Chapter 2

Miroku and Sango heard this. Miroku picked up his staff. Sango

picked up her weapons. Out of the corner of his eye, Miroku saw

Kagome's bag. He thought, 'Those bandages might be useful, but I don't

have time to dig for them.' He attempted to pick it up. He,

immediately, dropped it. He thought, 'Kagome must have brought all of

her possessions with her.' Sango yelled, "Hurry, Miroku." He picked it

up and quickly limped out of the hut with it. By this time, Sango had

already called Kelala to her. Kelala was transformed. Sango and Miroku

got onto Kelala's back. Sango said, "Inuyasha already left. He ran into

the woods in that direction." She pointed. Miroku asked, "Where is

Kagome?" Sango said, "Inuyasha is carrying her." Kelala began to run

into the woods.

Inuyasha was running through the woods with Kagome on his back.

He said to Kagome, "Hold on." Kagome tightened her grip across his

cheat. Inuyasha smiled, think to himself. Then, he decided to sped up

and began jumping over bushes that was in his way. He could see the

demon as he approached. He thought, 'It's only another one of Naraku's

incarnations.' Inuyasha set Kagome down at a safe distance from the

demon. Kagome watched as Inuyasha went up to the demon.

Inuyasha just stared at the demon. Then, he smirked. He thought

'I will be able to take him down even with my injury.' The demon said,

"I will introduce myself. I am Gagomaru." Gagomaru was a little bigger

than Inuyasha was. He had black hair with a streak of silver. He had

crystal blue eyes which shine as a beam of sunlight shined through.

His silver hair shone along with his eyes. Gagomaru only carried one

weapon which was a small dagger. Inuyasha said, "You have the stench

that of Naraku." Gagomaru smirked. He said, "Yes, Naraku sent me here

to kill you." Inuyasha smirked, again. Then, he said, "Take your best

shot." Gagomaru launched his attack. Inuyasha, easily, dodged each

strike. Inuyasha said, "Is this the best that you can do?"

Kelala finally arrived. Sango saw Kagome standing where

Inuyasha set her down, watching what was going on at a distance. They

stopped. Miroku dropped Kagome's bag from off Kelala's back. Then, he

jumped off. He went to offer Sango some help, but Sango jumped off

herself. Kagome asked, "Why did you bring my bag?" Miroku said, "If

someone is wounded, the bandages would be useful. I didn't have enough

time to dig through your bag so I brought the whole thing. Did you pack

everything that you own into that bag?" Kagome teased, "No? Why? Is it

too heavy for you?" Miroku changed the subject. "So, Naraku sent one of

his puppets again?" Kagome said, "Yeah, his name is Gagomaru." Sango

looked at Gagomaru. Then, she said, "Inuyasha could take him down."

Kagome said, "So far, Inuyasha has dodged every attack that Gagomaru

made." They continued to watch from a distance.

Inuyasha thought, 'Why would Naraku send someone I can so

easy? This Gagomaru must have a trick up his sleeve.' "Kagome,"

Inuyasha yelled, "Where is the jewel shard?" Kagome looked. She could

see the glow from the jewel shard. The glow came from Gagomaru's chest.

She yelled back to Inuyasha, "The jewel fragment is in his chest."

Inuyasha said, "All right, let's get this show on the road."

Inuyasha ran toward Gagomaru. "Iron weaver," he screamed as he

struck at Gagomaru. Gagomaru took out his dagger and stopped Inuyasha's

claws from reaching his chest. Inuyasha knocked the sword away and took

swing with his other arm. Inuyasha tore off Gagomaru's left arm.

Inuyasha thought, 'That should teach him a lesson.' Gagomaru just stood

there. His face didn't show any emotions. He, then, laughed an evil

laugh. Inuyasha thought, 'What the heck? Why is he just standing there

laughing?' Then, Gagomaru regenerated his arm. Everyone was in shock.

Miroku mumbled, "What kind of trickery is this?" Inuyasha thought,

'Darn!"

Inuyasha kept striking Gagomaru over and over again. Gagomaru

just kept laughing and regrowing all of his cuts. When Inuyasha came

to strike, Gagomaru hit Inuyasha in the rib. Inuyasha sank to his knees

in pain. Miroku said, "He has knocked the wind out of him. He struck

him on his wound." Kagome said under her breath, "Inuyasha."

Gagomaru looked over to the spot where Kagome and the others

were watching from. Miroku got in front of the two girls as if he was

going to fight Gagomaru for the reason of protecting them. Sango asked,

"What do you think you are doing?" Miroku yelled sharply, "Stay back!"

Sango stepped forward and stood next to Miroku, but in front of Kagome.

Miroku looked at her out of the corner of his eye. He said, "Get back."

Sango grabbed her boomerang as if she was preparing to attack. He

glanced over at her. "What are you doing?" Sango said, "I'm protecting

my friends. Inuyasha needs our help and we both know that Kagome

couldn't last that long in a battle so we need to protect her."

Miroku sighed. Then, he asked, "I don't like the idea, but we

have to." Sango looked back, but Kagome wasn't there. Sango whispered,

"Where is Kagome?" They searched around. They spotted Kagome next to

Inuyasha. Miroku said, "We can't let Gagomaru know." Gagomaru saw

Miroku and Sango staring at something behind him. He began to turn

around to see what it was, but Sango and Miroku launched an attack

before he could see.

Inuyasha could hardly even breath. Kagome was concerned for

Inuyasha. Kagome thought, 'This is all my fault. I'm the one who caused

him to get hurt. What have I done?' Inuyasha managed to say, "Don't

think that this is your fault. Don't feel guilty because of this."

Kagome said, "Are you ok?" He said, "I can hardly breathe." Kagome saw

a different color of red on Inuyasha's jacket. Kagome asked, "Can you

sit up so I can take your jacket off?" Inuyasha had a little trouble,

but he finally sat up. Kagome took off his jacket. His white shirt

underneath had a stain in blood. Kagome remembered that she had left

her bag where Sango and Miroku were. Kagome said, "Wait here." Before

Inuyasha could respond, Kagome snuck into the woods. Inuyasha just

kneeled there. He had caught his breath, but he decided to wait for

Kagome. He watched as Sango attacked Gagomaru.

Sango threw her boomerang at Gagomaru. Gagomaru dodged the

boomerang, but when it returned it hit Gagomaru in the back. The

boomerang was stuck in Gagomaru's back. Gagomaru just laughed his

evil laugh. Inuyasha thought, 'Darn him and his stupid laugh. How the

heck is Gagomaru capable of regenerating?' Gagomaru pulled the

boomerang out of his back. The wound healed immediately after that.

Inuyasha thought, 'I hope he shouldn't be able to pull himself back

together after I unleash Tetsusaiga's true power on him.'

Gagomaru attacked Sango. With only Sango's small sword, she is

basically defenseless. Sango unsheathed her sword, but Gagomaru knocked

it away. Gagomaru hit Sango on the back of the neck. Sango fell

unconscious. Enraged by seeing Sango fall, Miroku viciously kept

striking at Gagomaru with his staff. Gagomaru dodged each attack with

ease. Finally, Gagomaru had enough. As Miroku came to strike again,

Gagomaru hit him in the face, knocking him to the ground. While lying

on the ground, Miroku thought, 'Curse him.' Miroku stood up again.

Gagomaru attacked Miroku this time. Miroku was thinking, 'I should use

my wind tunnel.' Miroku yelled, "Wind tunnel." Miroku was about to go

through with it until he heard buzzing. Naraku's poisonous insects came

to protect Gagomaru. Miroku said, "Darn it." He wrapped the beads back

around his hand. Gagomaru took this opportunity to punch Miroku in the

stomach. He hit Miroku so hard that Miroku passed out.

Kagome was digging through her bag. She thought, 'I know I left

a few in here somewhere.' Then, she found them. She picked them up. As

she stood up, she saw Gagomaru running toward her. Kagome couldn't

move. She was in shock. As Gagomaru raised his hand to strike, another

fist came flying though and hit Gagomaru in the face. "Don't turn your

back to me." a voice said. Kagome looked up to see Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said as she shuddered in fear. She fell against

Inuyasha. He put his arms around her. Kagome was trembling. He asked,

"Are you ok?" She said, "Yes, but you are seriously injured." Gagomaru

stood up. Inuyasha said,"I'm going to finish this battle. You can help

Sango and Miroku." Kagome was about to protest, but she knew that it

wouldn't

do any good.

Kagome walked over to Sango. Sango was stunned. She was laying

on the ground. Her eyes were closed, but fidgeting. Kagome checked the

back of her neck. The only thing there was a small bump and a slight

scratch. Kagome put some medicine on it. Then, she went to Miroku. She

checked for any major wounds. She, also, checked his stomach. He had a

bruise, but there isn't anything to do for a bruise. Kagome called

Kelala over to her. She dragged Sango closer to Miroku. Then, she put

both of their heads on Kelala so they could rest easily. She kept an

eye on both of them, so if one of them woke up she could explain what

happened. From where Kagome was, she could keep an eye on Sango and

Miroku and watch the fight in between Inuyasha and Gagomaru.

Inuyasha watched every swing that Gagomaru swung. He, then,

realized that Gagomaru left his stomach unprotected. As Gagomaru swung,

Inuyasha ducked and took the chance to hit Gagomaru. Gagomaru didn't

see it coming. Inuyasha hit as hard and quick as he could. Gagomaru

didn't budge. He acted like it didn't hurt him at all. Inuyasha

thought, 'Does that idiot think that he is invincible? Either way I had

enough of him.' Inuyasha jumped back. Then, he pulled out the

Tetsusaiga from his sheath. Gagomaru said, "Do you really think that

this sword will help you defeat me?" Inuyasha said, "Why don't you try

me, coward?" Gagomaru came running at Inuyasha. With one sweep of the

sword, there was nothing left but ashes and a jewel fragment. It, also,

took care of Naraku's insects.

Kagome ran over. Kagome wanted to hug him for congratulations,

but she knew that he was hurting by the look in his eyes. Kagome picked

up the jewel shard. Inuyasha asked, "How are the others doing?" Kagome

said, "They are fine. They should be waking up any minute now. How are

you doing?" Inuyasha said, "I have been worse, but right now, it

hurts." Kagome was surprised by what Inuyasha said. 'Inuyasha is

admitting that something hurts? This isn't like him. I guess that I

should bandage it right away.'

Inuyasha followed Kagome over to were Sango and Miroku was

lying. Inuyasha sat on a rock as Kagome kneeled by his side, replacing

his bandage. As Kagome finished, Inuyasha said, "Thank you." Kagome

thought, 'Why is he being so polite and open?" Kagome knew that

Inuyasha wanted to tell her something, but she didn't know what. Then,

Sango sat up, rubbing her head. Kagome knew that Inuyasha wouldn't say

whatever it was if someone else could hear it. Sango asked, "What

happened?" Kagome said, "Gagomaru hit you in the back of the neck,

knocking you unconscious." Sango looked around. She saw Miroku still

knocked out next to her. Sango asked, "What happened to him?" Inuyasha

said, "Gagomaru knocked him out as well."

Sango felt something underneath her. She thought, "I must be

sitting on a rock.' She stood up to see that it was Miroku's hand.

Sango stepped on his hand with her heel. Miroku's eyes opened wide. He

thought to himself, 'It was well worth all of the pain she will ever

give me.' Miroku said, "Sango, I didn't think that you are the type to

kick a man while he is down." Sango said sarcastically, "I would only

do it to you." Kagome was trying not to laugh, but she couldn't hold it

in. Inuyasha did a better job of holding it in than Kagome did. Both

Sango and Miroku gave Inuyasha and Kagome a look. Kagome said, "I'm

sorry Sango and Miroku, but those comments came as a surprise. Even

Inuyasha laughed at that. Please cut me some slack." Inuyasha said,

"Don't bring me into this." Sango rolled her eyes and said, "Whatever."

Miroku didn't mind that much. He found it quite amusing himself. He

didn't think Sango would reply. Sango thought, 'I get groped and all of

my friends think that it is funny. What friends I have!'

Kagome asked, "Where should we go now?" Miroku stood up. He

felt dizzy so he sat back down. Miroku coughed. After he was done, he

said, "Somewhere not that far from here." Sango offered, "We could stay

here and build a fire." Kagome said, "If we sleep outside, I want to

be able to see the stars. Here, all of the trees block the stars."

They all agreed.