Arrows and Scars
So much love! Twenty five reviews on the first day alone. Then fifteen more after that this month. Wow! No words can say how awesome that feels. Thank you and Animelover5689, Lil Hamari, The Angel That Not So Nice, XXkagomeX, chibi-Clar, Saebelzahnkaninchen, Rookie-Cat, NinjaGirl9797, once and then again, xxXYourBestFriendXxx, ksbaby07, Jasper'sDarlinBunny, EbonySapphire, Anber, Dorisangel, Elitehope21, NineTailFoxFan, mystic cloud, Legendary Blackr0se, BratCat, terfa, Two Sided Heart, Copykat2, bloodysilverfox, Unknown at Your Service, kuroneko1815, RikudouDeva, Xireana Prime, Procrastinatingismyforte, bijuu45, TerraSorren01, Lexie-chan94, saphira654, Animefangirl88, Mosaic Flame, LadyPhoenixKnight, sasuhina542000, This is not a FanFiction, Kuragehime94, LadyDuet, and Gleek221 so much for your support. You all rock!
And I'm really sorry that Shippo didn't make an appearance...in this season. *insert subtle wink here*
That being said, let's get on with the show!
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and The Walking Dead belong to their wonderful creators...Unfortunately I'm not one of them, so I own nothing. No suing please.
Chapter Eleven: True Colors
Everything went to shit after Rick shot those two guys inside the bar.
After he pulled Hershel to his senses, they were approached by two hostile men. In fear, Rick ended up shooting them before they could attack him, Glenn, or Hershel.
It got even worse when those two men's buddies arrived.
The group shot at the trio a few times until Walkers, who had heard the commotion, started closing in on them.
The group that shot at them left, leaving their wounded friends behind.
One of them was being eaten alive by Walkers, while another was stuck with his leg pierced on an iron fence after falling off the roof.
Nothing could be done for the man being eaten.
But the young man stuck on the fence could be saved.
Rick didn't know what the right call was at the moment. Leave the boy here since he attacked his group, or take a chance and save him.
After a brief argument against all three of them, they agreed to hack Randall's leg off the fence.
"Hurry up!" Glenn urged, as she began shooting the undead in the head with his shot gun.
"You gotta shut up," Rick warned Randal who was screaming in agony, while Hershel contemplated on how to get the boy off the fence.
Suddenly, Walker's began coming from the other side of the ally way that they were stuck in.
"Oh God they're everywhere," Rick stated as he began shooting at them with his pistol. After three shots, he cursed when he realized that was the last of his bullets.
There were two more Walkers coming towards him.
Before Rick could even consider what to use as a weapon, the Walker's heads was suddenly severed from their bodies by a sword. When the undead bodies fell to the ground, Rick saw a tall man standing behind them. He had an emotionless expression on his face as he put away his sword. The unknown man had black shoulder length hair and bright amber eyes, and was wearing dark blue jeans, a surprisingly clean white shirt, and black boots.
Rick pointed his pistol at the man in a threatening matter, not knowing whose side this man was on. He may have been out of bullets, but that didn't mean this new guy knew that.
"Who are you?" Rick demanded as he aimed his gun towards the stranger.
"Mr. Grimes?" a tiny voice that Rick recognized spoke.
Sophia stepped away from her protector, looking at Rick in recognition and relief since knew that the officer would be able to lead her to her mother.
"Sophia?" Rick questioned in astonishment. Since now wasn't the time to doddle, Rick shook his surprise off. "Sophia, who is this?"
"This is Mr. Akuma," Sophia quickly explained, "He saved me the night I got lost."
Rick sighed in relief when he heard that news. Sophia had been safe and protected all this time. And after hearing that Mr. Akuma had saved her, Rick lowered his gun. "Come on," he encouraged them both to follow him.
After a few more moments of arguing about Randal's condition.
Rick finally decided to quickly slide the leg off the iron fence. Sophia screamed in horror at the sight, as Randall cried bloody murder from the pain.
Mr. Akuma, otherwise known across the Western lands of Japan as Lord Sesshōmaru, grabbed Randal and tossed him over his shoulder effortless and wordlessly.
Rick ordered everyone into the car as they drove off and fled the herd of Walkers.
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"And that's what happened," Rick finished telling the group what had happened as they sat in the sitting area of Hershel's house. "We couldn't just leave Randal behind. And after Sesshōmaru saved Sophia and the rest of us, I had to bring him."
Kagome stared at the demon lord from her spot near Souta and Daryl in disbelief. She couldn't get over the fact that Sesshōmaru was standing there in front of the entry way of the room like a statue. And although the demon lord looked human right now, the priestess knew it was some kind of disguise. He probably had no choice, since he lived so long among humans without anyone knowing what he truly was.
But even with the human disguise, Sesshōmaru still had Tenseiga at his side, 'At least some things haven't changed.'
The priestess also couldn't help but raise a brow at Sesshōmaru's choice in surname. The word Akuma, when it was translated to English, meant demon. If you stick to Japanese tradition and say the surname first, his full name was Demon Sesshōmaru. 'Seriously? Could he be a little more obvious?' she thought to herself.
Daryl glanced from the woman at his side to the man standing in front him. 'He don't look like a demon,' the hunter thought in confusion. Even with the sword at his side, Sesshōmaru didn't seem very strong. Then again, he remembered what Kagome said about strong demons being able to look like a human. Still, even if Daryl didn't know the truth, there was something about Sesshōmaru that just made you stay on your guard around him.
The others must have felt the same way since they didn't know what to make of Sesshōmaru yet.
"And what happened to you Sophia?" Carol asked her daughter, who was sitting next to her on one of the coaches. She refused to let her little girl out of her sight, and possibly never will again.
"After Mr. Grimes left me in that thicket, I tried going back to the highway like he said...But I saw another Walker," Sophia said and then looked to her feet shamefully. "I got scared and ran away. I didn't know where I was, so I just kept running. Before it got dark I found a house and hid in the kitchen pantry."
Daryl and Kagome couldn't help but give Shane a 'we told you so' look.
"That's where Mr. Akuma found me," Sophia finished looking at Sesshōmaru gratefully.
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The sound of footsteps echoed the halls of the house making Sophia whimper. She knew it couldn't have been the group because the intruder didn't call out her name or even speak. Sophia quickly covered her mouth to keep silent, hoping whatever was in the house didn't hear her.
The footsteps continued.
Growing louder and louder with every step.
Sophia's eyes watered with tears when she saw a shadow appear beneath the pantry door.
The door quickly opened.
And there stood Sesshōmaru in his usual expressionless demeanor.
Sophia gasped in surprise, "Mr-Mr. Akuma?"
"Sophia," Sesshōmaru said her name before she lunged into the demon's midsection for a hug.
"Mr. Akuma!" she whimpered happily that she found someone she knew she could trust.
Sophia had known Sesshōmaru ever since she was little, and had always loved it when he came over to their house to visit. He was always nice to her, and never seemed to mind it when she talked to him about school and her friends.
Sesshōmaru was the only person that ever made Sophia feel safe, especially around her father.
The demon lord wasn't prepared for Sophia's embrace, but he didn't push the little girl away. "Are you hurt?" he asked her, even though he didn't smell any blood he needed to be sure.
Sophia shook her head, "No...But I lost Mama and the others."
The demon raised a brow, wondering for a brief moment who Sophia meant by others. "I see," Sesshōmaru replied, not questioning her any further.
"I don't know what to do," Sophia whimpered, "I don't know where they are. I got lost."
Sesshōmaru pushed the girl back and looked at her for a moment, contemplating there next move, "You'll rest here for the night. We'll leave at first light."
Feeling safer then she had in her whole life, Sophia nodded.
From that moment on, Sesshōmaru cared for and guarded Sophia until they stumbled upon Rick, Glenn and Hershel. It wasn't a difficult task for the demon, since the little girl refused to leave his side.
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"Sesshōmaru is a family friend of Ed's," Carol told the group after Sophia finished her story. "He's a good man," she assured the group, when she noticed the wariness in their eyes about being a friend of Ed.
"But how do you two know each other?" Andrea asked Kagome and Sesshōmaru. She remembered the priestess mentioning his name when telling one of her stories. 'Maybe she just borrowed it,' the blond figured.
Sesshōmaru gazed over at the priestess, "You didn't tell them, Miko?"
"They wouldn't have believed me," Kagome stated in English, while telling him with her eyes to stay silent about it.
"Believe what?" Dale asked in confusion, "With the dead rising and walking around, I'd pretty much believe anything at this point."
The other's nodded in agreement.
"It's a long story," Kagome told them honestly, "One that we can explain after we deal with our new dilemma."
"As you wish, Miko," Sesshōmaru stated, not wanting to put the priestess on the spot. The demon held a form of respect for Kagome after the battle with Naraku, and decided to obey her reasonable request.
"Why does he keep calling you Miko?" Maggie asked curiously.
"It's the Japanese word for priestess," Souta quickly explained.
Shane shook his head still unconvinced by Sesshōmaru intentions, "Friend of Kagome's or not, it doesn't mean we should trust this guy or let him in the group."
Sophia ran off the couch, made her way to Sesshōmaru and wrapped her arms around his arm. "Please don't send him away. Mr. Akuma's my friend," she begged to Shane and the rest of the wary adults.
"Sophia, get out of the way," Shane raised his voice to her in warning.
"You will NOT speak to her that way," Sesshōmaru ordered in his influential tone. One that made a few of the adults hair stand on end.
Kagome couldn't help but roll her eyes, "There's no need to kill him, Lord Sesshōmaru," she told him in Japanese, "He's only a weak human and not worth the effort."
The demon's eyes went to the priestess, "Old habits are hard to break, priestess," he replied in a monotone voice.
Shane looked at them in irritation, "What the hell y'all saying?"
"The miko is trying to convince me not to kill you," Sesshōmaru admitted with his emotionless voice. Glenn let out a small laugh but it quickly died down when Sesshōmaru gave no indication that he was kidding.
"Sesshōmaru protected my little girl," Carol declared, getting back on the subject. "Of course he's staying with the group."
"And he saved us out there," Rick added, "He proved himself twice...I say he stays."
"As do I," Hershel agreed. Anyone who saved a child out of the goodness of their hearts was alright in the old veterinarian's opinion.
Shane still glared at Sesshōmaru with untrustworthiness.
The demon lord stared back at him completely unaffected. Daring him with his amber colored eyes to try something.
Shane reluctantly agreed with Rick and Hershel's decision, but Sesshōmaru knew that this human was trouble. 'I should speak to the Miko about this,' he concluded.
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After the group discussed what they were going to do with Randal, Daryl and Kagome went outside to talk privately.
"Is it really him?" Daryl questioned her. Kagome nodded yes trying to process what was happening. "And he's...a demon?" he asked, trying to get over the fact that the word 'demon' even left his mouth.
"Yes," she answered truthfully, "Are you okay with that?" Kagome couldn't help but ask. 'Reading about something and saying its real is one thing, but actually seeing it is another,' she thought to herself.
Daryl shrugged, "He's not gonna kill us or nothin' is he?"
Kagome couldn't help but snort, "No...Unless you get on his bad side. Then you might want to start reciting your final prayers," she added as a somewhat serious warning.
"So you still trust him?" Daryl asked, wanting to be cautious.
The priestess wasn't sure on how to answer that question. "Sesshōmaru and I have a...complicated history," Kagome voiced honestly. There were a few times when the demon tried to kill her, and Kagome had fought and threatened him a few times. But in the end, they didn't consider each other enemies. "But I think so...And he did rescue Sophia, so that's a good sign."
"I guess," Daryl nodded before giving a look of disappointment.
Kagome tilted her head, guessing what the hunter was so displeased about. "You really wanted to be the one to find her, didn't you?" she voiced.
The hunter wanted to say yes but merely shrugged instead, "She's with her mom now, S'all that matters."
The priestess smiled widely at the hunter. She could tell that Daryl was disappointed that he wasn't the one to find the girl even after what they'd both been through to find her. And yet, he was just relived that Sophia was safe.
To show how proud she was, Kagome walked up to him and kissed his cheek.
Daryl eye's widened slightly before he looked at her in mild embarrassment, "Whatd'ya do that for?"
"Because you're really sweet," she replied simply, "You really are like an angel."
The hunter snorted, "Stop," he said a little flustered, making Kagome giggle.
"Am I interrupting?" Sesshōmaru spoke from his spot on the porch. The couple looked at the demon, surprised that he didn't make a sound. "You didn't even sense me, Miko. You're instincts are getting rusty."
Kagome would have rolled her eyes but she didn't want to disrespect the demon lord. "It's been a few years for me," she reminded him.
"And it's been a few centuries for me," Sesshōmaru replied walking down the porch steps, "But I still smelt your scent lingering on those three human men inside."
The priestess looked at the demon dismayed, she gestured for both men to follow her as they walked over to the barn. "You can't say stuff like that, Sesshōmaru," she warned the demon when they were in front of the barn.
Sesshōmaru gazed over to the hunter, "And yet this human seems unaffected by my statement. You told him about your past endeavors, yet you're keeping it from your other companions."
"This is Daryl," Kagome introduced, the hunter gave a nod in greeting. "I told him the truth about my past because I trust him. But the others aren't ready to hear about it yet. They have other problems to worry about right now."
Daryl was stunned to hear Kagome openly admit that she trusted him. He sort of figured that she did, but it felt different to hear it being said out loud.
"Concerning the wounded human we brought with us," Sesshōmaru voiced, continuing the conversation. "Rick was willing to risk his life to save a boy who tried to kill him...After all this time, human compassion is still something that baffles me."
Daryl raised a brow, "That's funny. Comin' from a guy that saved a little girl."
"That was different," Sesshōmaru replied simply, "I made a vow centuries ago, and I attend to keep it."
"Vow?" Kagome repeated in confusion, "What vow?"
Sesshōmaru's gaze turned to the priestess, "Are you blind, Miko? Or are your sacred powers truly lacking?"
"Could you knock off the insults and just tell me, please," Kagome said in mild irritation.
The demon lord raised a brow, "Do you truly not see it, Miko? Do you not see or feel 'her' in Sophia?"
Kagome raised a brow before she looked over at the house where Sophia was, before looking back at the demon. She didn't understand what he meant, 'Who does he,' the priestess began to wonder before a light bulb suddenly went off in her head, 'Oh Kami, does he mean?'
"What's he talkin' about?" Daryl asked, completely lost.
Kagome looked at Daryl, "Remember when I told that story about Sesshōmaru and the little girl he saved in the woods."
The hunter looked back at the house, then back to Kagome, "Her name was Rin, right?"
"Yes," she replied before turning back to Sesshōmaru, "Are you telling me that Rin is...Sophia's ancestor?"
Sesshōmaru gave a small nod, "At least your intelligence is intact."
Kagome would have been insulted if she wasn't so awed by what fate has thrown her way.
What were the odds that she would meet Sesshōmaru again and meet one of Rin's descendants?
"So that's why you protected Sophia," she said out loud in understanding.
The demon looked to the house, watching Sophia and her mother walking around the front yard. "After the battle with Naraku, I left Rin in the human village. The old lady Kaede advised me to let Rin live among humans before she made the final decision of where she wanted to stay. The humans or me...I agreed with her," Kagome couldn't help but give a small smile for Sesshōmaru's sacrifice. "A few years later, Rin met a human man who later became her husband, and had many children with him. On Rin's death bed, she begged me to watch after her family...I couldn't deny her request," he admitted with a small hint of emotion in his voice.
Oddly, Daryl found the vow the demon made to be an admirable one. Still it pegged the question, "If you're supposed to protect Sophia, then where the hell were ya when the Walkers showed up?"
Sesshōmaru glared at the hunter, "Rin had many descendants living in Japan and this country. I was obligated to track them all down. As far as I'm aware, Sophia is the only one remaining."
"Then why didn't you bring her back to Carol when you found her? Why put Rin's descendants through that kind of heartache?" Kagome asked the demon.
"Carol is not Rin's descendant, so her emotional state is not my concern. Sophia's safety is all that matters," Sesshōmaru stated simply.
Kagome and Daryl looked at one another in realization.
If Carol wasn't a descendant, then the only other candidate was Ed.
"Did Ed know? About you?" Kagome asked the demon curiously.
"Yes," Sesshōmaru replied, "I reveal my true self to Rin's family after they reached a certain age. However, I had to tell Sophia once I found her in the woods"
Sophia's reaction to Sesshōmaru's being a demon was definitely an odd one.
The demon lord didn't understand why she wasn't afraid when he first showed her his demonic features. Sophia explained that a woman named Kagome had told her stories about demons and how not all of them were bad or evil. It was only then that Sesshōmaru decided that they should go and find Sophia's original group, knowing that the priestess he'd met so long ago was among them.
"I must admit, I'm not entirely disappointed that Ed did not survive," Sesshōmaru told to the priestess and hunter.
Daryl glared at the demon in anger, "You knew! You knew what that bastard was doin' to his own daughter?!"
"He did NOTHING to Sophia," Sesshōmaru guaranteed heatedly. "My vow couldn't allow me to kill Ed. But trust me human, there are many things worse than death. And I informed Ed of what I'd do if he dared harm Sophia that way."
Kagome suppressed a shudder at the thought of what Sesshōmaru did to convince Ed to keep his hands to himself, and she was pretty sure she didn't want to know. So instead, Kagome smiled at the demon, "Sophia's lucky to have you watching over her."
Sesshōmaru raised a brow at the compliment. Out of all the human's he'd been forced to know over his long life, the priestess was certainly the most peculiar.
"I'm guessin' you'dve stayed regardless of Rick and Hershel's decision," Daryl said, his rage finally subsiding.
"Umm, excuse me," Souta got the adults attention before Sesshōmaru could respond.
The young Higurashi had remembered the stories that his sister had told him about the demon. It was amazing to finally meet him, but he had an important matter to do first.
Souta bowed at the demon with respect, "Lord Sesshōmaru...Thank you for saving Sophia."
Sesshōmaru stared at Souta for a few moments, showing no sign of responding to the boy. Although he was a demon, he could tell that this boy, who smelt like he was related to the priestess, cared about Sophia. As he processed the thought, he looked back to the priestess. "I will guard Sophia," the demon lord stated, "And anyone else she wishes. It's up to her." With his final words, Sesshōmaru made his way back to the house to properly guard Sophia.
Souta stood up straight again, and watched the demon lord as he left them.
Daryl huffed when the demon was far away, "You said he was cold but honorable...Didn't really get that till now," he said to Kagome.
"He's definitely one of a kind," she agreed before turning to him, "You're one of the few people I know who's yelled at him and lived to tell about it."
The hunter raised a brow, unsure of what to do with that knowledge.
"I-I didn't do anything disrespectful, did I?" Souta asked his sister.
Kagome shook her head and smiled at her brother with pride, "No Souta. You did very well."
Souta nodded in relief before he, his sister and the hunter watched the demon return to the house.
With Sesshōmaru here, they knew things were going to get more complicated.
For better or worse.
No one was sure.
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Hershel informed the group that it would take about a week for Randall to heal well enough to travel.
During that week, everyone was wary of the young man injured in the shed, wondering what they were going to do with him.
Eventually, the group agreed that they would drop Randall off at least eighteen miles away from Hershel's farm.
Kagome thought the plan was the most humane, but Shane and Andrea continuously protested with the decision. It took Rick a few days to assure them that there was no way that Randall knew where they were located.
Over the first few days, the group was also cautious of their other new guest, Sesshōmaru.
The Atlanta group thought that the Dixons were distant at the Quarry, but Sesshōmaru was on a whole other level. They would often find the demon patrolling around the border line of the woods, guarding them from Walkers. Rick voiced that he shouldn't do that alone, but Sesshōmaru convinced him that it was best way to keep the group safe. It wasn't till the day that a few stray Walkers wandered close to Hershel's land that people began warming up to Sesshōmaru. The demon lord used very little demonic speed and strength to take down all four Walkers before anyone in the group could pull out their guns.
Sophia, Souta, and Carl looked to Sesshōmaru with wonderment after that, while the adults looked to him in gratitude.
However, Shane would still glare at Sesshōmaru harshly. He didn't trust the demon lord as far as he could throw him. 'If he's a threat to Lori and Carl, I'll kill him,' Shane plotted to himself.
Now that Sesshōmaru was officially a part of the group, Kagome and Daryl were able to feel more relaxed about Hershel's farm being protected, and allowed them to spend more time with each other. The hunter and priestess were still unsure of what to call their relationship. They never officially talked about what had happened at the pond, but they had an obvious attraction towards one another.
So instead of talking, the couple let their actions speak for them.
It all started when Daryl was finally able to teach Kagome how to shoot a gun after both their wounds were healed. The priestess eventually got the hang of using the firearm after a few lessons, but she voiced her detest of the weapon. Instead of arguing with her, Daryl went into the woods and made her some more arrows for bow. Kagome was so happy about what he'd done, that she found the courage to kiss Daryl for the second time, this time on the lips.
The two of them never did exactly talk about their first kiss or even the second.
This was something new for both of them.
But, they didn't regret it or try to stop it.
In fact the couple shared a few more kisses with each other during the week.
However, Daryl never did anything when someone from the group was around them. He was never really comfortable showing affection, especially in public.
Luckily for Daryl, Kagome didn't question his behavior and didn't force him to change because of it.
'But are we boyfriend and girlfriend?' she wondered to herself, more than once.
Eventually, Kagome realized how silly it was to even worry about labels for a relationship during an apocalypse. She liked Daryl. And since he didn't push her away, Kagome figured it meant he liked her too. 'That's good enough for me,' she decided.
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Time flew by and it finally became the day the group would release Randall.
Which is why it surprised Daryl and Kagome, when Rick came to their camp. The couple didn't move back to the house after Sophia was found since they liked the small privacy they had. Kagome was setting their laundry on the cloth's line while Daryl was cleaning his crossbow, as "I need you both to be at the house, since I'm taking Shane with me to release Randall," Rick said to them.
Daryl stopped what he was doing and looked at the former officer curiously, "Why take Shane?"
Rick let out an angry huff, "There are a few things I need to discuss with him. Alone."
Kagome raised a brow as she held one of Daryl's damp shirts, "Is this about him and Lori?"
The former officer was stunned by the question. "You know about that?" Rick asked her.
"Amy had to point it out to me," Kagome admitted, "Is there anything that the group needs to worry about?"
Rick thought her words over, unsure of the answer himself. "Lori thought I was dead. Whatever happened between her and Shane, it happened. But it's over between them now...And regardless of how Shane feels, it's my baby that Lori's carrying."
Kagome knew that Rick was a good man, but this was something she didn't expect anyone to do. 'Forgiving his best friend for being with his wife and raising a child that may not even be his...That's incredible,' she couldn't help but admire. However, Kagome was also afraid for Rick, 'Who knows what Shane might do to him when they're alone.'
Daryl had the same concerns, "What do you want us to do if Shane comes back and you're not with him?"
"I trust y'all's judgments," Rick informed them honestly. "All I ask is that you look after Lori and my boy."
Kagome nodded in understanding, "We can do that."
"Thanks," Rick told them both before he went back to the house.
Kagome looked over to Daryl, "What do you think?"
The hunter shrugged, "Deal with it if or when it happens...You go back to the house, I'm gonna go out and hunt."
The priestess nodded as hung the last shirt on the cloths line, "Be careful, Tenshi."
"Get early grays from worryin' so much, Baby Girl," Daryl informed her as he put on his vest and grabbed his crossbow.
Kagome playfully glared at him, "Jerk."
Daryl gave her a small smirk before he kissed Kagome's forehead. A gesture that seemed to get easier as time went by, "Stay safe," he told her.
She looked into his eyes, just as serious, "You too."
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An hour or so later, Kagome found out that Beth's depression had become more severe. Lori had found and taken away a knife that the blond girl had hidden on her. Beth had planned to use it later to kill herself. Hershel, Jimmy, and Patricia were busy tending to the farm. But when Maggie heard about what happened, she was furious.
Lori, Kagome, and Andrea could hear the sisters arguing back and forth with each other from Beth's room about the issue.
"Maybe we should go in and help Maggie," Kagome suggested to Lori and Andrea.
"It's a family affair. Let them work it out," Lori said, thinking that staying out of it was best.
Andrea snorted, "That's working it out?" she asked rhetorically to the farm girls yelling.
Lori nodded, "When Beth stops fighting, that's when we start worrying."
"I guess you're right," Kagome figured, agreeing with the pregnant woman.
The women were silent for a few moments, before Andrea voiced her thoughts. "This could have been handled better," she told them.
Lori began putting away dishes from the lunch she'd given to Beth, "How so?"
"You shouldn't have taken the knife away," Andrea answered simply.
Both Lori and Kagome looked at Andrea, completely shocked and disgusted by what she had suggested.
"Excuse me?" Lori questioned the blond, as she turned around to face her.
"You were wrong," Andrea specified to Lori, "Like Dale taking my gun. That wasn't your decision."
Kagome couldn't help but roll her eyes, 'Is she STILL going on about that?' she thought in annoyance. "Dale did that because he cares about you, Andrea. And Lori took away Beth's knife because she cares about her," Kagome explained.
"Thank you," Lori said, glad that at least the priestess was on her side on this matter.
"Look, Beth has to choose to live on her own," Andrea continued to explain, "She has to find her own reasons."
Kagome looked at the blond skeptically, "So you think we should have kept Beth's actions to ourselves. Is that what you're implying?"
"If Beth was serious, she would have found another way," Andrea retorted.
"That doesn't mean we can't stop her or show her we care," Lori replied, trying to focus on cleaning. It was the only thing from smacking Andrea in the face.
Andrea sighed in irritation, "That has nothing to do with it, Lori. Beth only has so many choices in front of her, and she thinks the best one is suicide." She looked at the priestess, "Kagome you get it right?"
Kagome raised a brow, "Get what?"
"You tried to commit suicide too," Andrea pointed out, "Explain it to her."
"No I didn't. I said I had thought about it," Kagome corrected her, "And when I did, I talked to my mother about how I was feeling. It was my family that brought me back from my depression."
Lori looked to the blond triumphantly, "You see. I'm right."
Andrea looked at Kagome completely baffled before going back to her argument, "Beth doesn't need to be yelled at or treated like a child."
"She needs a loaded gun right?" Lori figured that's what Andrea was thinking. "You'll understand if we don't send you in there."
"I came through," Andrea argued, not appreciating Lori's tone.
'And all you've done is complain since then,' Kagome thought herself in mild annoyance.
Unfortunately, Lori wasn't as modest. "And you became such a productive member of the group," the woman replied sarcastically, "We'll let Maggie handle this her way."
Andrea was still insulted by the pregnant woman's words. "I contribute. I help keep this place safe," she disputed.
Kagome sighed, knowing that this argument was going in a completely different direction.
Lori wiped off her hands with a towel, "The men can handle this on their own, Andrea. They don't need your help."
"What would you have me do?" Andrea asked, daring Lori to enlighten her.
"Oh, there's plenty of work to go around," Lori told her.
Andrea glared at her, "Are you serious? Everything falls apart, you're in my face over skipping laundry?"
"It puts a burden on the rest of us," Lori voiced, "Me, Carol, Patricia, Maggie."
"And what about Kagome?" Andrea pointed to the Japanese woman. "She moved away with Daryl, screwing him on a daily basis, but you're on my case?"
Kagome's jaw dropped. She couldn't believe that Andrea was insulting her to try and justify her own selfish actions. "I don't know what exactly you're implying, Andrea. But even though I moved away with Daryl AND my little brother, I've still helped out around here every day. I clean, I cook, and I've gone out to find medicinal herbs for our group. But because you have some need to prove that you can fire a stupid gun, you're saying that I'm doing the exact same thing you are?!"
"I'm on watch against Walkers, that's what matters," Andrea defended herself, "Not putting fresh mint leaves in lemonade."
"We're trying to providing stability," Lori snapped at the blond woman, "We're trying to make a life worth living."
"Are you kidding me?" Andrea continued to yell, completely baffled.
Lori let out a sigh, "Look, I went after Rick. I took down two Walkers."
"And totaled Maggie's car," Andrea said interrupting the pregnant woman, "Ever apologize for that?"
"You're insane," Lori replied in frustration.
Andrea shook her head, "No, you are. And you're the one that's self-centered, the way you take it all for granted."
Lori glared sinisterly at the blond, "My husband is out there for the hundredth time! My son was shot! DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME I TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED," she shouted, making Kagome take a step back.
"Your husband came back from the dead," Andrea pointed out, "Your son too. And now you've got a baby on the way. The rest of us have piled up our losses, but you just keep on keeping on."
Lori, once again, had to take a few steps back to not hit Andrea. She folded her arms just to be more cautious. "We have all suffered," Lori voiced.
Andrea continued her outburst, ignoring Lori's words, "Playing house, acting like the queen bee, laying down rules for everyone but yourself. You know what? Go ahead. Go in there and tell Beth that everything is going to be fine. She'll get a husband, a son, baby...boyfriend." Lori looked at the woman completely stunned that she knew about her and Shane. "She just has to look on the bright side," Andrea concluded, thinking she'd won.
"Oh shut up, Andrea!" Kagome snapped, finally fed up with the blond woman's ranting. "So Lori was with Shane back at the Quarry. Big deal. You and I both know that she's not the only one that slept with him."
For the first time in the argument, Andrea was at a loss, "Wh-what are you talking about?"
Kagome gave an unamused laugh, "You accused me of 'screwing' Daryl," she said using air quotes, "I'm not. But Kami knows that you've slept with Shane." Andrea's face went red but she made no attempt to deny it. "You've been trailing after the man like a lost puppy, hanging on his every word, ever since you came back from gun training."
"That's not true," Andrea tried to deny it.
"Yes it is," Kagome interrupted, getting completely fed up with both women. "My Kami, you both need to get over yourselves." Lori was surprised to hear that the priestess was mad at her too. "You're arguing about how selfish the other one is, when in reality you both are. Hell, everyone in this group is selfish. But that's what makes us human. The sooner you both realize that, the sooner you both can stop arguing like a couple of ten year olds!" she yelled before leaving the house.
Both woman stood there silently for a few moments, before Andrea stormed out of the room.
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After arguing with both woman in the kitchen, Kagome decided to watch over Souta, Carl and Sophia. The children helped her as they gathered medicinal herbs at the boarder of the woods, and began to sort them while Kagome told them a story.
"So what happened to the Wind Sorceress after her master stabbed in the heart?" Carl asked the priestess in anticipation.
Kagome smiled at his eagerness, "The Sorceress fell from the sky and landed hard on the ground," she answered from their spots on the outside eating table. "Her body was decaying from the inside, thanks to the miasma that was put there by her master." The children shuddered at the description. "Just when the Wind Sorceress thought that she was going to die all alone, the demon that she was in love with suddenly appeared. The Sorceress was dying, and she knew she didn't have long... But in the end she was smiling." Carl and Sophia looked at her confused, "For a few brief moments, she was in the presence of the man she loved and he was going to be the last thing she ever saw...When the Wind Sorceress died, she was happy."
"What happened to the demon she loved?" Sophia asked wanting to know more.
Kagome glanced over at Sesshōmaru, who was gazing into the distance of the farm, using his demonic senses to check the grounds. She knew the demon could hear her, but as she suspected, Sesshōmaru showed no signs of protest to her telling Kagura's story.
"He didn't say a word to her as her body disappeared where she layed. Her powers allowed her to transform into the wind she was so fond of, and received the one thing she wanted more than anything...Her freedom," Kagome finished.
Carl snorted, "That's stupid."
"No it's not," Souta disagreed, "The Sorceress was cool. She fought to regain control of her life and even though she died, she got what she wanted in the end."
"Yeah, I like her too," Sophia admitted, while smiling at Souta.
The young Higurashi blushed at her staring and went back to sorting the herbs.
Kagome looked at her brother and Sophia, and she couldn't help but smile at them. Ever since she had returned, Sophia and Souta had become closer friends. They even began taking walks around the farm together, always in the sight of an adult, and occasionally held hands.
It was getting more obvious that Sophia and Souta had huge crushes on each other.
Everyone thought it was cute, except for Carl.
The young Grimes started to feel left out whenever Sophia and Souta went off together. They were his only friends, and he felt like they were abandoning him. Carl was already feeling left out because of Shane's recent coldness towards him and his parents keeping secrets from him. He hated how he was being treated, and he was starting to feel lonely.
"Kagome!" the sound of Lori's voice brought the group out of their own thoughts.
The priestess looked at the pregnant woman in alarm, "What is it?"
"It's Beth!" Lori said in a mild panic, "She hurt herself!"
Needing no more explanation, Kagome ran back with Lori into the house.
When they went into Beth's room, the young blond was crying. Tears were coming down continuously down her face as she put pressure on her bloody wrist.
Maggie was holding on to her sister's wrist as well, trying to be strong for her sibling.
Kagome looked at Beth's wound, grateful that the cut it wasn't too deep. After the bleeding had stopped, the priestess disinfected the wound, stitched it the best she could, and wrapped in in a bandage.
Maggie was holding her little sister as she cried on her shoulder, telling her that everything was alright.
"There," Kagome told Beth, "Is that too tight?"
Beth shook her head, calming down a little from her episode. "I'm so sorry," she said for the twentieth time.
Kagome shushed her, "You're still here. That's all that matters to us."
Lori let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Beth was alright for now.
"Kagome," Souta came into the room, "Carl went to go get Andrea."
"Good," Maggie said, as she gently left her sister's side and made a bee line out the door. Lori followed quickly behind her, afraid that the farmer's daughter might do something she'll regret later.
Kagome looked torn as she looked at Beth and then the direction the two women had left.
"I'll look after her if you want," Souta offered.
The priestess looked at her brother gratefully before she dashed out of the room.
Souta looked to the ground nervously, unable to look at the now wounded Beth. He couldn't help but feel a little responsible for this since he was the one who killed her Walker mother. "I'm...I'm real sorry about your mom," he told her in sympathy. When he was finally able to look up, he could see Beth staring at the ceiling, avoiding his gaze. "I know what it's like," Souta admitted to her.
That made Beth turn to look at him, "You do?"
"I lost my Mama to a Walker too," Souta explained as he sat down on the corner of the bed by Beth's feet. "I saw her get ripped apart right in front of me."
Beth adjusted herself on the bed so she could sit up, "My God...I'm-I'm so sorry," she said sympathetically. She couldn't believe that this little boy had witnessed something so horrible. "How did you...Move on from something like that?" she asked curiously. 'Why can he still be so calm after seeing his mother die?' she wondered.
"It sucked...It hurt so much that I stopped talking. I didn't utter a word for almost two whole months," Souta answered truthfully, making Beth's eyes widened. "It freaked my sister out, even though she'll never admit it...But when I finally was able to speak again, Kagome and I started talking about mom whenever we could. The things we missed about her and our favorite memories of her...It was strange. I thought talking about her would make me sad...But it actually helped me feel better."
Beth held an unreadable expression, but was absorbing everything the boy had told her. "What was your mom's name?" she suddenly asked.
"Kun-lun," he answered.
Beth liked the name, it sounded so unique in her ears. "Could you...Can you tell me about her?" she hesitantly asked, not wanting to make Souta feel sad.
Instead, Souta smiled and adjusted himself on the bed, "Where to start...Well, I was Mama's favorite. Hands down. So you can imagine all the awesome treats she used to bake just for me."
Beth couldn't help but give a small smile the more Souta talked about his mother.
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Meanwhile, Maggie, Lori and Kagome watched as Andrea ran up to the house.
"Where were you?" Maggie asked Andrea, demanding to know.
"I heard," Andrea retorted, since Carl told her what had happened. "Is she alright?" she asked in genuine concern.
Maggie glared daggers at Andrea, "She would be if you had stayed with her. Where. Were. You?"
Instead of answering, Andrea looked to Lori and Kagome, "How bad is she?"
Lori ran her fingers through her hair at Andrea's audacity to ignore Maggie's question, "It wasn't deep."
Suddenly, Andrea gave a victorious smile with a big sigh of relief, "She wants to live. Beth made her decision."
Maggie looked at the woman appalled, "She tried to kill herself."
"No she didn't," Andrea argued, since Beth was still alive.
"Kagome had to stitch her up," Maggie pointed out.
"She'll live," Andrea countered.
Kagome let out a sigh, knowing that was the worst thing Andrea could have said to plead her case.
Andrea tried to go into the house to see Beth. Maggie instantly got in her path, "Stay away from her," she bitterly warned the blond woman, "From both of us. Don't you dare, step foot inside this house again."
Andrea looked to Lori and Kagome, expecting them to defend her from the threat. Instead, all she found was disappointment in their eyes. Realizing that she'd lost any type of support, she turned and left the house.
Wanting more of an explanation for Andrea's actions, Kagome followed her, "Andrea, wait."
"How could you do that?" Andrea stopped walking and turned to ask Kagome, "Having Maggie yell at me like that. Why didn't you stick up for me?"
"What did you expect to happen, Andrea?" Kagome asked shrugging. "Would you have acted any differently if it was Amy with a slit wrist?"
Andrea glared at the Asian woman, "Leave my sister out of it."
Kagome shook her head, "You just can't admit when you're wrong, can you?" she accuse. "You constantly remind Dale and everyone that he took a decision away from you. But you did the exact same thing to Beth."
"I did not," Andrea argued in defense.
"You forced her hand," Kagome continued, "By leaving Beth alone, along with Kami knows what you said to her. You pretty much guided that piece of glass to her wrist. And that wasn't YOUR decision to make," she ended with the exact same words Andrea loved using on Dale, Lori, and everyone else.
The blond woman looked at the priestess completely hurt by her words, "I thought you were my friend?"
Kagome couldn't help but snort in response, "Friends? Andrea, you insulted me during that fight with Lori. You accused me of not contributing to this group. Now you suddenly want me to back you up when people yell at you. That's not how you treat a friend."
Andrea didn't respond to the priestess accusations. Instead, she walked away in defeat. All she was trying to do was help Beth and this was the thanks she getting from everyone. 'They'll never understand,' the woman figured.
Kagome watched as she walked away, feeling a familiar presence come up behind her.
"That was very harsh of you, Miko," Sesshōmaru said in slight surprise, "You're usually more sympathetic."
Kagome shook her head, "Not with this," she replied simply, "Andrea may be a friend, but I don't agree with her on this."
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"Sounds like you had one hell of a day," Daryl said when Kagome told him what had happened. The hunter had very little luck on finding any deer. Luckily there were was plenty of squirrel and rabbits in the area to make up for it.
"I'm just glad that Beth's okay," Kagome admitted.
Before Daryl could comment, a familiar car drove up to the farm.
Kagome and Daryl ran up to the house.
The first thing the entire group noticed was the blood and cuts on Rick and Shane's faces.
The second was that Randall was still tied up in the car.
"What the hell happened to y'all?" T-Dog asked the two men.
"We got a problem," Rick told the entire group, "Randall knew all along where the farm was. We can't let him go...Not now."
The women gasped in horror.
If Randall knew where the Greens farm then he could easily bring back his group to their location.
'This isn't good,' Kagome realized.
What were they going to do with Randall now?
Well, now this is happening. So what do you guys think? I know I'm moving a little fast on Kagome and Daryl's relationship but keep in mind that a lot of time went by in this chapter so they did grow closer 'off screen' They're both just shy about talking about their feelings and just find it easier to express it with their actions. Anyway, don't forget to review this chapter. Next time: The decision about Randall, couples grow closer, and more secrets are revealed.
Till Then My Readers