Kiyomisa: Aaaah Gomen nasai minna-san! *Bows deeply* I am so sorry that this took so long to get out. I'm not quite sure why it did, but it did and I apologize for that. So, without further ado, here's the ficcie!
* * *
Ryoga and Ukyo followed closely behind Kouga as they neared the castle wall.
"This is where she went in," he murmured, pointing at the balcony. Inu-Yasha nodded and prepared to jump up when Miroku grabbed his arm.
"Perhaps it would be wise to find a different way in. They may be guarding this one more closely since Ayame-sama," the monk suggested.
"Right, okay… we'll go in pairs, and scout for an entrance. If you find one, come back here and we'll decide what to do then," Kagome said, making sure that Inu-Yasha, Ryoga and Ukyo knew that she meant it.
The group nodded, a little reluctantly, but she knew they understood.
"So who's going with who?" Ukyo wanted to know.
"I'll go with Inu-Yasha, Sango, you go with Miroku, Ukyo keep with Ryoga and make sure he doesn't get lost. Kouga…" Kagome paused and blinked at the wolf-youkai.
"Merp!" Kirara said and brushed against his leg.
"Of course, Kouga, you'll go with Kirara."
Kouga wrinkled his nose, but didn't say anything.
"Right. We're off then. If you don't find anything in…half an hour, come back here," Inu-Yasha said gruffly, tugging on Kagome's arm.
Sango rolled her eyes and set off, making Miroku walk in front of her.
Kouga shrugged and dashed off, Kirara close on his heels.
Ukyo hmphed in irritation and began to leave too.
"Ukyo, wait a minute," Ryoga said, catching her arm.
"Nani," she demanded impatiently.
"Ukyo…Gomen nasai. I shouldn't have gotten so mad at you…demo…it hurt."
"What you said hurt too," Ukyo replied, though her voice was softer than it had been.
"I know…I was…I don't know what I was thinking…but I wanted you to know that I didn't really mean it. And we can't help Meinu while we're fighting." Ryoga was looking at his shoes as his toe dug a reasonable hole in the ground.
"You're right." Ukyo hugged him. "Friends?" she murmured into his chest.
"Friends," Ryoga agreed, hugging her carefully. I wish we could be more, he thought to himself. Shaking the traitorous, but truthful thought out of his head, he let go of her and they set off to search for possible entrances.
* * *
Ayame sat huddled in the corner of her cell, glaring balefully at the bars that crossed over the single window, and gnawing at her lip thoughtfully. She needed to get out, and soon; otherwise Kouga would do something endearingly stupid and try to-
"Ayame! What're you doin' jus' sittin' there?" Kouga called in impatiently, interrupting and confirming her thoughts.
"I got caught," she snarled irritably, "they threw me in here."
Kouga snorted in annoyance and squatted down by the window. "Why didn't you just break the bars? They don't look that tough."
"I couldn't!" she protested and almost said more when Kouga interrupted her.
"Then I'll do it!" he retorted grumpily.
"No, wait!"
Too late, Kouga had already grabbed the bars. Blue lightning-like energy sparked and shot along Kouga's arms sending him flying back. Kirara yowled in protest and began to wash her fur in furious indignation.
"I told you not to touch them!" Ayame cried in exasperation. Kouga sat up and glared hatefully at the bars. Then his eyes suddenly focused on her and his frown deepened.
"Ayame, show me your hands."
Ayame blinked and grimaced, bringing them up in front of herself gingerly, not wanting him to see them. "Doushite," she demanded.
Kouga's eyes narrowed and he shot his hands through the bars to grab hers. Ayame was so startled that she didn't resist as he pulled them closer for inspection. The normally soft fingers were burned and blistered and she winced when his fingers brushed against the red skin.
"Ayame, how many times did you try to grab the bars?" Kouga demanded sternly.
"Five or six," she mumbled, not looking at him.
"Kuso!" he snarled. "Why the hell did you do that!?"
"I wanted to get back before you decided to do something stupid like come after me! I though you might challenge Sesshoumaru to single combat or something," she trailed off as he carefully, gently, stroked the skin that wasn't marred.
"I'm not that stupid," he replied quietly, hurt evident in his voice.
"G-gomen nasai."
Kirara butted her head against his hands and he let go of Ayame in surprise. The small cat-youkai set to work gingerly licking the blistered skin. Ayame winced, but noticed that where Kirara washed her was slightly better and let the cat continue.
Kouga sat back on his heels for a moment before standing up decisively. "Now to get you out of here."
Ayame shook her head. "Don't. I'm fine really. It's my own fault for my hands. I've actually been treated pretty well considering."
"I'm not leaving you in there!"
Ayame smiled at him and his heart stumbled. She had a really nice, warming smile. He couldn't just leave her! But…he'd need help with those bars…
"That boy!" he said inspirationally.
"What boy?" Ayame asked, frowning prettily.
"That one that smells like wolf! Hang on, I'll go get him!"
And Kouga took off, leaving Ayame and Kirara blinking.
"Demo-you don't know where he is," she told the empty air.
* * *
Ryoga and Ukyo were quietly arguing about how to get in. Ryoga wanted to just bust through the wall, but Ukyo was explaining how that would probably bring guards.
"But I could just fight 'em," he protested.
"No."
"What if I did it quietly?"
"For the last time, Ryoga, no!"
"Demo-"
Ukyo grabbed his bandanna ties and pulled him in for a quick kiss. "No busting walls," she told the dazed boy firmly, ignoring the insidious blush spreading across her cheeks.
Ryoga nodded mutely, his eyes still somewhat glazed from the kiss.
"Oi, boy!"
Ukyo screamed in a whisper and reflexively whammed the noisy object with her spatula.
"Kouga?" Ryoga asked curiously. Ukyo blinked and looked more carefully. It was indeed the wolf-prince, and he was currently holding his head in pain.
"Kuso! What the hell was that for!?" he demanded, glaring up at her.
"You surprised me! Besides, I thought you were supposed to be searching somewhere else!"
"I found Ayame, but I need your help getting her out," and he quickly explained about the bars.
"Wait, if a full youkai like you can't do it, what makes you think I can?" Ryoga demanded.
"You can punch through a tree, I can't," Kouga pointed out gruffly. It was bad enough asking a mixed-breed for help without admitting they were stronger to boot. At least he was sufficiently faster.
"All right, lead the way," Ryoga said.
"Ryo, what about Meinu?" Ukyo demanded, catching his arm.
"Well, he knows where Ayame is, and she might know where Meinu is. Besides, we can't just ignore her."
"I hate it when you're right," Ukyo grumbled and let go of him.
Kouga led them swiftly to Ayame's cell. "I brought him," he called in to her.
She was now cradling Kirara in her lap, the cat being small enough to slip through the bars. "Nani? But how?"
"We're here for Meinu," Ukyo replied not unkindly.
"You'd better stand back," Ryoga told everyone.
"But the bars-" Ayame began to protest.
"Don't worry. Ryoga's too thick-headed to get hurt," Ukyo assured her.
"Hey!" Shooting Ukyo a half-heated glare, Ryoga braced himself and took hold of the bars. The blue lightning sparked through him, crackling malevolently. Ryoga gritted his teeth and with a snarl he wrenched the bars from the wall, taking some of the wall with it.
He quickly dropped the thing on the ground and Ayame stared at him in amazement.
Ukyo hugged him happily. "I knew you could do it Ryo-chan!"
He raised an eyebrow at her. "Was the thick-headed comment really necessary?"
Ukyo smiled sheepishly. "Gomen, force of habit."
"Ayame, can you climb out on your own?" Kouga called in to her.
"Hold it, we're going in," Ryoga said and slipped through the hole.
"Ano, matte!" Ukyo said and went after him. "What are you doing?"
Ryoga ignored her and turned to Ayame. "Ayame, are there any guards around her?"
Ayame blinked. "N-no, I don't think so…"
"Good," he said and kicked down the door with a satisfied smile. It fell with a resounding crash.
"Ryoga!" Ukyo said in disbelief.
"We're in," he pointed out. "C'mon, let's go find Meinu."
Ukyo was still sputtering indignantly as she followed him into the hall. Ayame glanced at Kouga before following them.
"Wait, Ayame! Your hands!" he said in alarm, scrambling after her.
"We can't let them go alone. Sesshoumaru's dangerous!" she said sternly and Kirara merped in agreement.
"Demo, you can't fight with your hands like that," he protested in concern.
"I can still kick," she replied easily.
Kouga swore under his breath and muttered about stubborn females as he followed the three down the hall.
* * *
"Sango, I believe I have found a way in," Miroku said, peering around the corner. Sango peeked over his shoulder.
"Houshi-sama, that is the kitchen," the exterminator pointed out blandly.
"It's still a way in," he replied, slinking forward.
Sango glared at his back. "Baka," she uttered and followed stealthily.
Miroku poked his head through the door. "Only two guars on the other side of the kitchen," he murmured quietly to her before slipping in without a word.
Sango watched as he moved silently behind the two frog-like creatures. With a small grin, he bopped them both his staff, knocking them out.
Song slid next to him. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you enjoyed that, Houshi-sama."
"They looked like Jaken," he replied simply. He still held a strong dislike for the little toad, ever since the first time they'd found out that the insects were poisonous even within the abyss of his hand.
Sango smothered a laugh and Miroku looked at her in surprise. Then he grinned and bowed, holding his arms out to the side. "After you, milady."
Sango rolled her eyes and stepped past him. He grabbed her playfully as she passed and, as expected, she slapped him.
Although, Miroku thought as he rubbed at his stinging cheek, she didn't hit me as hard as usual.
"Matte, shouldn't we go back and get the others?" Sango suddenly said, remembering the plan. Miroku glanced at the unconscious guards and shook his head.
"No, we don't know when they change guards, we'd better go in now. Here, let's make look like they're at least sitting," he said and hurriedly propped the two up.
Sango still looked dubious, but she nodded and began leading the way into the castle carefully.
* * *
"Inu-Yasha, we should get the others!" Kagome said in exasperation as Inu-Yasha strode resolutely through the dark halls.
"No, he's my brother. I'm going to settle with him," he replied grimly.
He stopped when Kagome stumbled to a halt and looked at her curiously.
"Inu-Yasha…" she began, not knowing quite what to say.
"You knew this would happen someday," he said quietly.
"H-hai, I know…demo…just promise me you'll live through this, right?" she said glaring at him.
Inu-Yasha quailed slightly under the intensity of the dark look, but then he steeled himself and drew her in for a hug. "I promise."
"Good," and Kagome made a sound which sounded suspiciously like a sniffle, but Inu-Yasha ignored it. "All right, let's find him then. He'll be sorry he took Meinu!" Kagome said, fisting her hand into the classic justice pose.
Inu-Yasha blinked, then rolled his eyes. "C'mon," he said gruffly and began forward again.
"Ah, matte!" Kagome said in alarm and jogged to catch up with him. He shhhed her and Kagome looked ashamed of the noise she had made. She didn't want to alert any guards to their presence. Not if Inu-Yasha was going to have to fight his older brother. He'd need all his strength for that.
* * *
Meinu shifted in her sleep, snuggling closer into the warm arms that encompassed her. Sesshoumaru watched her curiously and brushed soft bangs from her eyes.
"How can someone so trusting in sleep be so stubborn when awake?" he murmured to himself.
Meinu mumbled something nonsensical and burrowed into his chest, shivering slightly as a small draft blew through the room. Sesshoumaru tugged the blankets further over them and held her a little closer. She stopped shivering and a soft smile appeared on her unaware lips. More than ever, Sesshoumaru wanted her with him forever, and he had absolutely no idea why. Part of him only wanted to provide a mother figure for Rin…but there was more to it than that…He sighed in defeat.
"Meinu, you enigma. I'll figure you out one of these days."
* * *
Kiyomisa: *ducks the flying objects* I'll get more up soon I promise!!! (I hope!) In the meantime, if you have any ideas for possible scenes you think might fit in, let me know, ne? I only have a veeeeery general, airy idea of where I'm going with this ^-^'. So please review and let me know! Domo arigatou *bows*
