Disclaimer: You heard it all before...
A/N: I'm feeling pretty blue at the moment...I graduate this Sunday. Usually all of the seniors get their own solo in my choir thing. But this year the director is playing BIG favorites with three girls...no one got anything but them. I asked to be included becuase even though those girls are his favorites, I'm the ONLY one that's spent four years (more if you count middle school) continuously serving the group. But is my loyalty remembered? Not a chance in hell...sorry, I'm really angry and upset right now. He gave me a duet with one of them but then she got angry, threw a temper tantrum, and so the director pulled me again...FOUR years of service and you know what? I've never ONCE had a single solo, he always gives it to one of those girls or a different favorite. It's just disgusting, but I've never complained, never tried to point that out, never fought him, and never given him attitude...and this is the reward I get. I'm so sick I thinkI could vomit, but all I do instead is just cry my eyes out.Anyway...I'm trying to make myself feel better so I'm posting...
Firstpart is again Mrs. H's reading. Next part feeds someanswers from the great andpowerful monk Saishi. (just so you all know, the only thing that's made me feel really GREAT since the stupid choir business has been areviewer actually,who REALLYpraised me. Even though I was crying I started smiling, grinning actually when I read it...even though this reviewer read and reviewed WOAWO and not this story, I'm going to thank them here: kareemachan THANK YOU! You have NO idea how badly I needed that smile!) anyway...enjoy all!
Saishi
Inudoushi and the Shikon Jewel
The battle for the destruction of Naraku drew nearer with each day, yet Inudoushi remained silent as the weeks passed, refusing to think, let alone speak to the human woman who had professed to loving him. Demons are creatures of war and bloodshed; they live long lives filled with it. A human woman was no wife, no mate, for a creature such as Inudoushi. As a mortal, Chikara would die many years before his time on the earth ended, and their offspring would be scorned and outcast. He refused to consider her words, refused to let them touch his own emotions.
Despite her distress at having professed such emotions and being ignored by her companion, Chikara persisted at his side, though now she burned cold as the blizzards in winter. She hid her heart, struggled to look upon the dog demon she traveled beside with no emotion at all.
The fall came. Red leaves dripped from the maples, like blood from a wound. Naraku massacred the people, haunted the honor of the demons that wished for his death. He was a monster of incomprehensible strength—when injured, even torn to shreds by his enemies, he could feign death only to resurrect himself into a whole being moments later. This power was supplied and amplified by Naraku's secret weapon: the Shkion Jewel. Even when he was too weak to survive the Jewel was able to boost his strength and return him to normal. It was in this way that Naraku easily survived the many attempts on his life…and there was only one being capable of stopping him: Chikara.
Inudoushi and Chikara caught up with Naraku, defeated or dismissed the demons that he kept in his service, and began the Final Battle. It was no easy task: a day and a night passed before at last Naraku's secret was exposed. It was only with Chikara's great spiritual strength that the Shikon Jewel was exposed and retrieved. Inudoushi immediately possessed the gem, hoping to deal the final blow to Naraku with the aide of the Jewel's strength.
But Chikara had been unable to purify the Shikon Jewel before Inudoushi took control of it. Without her purity the Jewel was tainted and full of Naraku's evil malice. That destructive aura aided Inudoushi's strength, but destroyed his soul. The dog demon went on a rampage, searching for the fleeing Naraku. He attacked those that were innocent; he wielded his power like a young child plays with a weapon.
Frightened and sick at heart, Chikara pursued the dog demon she loved, and with every last ounce of her soul, she cleansed Inudoushi and the Shikon Jewel. She slipped into Death's grip, weary and heartbroken, but fulfilled that she had saved the demon she had loved, and so enabled him to have the strength and the sanity to destroy Naraku on his own…
But when sanity returned to Inudoushi, he saw the human woman that he had refused to love, refused to think of as anything more than a weaker, mortal companion, crumpled at his feet. A pain unlike any other he had ever known entered his heart, as he realized that she had sacrificed her entire heart and soul for him.
A fierce love for the dead mortal woman filled him, and Inudoushi wept at her loss, prayed in desperation that she would return to him from the Land of the Dead…
Late in the evening the summons came. With the sun having vanished, the skies had darkened, and none of the Shard-hunters thought they would be called upon so late in the day…of course they were wrong. Takoto himself stopped by at both rooms—though in the women's quarters he found only Kagome asleep with Kilala—to give them the summons. After Kagome had been roused, and Inuyasha driven out of the gardens he was sulking in, the Shard-hunters walked quietly behind Takoto, through twisting paths surrounded by tall maples and bordered by little blue flowers, dipping in the night's gentle spring breeze.
Miroku led the procession. Following just behind Takoto, chatting quietly in an amiable tone. Sango, holding Kilala in her arms, listened as she trailed closely behind the two houshis. Kagome sheltered Shippo from any of Inuyasha's lingering wrath on her shoulder while she trudged just after the demon slayer. Inuyasha was the last in the line, his face stern and somber as he took in the sights and scents and the tranquility of the temple and its gardens.
Inside him his link with Kagome buzzed—her fatigue reached out to him, weakened his own limbs, and weighted his eyelids. As the schoolgirl started to fall behind the procession further he stole up behind her calmly, touched her elbows with the palms of his hands, lending her a silent strength with his touch. The tiny contact between them sent his senses tingling: his ears flicked and swiveled, the golden eyes blazed from within.
Tiredly—but with surprising alertness—Kagome glanced over her shoulder at him. A small smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Inuyasha…?"
He gave her a little push forward, murmuring, "You have to keep up, we're losing them." Sango's green and purple skirts could easily be seen up the path some fifteen feet, fading. They were climbing uphill, taking tiny sets of stairs every so often. Sango and the others scaled those little obstacles with ease, but Kagome's head was beginning to sink lower and lower with her fatigue.
"I know, I'm sorry Inuyasha, I'm slowing you down." She sighed, heavily. "You should move in front of me." she started to shift, stepping off the path a little to slide behind him.
The hanyou's clawed hands grasped her quickly, stopped her progress. When she looked from his hands to his face she blinked in confusion. "Get on my back and I'll carry you."
"You don't have to Inuyasha…" she began, hesitantly, her gaze drifting away cautiously.
Inuyasha realized with a jolt that she knew with the help of the link, that he was feeling under the weather too, and she feared straining him. She senses the link? She utilizes it…? He hadn't known that Kagome understood its presence. She'd seemingly ignored most of the thoughts that had passed from his mind to hers; with the exception of the things he hadn't said aloud to her on the night of their exchanged apologies.
He tightened his grip on her forearms, pushed his determination to keep her under his eye, carefully protected, through their link and into her mind. He didn't miss the way her eyes widened, the way her gaze warmed as she beheld him—her silent gratitude. She does feel it…
"Get on Kagome." He instructed, his voice gruff once again. He knelt a little, making her task easier, and took hold of her legs when she obeyed. The pressure and warmth of her arms wrapped over his neck made him shiver internally. Forcing away his fatigue and slight dizziness, Inuyasha leapt forward, easily closing the accumulated distance between Sango's skirted backsides and themselves.
The group reached the shrine building at the top of the steep hill—the crux of the temple's grounds. It was in that majestic; almost castle like structure that Saishi presided when others needed to consult with him. Takoto led them up the small steps to the verandah with its almost burgundy-colored floorboards where all but Inuyasha discarded shoes of some type: sandals for the most part, excluding Kagome's bulky brown leather monstrosities. Inuyasha smirked looking down the long line of shoes: simple sandals all of them, in various states of wear and in multiple sizes, and then there were Kagome's shoes, so clearly out of place.
Takoto noted the shoes as well, blinking while he waited for Miroku and Sango to finish. If he had doubted Kagome's story about coming from the future, it seemed he couldn't deny it now. None of them had seen Kagome's strange clothing or footwear before. Her strangeness lent immediate credibility to their story…Inuyasha only hoped that Saishi would see those things as well.
A few moments later Takoto led them into a large hall, where the burgundy coloring of the wood used in this temple building became overwhelmingly apparent. The beams were burgundy, the walls were, the floorboards too. Occasionally a tapestry-like weaving shimmered on the wall, seemingly woven of silk. They seemed to depict famous battles, histories, and legends. Demons and heroes alike littered the scenes, horses kicking up dust bearing heavily armored warriors and lords on their proud backs, evil creatures being slaughtered by righteous leaders, pretty women in unbelievably gorgeous robes basked in warm sunlight underneath cherry blossoms that fell like rain.
Despite the beauty of the place, Inuyasha felt distinctly uncomfortable. His ears fell backward and his lips tightened, turning into one thin white line. This is a place of humans; of human greatness…it left no place for him, left no room for the demons, whether they were monsters or brave warriors.
They reached the end of the hall where Inuyasha turned his eyes on a surprisingly youthful man who appeared to be possessed of a very pleasant disposition—he smiled at his guests and dipped his head when they bowed, returning their respect with some of his own—was it Saishi? Takoto lead the others to bow before the man that Inuyasha assumed was Saishi on his cushiony seat, adorned in white and cream robes. The Shard-hunters sat in a sort of migrating-geese formation: a V shape. Miroku and Sango sat side by side but with about five feet between them, Kilala in the slayer's lap, Shippo in Miroku's. Kagome took a position behind Sango…and Inuyasha reluctantly took the spot behind Miroku.
"My lord," Takoto was saying, quietly, gesturing to the Shard-hunters, "As you requested, I have brought them: houshi Miroku, kitsune youkai Shippo, demon slayer Sango and her cat demon Kilala, the miko Kagome Higurashi, and the hanyou Inuyasha." As their name was said each bowed—with the exception of Inuyasha, who merely inclined his head once, ears turned backward. Saishi gazed at each of them benignly, as if not really seeing them at all. His hair was thin—apparently growing back from its last complete shaving, it was streaked clearly by gray at the temples.
"Welcome!" Saishi spoke for the first time, lifting both hands up, palms outward, facing his audience. He bowed rather deeply, a serene smile adorning his face like a decoration. "I have heard many things of this group!" he grinned unabashedly then, and looked toward Takoto. "Please, Takoto, would you fetch us some tea. I sense troubled souls in this room, it might bring relief."
The youthful monk bowed, "Yes Great Master Saishi." He turned on his heel and tread softly away over the burgundy floorboards.
As Takoto's footsteps vanished Saishi's eyes—a dark brown so deep that it easily looked an eerie black—roved over the group, one at a time. His eyes lingered in particularly on Kagome, who, intimidated, flushed and glanced at the floor. Inuyasha restrained the foolish instinct to growl at the lead monk.
The silence dragged on until Saishi smiled at them nodding a little, "I would not normally have summoned you here so shortly after your arrival." He cleared his throat; "Normally a conference with me is something the greatest lords make appointments with me for. You I have allowed to come unannounced, without appointment at all, because I knew you would be coming…"
His words caught all of their attentions. All gazes lingered on him in bewilderment. Saishi smiled a little wider, apparently enjoying their shock. "Do not look so stunned, friends. I am a monk of a different kind…" his smile took on a teasing glint, directed at Miroku, who seemed to stiffen slightly under it, "Unlike the normal houshi I was gifted with insight no other has thus far had. I can see the future in my dreams and during my meditations. It was in such a dream that it was revealed to me that you would be coming…" the smile grew again, "And your problems," he glanced quickly, and meaningfully at each member of the Shard-hunters, "Were also revealed."
In his pause Sango abruptly raised her voice, querying, "So…you know of the Bone Eater's Well?"
Saishi nodded, suddenly solemn. "I do."
When the monk failed to speak any further the Shard-hunters fidgeted nervously. Finally Shippo lost his patience, "Well! What's keeping Kagome from going home through it?"
Saishi pursed his lips; his gaze left them all, dropping to his clasped hands in his lap. "The magic of this well is precarious—it isn't a thing that a miko or a houshi can summon or control. Just as Lady Kagome is unable to pass through it, so are a monk's powers also rendered useless against what stops the well's magic."
Kagome was suddenly shaking. "I can't…go home?" she whispered, her voice shaking.
Inuyasha cringed beside her, turned his golden eyes to stare at her for a moment with concern before he became aware that Saishi was watching him keenly. Irritated he glared at the monk, scowling. I don't like you…Saishi looked away, his face emotionless.
"You cannot. The magic that allowed you to pass through time when you entered the well has been disrupted."
There was hope in Miroku's voice when he spoke up, "Great Master, does that mean that if we discover what this barrier is and lift it, Kagome could go home again?"
Saishi's lips tightened into a white line, "Yes—but it shall be difficult. Likely impossible. The barrier that you face is an unknown one…"
"Damn it! Do you think that that's going to stop us, old man?" Inuyasha suddenly burst out, unable to control himself any longer.
Saishi remained cool and unruffled. His expression was devoid of irritation, despite Inuyasha's clear disrespect. "I cannot yet say. But I do know that you, nor I for that matter, yet understands the barrier…"
"You know what is preventing her from going through the well? What's stopping the well's magic?" Sango breathed, her brown eyes wide in shock.
Slowly Saishi nodded. "It has been revealed to me." his eyes fell on Kagome, who was staring at the floor, withdrawing from the conversation that openly discussed her fate. "Kagome is unable to pass through time because time itself has clotted the well's magic."
There was a stunned, confused silence until Inuyasha reacted as was typical, "Bullshit!"
"Inuyasha…" Miroku's voice was stern, low—a warning. The hentai's respect for Saishi was clear. "Saishi-sama," he bowed, as if trying to make up for Inuyasha's brazen, wild disrespect. "How can time close off the well? And why?"
Saishi's gaze was still pinned on Kagome's shuddering form. "The miko knows."
Sango turned and moved to kneel alongside Kagome, wrapping her arms about the schoolgirl, supporting her. "What does he mean, Kagome?" she asked, quietly.
Kagome drew a shaky breath, "I think he's talking about the time traveling theories." She ground her teeth, wondering how to explain it to them. "People in my century have two ideas about time and time travel: one of them says that it can be changed, though rewriting time could destroy the whole universe, the other says that no matter what a person does time is fixed, it's unchangeable." When she looked up she saw blank, uncomprehending stares all around, except from Saishi who was merely listening, though understanding glinted in his black gaze.
She shook her head, frustrated, weak. Her eyes landed on Miroku's compassionate face and stuck there, "Miroku—what if you could go through the well to travel 50 years ago and stop your grandfather from being cursed with the wind tunnel in his right palm?"
The monk smirked briefly, shook his head with a shrug, "I would be most content I suppose."
"No, you wouldn't be. Think about it—if you changed time, made it so the wind tunnel, your reason for going back in the first place ceased to exist…you wouldn't have a reason to go back, so how could you have changed it? A paradox." she shivered, suddenly afraid of what she was saying, remembering the American movies that had been the prime examples for these theories: Back To The Future and the Terminator. She'd seen them both, but at the moment what gave her the willies was the memory of Michael J. Fox's image fading away into nothing as he faded out of existence…she stared down at her hands, suddenly squeezing them into tight fists as her stomach rippled unpleasantly, cramping up. What if something like that happens to me? This isn't my time, I don't belong here…what if time decides to delete me too?
Miroku was frowning, one hand on his chin, touching it reverently in deep thought. "I think I understand…"
Saishi's voice broke in then, "Yes—in this case Time has moved to set in motion some chain of events that must be fulfilled if Lady Kagome is to go home."
The Shard-hunters looked at him in shock and confusion. Shippo was the first to speak, "Chain of events?" he echoed.
"Yes, until it is fulfilled—whatever event it is—the well will never open for Lady Kagome."
"But why should it trap me here!" Kagome yelled, tears springing to her eyes, "I wasn't born here! This isn't where I belong!"
She didn't notice Inuyasha's silent grimace, the way he quickly turned his face away, forced his ears to remain erect and unaffected.
Saishi threw her a calculated glance, fixing her sternly with it, like a butterfly under a pin. "It isn't?" he asked, quietly.
Kagome was abruptly unsure, her words were stuttered, "No—I mean…how could it be?"
Saishi inclined his head in her direction. "I shall have to debate on this question overnight, milady." He smiled lightly at each of them his eyes flew up to the doorway as Takoto came in, carrying a delicate tray of silver full of steaming tea. "Ah! Takoto has finally come!"
As Takoto set the tea carefully between Saishi's uplifted seat and the audience of Shard-hunters below, Saishi cleared his throat. "Enjoy your tea here, if you wish, but I must part with all of you for now—but I will have more to discuss with you."
A few surprised glances rose to meet his black eyes as Saishi rose with a bow to them. "I shall summon you when I have been enlightened on Lady Kagome's question. I bid you goodnight."
On soundless feet the great monk turned and walked toward a sliding door a short distance away and disappeared within it, leaving the stunned, witless Shard-hunters in a heavy silence.
The monks chanted as they walked through the courtyard, their sandals crunched gravel beneath their feet. Inuyasha sat at the doorway to what served as the "men's quarters," his thoughts heavy. His eyes were closed, listening to the passing monks' chants, like a quiet, whispered song. If he had been human perhaps he might've liked to call himself one of them, he couldn't deny their quiet beauty. The chants like a song, the trees and the paths through the groves of mountain forests, the stunning architecture of the temple. He admired all of it—unlike many other humans he sensed that these monks lived honestly, without any sick political games amongst themselves. It was from among such people that Miroku had sprung…and though lecherous, there was something to say for the monk—he was open about it, he didn't lie to women, any one of them could tell immediately what his nature was…the monks didn't hide anything…
He scowled and blinked through the limp-lit darkness. But I am no monk…I keep far too many secrets, and I am a warrior, there is nothing spiritual about me. Humans believe in souls, demons do not. He couldn't understand why such thoughts didn't please him in the least. Bury your weak musings, hanyou. Accept that you will never touch such simple honesty, such sincerity. That thought spoke with his brother's voice, and Inuyasha couldn't restrain the shudder that issued through his body at it.
Kagome. His mind dove into hers through the link, feeling her fatigue, her vague fears, her confusion. His own mind was almost like a mirror of hers…except that he noted another thought flitting through her, resurfacing time and time again.
His golden eyes widened as he stared, seemingly without seeing the monks passing, across the courtyard. Kagome's mind was suddenly abuzz with fleeting thoughts, conflicting emotions, and longing…all of it directed clearly at him. She's talking to Sango about me…he realized, his clawed hands breaking out into a sweat. Without realizing it he pursed his lips, biting down on them tightly. His fangs bit into the corners of his mouth. Her thoughts and her words with Sango echoed inside her, through the link, straight to him…
"It's good to see you eating, Kagome, I've been really worried."
The schoolgirl nodded, still chewing her food. When she'd swallowed she spoke, "I feel a little better…" I hope that it stays that way…the image of Michael J. Fox vanishing still stole her breath away, made her freeze with fear.
"I never really understood what Saishi was saying about time, or what you tried to explain with Miroku and the wind tunnel…" Sango scowled, apparently wishing to have Kagome explain it to her, but the schoolgirl's stomach clenched up and she glanced up from the noodles around her chopsticks, her appetite dying.
"I…uh…don't want to explain it, Sango. I don't feel up to it."
The demon slayer nodded, her brown eyes still full of lingering worry. "I understand—never mind." She waved a hand, as if swatting the topic away. "At any rate I wanted to tell you something else."
Sango's tone clued Kagome into the as yet unspoken name of the aforementioned topic: "Something about Inuyasha?" she kept her eyes directed at her chopsticks, willing herself to lift the noodles into her mouth.
"Yes…" Sango looked left and right, about the room that was empty. Other than Kagome, Sango, and Kilala sleeping on her master's lap, they were alone. Even so, Sango was fully aware of how sneaky Inuyasha could be. Gifted with a youkai's senses he could spring atop the roof of their room and still be able to hear their every word. She hesitated before she ventured to speak, wondering if she should risk speaking aloud of her concerns…
Such a thing, as it turned out, wasn't needed. Kagome could already see the slayer's nervousness, and she broached the subject for her friend easily, "Inuyasha isn't within earshot of us." She hardly allowed herself to consider how she so readily knew this, how easy it was for her to slip in and out of the hanyou's mind through their bizarre but powerful link.
Sango's gaze was heavy with a hidden meaning, "You can tell through that link you and he share?" Kagome nodded, though it was with caution, even reluctance. The demon slayer jumped ahead, plunging headlong into her subject to leave Kagome's uncertainty behind. "Anyway…did you know Inuyasha is sick like you are too?"
Kagome avoided her friend's eyes. "I knew."
Sango leaned forward, urgently, "Didn't it seem odd to you, Kagome?"
The schoolgirl shrugged, "I haven't given it much thought. I think he's just feeling what I feel through the link…"
Sango pulled back, as if Kagome had stricken her, she chewed on her lips for a moment, thoughtfully. Her mind was troubled by Kagome's words, but she pushed the worry aside, praying that it meant nothing. Instead of linger on it she asked: "So…what did Inuyasha say that night a week or two ago when you stormed off? You know, when he called you a—"
Kagome's answer this time was swift, irritated, "I know what he called me, Sango." She grumbled, still toying with the noodles on her plate.
Delicately, Sango skirted around her mistake, "Well, what did he say?" once more the slayer was leaning forward, eagerly straining to catch Kagome's words and her tone, anything and everything her friend had to communicate on the possible romance.
"He apologized." She managed to lift a few of the noodles to her lips, shoved them in. her chopsticks dipped back to the plate for more hesitantly.
"That was it?" Sango's frank disbelief was loud and bordering on obnoxious, Kagome cringed at it. "That…jerk!" she shook her head. Sango's fists on either side of her ignored plate clenched up into fists. "That liar!"
Kagome scowled, confused. "Liar?" she blinked, "You think that Inuyasha wasn't sorry…?"
Sango averted her eyes; her fingers began to fiddle aimlessly with items about the table. "Well…no…"
"Then what?"
Pursing her lips, Sango looked up at the schoolgirl, sighed. "Didn't you ever think that the link was formed for a reason? Doesn't the fact that Inuyasha was the one who had to start it mean anything to you?"
Now it was Kagome's turn to avert not just her eyes, but also her whole face. She turned it down at the table, pretended that the noodles and her chopsticks absorbed all of her concentration, leaving none left over for serious thought on Sango's question. "I guess…"
Sango was stupefied. "What kind of answer is that! Kagome…remember that I told you Miroku talked to him and Inuyasha said he loved you…?"
Kagome's face burned, she pursed her lips. Inside her mind she could feel Inuyasha's consciousness, swimming inside her own, making up some other half of her. She knew dimly that he was hearing these things—he was keen on being involved with them. His curiosity unnerved her: was he mocking her? That night he had so passionately thought to himself of his love for her—but acted as if he cared little at all when she tried to be near him. The frustration burned inside her, like a hot coil wound up tight. If he loves me, why does he push me away like he does? Why is it that he denies there is anything between us…? She remembered earlier that day, at the gates, Inuyasha's obstinacy: 'We're not mates.' He'd said. Was he ashamed of that thought? Was she not good enough for him?
Oblivious, Sango continued onward, "Well, I think that this proves that. Inuyasha does love you, maybe just as much as you love him. Maybe he's just being shy—I mean he's no hentai like Miroku…" the demon slayer scowled at her own words, and then grew wistful at them, her face seemed filled almost with something like longing. Almost to herself she whispered the last of it, "Maybe, you just have to encourage him a little…"
That made Kagome's head snap up, her eyes narrowed slightly in irritation and frustration. "Sango—maybe he does love me but I've tried to be close to him and he pulls away. He won't let me do anything. Everything has to be on his terms, his game." She sighed tiredly, dropped her chopsticks and started rubbing her eyes. "I'm going to bed, Sango." Before Sango could object Kagome sprung into action. She rose from the table and walked to the futons on the other side of the room where she swiftly covered herself up. Sleep came fast, just after she forced Inuyasha's curious mind from her own, then the darkness closed over her, oblivion accepted her with welcome arms…
Endnote: BIG thank you to my reviewers! This story is still getting pretty well reviewed, considering that WOAWO is by far the more popular and Women In Black hardly gets anything yet, but that's becuase it's just starting out (I hope!) But I am MOST thankful to all of you who are loyal to me and encourage me on no matter what I'm doing...THANK YOU!
And now without further ado...Tiamath (hehe...(snickers) I didn't mean for it to be like morning sickness, Kagome and Inuyasha aren't 'involved' like that at all...yet...at least. Dizziness, nausea, fatigue, depression...they all sorta tend to float together. Now, when I say her breasts are tender then we'll all know where it's going and why...(snickers again) but nonetheless a very good observation, again it's one I hadn't realized I was making it sound like...thank you!) Yami Chikara (nasty? How so? You mean that I 'bleeped' out the answer...? (snickers evilly) I had to! I wanted to make sure you came to read! Hehe...) toxiclollipop (no, on the contrary, it makes perfect sense to me! You nailed that one right on the nose!) freelke (me too! I hated leaving it on hiatus for a while...I think it's the tension that keeps me fixated on this story, time and time again...(snickers)) slummyreddragon, UnseenViolet (are you new here? If so, welcome!) Inuadmirer (thank you! Just as I said at the beginning of this post, you guys have no idea how much your reviews DO matter to me, they're like candy treats that I'll do anything for...(grins) I'm like a review-addict! You can't ever give me enough!) NefCanuck (Thank you! You've been there to review just about every story I write, every chapter. THANK YOU! (bows) I owe youa debt for such loyalty! Hey, someday you wanna be the one to name a character for me? Just a thought...Big thanks again tho!) Hikaru1617 (I knew I recognized this name! Got anything you want to to read for you that you've written? (winks)) Well, here'sthe preview:
"Yes," Saishi was serious abruptly, making Inuyasha pay special attention now, "You'll protect her from other potential husbands and mates of all shapes, virtues, characters, and races. She will die alone." The black eyes were cold as steel, they tore at Inuyasha like a blade, and suddenly the hanyou felt his own eyes smart, ready to overflow, to his shame, with tears sprung from some terrible inner turmoil he hardly understood himself…
That one might not make sense out of context from next chapte,r but it just stuck out at me...think about it...if Inuyasha never owns up to his feelings...this would/will be very accurate...anyway until next time...THANK YOU EVERYONE!