~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~

*Sequel to my AU fanfiction "Freak Attraction" which can be found in my list of stories

Chapter 1: A Day in Yokohama

A high wall… a forest… some surprise for her birthday, and then a black tent.

"Get offa me."

Bars… there were bars everywhere: cold and iron and all-enclosing. A giant centipede, and then a flash of light, and a pair of arms as warm and comforting and familiar as a blanket. Red and silver and charcoal black were the only colors she could see… the only colors that mattered.

"I would have been happy to wander with you forever."

Silver became black, black changed back to silver, white eyes bled red and blue and she was trapped in a ring, the walls lined with wretched faces and a dull roar in her ears she couldn't keep out.

"Kagome"

A simple whisper of her name, but it meant so much. Spider webs faded and darkness fled at that sound, and she was in the snow, holding a warm hand in hers and hearing a song come from her lips… it changed from one tune to another, and she could never be sure if it were her voice singing or someone else's.

"Kagome"

She could see his face as he said her name in the dark night, a small smile on his lips, gold eyes gleaming in the firelight and ears twitching to catch her faint breaths as she slowly leaned toward him….

"Kagome!"

Her eyes snapped open to find the bright rays of morning filling her room, and at the realization that she was not alone, she turned her face upward to see an amused smile on her mother's face.

"I thought you said you could get up on your own," Mrs. Higurashi teased, "but when you didn't come down for breakfast, I figured someone had better make sure you woke up in time for school!" Her mother's soft look became mischievous, but she hid it fairly well and managed to say with a straight face "Although from what you were mumbling in your sleep, I don't think I was the person you were hoping to see."

Kagome flushed, gripping her blankets around her face to surreptitiously bury beneath them. "I… I was just… remembering some things. That's all!"

With a slight chuckle her mother turned to leave, saying over her shoulder with a laugh "Alright Kagome, I understand. But you really should hurry and get ready! You don't want to be late for your last day of class!"

With a yelp Kagome flung her blanket away, rushing to her chest of drawers for her clothes and almost tripping over the edge of her nightgown. She stepped into her green hakama – the second pair she'd owned, as her first had been torn and stained beyond repair. The striped green kimono she wore to school was also a replacement, as was the red ribbon tied at the back of her head, pulling some of her black hair away from her face while letting the rest fall mid-way down her back. Doing a turn for her vanity mirror, Kagome shrugged with a smile at her still somewhat groggy reflection and grabbed a tied stack of books from her desk before rushing down the stairs of her western-styled home.

"Bye Souta, bye Shippo!" she called as she rushed past the living room, the shoji screen open wide on the two young boys playing with marbles on the mat. Souta muttered his greeting distractedly as he lined up his marble to shoot, but Shippo, who'd already had his turn, sprung up to follow the girl into the kitchen. "Kagome, are we still leaving today?"

"Later Shippo – after my last examination is over!" She called back, accepting a wrapped package of rice-balls from her mother and adding them to her pile of materials. "I'll be as quick as I can" she continued, turning to give Shippo a hasty smile as she rushed back out to the hall, "but you'll just have to be patient until I get back! I promise I'll return before the train leaves."

Pacified for the moment, Shippo gave an excited nod and raced back to his marble game, crying out in frustration as he discovered his opponent had taken more than his fair share of turns in Shippo's absence.

"Bye mom! Wish me luck!" Excitement and nerves bubbling up inside her, Kagome flung the wooden front door aside, stepped out into the cool spring morning –

And collided with a very sturdy wall of flesh and fabric.

She stumbled back slightly at the impact, absently noting the sound of a falling box and an ominous, muffled shatter as hands came out to grasp her arms and hold her still.

"Damn Kagome, use your eyes when you walk, would ya?"

Lifting a hand to steady her spinning head and blinking against the sunlight, Kagome saw first his red happi coat, then silver strands of hair falling over his broad shoulders, and finally that amused smirk and dandelion-yellow eyes. "G'morning Inuyasha!" She said cheerily, forgetting for a moment her hurry at the welcome sight of him. "Why're you up so early?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes before responding with a groan "Why y'think? Your gramps got us all up at the crack o' dawn to clear the storehouse and get all the festival supplies out." He paused for a moment at the realization that his hands were still cradling her arms, and hastily let them fall to his sides with a blush, absently scratching at his arm before continuing nonchalantly "Somethin' about everyone graduatin'. I thought that wasn't for a few more days though."

"It isn't, but I'm sure he just wants to get a head start" Kagome responded warmly, not having missed the lingering contact.

"Head start… more like he wants to work us into the ground!" Inuyasha replied with a growl.

Kagome could only grin in satisfaction – for years she and her mother had been the only ones able to help the old man run the shrine, and she was more than happy to pass the burden on to the newest members of the household, who frankly were much better suited to the task. "I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle. And speaking of ground" Kagome said with a smirk, glancing down at the box he'd dropped in his haste to catch her fall, "that's exactly where you're going to find yourself once Grandpa sees you've ruined another box of precious artifacts."

Inuyasha's hand went to scratch nervously at his neck, sweat forming on his brow as he said haltingly "Hey, Kagome… you're late, right? You need a ride to school?"

Trying with all her might to stifle a laugh into her thick sleeve, Kagome managed to say "Why thank you Inuyasha, but are you sure it's not a problem? I mean, I know how much you dislike the smell of town, and all the people, and having your ears squashed, and –"

"Yeah yeah yeah" he said brusquely, cutting her off and pushing past her to grab a slightly tattered black military cap from a hook on the wall, "you ready to go or what?"

She nodded and clambered onto his back as he knelt before her, noticing as she did Miroku approaching through the gate, a large box perched halfway on his shoulder. At the sight of them the monk stopped, his voluminous black sleeves tied back and robes knotted around his knees, a perturbed frown on his face. "Oh not again…" he sighed, setting down his cargo to glare at Inuyasha. "You can't run every time you break something! Without you around to take the blame, I'm left to listen to the old fellow's lecture. I don't want to have to relay it to you again! I'm not a scribe!"

"Tough luck, Monk" Inuyasha quipped, tucking his hands under Kagome's thighs and readying to spring away.

Realizing he wouldn't be getting his way, Miroku sighed wearily and in a pleading voice tried "At least come back here before you go to Yokohama? By the time you return this evening, the old man will have forgotten to yell at you."

Smirking as Kagome linked her arms around his neck, Inuyasha said cockily "Great idea Miroku, I'll see ya tonight!" before leaping the length of the yard, setting down on the other side of the fence only to spring again over the top of the shrine.

Miroku watched them go with exasperation, turning to stare at the box of broken items once the half-demon and school girl had left his line of sight.

"What'd he do this time?"

At the female voice behind him, Miroku's face brightened considerably as he faced Sango, two large boxes in her arms which she handled as if they were weightless. "Nothing he hasn't done before" Miroku answered, gesturing at the box on the ground with his thumb, "more broken relics which we'll no doubt hear an entire tragic history on all through dinner."

Sango shared his look of worry before glancing at the box, and in a conspiratorially low voice said "Miroku, does Grandpa Higurashi know yet?"

His eyes wide and smile growing, Miroku said simply "No" and Sango nodded firmly, responding "Good – we'll keep it that way. Grab that box and take it inside with the rest. We'll hide it at the back and I'll have Kohaku take care of it when he gets back from town."

With an enthusiastic nod Miroku did as ordered, careful to not jog the box more than necessary as he carried it inside the house and into a back room, placing it as far in the corner as possible.

Kagome's breath hitched as Inuyasha leapt over another roof, landing with the utmost care to not jostle her or cause too much noise. They'd already had a few close calls in the past with startled tenants rushing out to investigate the pounding on the roof. Inuyasha was always gone too quickly to be caught, but still; Kagome suggested caution. They didn't have many opportunities for piggy-back rides anymore; the house was busy, the city was busy, and areas of secluded wilderness were disappearing at alarming rates. Tokyo seemed determined to expand, and although Kagome had never thought much of it, now she longed for a bit of forest to explore. Her body jolted as Inuyasha coiled and sprung, and she let out a shaky breath as he crested the peak of the jump, before sailing down in a free-fall which Kagome had stopped fearing long ago. He caught the fall on a wide, sturdy tree limb, which creaked under the force but held firm. One more smaller leap and he was in the overgrown grass of the school yard, shielded in the shadows of the large trees behind the brick building from the view of the students out front.

Disembarking with a laugh, Kagome brushed back her hair and smoothed the pleats on her green hakama before turning her usual grateful smile to her friend. "Thanks Inuyasha! I think I'm actually a little early today!"

He swayed a bit from foot to foot, his posture stiff and a little on edge as he nodded distractedly. Kagome watched him with understanding eyes; he was always tense in the city, even after a few months of living in it. There were so many new smells and sounds which he'd never heard, people he'd never seen the likes of, customs with which he was completely unfamiliar… it was natural he'd feel out of place. The urge to sigh nearly overcame her, but Kagome bravely held back; she knew that Inuyasha chose to come with her, but still… it was hard to see him look so lost. It was just as difficult for him to adjust as she'd predicted it would be, but he was stubborn, and defended his choice to the last. He wasn't unhappy per say, just… uncomfortable. He assured her it would pass.

"So what are your plans?" she asked, smiling to try and ease his obvious nerves.

His golden gaze snapped back to her, and he paused in thought before shrugging and answering "Dunno… can't really go back to the shrine, what with your grandpa on my back…" he looked away with feigned indifference, but Kagome could tell he simply didn't want to be judged when he said too quickly "I'll probably just wait out back here. No sense you walkin' home alone when you don't need to."

Kagome dipped her head to hide a giddy smile at the thought of having him walk her home, as though they were a normal couple like the fancy men and women parading around the square. Then again… they already were a couple, weren't they? They'd never said in so many words, but really… did Inuyasha even know what it meant to be courting?

"Well then" Kagome said with a sly smile, squashing down her uncertainties, "I suppose goodbyes are in order!"

The usual goofy grin that comment produced was replaced by the briefest look of panic, and before Kagome had a chance to be confused or offended, Inuyasha had reached forward to hold her arms and bent to softly kiss her lips. Ignoring his previous odd behavior, Kagome took over her part of the 'goodbyes' and pulled lightly on the collar of his red robe. She was careful with the old fabric, but eager for him to stay put. The first stage of 'goodbyes' took longer than normal, and Kagome was the one to move on to the finale, shyly licking his lips to invite him to open up. Inuyasha's hesitance was not lost on the girl in his embrace, but as he didn't stop her, she continued her kissing at a slightly slower pace. It was only another moment before he was just as lost in the kiss as usual, taking over her mouth and allowing Kagome to just enjoy the moment. They never got to kiss like this at home. Between her family and their circus tenants all living on one plot of land, finding a private moment was nearly impossible. These moments under the maple tree were precious to her – to them both.

Just as Kagome was figuring enough was enough and she really should go join the others, her tongue snuck past his lips for a parting taste and unknowingly brushed his fang. At least… it should have been his fang! The violent flinch that accompanied the odd sensation was almost more startling than the unexpected dip in his line of teeth. Pulling back at once, Kagome gave Inuyasha a puzzled look, while he glared back at her with a mix of anger and… was that pain?

"What's up with your tooth?"

Inuyasha scoffed and looked away, even as his palm rubbed at the spot in question through his lip. "Nothin's wrong wid' it."

There was a one second warning look, eerily reminiscent of her mother, before Kagome swooped in. Catching the half-demon by surprise, she grabbed his face and mushed up his lip to find –

"Your fang! It's gone!"

Shaking off her invasive hands, Inuyasha assumed a defensive stance as he said tersely "Look it's nothing, alright? It just aches a little."

Kagome couldn't stop her staring, even though the strange cavity where a long, sharp tooth should have been was at the moment hidden from view. "But…" she grasped around for words, not quite knowing what to think, "How?!"

A nonchalant shrug seemed to be the only response she'd get, but as he glanced again at her worried face, Inuyasha slumped and revealed "I don't know what happened. It was gone when I woke up."

"That's it?" Her incredulous tone brought a scowl to his face, but honestly, she couldn't help it. How could his fang just 'disappear'? It wasn't like he shed them! Did… did someone take it? But how could they? How would he not have known!

"It's true! I mean, I almost didn't even notice, what with all the bug bites."

Kagome's stream of questions was cut short by the strange statement. "Bug bites?"

"Yeah, bug bites." He responded angrily, pulling down the hem of his neckline to reveal specks of red dotting his chest. It was a struggle for Kagome to focus on the bites and not the taut tan skin over is muscles, and an even bigger struggle to tear her attention away long enough to understand him as he started speaking again. "They were worse when I woke up. They're all over my arms too, damn pests…."

"But… it's only just starting to be spring! They're usually not this big a problem until summer…." Kagome turned away, partially in thought and partially for distraction as he righted his clothing again.

"It's no big deal. I was a little dizzy when I woke up, but the bites are almost healed, and the tooth is already growin' back. So no harm done."

Kagome marveled silently over the healing power in his demonic blood; not even a few hours, and the fang was already growing back? But she kept her musings to herself, and turned to give him one last smile as she said "Well, if you find out anything else while I'm in class, tell me later, okay?"

He rolled his eyes and she smiled, hugging him briefly but tightly before dashing away to round the brick building, groaning despondently as the school bell began to toll.

"Where's my Tetsusaiga?"

Kagome looked up from the big yellow basket she was packing, craning her neck to see down the hall in the direction she'd heard Inuyasha's voice come from. "Is it in the storage room?" She called back, sure he would hear, though less sure he'd been asking her in the first place. How would she know where he kept his sword? "Mama," she said distractedly, looking between two jars she held in each hand, "Have you ever been to Yokohama?"

"No, it's always been too far away" her mother answered with a smile, carefully setting slices of cutlet into the lacquer bento cases. "I can't wait to hear all about it!"

"It ain't in there" Inuyasha said tersely as he entered the kitchen, brows drawn and hands on his hips.

Glancing up from her task, Kagome met his irritated face with confusion. "Well I haven't seen it. Did you ask Miroku and Sango?"

He scoffed, his arms crossing over his chest as he ventured further into the room. "The old man's got 'em working. Says they have to make up for the time we're spending out gallivanting." Inuyasha glared at her expectantly, and Kagome fought the urge to roll her eyes.

"Look, I'm sorry about your sword, but I can't help look for it right now! I've got to get these lunches packed, and then we really need to leave! If we miss the train, then that's it! We'll have to wait another week for a good opportunity!" She took a kerchief-wrapped box from her mother and rearranged the basket with a huff. Inuyasha didn't budge from his spot though, and Kagome could feel her annoyance build as his eyes bored holes into the back of her head. "Besides, it's not like you can take your sword on the train!"

"You people just don't get it!" Inuyasha growled, his ire rising as both women continued their packing without a second glance, "What if something goes wrong? What if we're attacked? A broken sword is better than no sword at all! Honestly, after all we've been through, I don't see how you could take this so lightly!"

With a soft sigh Kagome turned to him, mustering an understanding tone as she said "It's not that I'm 'taking this lightly', I just think you're working yourself up for no reason! It's just a day trip to Yokohama – we'll be there for a few hours, and then we'll come right back! Besides," she reached out to fuss with his robe, smoothing out wrinkles and bringing a bright red to his cheeks, "the only danger we'd have to worry about would be from humans, and I'm sure you can handle a few measly humans, right?" She gave him her best smile, inwardly grinning in triumph as his expression turned cocky.

"Fine. If you don't mind me beating up a few humans, we'll do it your way."

"I didn't say you should, Inuyasha," she snapped as he turned her own logic back on her, "I mean if there's trouble. Which there won't be."

A mumbled "whatever" was the only response he gave, but she figured it would be enough for the time being. Turning back to her work, she hefted the bulging basket, grunting in surprise as it fell back to the wood table under its own weight. Kagome barely had a moment to catch her breath before a clawed hand passed in front of her and lifted the basket with ease. She turned to see Inuyasha looking away with disinterest as he said quietly "I thought you said we were in a hurry? Go get the brats and I'll handle this."

"Thanks" she said as she passed, though she knew he didn't need her to say it. He never liked to call attention to his acts of kindness, but she couldn't help acknowledging it. After all, he never gave himself enough credit. "Wait for me outside, we'll be right there!"

He grunted in acknowledgement, and Kagome shared an amused glance with her mother before heading down the hall.

Steam, burning coal, and the mingling smells of hundreds of people swirled in the air around Inuyasha, threatening a dizzying headache if he didn't find something to focus on fast. Kagome's hand grasping his upper-arm was a welcome distraction, and he wondered if she had realized his unspoken dilemma, but when he looked she was pointing away at a shape in the near distance: a large, black and red machine perched on a lattice of steel. "There's the train, Inuyasha!" He could only nod mutely as he took in the sight. Her city was already so foreign to him, and such a complex fabrication of wood and metal seemed like something from a dream. Not even demons were this strange. Souta was chattering animatedly beside him, clutching his free arm with both hands in a tugging grip which would have been irritating if the half-demon could really feel it. As it was the boy hardly put pressure on his tough skin, so he let him be. Glancing down beside Kagome, Inuyasha noticed Shippo sporting a look which he was sure mirrored his own: awe, with a hint of trepidation. The unknown was always unnerving, though the allure of the giant metal monster to those who had never seen one could not be denied. People in dark coats and heavy dresses stepped up into the wooden carriages behind the metal head, excited smiles adorning their faces with none of the anxiety he was experiencing. The upbeat chatter and pleasant atmosphere of the train station challenged his worries, and Inuyasha was hard pressed not to grin like the boy holding his arm when it came their turn to board. Kagome led him to a carved wooden bench inside, laid out across the car in short rows framing the open windows. He had thought she'd take a seat beside him, but instead she took the opposite spot, staring up into his face with eager hopefulness.

"Isn't this exciting?" She asked breathily, distracting the half-demon with wide, glittering eyes, but he managed a nod and it seemed to be enough. Inuyasha fidgeted on the wooden chair, stretching his legs out slightly to gage his room. Even sitting up straight, his knees were knocking with hers. Minor adjustments only made it worse, and when they ended up with her knees sandwiched between his, he gave up with a blush and sat sideways, propping his sandaled feet on the seat and leaning against the wall. He wouldn't have shared his bench anyways.

Souta and Shippo rushed about the cabin, flitting from window to window to get the best view until more guests filtered into their car and claimed the empty seats. The humans in foreign outfits gave him passing glances of curiosity, then returned quickly to their private conversations. These Westerners were strange, and their jarring languages unpleasant to hear, but their gawking was harmless. After spending most of his life in a cage, Inuyasha was used to hate-filled scrutiny, but the way these fair-skinned men and women with wheat-colored hair looked at him as though he were a fancy kimono in a shop display….

He glanced across at Kagome, her black hair falling over her shoulders as she leaned out the window with a laugh, and not for the first time he felt a wave of appreciation sweep through him. Kagome never saw him as anything but a person. Even though he'd caught her staring more times than he could count, it was never so objective. She stared at him and inside him and through him, searching his very soul without apology. He knew because he did the same to her. And sometimes when he'd catch her, a flush would rise on her cheeks and she'd turn away as though she hadn't already uncovered every secret part of him. And he'd feign annoyance at her just because there was no other way to respond.

Boyish laughter drew his attention, as it seemed Souta and Shippo had found new friends in two young boys whose stern-faced mother watched from a few benches away. The woman's eyes turned on him for the briefest moment, narrowing in a way that he'd seen all too often, before turning her nose up snootily. Inuyasha knew better than to growl at her, but the temptation was strong. While the foreign visitors treated him as spectator-sport, the reactions of his country-men were almost as hostile as the demons. Kagome had tried to explain it to him once, how his looks were unusual even among the foreigners, and certainly for a native Japanese man. She had told him that since the Samurai class had been disbanded, long hair such as his was like a slap in the face of progress, and everyone who was anyone had cut their top-knots to fit in with the new Western ways, but neither she nor Inuyasha had any desire to cut his. Paired with her father's old military cap and his mother's work coat, he made for quite the confusing spectacle, and the people of Kagome's town didn't seem to appreciate him standing out. He'd learned to ignore it though.

"But aren't you going to the circus?"

Twin dog-ears swiveled sharply under the heavy black cap as alarms blared in the half-demon's skull. He'd been tuning out of the boy's chatter, but there was no way in hell that he could ignore that word.

"What? You mean there's a circus in Yokohama?" Souta asked with obvious excitement, his countenance brightening further with the other boy's nod. "Shippo, we should go!"

The disguised fox-demon was less enthusiastic, but there was unmistakable curiosity in his eyes as he asked the other boys "You've already been? And you got away?"

Their new friends shared matching frowns for a moment before answering "What'ya mean? Mother made us leave, but I guess I wouldn't have minded staying longer. They open in the afternoon, then have a show or two at night, and then they close for the day." His brother added with a slight whine "Mother wouldn't let us stay for the night show – said it would be too scary. We're not babies!"

"Kentaro!" The mother's snapping tone had the boys cowering for only a moment, but as soon as her attention was turned back to the window, they stuck their tongues at her mockingly.

"So…" Souta's small hands were grasping the edge of his navy-colored school coat as though it could keep him from spewing all of the questions riding the tip of his tongue, "what kinds of things do they do at this circus?"

"Anything you could imagine!" the older brother said with delight, "there's seven performers, and they've been all over the world! They breathe fire, and swallow swords, and one can lift giant weights over his head like It's nothing!"

"And then there's the really big guy who'll eat anything – he even eats animals! Alive! Mother wouldn't let us watch him… or the hypnotist!"

Both Shippo and Souta were locked onto every word, childlike wonder covering every inch of their faces as they tried to picture the astounding circus acts.

Inuyasha watched the small group with a deepening frown, wanting to beat some sense into the boys for even entertaining the idea of visiting a circus. Circuses were nothing but trouble. He and Kagome hadn't told Souta the details of their time in the demon circus, and little Shippo had avoided any mention of it, preferring to pretend it never happened. Even Kagome's mother and grandfather were only told the most general story, neither pushing for more information. Inuyasha guessed sharing their home with demons and half-demons was as much as they could handle.

Watching the boys continue their hype, reenacting as best they could the acts which they could remember, Inuyasha couldn't deny the spark of excitement he saw lighting the faces of the two boys. Even in Shippo, who'd already seen too much evil in his short life, there was an innocence that he couldn't bear to see go away. He felt a stare, this one familiar, and turned slightly to meet Kagome's anxious eyes. So, she'd heard the brats too. They gazed at each other, silently contemplating what they'd overheard. Kagome's expression said it all: she wasn't comfortable with the idea of a circus, for herself and for him as well, but if they asked… if Souta and Shippo asked to go… she wouldn't have the heart to deny them. Reading her conviction, Inuyasha sighed, closing his eyes against the distracting emotions of his companions. Since when did he care so much what everyone else wanted? He sure as hell didn't want to see another circus any time soon. Why should he give in when he knew circuses better than any of them? 'It's not a demon circus though' his head reminded him, 'they're just humans. There's nothing to be afraid of.' Souta, Shippo and the boys broke into laughs again, and Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably at the carefree sound. They weren't afraid. And neither was he. He wouldn't let some measly human circus spook him into ruining their trip. Even without his sword, he didn't need to worry. Judging by the shining smiles Souta and Shippo wore as they day-dreamed of acrobats and fire-wielders, it would be worth it to cave… just this once.

"Hey" Inuyasha said sharply, pulling all four boys from their conversation, and Kagome as well. "When we get to Yokohama…" his yellow eyes turned from the attentive young faces to meet Kagome's curious gaze, and he didn't break that contact for a moment as he continued "what do you say we stop by this circus?"

Kagome's eyes widened incredulously, but Inuyasha didn't say a word more, only stared back intently. He was asking her permission; it was as much her decision as his. After all, she'd suffered in Naraku's circus too. After a silent exchange between dark and light gazes, a slight smile tugged at Kagome's lips. That was really all the answer he needed, but he didn't mind when she reached out to grasp his clawed hand as well.

Yokohama stunk. The aroma of salt and fish and too many humans filled the sea-port, and the surrounding mountains trapped every nuanced stench in an encompassing ring. Kagome had pinched her nose for only a second as they'd stepped into the open square, but soon her less-sensitive nose was overpowered by the view of the crashing blue waves and endless sky. Even Inuyasha could admit that the view was amazing. That didn't make the place smell any better.

At Kagome's insistence they'd eaten their picnic on the beach, Souta and Shippo chasing each other through the sand as Inuyasha tried to ignore the additional grit on his food and the weight of Kagome against his side. It wasn't that he would have her move, he just… well, there were people around! It was a windless day and the sun overhead was unhindered by clouds, but the spray from the sea kept it from being too unpleasant. Inuyasha kept his grousing to a minimum; they'd been planning this trip for a while, and Kagome seemed determined to enjoy it. She and the boys were resolutely ignoring his complaints anyways.

When the hungry boys had been filled and the basket was light enough for even Shippo to carry, they ventured through the main town, Kagome perusing through shops as Inuyasha tried (and failed) to rally the rambunctious duo. Dodging men in top-hats and lacy parasols, the half-demon finally caught up to the boys as they halted near the fish market, nearly knocking over a bucket of sea urchin in his haste. Grabbing both boys by the collars, he towed them back to where he'd last seen Kagome. By the time they reunited she'd filled their empty lunch basket with trinkets and had directions to the new circus just outside the town. It was called 'Shishi Fukujin Circus', and nearly everyone in town had already been to the show.

'Shishi Fukujin: The Seven Lucky Gods. What a load of crap.' Inuyasha's snide thoughts sat plainly displayed on his face as he eyed the circus entryway, emblazoned with the pompous title. He'd barely taken two steps under the circus arch when he decided that either the townspeople were all idiots or it was some big joke. All that worry… over this?

Biting yellow eyes took stock of the human circus and found it severely lacking. A few local vendors had set up booths just inside the compound, offering goldfish-catching and decorative masks that could have been found at any festival. A small courtyard of empty western-styled tables sat further in, surrounded by food vendors and creating a muffled atmosphere of smells he couldn't quite identify. Above the din of human conversation rang out a horrid musical cacophony, which Inuyasha soon pinned to a large wooden box next to an older man with a round belly, cropped white hair and moustache accenting his wrinkles. His gnarled old hand systematically turned a wrench, and the sound which resembled lute-playing but not nearly as nice tumbled out of the slots in the face of the wooden machine. The strange tune was no doubt meant to create an air of whimsy, but all it did for the half-demon was set him on edge. Workers wandered to and fro among the crowd in bright and blaring getups which easily set them apart, as did their foreign looks. There was no sign of a ringmaster yet, but they still hadn't reached the center tent.

Souta and Shippo rushed from booth to booth, exuberant as they took in the sights, but Inuyasha remained unimpressed. As evil as Naraku had been, he knew how to draw a crowd. Theatrics had always been his strong point, and the demons under him spared no expense in making their circus alluring and grand. The same could not be said for these humans. Every pole and tent was of the most practical fabric, sometimes painted gaudy colors, some simply weather-stained. Everything in the compound gave off a strong scent of salt, and Inuyasha could only guess that the circus spent most of its time travelling by sea. There was a definite feel of transience about the whole place.

"Simple" Kagome commented, one hand holding onto her yellow basket, the other wrapped loosely around the black leather of Inuyasha's sleeve. "They're not too worried about impressing anyone, are they?"

"They must be pretty confident about their acts" Inuyasha responded gruffly; something about it all rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe it was all in his head, but the circus around him seemed too arrogant; as if its reputation was so great that it needn't bother with a well-groomed façade. For all he knew it could have been well-earned pride, but somehow he doubted it. If it was, they would just have to prove him wrong.

Both Souta and Shippo came rushing back to them through the crowd, each tugging at an arm of one adult guardian to bring them further into the throng. Inuyasha was in no hurry to join the mass of suits and bustles, but he couldn't say no to the young faces that looked up at him so warmly. Every smile of theirs reminded him of a smile he never wore, and he was determined to keep it that way. The boys were brats more often than not, but… at the end of the day, they weren't so bad.

They reached the center of the circus grounds to find not a tent, but a stage. It was wide and spacious and high off the ground, flocked by curtained passageways to either side and lined with curtains in the back, and a crowd had gathered impatiently in the surrounding yard. It was late in the afternoon already, and although the sun had already begun its descent, it beat down on the assembly mercilessly as both men and women drew out decorative fans and umbrellas to evade the heat. Inuyasha scoffed at the obvious oversight on the part of their hosts. If the circus cared about their guests at all, there'd at least be a canopy.

Their small group stood near the back of the crowd, and at little Shippo's frustrated hopping to see higher, Kagome quickly scooped him up into her arms. Souta turned hopeful eyes on the half-demon, and despite the answering glower did not give up. The boy had evidently learned stubbornness from his sister, and Inuyasha found himself hoisting the young Higurashi onto his back before he even realized what he was doing. He'd teach the kid a lesson later for being so demanding all the time.

Suddenly the strange pipe-music stopped, and the crowd fell into whispering. The double beat of a Taiko drum rang through the salty sea-air, and as if summoned, low clouds of smoke crept from the curtained sides of the stage towards the middle. For the first time since their arrival, Inuyasha found himself paying attention. The smoke billowed up to fill the stage, and then in a strange reversal of the elements, the cloud was consumed in a wall of fire which spread from the bottom of the stage to disappear with a puff at the top of the curtain poles. His companions gasped along with the audience at the sight, and Inuyasha felt his pulse pick up speed. Just how did a cloud catch fire?

The spectacle created the perfect distraction for the arrival of a man on the stage, uncoiling from a crouch as though born of the flames like a phoenix. He was tall, and despite his strong male physique, he wore a ladies dress, the skirt drawn up at one hip and a lace collar surrounding his throat. It wasn't the only thing surrounding him, as what had first appeared to be a thick scarf moved and slid across his frame, and Inuyasha realized before the captivated audience did that it was a large white snake he had draped about his shoulders. From beneath dark bangs a painted face looked over the crowd, vertical stripes on his cheeks crinkling as his mouth turned up in a devilish smile. Inuyasha flinched at his eyes; they were wide, sharp, and intently focused on the crowd, drinking in the faces near the stage with far too much delight. From the impressed utterances and outbreak of clapping however, Inuyasha guessed he had been the only one to notice.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome" the man's high tenor echoed loudly out of the stage, and heedless of the dangerous animal he sported as a shawl, he raised his hands into the air and finished with glee "to the Seven Lucky God's Circus!"

The applause was now joined by a few shouts in obvious approval of the introduction. The man raised his hands, and quiet fell back over the assembly. "Tonight, you will witness feats of death and daring, see the unbelievable, witness the incredible, and transcend this feeble world as the Seven Lucky Gods take you on a journey to the world beyond!"

The crowd erupted into even louder acclaim this time, the man not bothering to bow as he soaked in their excitement. "First" he shouted, throwing the crowd into silence once again, "you shall meet the Gods themselves, each showing but a glimpse of his true power! Then, you shall be treated to a display of monsters and marvels from around the world, the likes of which you will assuredly never see anywhere else! Your Gods shall then return to amaze and shock with their divine strength and skill! Truly, there is no greater show on Earth, than the Seven Lucky Gods!"

At the crescendo note in his voice the assembly went wild, their anticipation eating away at propriety as they shouted and yelled for more. Inuyasha glanced beside him at Kagome, whose expression looked no less anxious than his own. It was all too reminiscent of the demons that once surrounded his own caged form, and neither liked it.

The snake which had been coiled lazily around the dressed-up man rose suddenly from his shoulders and lunged with gaping jaws at the nearest guests, eliciting several screams and shocked gasps from those not even close by. The man grinned too widely as silence was once again instilled in the group. "My name" he started proudly, "is Benzaiten, god of beauty. I excel at music and grace and outshine all, but be warned," long fingers wrapped around the tail of the snake as he finished with a grin "I've been known to bite", and with a flick of his wrist it was no longer a snake, but a chain of blades which swung high into the air before coiling back into the white animal that had so submissively wrapped around the announcer's body. The crowd could not contain their shock as a hum of sound swept over them, and Inuyasha turned sharply to meet Kagome's disbelieving eyes, both of them thinking 'that was no trick.'

"This next deity is larger than life" Benzaiten continued, as though he hadn't just transformed a live animal into cutlery. "He is Ebisu: a god of prosperity, with a love of food." The stage rattled as something approached from the back, and the curtain was swept aside by a giant hand as a dark man over 10 feet tall lumbered onto the creaking wooden stage. His mouth was impossibly wide and full of sharp teeth, his blood-shot eyes scouring the crowd as if looking for his next meal "There's nothing this god won't eat, and that's no exaggeration." The giant reached through the side curtain and extracted a thick wooden beam. Sounds of splintering wood filled the shocked silence as he bit into the beam with gusto, hardly bothering to chew as he devoured the once sturdy material. Souta made a gagging sound at his back, and Inuyasha almost did the same. And people thought he was a freak.

The giant exited the other side of the stage with a deep, gargling laugh, and Benzaiten waved him off before turning back to the crowd. "Wise and crafty, this hermit-god is a master of potions – his powers are so great, he can even bring the dead to life! Here's Fukurokuju!" A volley of pops rang out over the stage as bursts of colored powder erupted from the projectiles. Through the multicolored mess a small figure rushed forward, his simple white robes mottled by the clouds of dust. With a grin he pulled a small bone from a fold of his robe and threw it on the hard wood of the stage for all to see. Another pellet was tossed toward it, and from the eruption of black a large, squawking chicken emerged with a flutter. The crowd laughed and gasped at the 'magic trick', and even Shippo and Souta were grinning as the bug-eyed man smiled widely and bowed off stage.

As the colored dust settled, Benzaiten stepped away from the wall where he'd been leaning and took his place back at center stage, patting away patches of orange and blue from his lavender skirt. "Messy, isn't he?" the performer quipped, and the enamored audience laughed on cue. "Our next god is quite the charmer, but don't be fooled by his friendly smile!" Benzaiten stepped away again as a smiling, brown-haired man walked through the back curtain, his fashionable high-collared shirt and gentlemen's trousers making it seem as though he'd just stepped from the crowd. "Meet Daikokuten, a god of fortune as well as a skilled hunter of demons. We're never quite sure what he'll do next!" With an enraged roar the man's civilized demeanor vanished as he whirled. There was barely a moment where the audience could view the god holding three long knives before they were no longer in his hand but protruding from the wood post beside Benzaiten's head. The self-proclaimed god of beauty didn't move a hair as he smirked across at the god in western clothes, now sporting green tattoos around his grinning face where before there had most assuredly been none.

Inuyasha's guard went up at the look that passed between them. He'd smelled blood right before the man's apparent transformation, but could not pinpoint the source. There was something wrong about them all: they weren't demons, they were human. And yet… what kind of humans had such strange abilities? The eager circus-goers again broke into raucous applause at the stunt, and Daikokuten left the stage with an expression so full of suppressed malice that Inuyasha was reaching for his sword before he realized it wasn't there. His panicking thoughts were distracted momentarily by the sound wheels and scraping metal, and a smell that instantly reminded him of the coal-burning train they'd arrived on. Coming up from behind the stage curtain was a plume of steam to match, and it was steadily growing bigger.

"This god is a friend to all, a patron of the down-trodden. Here is Hotei, the smiling god!" The curtains behind the announcer were drawn and a machine rolled up from the back, filling the stage with the sounds of steam and metal. The crowd exclaimed in awe and Inuyasha in expletives as before them all a conglomeration of man and machine sat grinning. Iron carriage wheels supported a black metal frame which looked almost identical to the train from Tokyo. However, the western styled passenger train did not also sport the living, breathing head, shoulders, and torso of a very large man with metal patches fused into his very skin. His famed smile was made of a steel trap and the distinction between his body and the engine was indiscernible. Kagome's hand rose to her mouth as she took in the full extent of the circus performer's modifications, and Inuyasha found himself seriously regretting their decision to ever give circuses a second chance.

The slow descent of the machine-man back down the ramp of the stage was interrupted by sudden plumes of fire from offstage. Awe-filled gasps took the place of the previous horrified ones as a tall man in a military uniform and bandana strolled up behind the fire. As Benzaiten took up his former place as announcer, the stern-faced man behind him casually juggled the flaming clubs in his hands as though they were sacks of rice. "Meet Juroujin, god of long-life. As you can see, he is immune to harm or death!" Flicking his wrists, Juroujin extinguished the torches and threw them through the curtains. Reaching for a flask at his belt, he took a quick swig, and with only the slightest intake of breath exhaled a plume of fire high over the heads of the crowd which reached all the way back to Inuyasha's group. There were screams and a few singed parasols, but the impressive maneuver was followed by some of the loudest applause yet as the crowd surged on the rush of adrenaline. The fire-breathing god simply turned on his heel and marched back through the drapery without ever meeting a single glance.

"And now" Benzaiten exclaimed, his voice deeper than before and dripping with anticipation, "the leader of the Seven Lucky Gods, the most powerful and most feared god of all! God of battle and war, bringer of death and granter of success, with the strength of a hundred men and the courage of a thousand… the Great God Bishamonten!" A young man burst through the curtain then, carrying himself with all the pride and arrogance of an emperor. He wore the robes of a Feudal Lord in white and deep blue, and over one shoulder he carried a massive barbell, heavily weighted on either side. He looked young, hardly out of his teenage years, with midnight black hair pulled into a long, thick braid behind him. With a smug grin he spun the massive weight over his head, effortlessly transferring it to his other hand before dropping it with a deafening thud to the stage floor. It rolled toward the edge of the wood platform, and the crowd tripped over themselves to escape its path as it dropped over the side and settled into the hard dirt with a resounding thud.

As the crowd erupted into cheering, Bishamonten refused to bow, his hands on his hips in the very image of a god ruling over his servants. Inuyasha felt a growl build in his throat at the young punk's audacity. He sincerely hoped these human saps weren't as impressionable as they seemed. If they for one second thought these performers were anything more than human, they were fools. Strange abilities or not, there was nothing 'divine' about any of them. He might have suspected demons were it not for the lack of aura, but even then, their so-called 'skills' were nothing he couldn't handle. Not that he had any intention to. "C'mon" he said gruffly, hoisting Souta a little higher on his back and nudging Kagome with his elbow, "let's get outta this dump while we still can."

"But Inuyasha," Souta began imploringly, "don't you wanna see the monsters?"

"Didn't we?" he responded snidely, rolling his eyes when Kagome said his name in a warning tone. "You honestly think it could get weirder than that?" His incredulous tone was met with silence, and he couldn't keep from muttering under his breath "and to think I was the one locked in a cage."

"Why don't we stay just a few minutes more and find out?" Shippo asked, and Souta nodded his agreement with enthusiasm.

"You can't be serious!" the half-demon exclaimed, but it seemed even Kagome was against him on this.

"A couple more minutes won't hurt" she said softly, her eyes darting back to the stage where the strongman had just left amid lingering applause. "Besides, the train won't leave for another hour, so we might as well see the rest of the show."

Inuyasha couldn't believe it! He was sure she'd been as uncomfortable during the odd displays as he had been, and yet it seemed she and the brats and the whole rest of the crowd had been caught by some morbid fascination that insisted they see things through to the gruesome end. Growling angrily, he turned back to face the stage, stewing under the assertion that he was right and they'd all regret not listening to him later. He wasn't above giving them each a hearty "I told you so" when they woke up next morning from livid nightmares.

Benzaiten was at center-stage once again as the guests before him waited in silent anticipation. Two large torches had been lit at the four corners of the space, as the sun was nearing its death behind the far expanse of blue sea. "We know you are eager to see the gods perform" the man said, stroking the snake around his shoulders, "but the sun is about to set, and we would not want to deprive such a lovely audience the chance to see one of the great mysteries of the world in action." The was a rustling of heavy chains behind the back wall, and from between the curtains stepped a well-mannered man with dark hair, wide hakama and a loose-fitting juban accented by heavy metal shackles and trailing chains. He looked out across the audience with a blank, lifeless stare, and the desire to leave immediately fled Inuyasha's mind. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

"We lucky gods have travelled the world" Benzaiten said with flourish, wholly ignoring the newest addition to the stage, "and in our travels we have encountered beasts beyond description; the creatures of legend that men no longer dare believe in!" A frilled sleeve rose to point at the disappearing sun, and his voice rose in fervor as he said "At the setting sun you shall witness the transformation of a simple man, into one of the most feared monsters in all the western world: The Werebeast!"

With perfect timing the last rays of natural light slipped beneath the horizon, and with a groan the man on stage doubled over, his form not shrinking as he fell but growing. The sound of ripping cloth and the hiss of whispering guests provided the backdrop for a transformation that was truly horrifying, as the man tripled in size, his tan skin becoming leathery blue as fur sprouted across a newly formed muzzle crowned with black and twisted horns.

Inuyasha felt Kagome's heat burning his side as she all but fell against him, her open shock speaking for both of them. This was a demon. He could feel the inky black of its aura seeping through to meet his, and he knew Kagome felt it too. By the way Shippo's hair bristled and stood on edge, he guessed they weren't the only ones picking up on it. A tremored shaking at his back reminded him that Souta had never seen a demon such as this, and instinctively he calmed himself, tightening his grip on the boy and whispering back "It's alright kid. I got ya."

Benzaiten was saying something more now as the giant demon was carefully led off the stage, still in a strangely docile state despite a piteous roar which had goosebumps rising all over the half-demon's flesh. A cage was wheeled on after him, and Inuyasha's throat constricted as yet another demonic aura swept over him, though it was much weaker, and tinged by a strange smell. It was a vampire according to the fake god, a creature of nightmares in Eastern Europe, who drank blood and thrived in the night. But when the curtain was pulled from the wooden cage, it was nothing more than a young girl, her dark skin and lilac-white hair lit red by a glowing crystal grasped between her small hands. The black robe covering her small frame was meant to heighten her mystique, her wickedness, but to Inuyasha's yellow eyes it only made her features seem softer in comparison. The crowd did not agree however, and cowered in fear at her presence, wholly won over by the theatrical performance of the self-proclaimed deity above them on the platform.

It was a mercy when they finally rolled her cage away, but the next 'monster' was hardly better. Inuyasha no longer cared what the freakish announcer had to say, but he caught the word 'Ogre' as another giant came lumbering onto the creaking wood. Unlike the gluttonous god Ebisu, this giant seemed like the real human. Oversized arms hung down to the ground, his hunched form almost submissive as round, bulging blue eyes glanced furtively at the horrified crowd and back to his feet. There was a weak demon aura again, and a demonic scent rising through the salt, but… Inuyasha would be damned if that wasn't a human scent mingled in there as well. Realization seeped into his bones, and rage built up in him which he'd not felt in a blissful few months since winter began. A shock leapt harmlessly over his skin, and he realized that the woman beside him was just as furious, if not more so.

The human crowd before them was caught up in the tales woven by the circus performer, never once questioning the claims that these were monsters from other lands; not even when a mere boy was led on stage, his feet clicking against the ground like hooves, dressed in dark furs to match his brown skin as curled ram's horns sprouted beneath short lavender hair. Inuyasha cursed the crowd over and over in his mind for how they could believe such a child to be a 'satyr' or whatever the bastard in a dress claimed. But then… if they knew the truth, their opinions would likely be much worse.

One last creature: that was Benzaiten's promise. The audience changed their revulsions to 'oohs' and 'aahs' as a tank was wheeled onto stage, in which a fabled mermaid had been caught. The light of the fires caught on a fish-scale tail, reflecting a dazzling array of light over the mystified faces of the guests. Only Kagome's hand gripping his in a vice kept Inuyasha from marching up the stage and taking the heads off of all these fake gods. 'Damn them all to hell' he thought viciously, his fangs bared as he let loose a growl, 'that's just a kid. That's a damn little girl in there.' The fish scales were not her own, but the webbed ears and hands were. She breathed under the water as though she belonged there, but her body made no other move. Eyes as dull and blank as every other paraded 'monster' stared out through the glass of her enclosure, and Inuyasha's blood froze when they landed on his. They lingered no more than a second before travelling on, but that moment was more than enough for resolve to settle in Inuyasha's gut like a rock.

He'd always wondered if there were others like him, and where they were, and what they were doing. How had other half-demons managed in life? Now he knew. Apparently all half-demons were destined to be freak-show fodder.

"Come on boys, time to go." The choked tone of her voice caught Inuyasha's attention, and he turned to see tears running down Kagome's face, though her expression remained stern. Grabbing her basket in one arm and Shippo in the other, she sent her companion an expectant frown which left no room for discussion, and he followed after without a word as Souta clung shaking to his back. 'That's right Kagome' he thought gratefully, 'get the kids outta here. You won't wanna see the blood bath.' They passed under the main arch in much less time than it had taken them to enter, and Inuyasha matched Kagome's fevered pace as she led them back to the train station. 'Only one of us needs to stay.'

*Author's Note:

I finally did it! I started the sequel! Starting is usually the hardest part for me, but here's hoping that I'm able to keep my momentum going! A big thanks to everyone who's been following since I started FA, and for those just joining us, welcome aboard the pain train! :3 There will be fluff and it will get better, but come on: it's the circus we're dealing with.

And for anyone freaking out right now, don't worry: Kagome's full of surprises.

Also, don't let the names fool you. Those seven freaky dudes are exactly who you think they are.