Love of friends
Chapter 10: Surprises left and right!
BC: This is chapter ten! You hear that? TEN! (Blows on party blower) CEL-E-BRATE!
Talgi: (Blows through hers, but it's messed up so it doesn't squeak) That's not fair!
BC: (Tosses both blowers out of the window) The things are trash anyway, I'll grab you a whole pack later if you really want one.
Talgi: Sure...
PLP/QJP: (Enter room, each one has a party blower)
PLP: Look what we found!
QJP: They fell from the sky...
BC: (Grabs blowers and tosses out window... again) They can fly!
Talgi: Or fall...
BC: Same thing.
QJP: Hey!
PLP: You better be planning to go and get those...
BC: You don't want them... they've already been used! By... err...
Talgi: Jaken and Kikyo!
BC: Uh, yeah. That works.
PLP: WHAT?
QJP: Eww...
BC: Anyway, I don't own Inuyasha! I... sorta own Talgi...
Talgi: ... I'm not even going to try anymore. Fine! She "owns" me... Happy now?
While Inuyasha, Miroku, Shippo, and Kilala lounged or played back at their camp, Kagome and Sango went out for water. They talked quietly while lugging around containers. Things were calm until Sango spots somethingfarther down the path. Putting a finger to her lips, the two slowly continue to walk. Soon, they realize that it's the female half-demon that they had met about a week earlier, taking a drink while crouched down by the stream.
Kagome can't stop herself, she shouts out to Talgi. "You!"
With a yelp, Talgi falls in the stream. Then she's back up on her feet, turned to them, and looking ready to fight. "Why won't you just leave... Oh!" She brushes some of the wet hair out of her face, "It's you two. I didn't expect to see you guys again. I thought you were from that village a ways back there." She points a little bit to theright of the path Kagome and Sango had been walking on, " They have a real problem with demons."
Kagome steps closer, Sango right behind her. "They weren't overly friendly to us either."
"They just wanted us gone. It felt like we were going to be attacked at any moment."
Talgi frowns, "Try being a lone demon, even if you're only half." She squeezes out some of the water from her shirt, and climbs up the bank of the stream. "Sango and... Kagome, right? Yeah. What are you doing out here anyway? And where are the others?"
Sango lifts up the container, "We came to get water."
"And the others are back at the camp."
An idea forms in Sango's head, "Why?" She smiles evilly, " Did one of them catch your attention? I bet it was Inuyasha, he is a half-demon after all."
Talgi looks at her, confused, as Kagome's mouth drops. She's about to question Sango when she sees the glint in her eye. She understood, Sango was messing with the demon's head. If Sango was going to play that game, she was too. "No, no... I bet it was Miroku. It's hard to resist such forwardness."
They both turn to look at Talgi, Sango's smile widens. "Which one Talgi?"
Kagome has a similar smile on her face, "You can tell us."
Kagome and Sango continue to close in, pushing Talgi towards the stream. Just before falling in again, she jumps up onto an overhead branch, shock on her face. Kagome and Sango begin to laugh when Talgi interrupts them, "My mother may have not taught me much, but, even I know not to mess with the mates of those I'd rather have on my side, and not against me. And even if I did think of one of those two like that, I'm not stupid."
"M-m-mate?" Kagome stutters, and then gulps. "We're not even boyfriend and girlfriend!"
"Huh?"
Sango steps forward, pushing a horror-struck Kagome back a bit, and tries to explain, "She means we're not... courting."
"You're not?" Talgi sits down on the branch, "I could have sworn... never mind." she slides down to the ground and shakes her head. "Huh. Well, good luck with the water. You might want to watch out for small fish. Hey. Maybe I'll see you guys again. If it's happened twice, it can happen another time." She starts to walk away and leave the other girls to their task, when a recovered Kagome calls her back.
"Wait Talgi..."
She stops and looks back over her shoulder.
"You said that you were going to trade that shard you gave us... for food, right?"
"I was, until I either had to give it up, or fight Inuyasha."
"Then you should come back to our camp with us."
Sango grabs hold of Kagome's arm and feverishly whispers to her. "Are you sure that's such a good idea? Inuyasha and Miroku weren't exactly happy about the last time they saw her."
"Well I'm the one that cooks, so they really don't have much say. Besides, it's only fair." Kagome turns back to Talgi, looking expectantly. "Well Talgi? What do you say?"
"Really, that's alright," She takes a step back, "You don't need to do that..."
"Come on..." sighs Kagome, "It's the least we can do after scaring you... twice." She grins at the half-demon.
Talgi smiles nervously, "You're not going to let me say no... are you?"
"Knowing Kagome, probably not." Sango gave up. If Kagome was going to try this hard, she could deal with Inuyasha and Miroku.
"Then I don't have much choice I guess..."
"Ooh! Okay. Sango, you grab one of her arms, I'll grab the other!"
"You're not planning to drag me, are you?"
"No, no... there's just less of a chance that you'll run if we're right here."
"Ah..." Talgi wasn't really convinced.
"Kagome, we still need to get water." interjects Sango.
"Oh, right!" Kagome walks over to the stream and quickly dunks the containers in. She hands one over to Sango and grabs Talgi's arm, "Let's get going!"
That was Kagome's scent getting closer, Inuyasha could pick up the smallest whiff instantly. She was partially turned to talk behind her when Inuyasha realized there was a smell that shouldn't be there. "What is she doing here?"
Miroku lifts his head up to the half demon sitting in the tree that he was leaning on, and then to Kagome. Right behind her was Talgi, being steered by Sango. He stands as they enter.
"Inuyasha, I asked her to come!"
"That doesn't answer my question Kagome!"
Talgi looks to Inuyasha and Miroku with a strained and nervous smile on her face, but all they do is glare back at her. She turns around, "You know what? I think I'll go back to that demon-hating village, I'll probably be welcomer there. Maybe I'll go and kill one of their children too! Then they'll be really happy to see me..." She walks past Sango, and from her look, could tell Kagome wasn't very happy. With her, Inuyasha, or Miroku, she didn't know. She didn't really care, she was just trying to get far, far, away. While doing so, something latches on to her arm. Talgi looks down to the young kitsune, eyes wide and looking up to her hopefully.
"You're... not gonna leave yet, are you?"
Talgi crouches down, getting to Shippo's level. "Shippo, I don't think I should stay here. Just look at Inuyasha and Miroku! Do they look like they want me here?"
Shippo looks over to them, and then turns back to Talgi. "I don't know about Inuyasha... but Miroku might be upset that you wanted to attack him."
"I did?" Talgi thinks for a second, then looks to Shippo. "I did, didn't I? I... sorta have an excuse... I didn't know if you were all really who I thought you were. If I didn't show right away that I meant business, and you weren't the ones I was looking for, who'd know what might happen."
"That does make a little bit of sense."
"Whose side are you on monk?" snaps Inuyasha.
"All I said was..."
Inuyasha jumps down from his perch, "Just shut-up Miroku."
"Please Kagome? Can Talgi stay to eat?" Shippo bounces, waiting for the reply.
"That's why she's here, but it's up to her." Kagome smiles inwardly. There was nothing like a guilt trip from a little kid.
"But... but..." stammers Talgi. But soon, she's given in, "I guess, as long as I don't end up killed over food." He just had to come out from his hiding place. She could have left if he had just stayed there.
"Don't count on it..."
"Inuyasha! Be nice."
He turns his back to the others, "Feh..."
Miroku's come closer to where Talgi was crouched. He's not as close as Sango or Kagome though. Just because she had an understandable reason, didn't mean he could fully trust her.
Talgi stands up, "So… what now?"
"You can come and play with me till the foods done!"
She smiles at the young fox, looking regretful. "Shippo, if I'm going to be eating it, I should help prepare it."
"You'd be helping if you took Shippo and kept him busy."
"That's not really helping, Kagome!"
"Trust me… it is."
"But… oh fine then." She frowns, and then breaks into a wide grin, "Where to then Shippo?"
"Yay! We can go for a walk, maybe we'll even see Kilala!" He grabs hold of her hand, and starts to drag Talgi along.
"Kilala?"
"Sango's two-tailed cat-demon partner. She's small, but can grow really big!"
"Now it makes sense…" Before disappearing past the trees, Talgi hoists Shippo up, so that they can go faster. Laughing as they go.
Inuyasha watches the two, silently grumping. Once he's sure they're out of earshot, he stalks over to Kagome, "You're just going to let them go of alone?"
"I never said that." She taps at her temple, a sly smile on her face. "We need to wait a bit… give them a head start. I have questions to be answered, and I plan on getting them. If she's up to something… there's more of a chance that she'll slip to Shippo, then to us."
So Kagome didn't trust Talgi either. That was a relief. Inuyasha can't help but smirk slightly at the news.
"Don't you even start Inuyasha! I don't know much about her, and yes, it's always possible that she may not be what she seems. Just because she was a bit… different the first time we met her, doesn't mean she's a minion of Naraku or something!"
'D that mind reading wench!'
Miroku clears his thought, interrupting the two, "It would probably be best to not let them get too far away..."
"Right..."
"And we may want to start the food so it's done by the time we get back."
"Good thinking Sango!" Talgi might get suspicious if she came back, and the food wasn't started. "Inuyasha, Sango, you guys find her, and we'll catch up."
Inuyasha and Sango run after Talgi, leaving Miroku behind. "Why is it that you had me stay back and help you Kagome?"
"That's easy, the other two are quieter then you."
He feigns a hurt look while leaning on his staff. "I'm quiet..."
"Sango's trained and Inuyasha's a half demon, they're quieter then either of us. Not to mention that Inuyasha can smell Talgi and Shippo out. If I left you with Sango, you'd only grope her. Inuyasha, you two might start arguing. I'm supposed to cook, and I need help, so you're with me."
"I did not know I was so troublesome..."
"You're not that bad..." 'Sango found you lovable enough, even with your faults.'
"Wait a moment, I thought it was Sango's turn to cook..."
"Just, go get my back-pack!"
"So that was Kilala... she looked formidable."
"Yep! She's really helpful in a fight." says Shippo from Talgi's shoulder.
While Shippo and Talgi walked and talked, Inuyasha and Sango followed. They weren't on the path, and Inuyasha made sure that they were downwind. There's a snap from back behind them.
"Sango," whispers Inuyasha, "That's probably Kagome and Miroku. I'll continue tracking and you lead them out here, alright?"
Sango nods and turns back, while Inuyasha continues onward.
She runs, dodges, and hops, trying to get back as fast as possible. Suddenly, she's rammed into something. She can't see anything but black... black... cloth...?
"Um, hello Sango."
She pushes back from Miroku, blushing. Though... luckily that was mostly covered up by the mask of her battle gear. Good thing she convinced Inuyasha to wait a moment so that could go along quieter. "I never even heard you two!"
"I told you I was quiet, lady Kagome."
"Oh Miroku... don't you think that maybe Sango had getting back to us on her mind? She did just run into you."
"Well maybe..."
"I-Inuyasha... he's up ahead, following them. I'll lead you to him..."
"Thank you lady Sango." Miroku bows and Sango blushes deeper.
Kagome leans over to Sango to whisper to her. "If you blush anymore that masks going to get hot enough to burn your face. Then you'll have a permanent blush."
"You're not helping..." Sango whispers back.
"May I ask what you two are discussing?"
"No!" Sango then turns and starts to walk, stiffly, back to where Inuyasha was.
Miroku gives Kagome a confused look. "I was only asking..."
"Don't worry about it Miroku." She follows Sango, leaving Miroku behind. Soon he's gotten over it, and follows.
Inuyasha lay on the ground, peering through bushes to a field that Shippo and Talgi had decided to stop their walk in. Shippo ran through tall grass and flowers alike, chasing butterflies. Talgi sat in the grass, cheering Shippo on and laughing. The two were oblivious to Inuyasha. Not only did he make sure to stay downwind... but, the field was also surrounded by a particularly strange scented bush. Inuyasha, even with his keen senses, couldn't smell anything but the bushes. His hearing though, was unimpeded. A quiet crunch of foliage from behind caught his attention. "It's about time..." he whispers to himself.
"Hi Inuyasha... anything happen yet?" Asks Kagome quietly while she, Sango, and Miroku lay onto the ground beside the hanyou. "Sorry we're kinda late..."
"What took you guys so long?"
"There were some problems. A few actually. But at least we got here."
"I'm guessing the monk caused them."
"I did not Inuyasha!"
"Keep it down Miroku." Sango lightly hits the monk's shoulder. "Do you want to be caught?"
"Not really..."
"Hey Talgi! You wanna see something?"
"What's going on?" Whispers Miroku.
"Sure Shippo." Talgi gets up, walks over to the small fox demon, and sits down to watch him.
"I don't know monk, look for yourself!"
"Inuyasha... please calm down? It's all right." Kagome takes a hand and pats Inuyasha's shoulder. It's not too long though, her fingers start to twitch, realizing what she was doing. She lets out a small, nervous, laugh, and looks intently through the bushes. Inuyasha looks confused for a moment, but he can't worry about strange actions from Kagome right now. He goes back to watching Shippo and Talgi.
"Here goes nothing!" He flips, there's a puff of smoke, and Shippo's turned into some sort of two-foot high, orange, ogre. Talgi stares in disbelief while Shippo grins, white waving around. Another flip, and he turns into Inuyasha in a pair of swim trunks and yellow floaties on. He stands on his hands and hangs his feet over his head, with his tongue stuck out. Talgi bursts out in laughter.
"I'm gonna kill him!" Inuyasha starts to stand up, but Kagome pulls him down.
"Inuyasha, you can deal with Shippo later!"
Inuyasha growls, but he lays back down on the ground.
Shippo flips again, and he turns into a slightly bigger, orange, Kilala. Talgi's stopped laughing, and nods her head in appreciation. She looks down at him with a smile and pats his head. She starts to talk to him but, rather then her voice, it's Kagome's. "Oh Shippo! Look at you!"
She stops petting Shippo and crosses her arms in front of her. Talgi glares at Shippo, and starts talking with Inuyasha's voice, "Feh! So what... stop babying him Kagome."
She then stands up and leans forward with an imaginary staff, with the voice of Miroku. "Lady Sango! He looks just like Kilala."
She kneels down beside him, with Sango's voice, "Yeah he..." She stops in shock and grits her teeth. She then swings up and behind, hitting here other hand, "You pervert!" Talgi turns back to Shippo, grinning. His mouth's hanging open, so she bursts out in laughter. "I had heard the monk was know for gropeing. That worked better then I expected!"
After a bit, Shippo's disguise disperses, and he stumbles forward. "What... what are you?"
Talgi stops laughing again, and sits up. "A half-demon!"
"I mean... what kind."
"Well, dog..."
Shippo sits back on the ground, relief on his face.
"And fox demon."
"WHAT?"
Shippo wasn't the only one that had out bursted. Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku had as well, though it was mostly masked by Shippo. Kagome looks around to her three friends. "What's wrong?"
"Didn't you just hear her?" Snaps Inuyasha.
"Yeah... so what? Is there some big deal to being dog and fox demon?"
"It's not a very common thing..."
"Lady Sango is right. Dog, wolf, and fox demons..."
"Oh, you mean canines!"
"Yes, exactly."
"Hey! Don't group me in with that wimpy-wolf Kouga."
"Inuyasha please! I'm trying to talk to Kagome." He clears his throat, and continues. "They are not known well to get along, hence Inuyasha's problems with Kouga... other then the most obvious reasons. So in general, it is a rare occurrence. Do you see our reasons for shock now Kagome?"
"Yeah... so how's Shippo dealing?" She looks back through the bushes, Shippo's pacing all over the place. He stops, and looks back to Talgi.
"So... you're fox and dog demon."
"Yep! My mother was half-dog, my father half-fox. And they both were half-human!" She giggles with a grin on her face.
"Do you know foxfire?"
"Well, my father never learned it, so he couldn't teach me. It's hard to learn it on your own... and my dog demon blood doesn't help. I'm too much dog to use it, but I can do something like it."
Talgi walks over to a small sapling and stops in front of it. She draws her sword. With her back to Shippo, the young fox demon, and those hiding in the bushes, could get better look at her 'sheath'. It definitely used to be a quiver, but it almost seems that it had been cut to be smaller, so it would fit tighter. Also, there was rope wrapped all the way around it.
The blade can just be seen over her shoulder. She tightens her grip, getting ready, and all down the edge of the sword, a blue light shines. She cuts through the sapling, and brings it over to Shippo. Around the edge of the slice, the wood glows an emberish orange. Shippo grabs the small tree to get a better look at it. Absentmindedly, Talgi rests the glowing edge of the sword onto her hand.
"Talgi!" Shippo screeches.
The half-demon looks down to her hand, and holds it up. "I'm fine. The edge of my Binusayou is just like foxfire... it doesn't hurt me. It barely even feels warm." She holds the blade out to Shippo, already he could feel the heat. He moves his hand and up and down the edge.
"What are you talking about? It's more then warm!"
"Not to me..."
Shippo puts out a finger, touching the edge, and thus burns his finger. He yelps and pulls back his hand. Talgi drops the sword, disengaging the edge. "Shippo! Are you alright?"
He clutches his hand, slightly teary-eyed from the pain. "Not... really..."
"I'm sorry Shippo... I should have warned you! What to do... I think I know something to help." She goes over to the bushes that the others were hiding in. They try to stay as quiet as possible. Talgi doesn't seem to notice, she just grabs a few leaves and brings them back over to Shippo. She's about to put one in her mouth, thinks again, and holds it out for the fox demon. "Chew this up, and put it on the burn."
"Why?"
"It'll help."
Shippo slowly opens up his mouth, and Talgi sets the leaf on his tongue. He starts to chew it and when it's been shredded, spits it out on his finger. Almost instantly, the pain starts to go away. "It works!"
"Good, then you'll be ok?"
"Mmm hmm. I shouldn't of done that..."
Talgi grabs her sword and puts it back in the sheath. "Inuyasha probably would if you hadn't."
"That's it, I'm gonna kill both of them!"
"Inuyasha! You can't do that!"
"Just watch me, Kagome."
"Now may be the time to take action before he does something drastic."
"He's going to bring us to Talgi's attention!"
"Oh... Sit."
Inuyasha gets brought back to the ground, the landing isn't too hard but the beads won't release him. "Let me go!"
"Hi guys." The four look up above the bush, to Talgi peaking over. Miroku, Sango, and Kagome scramble off the ground. Inuyasha's still stuck against it.
"Now look what you've done Inuyasha!"
"Actually, I had the feeling that I was being followed for a while. I knew you were definitely here after I told Shippo I was two different kinds of demon."
Inuyasha finally pushes himself off the ground, he stands up, yelling to Talgi. "Do I look stupid to you! Shippo should have known better then to burn his finger!"
"I didn't mean it Inuyasha." She smiles, "I just couldn't resist, knowing that all of you were over here."
"Feh."
"Um... Talgi. I... It was my idea to follow after you."
"It was? I'd have that Inuyasha was the one not to trust me."
"I...err..."
"I'm kidding Kagome! You didn't trust me, I didn't trust any of you before. It's ok."
Sango steps into the apology. "We... feel kinda bad about this."
"You don't stop, do you? I said it didn't matter." She looks down to her feet, "You ready to head back Shippo?"
"Yeah!" He jumps up to her shoulder.
Talgi starts to walk back to the camp, she turns back to them, smile on her face. "Meet you there!" She then breaks into a run.
The others were left just a bit bemused. Miroku's the first to recover, and he scratches at his head. "That was odd."
Sango and Kagome shake there heads in agreement. "Maybe we should head back too?"
"I think so Sango... oh! The stew!" Kagome covers her mouth. "I hope it's alright..."
"Great. There goes dinner." Inuyasha sprints off ahead of the humans. It doesn't take them too long to start themselves though. Now hopefully, they could make it back in time.
BC: Chapter 10 is done! Yay!
Baka-chan: And to think, I still haven't read your first chapter!
QJP: Where'd you come from?
BC: He's always hanging around somewhere.
Baka-chan: Actually, I just walked in through the front doorway.
BC: It's a door, not a doorway Baka-chan.
PLP: (Looking into other room)
Not anymore, BC.
BC: What?
(Looks too)
Why would someone steal my door?
(Others crowd around to look)
PLP: Hey look! There it goes...
(Door slowly crawls away)
BC: (Runs over and grabs door)
What the...
(Party blowers stop dragging door away)
Party blower # 1: We've been caught! What do we do?
Party blower # 2: Play dead!
BC: (Grabs party blowers)
I'll figure this out later... please! Remember to review!
PLP: Anyone else confused?
Baka-chan/QJP: Yep.
PLP: Good, then I'm not the only one.
BC, over and out!