Here is chap 14. I stayed up late to finish it, cause my b-day is, oh, today, and I wanted to get it up before I don't have any time this weekend. There's fluff in this chap, too. I think I'm on a fluff kick. Oh, I know the timing is off at the end, but it'll get fixed in the next chap. Well, enjoy!
"Is that everything?" Kagome asks. She and Inuyasha had woken up early, and--after their new, daily ritual--proceeded to gather various belongings scattered throughout Inuyasha's room. The hanyou had looked at her with pleading eyes when she had left the bed without kissing him, and it had taken several seconds for the girl to remember what she had done two days before. Kagome had left the room before Inuyasha woke up the second day, and he got distracted by Urute before he could get her to do it again. But today was a different story.
Laughing quietly, Kagome had gently kissed Inuyasha's stomach, chest, neck, and face, again teasing him by not going for his lips directly and wondering all the while when exactly she and Inuyasha had started sleeping together. Kagome figured Miroku would have some fun with that information--especially if Inuyasha wanted to continue to keep her close at night, which she didn't mind in the slightest. The girl had gotten a deep-throated growl from the half-demon for her efforts, though it was a contented sound. And she had trouble getting him out of the bed for several minutes afterward, finally resorting to tickling him--which worked instantly.
Now they had gotten ready and had packed everything in her bag--except for Inuyasha's Sudoku book and Tetsusaiga. Kagome had told her mom that she and Inuyasha would take the bus home, as they didn't plan on staying too long at the hospital that morning, and it would be silly for Nozomi to drive all the way over here and then turn right back around. Her mom had agreed, as long as Kagome called to let her know when they were leaving. The girl had a sneaking suspicion that her mom was planning something, but hadn't mentioned it to the starting-to-grow-silver-hair-again half-demon. Kagome was very surprised to wake up and see three inches of hair sticking out from under Inuyasha's bandages; it was at least as long as Sota's. She had smiled when she saw it--Kagome loved Inuyasha's hair.
"I think so," Inuyasha says, squatting to look under the bed as Kagome checks the bathroom again. He straightens up and looks over to the table beside the bed, seeing the drawing Shippo had made for him. The half-demon picks up the paper and folds it carefully in half before sticking it inside his book. He sets it on the bed beside Kagome's backpack and pulls his sword out from underneath the pillows, twirling it around a few times.
"Hey, watch it," Kagome says, stepping back a few feet as the sword flies around in front of her. It's still sheathed, but it could give the girl a few nice bruises if it hit. Inuyasha blushes.
"Sorry. I haven't held it in a few days; I just wanted to make sure I still knew how to handle it," he says, turning to face her before swinging Tetsusaiga over his head and down to his side, jabbing it in various directions at imagined enemies. Kagome can feel her heart beating faster while she watches the hanyou practice--his muscles flexing as he moves. Inuyasha finally stops, raising his brow as he notices the girl staring, her mouth open slightly. "What?" he asks, narrowing his eyes playfully.
Kagome blushes and walks over to her bag, keeping her head down. "Nothing," she mumbles, fiddling with the straps. She can feel Inuyasha staring at her. She jumps when he whispers in her ear.
"You like what you saw?" he asks, dropping his voice to a low, deep-throated growl and drawing out the words. Kagome feels her heart start beating furiously in her chest. Inuyasha whispers again. "I can hear that, you know..."
Kagome breaths a sigh of relief when Dr. Morihime walks in, greeting the pair with a cheery, 'Good Morning!' The girl refuses to look at either of the men, pretending rearrange things in her bag to give her heart time to settle down. She can still feel Inuyasha staring at her.
"How are we today, Inuyasha? Any pain?" Urute asks, motioning for the boy to sit down on the bed.
"No," Inuyasha says, glancing quickly at Kagome, a smirk on his face. He turns back to the doctor, his eyes widening as he sees a pair of scissors closing on his head. He leans backward, giving the doctor a surprised look.
"I'm just gonna get rid of you're bandages," Urute says, smiling. "It'll be faster to cut them."
The half-demon nods and lets the doctor remove the material encircling his head. He hears Dr. Morihime mumbling to himself, but can't make out the words. He's also alternately nodding and shaking his head. "What?" Inuyasha asks, slightly unnerved by the doctors' behavior. Kagome finally turns to look at them, alarmed at the boy's tone.
Urute stares at them a second, confused. Comprehension dawns on his face as he removes the last of the bandages. "Oh...nothing. I was thinking about one of my other patients --the woman I was working on yesterday. I tend to talk out loud about things--it helps me remember," he says, rotating Inuyasha's head to look at the back. The hanyou gives Kagome an 'okay' look, telling her that he thought the doctor was slightly out of his mind, but the girl simply smiles.
"Good. The bruising and swelling is gone, and the incision is almost healed," Urute says, trying to pat down the shock of silver hair sticking out from the boy's head. "Certainly grows fast--doesn't it?" he says, pocketing the scissors and tossing the bandages in the trash. "Well, if you two are ready, we'll go up to X-ray and make sure that wrist is healed, and run another CAT scan before letting you go...just to make sure," Dr. Morihime adds upon seeing the alarmed look on the two teenagers faces. "Sound good?"
Inuyasha is out the door before the doctor finishes his sentence, Kagome giggling softly behind him.
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"It's been three days already. When are Kagome and Inuyasha gonna be back? Do you think something happened?" Shippo asks, looking up from another drawing to the monk seated beside him. Miroku is silent for a few minutes before he responds, staring blindly into the small fire inside Kaede's hut.
"I don't know, Shippo. Kagome said it would be a few days. Her doctors probably just want to make sure Inuyasha is okay before they let him go." The kitsune seems to accept this answer, and goes back to his drawing. Miroku lifts his right hand to eye level, holding back a sigh.
Ever since the battle with the goat demons, the hoshin's hand had been sore. That huge boulder he had sucked up had torn the edges of the Wind Tunnel, and the wound had been slow to heal. Miroku shakes his head, burying it in his hands a few seconds later. No more than a month...maybe a little less... If I use it...even less time than that...
The monk hadn't told anyone, but the hole in his hand had steadily been getting bigger since their last battle with Naraku. The rate at which it was widening had gotten faster since they'd killed the half-demon. Bastard...he knew...he knew what was gonna happen...that evil...
"Where did Sango go again?" Shippo asks suddenly, snapping Miroku out of his trance. The fox was still coloring and hadn't noticed the monk's strange behavior.
"She, Kilala, and Kaede went to find some more herbs. Koga, Hakkuku, and Ginta have used a lot of them, because of their wounds from Inuyasha. They weren't supposed to go very far--they should be back soon," Miroku replies, finally letting the sigh he's been holding back out. Shippo looks up at him, one eyebrow raised, but figures that the hoshin simply misses the tajiya. They had been fairly close the past few days.
"I wonder if Inuyasha knows that his claws are mildly poisonous?" the kit asks after a minute. "I'm not really surprised, since Sesshomaru has a Poison Claws attack, but you'd think the idiot would know his own attacks by now." Shippo sits up and looks at his drawing, tilting it back and forth before turning to lay it on top of the small pile he was accumulating in the corner. He turns back to Miroku, who is grinning slightly.
"That's true. But how many of Inuyasha's enemies live to find out if they've been poisoned? He's not usually one to cause pain just for the fun of it--unlike his brother," the monk says. Shippo considers this for a moment, then nods.
"I guess," he says, stretching. "I'm gonna see what the boys are up to," he says, pushing the reed flap aside to exit the hut. Miroku watches the beads around his arm twinkle in the afternoon sun before the light is blocked off.
The monk knows that Shippo is talking about the trio of wolf demons sitting outside. After three days, their injuries were healed, but--though they wouldn't admit it--the okami wanted to make sure Inuyasha was going to be okay. The hoshin was actually glad they were here. It would make leaving tomorrow easier.
Miroku had decided that if Kagome and Inuyasha didn't come back by tomorrow morning, he was going to go find the Canthathirls by himself. He was running out of time as it was, and he didn't know how long it would take to get to the demon's mountain, or how long after that to find them. Also...if my Wind Tunnel grows too large, and I can't control it anymore, at least I won't be around anyone I...
The monk shakes his head as an image of Inuyasha flying into his wind tunnel flashes through his mind. I can't think about stuff like that. It'll be better if I go by myself; then I won't have to worry about them...
The monk stands, picking up his staff and heading out the door. He looks around for a few minutes before he sees Shippo playing some sort of game with Hakkaku and Ginta a little ways up the road. He can see Kaede and Sango emerging from the forest behind them, Kilala riding on the slayer's head, her two tails swinging gently back and forth as Sango walks. Miroku smiles to himself.
He and the tajiya had gotten a lot closer in the past few days; much of it had to do with the fact that they were both still somewhat worried about their hanyou friend. But it was also because Miroku--the flirtatious, lecherous, mind-in-the-gutter, perverted monk--had not once groped his fiance since before the cave-in, five days ago. Well, that wasn't exactly true. Miroku hadn't groped Sango, so much as just let his hand rest wherever it, well...fell.
But he was trying--and Sango could tell. The tajiya could see him struggling to keep his hands to himself, and she was happy that the monk was at least putting in the effort. And if he succeeded, Sango would usually kiss him. Not when anyone was around of course--she didn't want to encourage that behavior any more than she did his pervertedness. The slayer would just offer him little encouragements whenever Miroku overcame his...handicap. And it seemed to be working--the monk was far more likely to grab Sango's hand or pull her into a hug than go for anything else. Though he still slipped sometimes.
I try, but I can't break the habit completely. I'm only human, you know... Miroku thinks, leaning against the side of the hut and sighing. There was a drawback to him and the girl getting closer, though. The two of them were beginning to act like Kagome and Inuyasha--they could tell when something was off with the other. Sango knew something was wrong with the monk. She could tell by his voice and his actions. She just didn't know what--yet. And Miroku knew that she knew. And if I have anything to say about it, Sango won't find out what's bothering me... the hoshin says to himself, glancing at the ground and poking small holes in the dirt with his staff. He starts as Koga speaks from above him.
"She'll figure it out, you know," the okami says, dropping from Kaede's roof to the ground next to Miroku.
"What?" Miroku asks nervously. There's no way that Koga knew what was troubling him-- was there?
"Whatever's bugging you, monk. I can tell from the anxiousness in you're scent, but the slayer knows that something's wrong. And she's smart enough to figure it out. It won't take her much longer to find out what's bothering you," Koga replies, leaning against the hut next to Miroku and crossing his arms.
The hoshin watches him with narrowed eyes for a few moments before looking back at the women, who have just passed the first of the houses into the village. Sango glances in their direction and waves, a smile gracing her face. Miroku feels his heart thump and he waves back, his cheeks taking on a pinkish tint when he realizes Koga is watching him. He slowly puts his arm down and turns back to the wolf.
"I think it's that thing in you're hand," Koga says softly. Miroku blanches.
"How...," the monk starts to ask, realizing that he just confirmed the okami's suspicions. He silently smacks himself as he sees Koga give him a sad smile.
"I'm not sure how you got that tunnel thing, but I would guess that it's getting worse. Right?"
Miroku stares at the demon for a few seconds before nodding and turning back to the girls, who have just drawn level with Shippo, Ginta, and Hakkaku. The trio of demons tries to block Kaede and Sango's way, standing with their arms stretched out, smiles on their faces. The women stare at the demons for several seconds, seemingly confused as to what they're doing, until it finally clicks that the boys are teasing them. Sango and Kaede exchange evil grins, after which Kilala hops down and transforms into her larger form, the tajiya readies her Hiraitkotsu, and the priestess notches an arrow. The three youkai exchange looks amongst themselves before turning tail and sprinting back toward the hut. Miroku and Koga can hear the laughing from where they stand. The monk smiles before turning back to the wolf.
"Yes," he sighs. "But I'd rather no one know about it, Koga. We've got Inuyasha to worry about; I don't want anybody worrying about me, too. I'm gonna leave to take care of this...," Miroku stops to wave his right arm slightly, "...tomorrow. Arae-Yin Nae told us where I can hopefully find the...cure, to this accursed Wind Tunnel, so no one needs to know that it's bothering me." Miroku intentionally leaves the fact that the void is widening out of his words, hoping that Koga won't notice. Their group had never told the wolves how Miroku had gotten it, or that the hole was slowly getting bigger and would someday take him, as well. "Hopefully I'll be back in a few days--without these beads around my arm, and we can continue our search for the jewel shards." Miroku smiles, trying to convey the message to the wolf that he needn't be concerned. The okami doesn't look convinced.
Koga continues to watch the hoshin--eyes narrowed slightly--until his fellow wolves and Shippo come panting up beside them, plopping down on the ground in front of the hut. He whispers at Miroku before joining them.
"Whatever, monk. It's none of my business. But your woman will still figure it out."
Miroku watches Koga walk forward to join the other demons. He frowns slightly. Koga's right. If he figured it out, it won't take long before Sango does. I was going to wait til the morning, but I may leave after everyone's asleep... The monk looks down at his hand, flexing his fingers slightly. He winces as a sharp pains shoots through his wrist and up to his elbow. His resolve set, Miroku decides to set off later that night.
He doesn't notice that a brown-eyed tajiya is watching him carefully as she approaches the miko's hut.
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Kagome can feel Inuyasha's heart thumping very fast through her shirt. The hanyou has one arm around her shoulders, encircling her neck. Because he is holding her so securely, and the boy needs his other hand to hold onto the strap hanging from the ceiling, Kagome is holding her bag and a long, circular tube, which contains Tetsusaiga. It had taken her several minutes to explain that a sword--even a rusty one--on a bus, would attract a lot of unwanted attention. Inuyasha had finally given in, and they had found cardboard container that would normally hold a poster for the half-demon's weapon.
Dr. Morihime had discharged Inuyasha shortly after his tests had come back, telling the hanyou to rest for another day, as he still had a small hairline fracture in his wrist--which was now wrapped in an athletc bandage, instead of a cast. Otherwise, Inuyasha was fine. The pair had thanked him for his help, Kagome hugging him tearfully as they said goodbye. Inuyasha had even given the man a pat on the back, his eyes watering as he gave him a sincere 'thank-you.' Now the pair was on a bus, riding back to the Higurashi Shrine. And Inuyasha was not happy.
"How much longer is it?" he asks again, whispering in Kagome's ear. She frowns. Inuyasha is not used to being around this many people at once, and she was sure that everyone's individual scents and endless chatter were overloading his senses. Several passengers had also given him startled glances--because of his eyes. Kagome was glad that the half-demon was wearing the bandana, as it hid his ears and hair so well. She turns her head to look at him, noticing the slightly panicked look in his eyes. Kagome knows her mom will be annoyed that they'll be late, but she needs to get Inuyasha off the bus.
"Home is not for another 15 minutes, but we're getting off now," she says, noticing that the next stop is only one more block away. Kagome breaks from the hanyou's hold and hands him his sword, slinging her pack over her shoulder as she makes her way to the front of the bus. A minute later the couple is on the sidewalk, watching the bus pull away.
"Why did we get off if we weren't there yet?" Inuyasha asks, grabbing Kagome's hand with his and propping the cylinder over his other shoulder as they walk. The girl sighs.
"Because you were uncomfortable, Inuyasha," she replies, receiving a surprised look from the hanyou. "I could tell that having that many people around made you nervous."
Inuyasha stares at her for a minute before he speaks. "I could've dealt with it. I need to get used to lots of people anyway--since I'm gonna be living here soon," he says, smiling a little. Kagome doesn't smile back--she simply looks at him with a dejected expression. The half-demon stops walking and scrutinizes her for several minutes, making the girl finally blush and look away. "Stop it," he says finally, pulling the girl into a walk again, an irritated grimace on his face.
"Stop wh...?"
"You know what I mean."
"No, I do..."
"Yes, you do. I made a promise, and I'm going to keep it."
"But..."
"No, Kagome," Inuyasha says, stopping again to look back at his fiance. She has a sad frown on her face. "You've missed out on too much of your life already, spending that much time in Sengoku Jidai. You need to continue your life here, and if that means I have to get used to new things...," he says, eyeing a motorcycle speeding by with unease, "...then...I'll deal with them." Inuyasha smiles. "To be with you," he finishes softly, pulling Kagome closer so he can kiss her forehead. The girl sobs a few times as she hugs the hanyou, burying her face in his t-shirt.
"Thank-you, Inuyasha," she whispers. That's the sweetest thing you've ever said...
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Miroku is walking along the river that runs behind Kaede's village, staring at his right hand. The crescent of moon hanging above him reflects off the water, illuminating his path toward the distant mountain--only its base visible at this late hour. He sighs.
Miroku had waited until everyone had fallen asleep, then silently snuck outside to wait another hour. He wanted to make absolutely sure no one would follow him. When he hadn't heard any noises from the two women and the small demons, the hoshin had gathered a few days' worth of supplies and set out, stopping at the edge of the village again to see if anyone had noticed his absence. The wolves went into the forest at night--more comfortable under the trees than in a hut. Miroku had been able to avoid them altogether, for which he was thankful. Koga was like Inuyasha--he would have heard him in an instant.
Now the monk was slowly working his way between small trees and bushes growing along the riverbank, having left the farmland surrounding the village a few hours ago. He was avoiding the road for the time being--only thieves and hungry demons would be out at this time of night.
Well...I'm not a demon... the hoshin thinks, smiling a little to himself. He freezes as he hears a twig snap in the bushes in front of him, instantly tightening his fingers around his staff. Idiot! You loose your concentration for three seconds and...
"Kilala?" Miroku says, staring in surprise at the two-tailed nekomata that has just appeared before him. The cat is in her large form, silent flames flickering gently around her paws and tail. She purrs loudly and licks Miroku's hand before sitting down. The monk starts as a voice echoes out of the darkness.
"And just where do you think you're going?" Sango says, stepping up behind the giant feline, her Hiraikotsu slung over her shoulder. She glares at the monk.
"Uh...," Miroku stutters, his cheeks reddening. He doesn't say anything else until Sango speaks again.
"Well?" she asks, taking a step toward him.
The hoshin stares at her for a few more seconds before he mumbles 'nowhere,' and tries to pass the tajiya. Sango blocks his way with her weapon.
"Nowhere? You're three hours from Kaede's and you're going 'nowhere,' Miroku?" The monk doesn't look at her, focusing instead on the mountain in the distance. Sango turns her head to see what he's looking at, a small growl escaping her throat as she turns back to him.
"You're going to see the Canthathirls, aren't you?" Sango says, glaring at him again. The monk doesn't answer. The slayer narrows her eyes and brings her free hand up to his chin, forcing Miroku to look at her. "Why?" she asks quietly. "Why are you going by yourself?"
The hoshin stares into the tajiya's cinnamon eyes, silently confirming what she already knows. Sango's face pales before she speaks again, her voice shaky. "How long?"
The monk bows his head, savoring the warmth from the slayer's hand, which is now resting on his cheek. It takes him several minutes to answer. "A month," he whispers, "...at the most. Less if I have to use it."
Sango gasps audibly, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. She stares at him, half her face covered, her eyes wide. After several tense minutes, she speaks, her voice only a whisper. "Let's go then," she says, turning around and walking past Kilala., who joins her mistress.
Miroku gawks at her retreating form, finally snapping out of his astonishment to hurry after the slayer. He'd thought she'd be upset, not...determined. "What? Wh...aren't you worried, Sango?" he asks, a faint plea reflected in his tone. The tajiya stops and turns back to the monk.
"Of course I'm worried," she says, waiting for him to catch up. Sango pulls him into a hug, making the hoshin gasp at the sudden intimacy. "I love you, Miroku." She leans back to look into the monk's eyes, water from the river shimmering in their dark depths. "But we don't have time for that right now. If the Wind Tunnel's enlarging so much that you don't want to wait for Inuyasha to come back, then we need to go ahead and head off without him and Kagome. They can catch up," she says, letting go and turning to walk away again. Miroku grabs her arm.
"Sango...you and Kagome weren't supposed to come--remember? Go back to Kaede's; I'll be fine by my...," the monk tries to say, stopping mid-sentence when he sees the glare he's getting from his fiancé.
"I'm not letting you go by yourself," Sango says heatedly. "You could get injured and never make it to the Canthathirls; they might be too much for you to handle alone-even if it's just the one...; you might not even find them at all. In that case...," the tajiya breaks off, her words catching in her throat. Sango shakes her head, turning away as tears slide down her cheeks. Miroku pulls her into another hug, silently comforting the girl in his arms. When her tears subside, Sango lifts her head, placing a tender kiss on the monk's lips. He smiles, holding the tajiya closer.
"What about the demons, though? You aren't scared that they'll..." Miroku asks, his voice betraying his worry.
Sango grins wickedly. "I won't let you touch me, Miroku. What do you think I'll do to any demons that try?" The monk raises his brows, eliciting a laugh out of the slayer. She leans in to kiss him again, leaving a flushed and speechless hoshin behind her when she pulls away. "Come on, Miroku--let's find somewhere to camp tonight. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be a long day," Sango says, leading him away from the river.
A minute later, a resounding SLAP! is heard through the darkness, immediately followed by a very loud, "MIROKU!"
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"I can't believe your mom did that," Inuyasha says for the umpteenth time. He's laying on the floor in Kagome's room, staring up at the girl on the bed. She's on her stomach, dangling one hand over the edge, playing with the half-demon's short hair. She smiles.
"Now you know what you're getting into," she replies, tracing her fingers along his jawline and up to his lips. Inuyasha kisses the tips of each finger as they come into range. Kagome giggles. "I told you my family liked you."
Inuyasha grunts. "Like. I think they like me more than you do, Kagome." The girl giggles again.
She had been right; her mother did have something planned for Inuyasha when they got home. Nozomi had cooked all morning, making anything and everything she thought Inuyasha would like, including a cake. She had gotten Sota to make a banner reading: "Welcome Home, Inuyasha!" in large, colorful letters, and had hung it across the living room so the half-demon would see it when they came in. Kagome's Gramps had been assigned decorations, so--in addition to the banner--there were balloons, streamers, and confetti strewn about the house. Kagome had to stick her fingers in mouth to keep from laughing when she saw the look on the hanyou's face. It was priceless.
For his part, Inuyasha took all the attention fairly well. He had tried to stay close to Kagome, but Nozomi, Sota, and Kagome's grandfather kept taking it in turns to hug the hanyou, saying how glad they were that he was okay, and how worried they had been when he showed up injured. The trio had finally settled down when Nozomi had said lunch was ready, giving the half-demon time to breathe while everyone was eating. It didn't last long.
They had barely finished lunch when Kagome's friends from school showed up, including Hojo. Yuka, Ayumi, and Eri had immediately cornered the young miko and demanded to know what was going on--why was that boy here and why wasn't she at school today. Kagome had lied and said that Inuyasha was visiting and had a small accident, so he had to go to the hospital. Her friends had spoken in a whisper, but Kagome virtually yelled her answer across the room, ensuring that everyone heard what she said. Her family and Inuyasha picked up the hint, and defaulted to that story whenever one of the others asked any questions.
The hanyou had used all his self-control not to throw the other boy out on his ass when he saw the gift Hojo had brought Kagome, since she was still 'sick,' as far as he knew. Coincidentally, the small ruby bottle contained an herb that was supposed to help with headaches, which Kagome found so ironically funny that she had to leave the room for several minutes. Inuyasha had followed her, leaving her friends to the girl's family. In exchange for having to be polite, the hanyou had backed Kagome into a corner and proceeded to give his fiancé a hickey, strategically located on the back of her neck so her long hair could hide it. She hadn't objected. Now it was late evening and the pair was in Kagome's room, discussing the 'party' before they went to sleep. They would be going back to the Feudal Era in the morning.
"They don't have to put up with you every day," Kagome says, breaking into a wide grin when she sees the scowl Inuyasha is giving her.
"Ha, ha," the hanyou replies, crossing his arms and looking away from the girl. Kagome brings her hand up to rub one of his ears, a gleam of triumph crossing her face when the boy turns back to her, his eyes closed.
"Everytime," she whispers, smiling when she sees Inuyasha's lips twitch.
"I heard that," he says, grabbing Kagome's arm and pulling the girl off the bed and onto his chest. The miko sighs, kissing him lightly before she wraps her arms around the boy. She lets a low growl escape her throat, smiling to herself when she hears the half-demon answer with his own. Kagome falls asleep to the comforting rumble coming from beneath her.
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"How much farther, do you think?" Sango asks. She and Kilala are trailing Miroku up the side of the mountain. It's late afternoon of the third day she and the monk had been traveling, and they had just noticed that the trees growing along their path were starting to thin out. The trip from the river to the base of the mountain had been mostly uneventful --though it had taken longer than they expected.
Sango and Miroku had spent most of the time riding Kilala, and had therefore avoided skirmishes with petty demons or dishonest humans. The pair would walk every few hours, letting the nekomata ride on the slayer's shoulder to rest, while the humans discussed possible strategies against the scavenger demons.
The only exception to this happened on the second night of their journey, when they had stayed at an inn, located in a village close by the river. Miroku had...persuaded the owner to grant them rooms in exchange for ridding the building of a restless spirit that was scaring off the man's customers. The 'spirit' turned out to be some sort of bug-youkai; Sango thought it was a juvenile Mantis demon, but couldn't be sure.
At any rate, there turned out to be a whole nest of them underneath the inn; they were going to take over the village and use the inhabitants as nourishment when they matured in a few weeks. The slayer and the monk decided to rid the village of them after the first one was discovered; the pair lost count of how many they had defeated before Miroku gave in and used his Wind Tunnel. The village was safe, they had rooms for the night, and--surprisingly-- the demon that had originally caused all the trouble had held a jewel shard in it's forehead. But neither human was smiling as they fell asleep. Miroku guessed he had lost a week by choosing to open his Kazaana that night. They hadn't spoken about it since.
"I don't think very much farther. The trees are thinning out, so we should be close to where Arae-Yin Nae was talking about," Miroku says, huffing the last few feet to a break in the trees. He stops, taking in the view around him.
Straight ahead of him is the top of the mountain, the peak covered in snow and mist. To his left and behind the monk is a wide, green valley, dotted by Arae-Yin Nae's rocky cliff, the smaller mountain near Kaede's, farmlands, and forests. The hoshin can just see a faint shimer on the horizon and more mountains in the distance. On his right the forest continues, winding around the side of the mountain.
"It's pretty up here," Sango says, as she and Kilala stop to catch their breath beside the monk. The air here was getting thinner; they would have to go slower than they had previously. Miroku smiles at her before nodding.
The couple and the demon-cat are admiring the great orange disk that is highlighting the valley before them as it dips below the horizon, and don't notice the presence behind them until it speaks.
"Well...what have we here...?" a raspy voice says. A hissing sound follows this question.
Sango and Miroku are instantly alert; Kilala is growling. They quickly turn to see a muddy-brown creature floating about five feet off the ground, it's huge, olive-green eyes trained on the slayer. The demon is about two feet long, and looks similar to an eel, with almost see-through 'fins' sticking out just behind it's head, and a 'tail' that looks the same. The face is wider, though, and it's showing several very sharp fangs. As they watch, the creature floats sideways a little, moving in a way that reminds Miroku of a snake or a worm; it seems to be able to control the air like Kagura did with her fan. It grins at them, then looks past the couple, who hear another hissing sound. Miroku, Sango, and Kilala turn back to the valley they had been looking on before. All three gasp.
The trio is surrounded by no less than six Canthathirls.
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"Ready to go?"
"Yep. Just let me say 'bye' to everyone," Kagome says, skipping back into the kitchen to hug her family. She tells her mom that 'yes,' she will be careful, and that she and Inuyasha will hopefully be back in a few weeks, but, as usual, she couldn't be sure. Inuyasha hears the girl coming back out, followed closely by her mother.
"Take care, you two," she says, hugging the half-demon tightly before waving goodbye. Sota and Kagome's Gramps join her a few seconds later, all three smiling goofily as Kagome and Inuyasha walk into the wellhouse. Inuyasha sighs.
"I like your family, Kagome, but they sure do hug a lot," he says, earning a quiet laugh from the miko as the pair jumps in the well and is transported back to Sengoku Jidai.
"I guess you'll just have to get used..."
"LOOK OUT!"
The hanyou and the priestess cover their heads as dirt and rocks rain down on them inside the well. They look up, their faces paling as they hear a high-pitched scream.
Hrmm?? I think I write this at the end of all my chaps...oh, well. Ok-must go to bed now--gotta work tomorrow...