Disclaimer: I don't own Gone With the Wind, but if I did I'd burn it *cheers*... Oh and I don't
own InuYasha, but if I did, there would be no way any of yous would hear about him (all mine!)
Notes: ITE! I just recently noticed that my Italics weren't working *pulls at hair in frustration*...
So here's the deal... I keep updating, but I also go back and see if I can get the gypsy language
parts in bold... it's kind of important to know what they're saying in what, and who is around to
understand it... or not understand. So, if the bold thing doesn't work... *sniff* I'll have to go back
and translate every single sentence *blah!* But if anyone could TELL me how to get the italics to
work... it would save me a lot of trouble *smiles*...
*dances around the room waving American flags and all that other crap* IT'S DONE... IT'S
DONE... IT'S FINALLY, REALLY, OVER!!! that damn "Gone With the Wind" book is
actually, truly, finished!!! *smiles bigger than thought possible* *audience cheers*
Oh, and the surprise, isn't really a surprise... it's more of a reward. Because if you noticed I put
up extra chappys, up to the revelation of Seiko's secret!!!!! *more cheers* What are you waiting
for... read, and review at the end!!! *continues to smile to the point of being scary* Go on!
~*Over the Edge - Chapter 18: Venerable*~
The next morning was busy as everyone readied for the festival. Sango lent Kagome an extra
kimono of hers, because her worn out uniform wasn't exactly appropriate for such an event. And
Fera-baba did the girls' hair in elegant braids and buns. But Seiko did her own preparations,
polishing bangles, untangling amulets from her bag, and of course practicing her aim with a new
set of daggers that Fera had found (they had been her fathers... never claimed by Seiko).
InuYasha, Miroku, and Shippou were lent garbs from the local men of the band, but InuYasha
preferred his haori, and didn't change...
"Ah, there's the Leritopuku I know." Fera approached Seiko as she emitted from the bath house
where she'd changed. She was in the colorful kimono given to her the previous day, and had
many more of the gypsy accessories, to give her a genuine appearance. Bangles dangled at her
wrists along with jeweled rings on her fingers. She had large hooped earrings and a wrap with
beads around her head, and a long braid of hair fell to her waist. She still had her daggers, but
instead of them being at her belt, they were in holsters along the sides of her legs.
Fera studied her, as she spun around for the others to see. "There is one thing wrong." She stared
at her feet now, they were calloused from walking and swarthy with dirt and sun. Fera threw two
shoe wraps at her. "Put them on."
"Feh." But Seiko listened anyway, wrapping the thick material around her feet, then up her calf
to tie it. "Baba, did you feel it this morning?" (A/N: Remember, bold equals the gypsy
language... damn italics didn't work!)
"Yes child... the storm is near. I will tell Miroku later, but if it comes during the festival...
you know what to do..."
***
Everyone followed Fera-baba and Seiko as they headed into the town. Many people would come
up to them, pleased to see Seiko once more, and were all cheerful throughout the streets.
Everything was decorated and there were many booths of food and activities to sign up for...
The day went by quicky. Everyone had a good time, feasting and playing senseless games.
InuYasha had won Kagome a new kimono in a weightlifting contest at some point, and Sango
got a toy of some sort for Shippou. Everyone went back to Fera's hut with smiles, before the big
ending the old woman had raved about... well, all except Seiko. It seemed the entire day, she was
pleased to see old friends and members of the band, but her eyes grew deeper as the day passed.
She wore the expressionless face, and barely noticed when Miroku offered her a prize, declining
it subconsciously. And now, she walked, lagging behind the others, to Fera-baba's hut for supper.
***
"Baba, I do not think I will attend the ceremony this evening." Seiko sipped her tea and avoided
her gaze. "That is... if it's okay with you Miroku..."
"Are you feeling all right? You've been acting strangely all day_"
"No. It's not that. It's just that there is a storm nearing, and I don't want us to run out of firewood
when it hits..."
"Very well."
InuYasha eyed her curiously... Why didn't she want to attend the ceremony? Or perhaps... why
did she want to be left alone?... "You know... I think I'll stay too."
"InuYasha?" Kagome pleaded, wanting him to come.
"You'll be fine Kagome... besides, I can help." He smirked as Miroku nodded in agreement.
"Why thank you InuYasha. That is very kind of you to help Seiko..." Seiko sighed, knowing she
wouldn't be able to avoid this one, but perhaps to take advantage of it...
***
After everyone had left for the ceremony, Seiko headed out into the woods with InuYasha trailing
behind her. She found a small clearing, and with that had him cut down a fair sized tree. For
hours, they stood, chopping at the trunk, cutting it into nice sized pieces for any fires they might
need. After the majority of the cutting was done. Seiko loaded some of it into InuYasha's arms,
and strapped a bushel onto her own back. Perspiration rolled off of his face as he walked the path
to Fera's hut... Why had she chosen a clearing so far from the hut...
Seiko was wearing him out. When he had entered the weight lifting contest, she remembered the
approximate... and she added a few pounds more of wood in his arms to tire him out. He was
constantly following her, putting his nose where it didn't belong in her business, even now, he'd
stayed behind to keep an eye on her... Well, he could watch her all he wanted this evening... but
when the storm came, she wanted him to mind to himself.
"Oi wench, how much damn wood do you think we need?" InuYasha dumped the logs by the
fireplace, and folded his arms across his chest.
"This should be enough for now, but if the storm takes too much longer we'll have to go out for
more..." She stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "Well, if that's all, than I'm gonna
go to bed..." With that she went to her room and closed the door.
'Did she just say 'we'?...' InuYasha went into his own room, and sprawled out on the futon.
'She's up to something... or she would have never let me help with her damn chore...' After a
few minutes, all of the tension in his muscles relaxed, and his energy was replenished. The hut
was silent, and relaxing... he would have fallen asleep, had it not been for the sound of Seiko's
door opening, and her footsteps going toward the kitchen. 'What the hell is she up to now?'
***
InuYasha quietly snuck down the hall, his ears were twitching at every little sound she made.
There was clinking of pots as Seiko prepared to make some tea. Everything was average for a
midnight snack, and he crept in closer, hidden behind a stack of rice bags. About halfway
through making the tea, she stopped abruptly. 'Oh shit. Did she hear me?'
She put the pot of water down, and slowly crept to the middle of the room, eyes transfixed
around the window... the opposite direction that he was in. In a quiet voice, she spoke. "If it's a
fight you want, then meet me outside. I wont have any of it in Fera-baba's hut." InuYasha looked
to the wall where she gaze fell, there was nothing to notice. But after these words, there was
movement on the wall, and the scent of a yokai came to his nose with the faint breeze... 'A
Chameleon... but how did she pick up on it before me?...'
He watched as Seiko slid open the back door of the hut, and went out into the woods, only feet
into the trees. He came out from his place and sat on the top step of the back porch, being sure to
avoid her eyes. Now the smell of the yokai was stronger, it was the same one that had attacked
them in the fog no less. His fist gripped the tetsusigia, ready to draw it at any moment.
For a while Seiko stood motionless in the trees, she closed her eyes and merely waited. A twig
snapped behind her, and she jabbed the 'invisible' creature with a powerful kick. The entire
battle was like a dance, you couldn't see what is was that Seiko was hitting or what it was that
was hitting her, but you knew it was there, and she was acting upon it. Finally, Seiko managed to
slam the yokai against the base of a tree. She drew one of her daggers and slit its throat as it
became visible in weakness. As it died, she jabbed two fingers into its stomach pulling
something from it, and put it into a pouch in her belt (now back in her haori, not kimono).
She stood over it, catching her breath. There were smears of blood down her face and legs where
the Chameleon yokai had hit her. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and knelt down by the
corpse. She heaved its massive body onto her shoulders, and headed deeper into the woods, the
heavy scent of blood trailing behind her.
'Is that why she thought I was going to kill her?... I guess she would with yokai attacking her like
that... but why would they?...'
***
InuYasha headed back into the hut. He cleaned up the neglected tea, and went to the front porch
to wait for the others to return. He looked up at the sky. What would have been full of stars, was
masked with thick, bellowing, clouds, dark in the night. It would rain soon.
Okay then... one more chapter to go, it will probably be longer. This is your last chance to guess
what her secret is... AND DON'T READ AHEAD if your gonna try... Anyways, let me know
what you think... if not this chapter, in the next... Ja ne... read on.
own InuYasha, but if I did, there would be no way any of yous would hear about him (all mine!)
Notes: ITE! I just recently noticed that my Italics weren't working *pulls at hair in frustration*...
So here's the deal... I keep updating, but I also go back and see if I can get the gypsy language
parts in bold... it's kind of important to know what they're saying in what, and who is around to
understand it... or not understand. So, if the bold thing doesn't work... *sniff* I'll have to go back
and translate every single sentence *blah!* But if anyone could TELL me how to get the italics to
work... it would save me a lot of trouble *smiles*...
*dances around the room waving American flags and all that other crap* IT'S DONE... IT'S
DONE... IT'S FINALLY, REALLY, OVER!!! that damn "Gone With the Wind" book is
actually, truly, finished!!! *smiles bigger than thought possible* *audience cheers*
Oh, and the surprise, isn't really a surprise... it's more of a reward. Because if you noticed I put
up extra chappys, up to the revelation of Seiko's secret!!!!! *more cheers* What are you waiting
for... read, and review at the end!!! *continues to smile to the point of being scary* Go on!
~*Over the Edge - Chapter 18: Venerable*~
The next morning was busy as everyone readied for the festival. Sango lent Kagome an extra
kimono of hers, because her worn out uniform wasn't exactly appropriate for such an event. And
Fera-baba did the girls' hair in elegant braids and buns. But Seiko did her own preparations,
polishing bangles, untangling amulets from her bag, and of course practicing her aim with a new
set of daggers that Fera had found (they had been her fathers... never claimed by Seiko).
InuYasha, Miroku, and Shippou were lent garbs from the local men of the band, but InuYasha
preferred his haori, and didn't change...
"Ah, there's the Leritopuku I know." Fera approached Seiko as she emitted from the bath house
where she'd changed. She was in the colorful kimono given to her the previous day, and had
many more of the gypsy accessories, to give her a genuine appearance. Bangles dangled at her
wrists along with jeweled rings on her fingers. She had large hooped earrings and a wrap with
beads around her head, and a long braid of hair fell to her waist. She still had her daggers, but
instead of them being at her belt, they were in holsters along the sides of her legs.
Fera studied her, as she spun around for the others to see. "There is one thing wrong." She stared
at her feet now, they were calloused from walking and swarthy with dirt and sun. Fera threw two
shoe wraps at her. "Put them on."
"Feh." But Seiko listened anyway, wrapping the thick material around her feet, then up her calf
to tie it. "Baba, did you feel it this morning?" (A/N: Remember, bold equals the gypsy
language... damn italics didn't work!)
"Yes child... the storm is near. I will tell Miroku later, but if it comes during the festival...
you know what to do..."
***
Everyone followed Fera-baba and Seiko as they headed into the town. Many people would come
up to them, pleased to see Seiko once more, and were all cheerful throughout the streets.
Everything was decorated and there were many booths of food and activities to sign up for...
The day went by quicky. Everyone had a good time, feasting and playing senseless games.
InuYasha had won Kagome a new kimono in a weightlifting contest at some point, and Sango
got a toy of some sort for Shippou. Everyone went back to Fera's hut with smiles, before the big
ending the old woman had raved about... well, all except Seiko. It seemed the entire day, she was
pleased to see old friends and members of the band, but her eyes grew deeper as the day passed.
She wore the expressionless face, and barely noticed when Miroku offered her a prize, declining
it subconsciously. And now, she walked, lagging behind the others, to Fera-baba's hut for supper.
***
"Baba, I do not think I will attend the ceremony this evening." Seiko sipped her tea and avoided
her gaze. "That is... if it's okay with you Miroku..."
"Are you feeling all right? You've been acting strangely all day_"
"No. It's not that. It's just that there is a storm nearing, and I don't want us to run out of firewood
when it hits..."
"Very well."
InuYasha eyed her curiously... Why didn't she want to attend the ceremony? Or perhaps... why
did she want to be left alone?... "You know... I think I'll stay too."
"InuYasha?" Kagome pleaded, wanting him to come.
"You'll be fine Kagome... besides, I can help." He smirked as Miroku nodded in agreement.
"Why thank you InuYasha. That is very kind of you to help Seiko..." Seiko sighed, knowing she
wouldn't be able to avoid this one, but perhaps to take advantage of it...
***
After everyone had left for the ceremony, Seiko headed out into the woods with InuYasha trailing
behind her. She found a small clearing, and with that had him cut down a fair sized tree. For
hours, they stood, chopping at the trunk, cutting it into nice sized pieces for any fires they might
need. After the majority of the cutting was done. Seiko loaded some of it into InuYasha's arms,
and strapped a bushel onto her own back. Perspiration rolled off of his face as he walked the path
to Fera's hut... Why had she chosen a clearing so far from the hut...
Seiko was wearing him out. When he had entered the weight lifting contest, she remembered the
approximate... and she added a few pounds more of wood in his arms to tire him out. He was
constantly following her, putting his nose where it didn't belong in her business, even now, he'd
stayed behind to keep an eye on her... Well, he could watch her all he wanted this evening... but
when the storm came, she wanted him to mind to himself.
"Oi wench, how much damn wood do you think we need?" InuYasha dumped the logs by the
fireplace, and folded his arms across his chest.
"This should be enough for now, but if the storm takes too much longer we'll have to go out for
more..." She stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "Well, if that's all, than I'm gonna
go to bed..." With that she went to her room and closed the door.
'Did she just say 'we'?...' InuYasha went into his own room, and sprawled out on the futon.
'She's up to something... or she would have never let me help with her damn chore...' After a
few minutes, all of the tension in his muscles relaxed, and his energy was replenished. The hut
was silent, and relaxing... he would have fallen asleep, had it not been for the sound of Seiko's
door opening, and her footsteps going toward the kitchen. 'What the hell is she up to now?'
***
InuYasha quietly snuck down the hall, his ears were twitching at every little sound she made.
There was clinking of pots as Seiko prepared to make some tea. Everything was average for a
midnight snack, and he crept in closer, hidden behind a stack of rice bags. About halfway
through making the tea, she stopped abruptly. 'Oh shit. Did she hear me?'
She put the pot of water down, and slowly crept to the middle of the room, eyes transfixed
around the window... the opposite direction that he was in. In a quiet voice, she spoke. "If it's a
fight you want, then meet me outside. I wont have any of it in Fera-baba's hut." InuYasha looked
to the wall where she gaze fell, there was nothing to notice. But after these words, there was
movement on the wall, and the scent of a yokai came to his nose with the faint breeze... 'A
Chameleon... but how did she pick up on it before me?...'
He watched as Seiko slid open the back door of the hut, and went out into the woods, only feet
into the trees. He came out from his place and sat on the top step of the back porch, being sure to
avoid her eyes. Now the smell of the yokai was stronger, it was the same one that had attacked
them in the fog no less. His fist gripped the tetsusigia, ready to draw it at any moment.
For a while Seiko stood motionless in the trees, she closed her eyes and merely waited. A twig
snapped behind her, and she jabbed the 'invisible' creature with a powerful kick. The entire
battle was like a dance, you couldn't see what is was that Seiko was hitting or what it was that
was hitting her, but you knew it was there, and she was acting upon it. Finally, Seiko managed to
slam the yokai against the base of a tree. She drew one of her daggers and slit its throat as it
became visible in weakness. As it died, she jabbed two fingers into its stomach pulling
something from it, and put it into a pouch in her belt (now back in her haori, not kimono).
She stood over it, catching her breath. There were smears of blood down her face and legs where
the Chameleon yokai had hit her. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and knelt down by the
corpse. She heaved its massive body onto her shoulders, and headed deeper into the woods, the
heavy scent of blood trailing behind her.
'Is that why she thought I was going to kill her?... I guess she would with yokai attacking her like
that... but why would they?...'
***
InuYasha headed back into the hut. He cleaned up the neglected tea, and went to the front porch
to wait for the others to return. He looked up at the sky. What would have been full of stars, was
masked with thick, bellowing, clouds, dark in the night. It would rain soon.
Okay then... one more chapter to go, it will probably be longer. This is your last chance to guess
what her secret is... AND DON'T READ AHEAD if your gonna try... Anyways, let me know
what you think... if not this chapter, in the next... Ja ne... read on.