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Kaji awoke slowly then frowned when she realized she hadn't woken up to dream. She sat up and put her face in her hands before slowly moving them upwards and through her hair. She sighed heavily but quietly and stretched, getting to her feet and silently stepping around bodies to get outside.
She paused as she saw a gold eyed gaze on her but Sesshoumaru just looked at her then shut his eyes once more going back to sleep, Kadasa's head on his leg out cold. She smiled at the two then stepped into the morning air, looking around at the still sleeping town. The sun had barely risen so there was no one up and about.
She somehow made her way to the sacred tree and sat down leaning against it and staring out into the forest. Somehow, I know where I am… yet don't… like I've been here in a dream long ago…
She sighed pulling her legs up to her chest and resting her forehead on her knees. I hate not knowing. I hate feeling déjà vu all of the time and never getting a moment to actually know something true about myself. She raised her gaze feeling weary all of the sudden. Why can't I just move to a city where no one knows me? I'll look human and blend in and just start over. A picture of Kadasa grinning at her flashed through her brain followed by Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku's startled looks of recognition.
No. Running is cowardly. I'll stay here, learn who I am, and hopefully restart my life. Taking a deep breath she nodded as if signing the contract with herself.
A flash of red and white dropped in front of her and she barely contained a yelp seeing Inuyasha crouched in front of her.
"Sesshoumaru wants everyone back," he said gruffly.
She blinked several times before nodding and getting to her feet. He also got to his feet and turned walking back towards the village. She hooked her hands behind her back and followed after him silently. She glanced up at the sky to see what time it was. The sun had risen a few hours. She blinked in surprise then shrugged. That's what she got for dazing out.
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"I think we should head out today." Loranna said as they ate their lunch. "It'll take us at least a few days to get there if we all run from dawn till dusk."
"And when's the meeting?" Miroku asked.
"Next week," she answered. "So we have a week to get back then get you guys settled before the meeting."
Kadasa groaned and flopped forward landing on Sesshoumaru who twitched. "I don't wanna go!"
Gorengi grinned. "How bout we skip Asa?"
She looked over and nodded. "Yeah! I'll send Kaji in my place and you can send what's-his-face the monk!"
Miroku pouted. "It's Miroku."
Kadasa giggled. "I know Mr. Monk."
"Kadasa. Will you please remove yourself from me?" Sesshoumaru suddenly said.
"No." she replied.
He sighed irritably then poked her side. She yelped and jumped, collapsing onto the floor, twitching.
They all stared at her before Inuyasha reached forward and poked her. She yelped and jumped, falling on the ground and twitching.
"So," Loranna spoke up after Kadasa had stopped twitching. "Shall we leave after lunch?"
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"Everyone ready yet?" Loranna called.
"Be there in a minute!" Kaji called back. Sango had dragged her into Kaede's hut only to rifle through a huge yellow bag on the floor. "Are you done yet Sango?" Kaji asked.
"Almost… got it!" She pulled out a tinier bag and held it out. "Here. This is-was Kagome's."
Kaji took the bag and opened it. She gasped lightly and ran a finger over the hair ornament. It was like a comb, a deep emerald color with black herons shaded in silver over it.
"Oh… Sango. It's beautiful!" She looked up. "But this was Kagome's. Are you sure you want to give it to me?"
Sango sighed and smiled. "Kaji. Just take it."
"I'll take it on one condition. If Kagome ever shows up, I'll give it back."
Sango giggled then nodded. "All right."
Kaji smiled and nodded as well before putting the comb back into the bag then carefully putting it in her own bag. "Let's go!"
They walked outside to find Gorengi wailing, Sesshoumaru looking heavenward as if begging the gods to make it stop, Kadasa laughing hysterically, Inuyasha holding his hands over his ears, Miroku wincing and Loranna rubbing her temples.
"Um… what happened?" Kaji asked.
Gorengi looked over. "I fell over!" he wailed. Sango and Kaji sweat dropped and Kadasa started laughing harder.
"GORENGI! SHUT UP!" Loranna shouted and his mouth snapped shut, Kadasa giggling. She turned to Sango. "Are you guys ready yet?" Sango nodded slowly and Kirara bounded over, landing on her shoulder.
"So, everyone's running except Sango and Miroku, who being the slow humans they are, will ride the pretty-kitty." Kadasa ducked her head as Sango and Miroku scowled at her.
"Can we please just leave already?" Inuyasha asked wearily.
Kaji giggled. "I'm with Inuyasha. Can we go before the sun sets?"
"Aw! Kaji! It's not even midday! Keep your hat on!"
"Kadasa… I don't wear a hat."
"Just a minor problem we can overlook." Kaji shook her head. Soon enough, Sango and Miroku were settled on Kirara and everyone was ready to go.
Sesshoumaru and Kadasa were the first to go, Loranna and Gorengi, Inuyasha and Kaji and Kirara carrying Miroku and Sango.
Kaji was surprised. Loranna and Gorengi seemed to blend into the trees, the only thing that let her see where they were was when they paused to look behind them and check on the rest of their group.
Kaji felt someone watching her and glanced around. No one was. She frowned and shook off the feeling. When it got stronger she stopped. Miroku and Sango passed by, not having seen her stop. Inuyasha had and landed on the branch next to her.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
She looked around then at him. "Never mind."
He gave her a long look then nodded. "I suggest we hurry to keep up."
She nodded and he bounded away. She took once last look around before bounding after him, both catching up quickly to the group. Back in the tree, a shadow frowned and glided away.
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Kadasa stared hard at her enemy, eyes narrowed and flickering between them. She carefully raised a hand then paused. An irritated sigh sounded and she scowled. "Shush! I'm concentrating."
A minute later Inuyasha leapt to his feet shouting. "JUST PICK A DAMN CARD!"
She gave him a dull look then reached forward and took the middle card from Sesshoumaru's hand. "Yay!" she cried, lying her cards down. "I win!... again!"
Loranna sighed and tossed his cards on the ground. "I give up." Sango and Miroku did the same, Sesshoumaru soon following.
Gorengi scratched his head then tossed his in the pile. "After playing 20 times and Kadasa winning every single time, I give up too."
Kaji tossed hers and stretched. "I'm out."
"Aw. You guys are no fun." Kadasa pouted, gathering up the cards.
Inuyasha scoffed and dropped his cards. "That's cause you always win."
She grinned. "Must be my wonderful intelligence."
Kaji snorted but didn't say anything. Kadasa scowled at her then leaned back and stretched. They'd stopped for the night and Sango showed them how to play Goldfish. And so, after twenty times, Kadasa winning every game, they decided not to play anymore, like any sane being would.
Miroku hid a yawn but Sango had seen it and yawned as well.
"I think we should get some sleep," Loranna offered.
"Yeah. Kadasa is sleepy," Kadasa said, curling up next to Sesshoumaru who rolled his eyes skyward.
"Why is Kadasa speaking in third person?" Kaji asked as she helped Sango hand out blankets.
"Because Kadasa likes speaking in third person. It makes people listen to Kadasa more."
"I how do you figure that out?" Gorengi asked.
"Well if Kadasa said I'm sleepy, no one would really hear it. They'd hear it, but not listen. If Kadasa said Kadasa's sleepy, they'd get confused and listen closer because they know it's not grammatically correct."
"Ouch. Big word," Loranna joked. Kadasa scowled at her and Kaji and Sango giggled.
"Come on guys. Let's go to sleep. Gorengi's sleepy!" Gorengi wailed loudly. Loranna tossed his pillow at him making him fall off the other side of the log he was sitting on. He grabbed it and sprawled himself over the log getting comfortable, everyone else lying down in their designated spots.
"Psst. Kaji." The haynou-miko turned to look at Kadasa who was giggled. Sango and Loranna looked over too. "Look at the males of our group."
Miroku and Inuyasha sat crossed legged against their designated trees with their weapons across their chest. Sesshoumaru sat against his tree, one leg out and the other bent, arm across his waist. These totally contradicted with Gorengi who was sprawled over a log and drooling.
Kaji held back a barely concealed snort of laughter, Loranna and Sango turning away. They made the mistake of glancing back at each other.
Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru leapt up, hands on the hilts of their swords looking around wildly, Miroku's eyes flashed open and tightening around his shakujo and Gorengi fell off the log he was lying on. They found the source of noise to be the girl howling in laughter, tears in their eyes. They looked at each other then back at the girls.
"What's your problem?" Inuyasha asked making them laugh harder.
After a few minutes, wheezing, they lay back down waving the boys off. All four lay back in their designated spots, the same way as before and the girls started giggled again before shoving pillows over their faces to keep from laughing.
A half an hour later, Kaji lay on the ground looking up at the starry sky, their fire having gone out long ago, everyone asleep and breathing evenly and comfortingly. She allowed a smile of peace to cross her features before she curled up on her blanket and closed her eyes.
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To all who actually still read,
HELLO YELLOW JELLO! I AM ALIVE!
Yes! I finally updated Hotaru! SQUEEEEEEEE! Can't you tell I'm excited? I've had such a writer's block on this story, hence the (twitches) three-month update.
Good lord. Is anyone still reading this? If you are, I love you! (hugglez and chocolate)
Not much to say about this chapter, it's basically one of those connecter chapters where it connects two big things together (Finding Kaji /going to the Western lands) Yippee doodle-day. Hopefully things will be much easier from here on out.
Let's see. The Last time I updated was before Thanksgiving so, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Chrismahanaquanza, happy new year, and happy valentine's day. Thanks for sticking with this story and its lazy writer,
Kadasa Mori