blood relatives, had adopted the group as his surrogate family. Now there was to be an addition to that family and the fox demon couldn't wait. There was so much he could teach the kit, so many tricks and skills, everything he or she'd need to survive.
Being a demon exterminator Sango had spent years tracking and killing lesser demons who threatened humans. Because of the trickery of Naraku all her kin were dead, leaving the girl alone to grieve and seek revenge. That two of her companions were demons and one a half demon didn't bother her much as she'd learned that not all demons were evil. But for Inuyasha to be pregnant, to be carrying an infant..something..what was she to make of this?
For Kagome matters were very complicated and confusing. Ever since she'd been dragged down the well into the past and into this great mission Kagome had relied on Inuyasha. The half demon had provided the muscle in their attempts to regain the scattered shards, taking on monsters and demons they couldn't handle. With Inuyasha knocked up he was virtually useless. Then there was this thing between them. At first Kagome thought Inuyasha might have feelings for her as she did for him. But after all the time they'd spent together the half demon never made a single move. Now there was proof that whatever feelings Inuyasha's heart might harbor for her it wasn't the love that grew between a man and a woman.
She didn't know whether to be angry or relieved.
Around them the villagers were confused and frightened. They couldn't understand how a male could come to be pregnant.
Broken from her thoughts Sango stood up and looked around. "Where's Myoga? Only he and Kirara seemed to know what was going on before we did."
"I am here," Myoga hopped up onto Miroku's shoulder. "Kirara remains with Lord Inuyasha."
"You know what's going on here flea, so you'd better start talking." Growled the school girl.
The tiny demon looked around. "Let us go somewhere more private first and I will explain about the blood of the Kodomo Ga Umeru."
###
The flickering fire cast eerie shadows on the walls of one of the village's guest houses. Everyone was seated and waiting for the flea to speak.
Myoga began, his voice clear and steady. "It began many ages ago, long before humans were so plentiful. A great war broke out amongst the Gods and Demon clans. Huge battles were waged upon the earth, ravaging the lands and changing them forever; oceans boiled, deserts consumed once fertile fields, and high mountains crumbled. The blood soaked earth was littered with the lifeless bodies of the slain and air choked with moans from the wounded. The war raged for a thousand years before a truce was finally called. The Gods retreated to their celestial palaces to heal and mourn and the Demons remained here on earth to lick their wounds and bury their dead. Many of the clans suffered heavy losses, some so diminished in numbers their kind were threatened with forever fading from this world. Desperately the clans pooled their magic and cast a mighty spell, one so strong it has yet to weaken. Clan males were made fertile, able to bear offspring as well as sire them. With this gift the endangered demons began to rebuild their numbers till they were once again proud and powerful. The Fox, Wolf, Cat, Dog, and Fire Demons retain this trait even to today."
"Dog. So Inuyasha's dad carried the trait." Kagome rubbed her chin in thought. "Did he ever have any kids?"
Shaking his head Myoga replied. "Lord Inutaishou never bore a child himself. Lord Sesshoumaru's mother was another male Dog Demon of high standing. He died just before Sesshoumaru reached his 9th year."
"That means that Sesshoumaru can get knocked up too. That's a nasty thought." The future girl shook her head to dispel the images that random thought had generated.
"This will be a time of great peril for Lord Inuyasha. In his gravid state he will be unable to defend himself as he has in times past. It falls to us to see to his and the child's safety."
"That means we have to lay off the search," Kagome huffed. "How long before he pops the kid out?"
"A human pregnancy lasts nine months while a demon's only five. With Inuyasha being a mix of both there is no telling how long he will carry the child before he delivers." The Priestess nodded in agreement with Miroku's words.
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