Disclaimer:
Me: Well guess what guys? Takahashi finally let me have Inu Yasha!
*closet door swing open revealing Takahashi bound and gagged*
Me: WHOAH! *slams door shut* you weren't supposed to see that.heheh.
Last time: The Saimyosho stung him in the thigh, giving a small amount of toxin, just enough to knock the kitsune unconscious.
Chapter 18
Kagome was catching up to the two men that were racing across the countryside. She giggled in spite of herself and ran onward, Kirara, Miroku and Sango hovering overhead. The teenaged hanyou sped up and was at their heels in seconds. Even without them speaking she could tell that they were racing each other. Men are so competitive. She ran up behind them at full speed and then ran between them. They both looked at her and the men smirked.
"You know.*pant* for a new-born hanyou.*pant* you can run pretty damn.*pant* fast.!" Kouga managed to speak.
"Well. I'm not only half dog, I'm also half wolf. so there ya go then!" Kagome said effortlessly and she sprinted ahead, leaving the two in the dust. '.that's right.I'm a quarter dog, a quarter wolf and a half human. that's an interesting mix.!" Kagome thought and pushed ahead, sniffing here and there for any sign of Shippou. She caught the familiar whiff the kitsune and skidded to a halt, making dust fly everywhere. Has soon as she had stopped, she dashed off in the direction of the scent. '.we'll be there soon Shippou.!' Kagome thought as the sun began to rise before her.
****
Shippou awoke with a start to see nothing but a pitch-black room. He got up and sniffed around when he noticed he was on a rock-hard, cold, floor. '.when did we get here.and where am I anyway.?' he pondered and began to feel around for some indication as to where he was. The effects of the Saimyosho's poison were still taking a minor toll on his weak kitsune body, making him dizzy and short of breath. A small dripping noise from deep inside where he was made him realize he was in a cave. He sat down after long consideration that someone will come to where he was. After all, he was kidnapped. Dizziness was overcoming him and he held his head trying to steady himself. '.ugh I'm gonna loose my lunch.' he thought as he lay down upon something smooth and velvety. That was when he realized he was not alone.
****
Kagome continued sniffing here and there and she stopped for a moment to rest. She had been running for hours on end and who knows how close the boys, Kirara, and Sango were. All she knew was that she was tired and until now, the adrenaline was keeping her up. She hadn't had a good night's sleep for a few days now and she was tired. Just as she sat upon a log, Kouga came racing up to meet her.
"So. how far behind is everyone?" she asked panting with an enormous headache.
"Inu Yasha decided to rest with the others back a little far. I'm the only one that can keep up with you. How many jewel shards do you possess? Even I can barely keep up with you." Kouga said wiping his brow. Kagome looked down at her feet and let a long sigh out. She was so worried about Shippou she could die, but she didn't want to show it. Her eyes quivered with tears but she held them back as hard as she could.
"OH KOUGA! I CAN'T LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO SHIPPOU! He's my kit! My baby boy. my. son. I have to help him.." Kagome cried and she dropped into Kouga's arms. This shocked him but instead of letting her stay like that like last time, he picked her up and held her by the shoulders.
"We will do whatever it takes to get him back! Don't doubt me. I never go back on my word." He reassured, then kissed her forehead and set her down on the log. Kagome sniffed back the rest of her tears as the others arrived.
"Whaddya do to her now wolf boy?" Inu Yasha sneered as he entered the clearing. Kagome looked at him as if to say 'don't start,' so he dropped it there.
"Come on Kagome. Ride with us for a while. You need to rest." Sango spoke soothingly and she patted a place on Kirara's back.
"I'm fine now. I just needed a break. Now ONWARD!" Kagome shouted and sprinted away. ****
Shippou rubbed the silky material between his fingers and his thumb. He recognized the scent of the being within these robes, but couldn't put a finger on the name. Finally, he gathered up the courage to speak to the person.
"Hello? Who is this? Who is in here with me?"
"."
"Hello?" he asked again and tugged at the fabric. He still got no reply. He concentrated hard on the scent, trying desperately to remember its owner. '.come on Shippou. think.I didn't notice it before because the smell smelled like the cave itself.like mud.and it made no noise. as if it weren't alive.oh please don't let it be dead.' he pondered, racking his brain trying to remember. He decided to ask one more time.
"Hello? Please answer.I don't know what's going on.!" he asked but this time got a reply.
"You are a prisoner of Naraku as am I." A silky feminine voice answered. She sat up and there was the clanking of chains. A light went on in Shippou's head.
"You aren't by any chance a friend of Inu Yasha's are you?" he asked then paused. "Kikyo?"
"Hai, Lord Shippou. Would you light a fire young kitsune? It's terribly cold in here." The hushed voice replied. Shippou puffed up with pride when he heard 'Lord Shippou.' Then when she mentioned 'fire' he nearly hit himself. '.of course! My Fox Fire!' he thought and rubbed his hands together. With a flick of his wrist, a blue flame emitted from his hand and stayed there as he surveyed the room.
It was a dingy little space, about the size of a king-sized bed. The low ceiling held stalactites that were dripping dew. At the farthest end of the cave was a large rock that held them encaged. At the opposite end was a chained up miko. Her raven hair was burnt and her skin, scalded. Her kimono was in tatters and she was barefoot. The tissue from the outside of the each eye was scared beyond repair. And her eyes. her eyes were completely white as if she had neither pupil nor iris. She was blind.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Shippou queried, concerned for his cellmate. Kikyo looked in his direction as if she could still see, but then she frowned in the dim light. She squirmed again, trying to get comfortable. Shippou reached into his pocket and pulled out an illusion leaf. He placed it on his forehead and in a blinding white flash he was transformed into a furry orange sleeping bag. At the chest of the blanket was a cartoon-like fox face. He tucked himself around Kikyo's frail body and snuggled tightly to her. (A/n: Think primitive heating blanket!) Despite her arms being chained to the wall, she let a small sigh of comfort slip away from her chapped lips. Slowly, she began her story.
"It was about half a month ago that I had come here. I had nearly the rest of the jewel shards in my possession. All I needed was the ones that Naraku and your fellowship possessed. I planned on destroying Naraku but he overpowered me and tortured me until I told him where the shards were. By that time he had burned me severely. Burns heal the ugliest and slowest.and I'm afraid that even with all of my miko powers, I will never see more than shadows again." Kikyo spoke softly in defeat. "Now it's only a matter of time before he kills me. He only wants you so he can get Kagome's shards and another's shard by the name of Naoko. Once he is complete, he will be unstoppable." She paused and then let out another slow sigh.
"Why do you need all of the shards?" the cartoon-like kitsune picture questioned.
"To destroy it. No one shall possess it. Then there will be no all-powerful demon and the warring states era will come to an end. Then and only then will I be able to be free from my duties as a Jewel Protector." Kikyo responded before nodding off to sleep. Shippou wrapped tighter around her to keep her warm. '.this can't be the same Kikyo that Kagome and Inu Yasha talk of.' he thought as he himself fell asleep.
Last time: The Saimyosho stung him in the thigh, giving a small amount of toxin, just enough to knock the kitsune unconscious.
Chapter 18
Kagome was catching up to the two men that were racing across the countryside. She giggled in spite of herself and ran onward, Kirara, Miroku and Sango hovering overhead. The teenaged hanyou sped up and was at their heels in seconds. Even without them speaking she could tell that they were racing each other. Men are so competitive. She ran up behind them at full speed and then ran between them. They both looked at her and the men smirked.
"You know.*pant* for a new-born hanyou.*pant* you can run pretty damn.*pant* fast.!" Kouga managed to speak.
"Well. I'm not only half dog, I'm also half wolf. so there ya go then!" Kagome said effortlessly and she sprinted ahead, leaving the two in the dust. '.that's right.I'm a quarter dog, a quarter wolf and a half human. that's an interesting mix.!" Kagome thought and pushed ahead, sniffing here and there for any sign of Shippou. She caught the familiar whiff the kitsune and skidded to a halt, making dust fly everywhere. Has soon as she had stopped, she dashed off in the direction of the scent. '.we'll be there soon Shippou.!' Kagome thought as the sun began to rise before her.
****
Shippou awoke with a start to see nothing but a pitch-black room. He got up and sniffed around when he noticed he was on a rock-hard, cold, floor. '.when did we get here.and where am I anyway.?' he pondered and began to feel around for some indication as to where he was. The effects of the Saimyosho's poison were still taking a minor toll on his weak kitsune body, making him dizzy and short of breath. A small dripping noise from deep inside where he was made him realize he was in a cave. He sat down after long consideration that someone will come to where he was. After all, he was kidnapped. Dizziness was overcoming him and he held his head trying to steady himself. '.ugh I'm gonna loose my lunch.' he thought as he lay down upon something smooth and velvety. That was when he realized he was not alone.
****
Kagome continued sniffing here and there and she stopped for a moment to rest. She had been running for hours on end and who knows how close the boys, Kirara, and Sango were. All she knew was that she was tired and until now, the adrenaline was keeping her up. She hadn't had a good night's sleep for a few days now and she was tired. Just as she sat upon a log, Kouga came racing up to meet her.
"So. how far behind is everyone?" she asked panting with an enormous headache.
"Inu Yasha decided to rest with the others back a little far. I'm the only one that can keep up with you. How many jewel shards do you possess? Even I can barely keep up with you." Kouga said wiping his brow. Kagome looked down at her feet and let a long sigh out. She was so worried about Shippou she could die, but she didn't want to show it. Her eyes quivered with tears but she held them back as hard as she could.
"OH KOUGA! I CAN'T LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO SHIPPOU! He's my kit! My baby boy. my. son. I have to help him.." Kagome cried and she dropped into Kouga's arms. This shocked him but instead of letting her stay like that like last time, he picked her up and held her by the shoulders.
"We will do whatever it takes to get him back! Don't doubt me. I never go back on my word." He reassured, then kissed her forehead and set her down on the log. Kagome sniffed back the rest of her tears as the others arrived.
"Whaddya do to her now wolf boy?" Inu Yasha sneered as he entered the clearing. Kagome looked at him as if to say 'don't start,' so he dropped it there.
"Come on Kagome. Ride with us for a while. You need to rest." Sango spoke soothingly and she patted a place on Kirara's back.
"I'm fine now. I just needed a break. Now ONWARD!" Kagome shouted and sprinted away. ****
Shippou rubbed the silky material between his fingers and his thumb. He recognized the scent of the being within these robes, but couldn't put a finger on the name. Finally, he gathered up the courage to speak to the person.
"Hello? Who is this? Who is in here with me?"
"."
"Hello?" he asked again and tugged at the fabric. He still got no reply. He concentrated hard on the scent, trying desperately to remember its owner. '.come on Shippou. think.I didn't notice it before because the smell smelled like the cave itself.like mud.and it made no noise. as if it weren't alive.oh please don't let it be dead.' he pondered, racking his brain trying to remember. He decided to ask one more time.
"Hello? Please answer.I don't know what's going on.!" he asked but this time got a reply.
"You are a prisoner of Naraku as am I." A silky feminine voice answered. She sat up and there was the clanking of chains. A light went on in Shippou's head.
"You aren't by any chance a friend of Inu Yasha's are you?" he asked then paused. "Kikyo?"
"Hai, Lord Shippou. Would you light a fire young kitsune? It's terribly cold in here." The hushed voice replied. Shippou puffed up with pride when he heard 'Lord Shippou.' Then when she mentioned 'fire' he nearly hit himself. '.of course! My Fox Fire!' he thought and rubbed his hands together. With a flick of his wrist, a blue flame emitted from his hand and stayed there as he surveyed the room.
It was a dingy little space, about the size of a king-sized bed. The low ceiling held stalactites that were dripping dew. At the farthest end of the cave was a large rock that held them encaged. At the opposite end was a chained up miko. Her raven hair was burnt and her skin, scalded. Her kimono was in tatters and she was barefoot. The tissue from the outside of the each eye was scared beyond repair. And her eyes. her eyes were completely white as if she had neither pupil nor iris. She was blind.
"Are you okay? What happened?" Shippou queried, concerned for his cellmate. Kikyo looked in his direction as if she could still see, but then she frowned in the dim light. She squirmed again, trying to get comfortable. Shippou reached into his pocket and pulled out an illusion leaf. He placed it on his forehead and in a blinding white flash he was transformed into a furry orange sleeping bag. At the chest of the blanket was a cartoon-like fox face. He tucked himself around Kikyo's frail body and snuggled tightly to her. (A/n: Think primitive heating blanket!) Despite her arms being chained to the wall, she let a small sigh of comfort slip away from her chapped lips. Slowly, she began her story.
"It was about half a month ago that I had come here. I had nearly the rest of the jewel shards in my possession. All I needed was the ones that Naraku and your fellowship possessed. I planned on destroying Naraku but he overpowered me and tortured me until I told him where the shards were. By that time he had burned me severely. Burns heal the ugliest and slowest.and I'm afraid that even with all of my miko powers, I will never see more than shadows again." Kikyo spoke softly in defeat. "Now it's only a matter of time before he kills me. He only wants you so he can get Kagome's shards and another's shard by the name of Naoko. Once he is complete, he will be unstoppable." She paused and then let out another slow sigh.
"Why do you need all of the shards?" the cartoon-like kitsune picture questioned.
"To destroy it. No one shall possess it. Then there will be no all-powerful demon and the warring states era will come to an end. Then and only then will I be able to be free from my duties as a Jewel Protector." Kikyo responded before nodding off to sleep. Shippou wrapped tighter around her to keep her warm. '.this can't be the same Kikyo that Kagome and Inu Yasha talk of.' he thought as he himself fell asleep.