Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and co…
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Chapter 22: The Kunoichi's Decision
"I must…get to…Kagome-sama." Tastunai grunted as she dragged herself along with a stick.
Kagura had been pulled back to Naraku unwillingly and cried out to her sister. "Please free me! Remember Tsukai and I am not free like you!"
Tastunai sighed as she looked around at her surroundings. I think I can sense the youkai taijiya and monk over there." She whispered to herself as she headed north.
She looked at the upcoming village. It was cozy. That's all she could say.
The snow was building up to her knees. She shivered as her wet Chinese pants clung to her legs as she all but rolled down the hill.
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"Here you are. Keep warm and try and sweat it out." Kagome said as she covered the young girl in blankets.
"Thank you, Kagome-san." The little girl rasped out.
"Your welcome. Remember to drink a lot of water and eat hot soup. Take your medicine three times a day and you'll get better in no time." She smiled at the small girl and stood up. "I'll be going now. Thank you for the tea."
"You're very welcome Kagome-sama. We are very grateful that we have the great miko of Shikon to protect our bodies from his new sickness." The mother said.
"I'm flattered." Kagome blushed as she turned to leave to be greeted by her friends, Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango.
"You done yet?" Inuyasha grumbled.
"One more house, Inuyasha. Then we can get on our way." Kagome said as she smiled at him.
"How are you feeling?" Sango asked guiltily.
"I'm fine. My arm is healing and I don't mind the extra pain in my leg when I walk. It's kinda good feelin'." She said as she rubbed her arms.
"Kagome-sama…You say the miko from this village is actually a…man?" Miroku asked curiously. His hands shook on the handle of his staff and his hair was covered in snow.
"Yes. He is." Kagome said as she walked to the next house with the box of medicine under her arm.
"Konbanwa!" she called through the hut.
"Hai." Said a young voice. "Kagome-sama. You're here? Thank you."
"Hai." Kagome followed the young housemaid through the larger then normal hut to a back room.
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"I'm here…finally…" Tastunai panted as she looked around at the surrounding village.
She spotted Kagome walking out of a house and all but ran to her.
"Kagome-sama!" she yelled.
Kagome turned. "Tastunai!" she said as she ran to her. "Are you okay?"
"Iie. Naraku tried to eliminate me." She said breathlessly.
"You're that Tastunai guy!" Inuyasha said as he came over.
"I'm not a…whatever." She sighed. "I'm really tired though so…" with that said as she fell into the snow, her blood soaking the white fluff of frozen rain.
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"Why are we letting this Naraku follower with us?" Inuyasha grumbled to Kagome as they stood outside.
"Because, it would be a great help to our group. Connections, y'know." Kagome said as she leaned against the wall of the miko's hut.
"Feh, connections my ass. He kidnapped you!" he accused.
"I wanna let him in. He's useful with that fan of his." Kagome said.
Inuyasha growled for a second then stopped. "Fine. He can come along."
"Good boy." Kagome said as she pat his head and rubbed his ears.
"Don't treat me like a fricken dog, Kagome!" he said but in spite of himself he leaned into her touch.
"Kawaii." Kagome whispered.
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"Um…Kagome-chan?" Sango said.
"Hai?" Kagome asked as she stood up.
"Um…can you come look at this?" she asked in an edgy voice.
"Sure." Kagome went inside.
Miroku pointed to Tastunai. He had a faint blush on his cheeks but he looked like he was loving the view.
Kagome walked over and almost screamed. "He…he's a she?" she whispered. "What's with this place?!"
"Two gender bending situations." Inuyasha said as he came up behind her.
Tastunai sat up quickly and ripped buttoned up her shirt. "I am a girl? Naraku made me look like a man." She grumbled.
"You were awake?" that asked.
"Yes." Tastunai asked in a flat tone.
"Oh…"
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"I'll join you. I, as a Kunoichi, will try my best and protect you from Naraku-sa—Naraku at any cost." She caught herself when she was going to say –sama and panted.
"Are you sure you'll be able to move?" Sango asked.
Tastunai nodded. "Where's my weapon?" she asked as she looked around.
"It's inside." Kagome said as she ran in and came out with her fan, straps and all.
"Thank you." Tastunai said in Engrish.
Kagome sat down heavily in the snow and looked up at the grey sky. "It's going to snow again. This is so bothersome." she sighed.
She brushed off her kimono top. She was wearing the attire of a miko a gain and her pants here a darker red then usual.
Inuyasha crouched next to her.
"It's a cold winter." She whispered.
They all nodded.
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"She what?!" Naraku roared in Kagura's face.
"She died. I'm sorry but the snow was so deep and when I woke up I found that she had fallen off and fallen somewhere on the way. It was snowing so hard it covered her imprint so I couldn't find her. Then you called me back here so I didn't have enough time to look." Kagura lied.
Naraku growled as he looked at the window. "Because of her I have lost my composure most of the time. I must regain my calmness. Please leave." He said.
"Hai, Naraku-sama." Kagura left the room.
"And meet your other sister, Kanna." He added.
"Onne-sama?" she whispered.
"Konbanwa, Kagura-san." The young girl with white hair and a mirror in her hands whispered.
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There we go! I'm so happy that I got a chapter out. Was it horrible?
I hope not! I'll try and update soon!
Can't wait!
Chapter 23: Tetsusaiga