Chapter Two: Pressure

By: darkwingweaver

Edited by: Nghi

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"Fool."

He leaned his back against the hard wall of the hut, standing at the doorway with his arms crossed. Inuyasha stared at Kaede's back from the corner of his eye, not bothering to hide his interest in what appeared to be Kaede slathering some special type of lotion all over Kagome's arms. "Feh, what possessed you to pick up poison ivy leaf, you dumbass?"

"Sor-RY, Mr. Carebear Nature," she retorted. "I thought it was something else!" She resisted the urge to itch where Kaede rubbed more ointment. The old miko stepped away from her, allowing the young girl to scratch her arms irritably; Inuyasha smirked. "Only village idiots pick up ivy leaves willingly...."

"Ah ha ha ha ha! So funny," she drawled, glaring at him vehemently.

This only served in causing him to smile even wider- it was then she realized that he... was... spiting her! He kept his grin as she rose to her feet and stomped out. "Not... a... word..." she groused, passing by him.

I*N*U*

"How mean! Making fun of my situation... you won't see ME making fun of him if he did that," Kagome muttered angrily. She was going in no particular direction, so it was a surprise to her that she had reached a local river's bank.

"Kagome!"

A voice shook her out of her angry mumbles, and she looked up to see a young kitsune bounding towards her. "Shippo!" she greeted, the last of her anger sapping.

"Did you get the rumored shards?"

"Er… No, we didn't. But we can try again, and that means that you could be with us this time to help us."

"Yay!" he cheered.

The two began to skirt along the side of the babbling water.

"So, tell me, what have you been doing while we were away?" Kagome ran her hands through Shippo's auburn hair.

"I went swimming, then I played hide and seek with the forest, and now I have a new best friend! We met while I was tagging one of the trees!"

"How nice! What's his-"

"Wow! I didn't notice until now, but you're PINK! What is this stuff?" he asked, poking her arms away.

"Yow!" An urge to scratch those rashes rolled over her as she tried to hold back the longing fingers.

"Oops! Sorry!" Shippou apologized immediately.

"It…it's okay. Just don't poke pink again, okay?" Kagome said through gritted teeth.

I*N*U*

When the two reached Kaede's hut again, Inuyasha was waiting impatiently for them. "What took so long?" he demanded.

Kagome huffed slightly. "I was trying to SOFTEN my anger at Mr. Carebear Nature, so I took a walk with Shippou here."

"Whatever, Pinky," he muttered. "Let's go- Sango found some more rumors for us to chase after."

Ignoring her squeak of protest at the nickname, he beckoned for both to follow.

"Hey, I see you're dealing with your little accident." Sango smiled as they entered. She suppressed a small giggle, remembering when her friend first picked up the ivy and screamed, chasing the whole group around to try removing the leaf; apparently, a sticky substance kept the it sticking to her skin.

"Uh… yeah," Kagome scratched a white spot on her elbow, unsure what to say. "I went to the village and got Shippou back."

"Great! I heard of a new shard and demon to the west, near the mountains! We can go as soon as possible." Sango brushed a stray hair out of her face.

"That sounds good to me... but let's get some dinner first."

I*N*U*

"Um… Inuyasha, I know that you're very hungry, since you practically dragged us out before dinner was even made and stuff... and I know you're famished from the hunt... but... how can you eat in a place like this?" It was already nightfall and HE was sitting casually in his Indian position, busily slurping his noodles.

"What?! It's nothing you ain't used to," he replied, stuffing more ramen into his mouth.

"Yes, but in a demon grave yard?! Where we're walking on bones? And there are some rotting flesh still visible?!?!" Kagome shivered slightly. "I've heard tons of stories about ghosts, and walking on their bones is disrespecting them. It's practically calling them to awaken... and they're not usually social butterflies."

"Feh. You and your ghost stories."

Miroku had already fallen fast asleep a little farther away from the campfire; he rolled over and plopped on his stomach to sleep, giving off small irritating snores. Sango was somewhere in another part of the graveyard, training with Hiraikotsu and Kirara. The resounding noise of Hiraikotsu meeting ground echoed, proof of her workout.

"As if ghosts would come back to their bodies and eat your guts out. They're dead and gone, so there's no use coming back." He paused slightly when he said that, remembering Kikyo's empty heart.

"Oh, but there is Inuyasha," a cool voice commented lightly from behind them. Kagome jumped out of her seat.

"AAAH! GHOST!"

"I must yet again have a word with Inuyasha. It is urgent we speak in privacy," she said softly, her dark eyes gazing at Inuyasha. Kagome, having recovered from her heart attack, looked at Inuyasha first, then Kikyo, before complying with her wishes; she gently picked up Shippou and placed him on the grass to Inuyasha's right before scuttling off in search of Sango.

I*N*U

"Kikyo-" Inuyasha started, getting to his feet.

"Do you need more time to think through your actions? Because really, I see the choice just perfectly. However, IF you do, understand this: I am slowly putrefying from the inside. It is not visible... yet. But I can feel the disturbance of my body's souls slowly rotting away to waste, leaving me to my... my DEATH," she inhaled sharply. "I need your answer soon, because once it starts..." she took Inuyasha's right hand within her cold grasp and placed it against her chest, just above her heart where the sound was still and too peaceful.

"... It will not halt to time."

He looked at her, watching her stoic face... and suddenly, he realized how truthful she was. That this was not some joke devised to create the downfall of Kagome. This was REAL, and Kikyo was DYING.

... Oh yeah, NOW the pressure was on.

"I am sure this burdens you, but I am still walking this dirt for you, Inuyasha. Whether you are aware of it or not, I am still walking. Walking for you." With those last, hopeful words, she placed a small kiss on his forehead and released his hand from her grasp, disappearing from the graveyard.

In the darkness, Kikyo took one last glance before turning around.

Inuyasha sat down and stared at his unfinished ramen. There was something different about Kikyo....

Her eyes. They weren't a dull onyx of her drabby state. They held a hint of glimmer... and it was of hope that he would help her.

Shit.

Now how was he ever going to decide?!?!

He felt a sympathetic pat to his right and looked up to see Shippou, nodding gravely.

"What do you want?" he sneered, abruptly switching tones.

"Cheer up, old man," Shippo said, still nodding. "Women. Nothing but trouble. I tell ya, I'm never getting into any affairs."

Inuyasha twitched once before punching his head, leaving a swollen bump on the kitsune's head. Behind him, Kagome returned with Sango, just in time to witness the beating.

"Inuyasha! Don't be such a bully!" Kagome swept Shippou into her arms and cuffed the hanyou hard by the ears.

"Well, if he left me alone in the first place, he wouldn't be knocked out!" he argued angrily, holding his abused ears delicately.

The two continued to bicker endlessly about logical reasoning and Constitutional rights, with Sango as a judge. All were too winded up to realize that something was watching them intently....

I*N*U*

He watched silently, hidden barrier up so the half demon could not sense him in any way. Excellent... his plans were going smoothly. It was almost time to pull the original miko into his grasp, and soon, the new one would follow.

I*N*U*

Someone has a lot of tricks in his potato sacks.

Editor's Note: Revised Chapter Two. MWAH! Read and review for mah cousin! :D