Bonjour everybody! Comment ca va? Yes, I am finally back. I would've updated sooner, but I had 3 tests on Friday (English, Government and French) and I REALLY needed to study for. Then, ff.net tells me I can't update until the 16th! I'm so happy! People have been giving me nothing but good reviews! I feel so loved! Oh joyous rapture! I'm going to try to write longer chapters, but if I just keep going and going, the quality of the writing will go down, down, down. May I encourage you all to buy the Daredevil soundtrack (isn't mine, I don't profit from your spending)? It's a wonderful CD, and thanks to neatobeans for letting me burn it! "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence is an AWESOME kick ass song! Yes, well, I'm sure you're all wondering what's going to happen to Miroku. Is he poisoned? Is he going to die? Is his wind tunnel getting bigger?! Meh heh heh…we'll just have to see if I decide to be nice and explain some of that stuff in this chapter…

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INU YASHA IN ANY WAY! If I did…well…let's just say it would be kind of scary…

"Houshi-sama!" Sango yelled.

The demon exterminator, Kagome and Shippo quickly made their way to the fallen monk. Inu Yasha was already there, inspecting the gaping hole in the unconscious man's chest. The two women fell to their knees next to Miroku.

"Is he going to be okay?" Shippo asked.

Inu Yasha carefully sniffed the blood pooling under the monk.

"At least he isn't poisoned."

Sango released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"But, he probably won't make it," the half demon said, sitting up and crossing his arms. Tears welled up in Shippo's eyes, and Kagome looked at Inu Yasha angrily.

"What?" the man asked innocently.

"SIT!"

*WHAM*

"OW! Bitch, what was that for?!" The hanyou asked through a mouthful of dirt.

"Inu Yasha, don't say that!" The girl hissed, tilting her head to a now balling fox demon.

"Feh. I only said what's true," the man snorted, standing up.

"SIT BOY!"

*WHAM*

"AUGH!"

"You listen to me, Inu Yasha, we are going to help Miroku. I don't know why you wouldn't want to help him! He's saved your hide more than once, and THIS is how you repay him?! By not helping him when he's badly wounded?! He's our friend!"

Kagome stood above the hanyou, trying to look as menacing as possible, and doing a pretty good job of it.

"Feh. I never said I wasn't going to help him, you stupid girl," Inu Yasha said as he stood again, brushing some dirt off himself.

The man walked over to the monk and slung him over his shoulder, then turned to the rest of the group.

If you weren't holding Miroku, I say 'it' again just because you're such a jerk," Kagome said.

"Where are we going to take him? There aren't any villages around here," Sango stated worriedly.

"I remember seeing a mansion near the edge of the forest," Shippo said, still sniffling.

"Kirara, you heard him. Let's go."

The little cat demon was engulfed by flames, and in an instant, was big enough to carry the rest of the group on her back. Sango climbed on, flowed by Kagome and Shippo, and finally Inu Yasha and Miroku. They were off, and within 5 minutes, Kirara had reached the outskirts of the woods. Kagome ran to the large front doors of the huge mansion, where two guards were standing. The men stared at the girl's odd state of dress.

"What do you want?" One of the guards asked, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Please, one of my friends is terribly injured. If you let me and my friends stay here for the night, we will gladly protect the mansion from demons."

The other guard snorted.

"We don't need such protection. The Lord is powerful, and does not require the assistance of a woman and her friends. Be gone."

"If you don't need our help, at least tend to our friends' wound. He will die if he isn't treated soon."

The second guard was about to respond when the first one silenced him.

"Show us your injured friend."

Inu Yasha, carrying Miroku once again, entered from the shadows, followed by Sango and the two small demons.

"You wish to protect us from demons, yet you travel with them?" The second guard said, his voice mocking. "How do we know this isn't a trick?"

Sango stepped forward. "Sir, I assure you, this is no trick. Please, just help our friend."

The first guard seemed to be studying Inu Yasha and the man slung over his left shoulder. He noticed Miroku's robes, and the staff the half demon was holding.

"Your injured friend, he is a monk?"

"Yes," Sango stated, nodding.

"Very well, you may enter and speak with our Lord."

The man opened the right door, and the second guard opened the left as well, reluctantly, after receiving a glare from his comrade.

"Follow me," the first guard said.

The man led them through dimly lit hallways, the shadows dancing eerily from the flicker of the many candles. There weren't any windows or doors, and the walls were bare of any art or decoration. Finally, the guard stopped, and opened a door adorned with a beautiful cherry blossom pattern, the first painting Kagome had seen the entire time.

"My Lord," the guard began, falling to his knee and bowing. "These people request aid for their injured friend in return for protecting the palace."

The man sitting before them was quite handsome, and he smiled at the group. His hair was ebony and his eyes were kind and warm. He couldn't have been more than 22 years old.

"Of course, you are welcome to stay here. However, there is no need to protect the palace. My guards and I myself are quite skilled. We will provide you with a meal and a place to sleep when the time comes. Please show them to their quarters and fetch Kimi to tend to this man's wounds."

"Yes, my Lord," the guard said, rising from the floor.

The group bowed, except for Inu Yasha and, obviously, Miroku, before turning and following the guard once more. As they walked down the silent corridors, Kagome turned to the hanyou.

"Inu Yasha," Kagome began, and the man turned around to face her." You could show a little more respect to the Lord. He is letting us stay here, and even giving us food and beds. The least you could do is bow."

"Feh," was all the half demon had to say as he turned to back around.

"'Feh' indeed. Oh, you are SO dead when I get my hands on you mister!" Kagome thought, glaring at Inu Yasha's back.

But the girls glare softened when she saw Miroku. His blood had stained the back of Inu Yasha's clothes, and was now dripping steadily to the wooden floor.

"This is where you will be staying," the guard said, opening a plain door and beckoning the group inside. "Kimi shall be with you shortly to tend to the monk's wound."

With that, the man left, closing the door on his way. Inu Yasha placed Miroku on one of the mats, sat down next to the monk, and crossed his arms.

"He still hasn't regained consciousness," Kagome said, kneeling next to the man.

"That's because he's lost so much blood," A quiet voice said.

Everyone turned to see a young girl, about 16, enter the room with a bucket of water and various ointments and bandages.

"I saw it in the halls, the floors are a mess," the young woman said, kneeling next to Miroku.

"But don't worry," she said, sensing an apology coming from Kagome. "I'll clean it up when I'm done with your friend. Really, there's no trouble at all. My name is Kimi."

"I'm Kagome, and this is Sango, Shippo, Kirara, Inu Yasha and Miroku."

"Nice to meet you all, though not in such horrible circumstances," Kimi said, undoing Miroku's robes.

The girl pulled the black and purple material down just enough to bear the hole in Miroku's chest. She gasped.

"Who did this to him?"

"Not who, what. It was a snake demon," Shippo said, sitting on Kagome's shoulder.

"Poor thing. If it would've been me, I'd have to say I'd be dead already."

Kimi dipped a piece of cloth into the bucket of water and began to clean Miroku's wound. The monk stirred, and slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh, houshi-sama, you're finally awake!" Sango said, exasperated.

Inu Yasha tilted his head slightly, glancing at the monk.

"That stings," the man whispered as Kimi continues to dab his chest.

"How do you feel?" Kagome asked.

"Like a giant snake demon impaled me with its fang."

"I see you've got a sense of humor," Kimi stated, smiling. "Turn over so I can tend to your back."

The monk slowly turned over onto his chest, but not with out a great deal of pain.

"I'm not poisoned, am I?" The man asked once he was situated.

"Does it feel like your poisoned?" Inu Yasha asked.

"No."

"Then you aren't, you baka."

Miroku grinned stupidly to the mat, then suddenly arched his back as something very cold hit his wound. He whimpered slightly as the cold-something began to sting incredibly.

"I'm sorry, I know it hurts, but this will help prevent infection and help you heal a little faster," Kimi said as she massaged the ointment into the man's back.

"You big baby, you can't handle some herbs, yet you can take getting stabbed by a snake's fang?" The hanyou snorted.

"Inu Yasha…" Kagome said in a warning tone.

"Feh."

"SIT!"

*WHAM*

"AGH!"

Kimi stared in wonder at Inu Yasha as he peeled his face from the floor and began muttering to himself, but chose to ask later, when Miss Kagome didn't seem to be in such a foul mood.

"Turn over, please," the girl said to the monk, who slowly obliged.

Kimi once again put the ointment on the man's chest, who grit his teeth to keep from whimpering again.

"Now, sit up so I can bandage you, and then I'll be done."

Miroku slowly brought himself up, but wasn't able to stay in that position for more than a few seconds before he fell back.

"Houshi-sama!"

"I'm alright, just a little weak."

"It's to be expected. Miss Sango, would you mind helping me?"

The demon hunter nodded, and held the monk upright while Kimi wrapped bandages tightly around Miroku. Sango was shocked: once again the monk had passed up the chance to grope two, not one, but two women.

Kimi stood, picking up the bucket and her supplies.

"I will return with your meal in little while. Please, if you need anything, just ask the guard outside the room to get me. Make yourselves at home."

With that, Kimi left, bowing before she gently slid the door closed.

I know, not much happened in this chapter. Sorry, but once in a while, you gotta have a chapter like this. No cliffhanger, but I still haven't told you what's wrong with Miroku! Well, you're gonna have to hang around for more chapters, because I'm just coming up with this off the top of my head. I don't know what's going to happen next any more than you guys do. So, review, please, and tell me what you think!! Au revoir et a tout a l'heure!!