Paper Planes and Soup

Chapter IV - Pushed Limits

Kagome pulled her knees to her chest and hugged them, staring off into space. It'd only been about two days since she had seen her friends, but she missed them none-the-less.

Bankotsu glanced over to her. As he laid on the ground, his hands were behind his head, serving as a makeshift pillow. "So tell me about this Inuyasha character." He wanted to know everything about his upcoming battle opponent. Maybe she would mistake his intentions for mere curiosity.

"He's brave, always rushing into things. And despite his act-now-think-later attitude, he's actually pretty smart." She turned her head and offered him a small smile.

The mercenary recoiled slightly at her expression. So sorrowful, yet protective...she was telling him something with her eyes. And he thought it was something along the lines of "If you touch him, I'll kill you."

She let out a fluttery sigh and looked back to her side. "He's the jealous type, but then he'll deny it later. He's strong, a bit of a hothead, and won't kill a human."

Bankotsu smirked. "Really." This would be quite useful.

Kagome shot him a glare. "You are not human. He'd have no problem killing someone like you," she spat.

Bankotsu tried to change the subject, still having a smug smile on the thought of Inuyasha not killing innocents. "He's your boyfriend?"

"No," she replied quietly. "He has...feelings for someone else."

Ah, the classic yet cliché love triangle. He'd had many of those, but where he came from, they were called threesomes. "Do you...ya know, love him?"

"Yes." Kagome silently winced at how quickly she had answered him. "But I could never tell him." How could she do that? It was...not right. It would ruin their bond.

"Look, if you like a guy, tell him. Even if he's taken, you tell him. Otherwise, you'll just kill yourself from the inside out," he remarked casually, yawning. After a few moments of silence, he continued. "Besides, what could it hurt?"

"Our relationship, for one!" she stressed, looking toward him with anxious eyes. "And just...what if he doesn't feel the same?"

Bankotsu was about to respond, but then realized exactly what he was responding to. He was engaging in girl talk. His casual conversations should be about tits, ass, fighting, and other manly things to talk about. Not...love. God, what a pansy thing to talk about. "Eh, whatever."

Kagome's eyes widened at his words. That one, nonchalant word seemed to have more impact on her than anything else. Whatever? she mused. "You know, you're right!" she exclaimed with a smile. "I will tell him, next time I see him!"

Whoopdidoo. His eyes rolled and then closed. Night had fallen upon them already, and his wound was almost all the way healed. His thoughts reverted back to what struck him. What the hell was that thing? Why him? Why attack the stronger person, when there was a completely vulnerable woman at his side? It was as if it had intentionally weakened him so Kagome was up for the grabs at any time, he thought with a laugh. And then his eyes flashed open. Shit. Someone was targeting her after all. Little did they know he had inhuman regeneration abilities.

He healed about ten times faster than normal humans, thanks to the help of the Jewel Shard. Standing up, he glanced around the small clearing. "Alright, demon, come out." Ha, it was probably waiting for him to fall asleep. He'd bet a thousand dollars it was a small, low-class demon. Hell, the only reason it had landed a hit on him was because it caught him off guard.

A small, imp-like demon waddled out from the bushes. Kagome thought it looked like a blue Jaken. "Hello," she said softly and stood up, walking over to it. Unlike Jaken, it was actually kinda cute. Her brows furrowed in confusion as it muttered some inaudible words. However, she heard the clear command of "Attack!" by the small bugger.

Immediately, a bunch of replicas of the demon jumped out, many carrying arrows and spears. "It's her! Get her!"

"Tch. I don't think so," Bankotsu commented. He walked in front of Kagome, showing Banryuu to them threateningly.

"You bastard," Kagome giggled at how high-pitched its voice was, "Give up Lady Kaname! You'll have to find another meal!"

"Eh?" Bankotsu's left eyebrow raised. He was lost. "You think...I'm going to eat her? And her name isn't 'Lady Kaname' you idiots."

"Yes, my name's Kagome." Wait, why wasn't she playing this out? Maybe they could rescue her... She looked down at the two-foot demons and reconsidered that thought.

The demons gasped. "My brothers! Lady Kaname has been put under a spell! Kill the demon wizard at all costs!"

Bankotsu was now aggravated. Did he look like a fucking wizard to them? "Listen--"

"Attaaaaaaaaack!" one yelled and they all charged forward.

Bankotsu swung his halberd at them, and was surprised that each one had dodge it.

"Stop!" Kagome yelled and stepped in between the demons and Bankotsu with her arms outstretched horizontally. "I, Lady Kaname, command you!"

They all froze instantly.

Kagome's head turned to the side. "Bankotsu," she sang with a smile. "Let me leave. Or else I'll let them keep attacking you."

Bankotsu frowned at her threat. "You seem to think I'd have a problem killing them."

Kagome jumped slightly at the feeling of an arm wrapping around her stomach loosely, careful around her wound. She felt Bankotsu behind her and a mouth against her ear. "Tell them to leave." He squeezed her against him, causing her to wince in pain from her back wound.

The burning sensation made tears come to her eyes. "Uhm." What were their names? "Blue...things, you may leave now." They looked to her with suspicion. "This wizard is a...good wizard." Her next words were said through ground teeth, as if speaking to Bankotsu now. "He's a good wizard, and would never kill me."

A shiver ran down her spine at the sound of his soft chuckle. "I don't know about that." See, he realized something. He had gotten too soft with her. She was too casual around him. She needed to fear him every second of her captivity.

More inaudible words were spoken by the leading demon. "Alright, retreat! We'll see you soon, Lady Kaname!"

Kagome nodded, trying to regain her composure. Bankotsu let her go once they left, and she plopped to the ground, facing away from him. What a jerk! She would never help him again, even if he begged her. In fact, she wasn't going to speak to him at all.

Kagome's eyes opened at the feeling of a foot nudging her and a gruff voice telling her to get up. She moaned groggily and sat up. Hunger rumbled in her stomach, but she wasn't speaking to him. So, if she starved, she starved. Stubbornness went a long way.

They immediately started their travel again, and Bankotsu was relieved--and disturbed--by the silence she permitted him. On one hand, he wondered why she couldn't have been quiet all this time. On the other, it was annoying him. He knew it was her way of 'punishing' him for last night. Balling his hand into a fist, he couldn't take it any more and spun around. "Speak!"

Kagome's eyebrows raised in amusement.

"I'll kill you if you don't say something."

An empty threat, Kagome knew. He needed her alive until they reached wherever he was going.

"Damn it!" He was about to storm away in frustration, but realized he couldn't. If he did, he'd just have to take her, too. Letting out an irritated sigh, he turned around and continued walking.

Kagome mentally came up with a plan to run away. It was simple, really. All she had to do was quietly sneak away. Hopefully he didn't have a keen sense of hearing. She was good at keeping her footsteps silent, but something always happened that foiled her plans. She was just a bad luck kinda gal.

She stopped walking behind him, and smiled slightly as he continued walking, not noticing the cease of her steps. When he had walked a good few meters away from her, she started backing away slowly, eventually turning around and sprinting away. There was a slim chance he wouldn't catch her, but a chance nonetheless. She ran deeper into the forest until her legs burned and cramped.

Kagome stopped and rested against a log, concentrating on quieting her pants. Her eyes widened when she saw a centipede demon burst out of the bushes. She reflexively started running away as it effortlessly chased her. "Great, no arrows." Had she left them at their campsite this morning? "The only time I need him and he's not here." She closed her eyes in frustration as she ran blindly through the woods.

She let out an 'oomph!' as she smacked into something. She kept her eyes closed, knowing it was all over.

"I wouldn't say it's the only time," she heard someone call from above her. Her eyes opened and she stared up to the face of Bankotsu.

As the centipede demon came into sight, Bankotsu's eyes shifted to its long form. Jumping over Kagome, he sliced through the long body. He shook the blood off of the blade and then turned around to face the still-sitting girl. "You know, I heard you the moment you stopped walking."

She looked at him curiously and stood up. "Then why--"

"Taughtcha a lesson, didn't it?" He walked over to her and glared down at Kagome. "Now you know that the only reason you're able to stay alive here is because of me." He then smirked. "Looks like you're talking to me again, eh?"

"No," Kagome mumbled and looked away.

"Keh. Just remember that what you do and say now might just have an impact on how painful I make your friends' deaths."

"You might not want to talk then, Kagome. Otherwise my death may be oh-so-painful."

Both Bankotsu and Kagome turned to see who the speaker was.

"Miroku!"

Author's Note: Thanks to my beta, kittyb78. Also, a huge thanks to my reviewers.

On another note, to the readers of Sadistic Game, I have decided not to make a sequel. I read over the story again and thought I left it at a good place. ;/ -Ami