And I have another chapter up! It's amazing! Not really, since no one's reading this fan-fic anyway. *shrugs* But do I care?! Hai! But am I going to do anything about it? Iie! Oh well. . .well, read and enjoy. And, if you're nice, just post a little review and say something like, "I read it." Even that is nice to know! ^^
Inuyasha, and are related charas and settings aren't mine. I DO own Biiru, Megan-yes, darn it, I own you-Ang, and all other original characters, including the darn plot! So take that!
~*~
Inuyasha rolled looked to his right. And then his left. And then his right again. Damn it. Why is it the one night I can't sleep, nothing interesting is happening? He would have considered rolling over, but he was sleeping in a tree. And falling off just didn't seem appealing. So he continued to look back and forth, wondering if half-demons could get whiplash.
"Inuyasha."
He did fall off the tree. "Wha-what are you doing?" After falling off, he had quickly jumped at the person who had disturbed him, pinning him or her to the ground, claws at the throat. Then he had identified Angela.
". . .I didn't sneak up on you. You even looked at me twice."
"I-I did?"
She nodded, and then frowned. "What's your problem? Usually you're good with your senses. You sick?"
He stood back up, reluctantly letting go of her. I should kill her for surprising me like that. "No. What are you going, anyway?"
". . .I'm allowed to walk, aren't I?"
Inuyasha snorted. "I'm not denying you that right. I'm denying you the right to "walk" in the middle of the night, with a stupid pack with everything you have in it, towards the well, in the middle of the night."
"Well, why are you awake?"
"Couldn't sleep."
She sighed. ". . .Well, I was leaving. But I wasn't going to the well."
He eyed her skeptically. "Oh? Then where were you going?"
She shrugged. "I haven't decided yet. It's just. . ." For a minute, it looked like she wasn't going to say anything else. Her eyes glazed over, and she seemed hesitant to finish. "What does it matter to you, anyway?"
"I think it's my right to know where you're going."
"And what gives you that right?"
"Huh?"
He looks surprised. Did he just assume he had rights to keep tabs on me, or something? "Do you have a right to keep tabs on me, Inuyasha?"
He shook his head, seeming a little annoyed. "I never said that. You're trying too hard to read in between the lines."
"What do you mean by that?"
He sighed, and looked up at the sky. The moon had begun to wane, about halfway to being gone again. He'd had to remember that. "I understand you feel betrayed," he finally said. "I don't know you that well, but it seems you don't like Biiru that much. And Shi wants you to be with him, for a merger you don't think is even necessary. And you've trusted Shi with almost more than your life. It makes sense you're trying to read what I'm really saying when I say anything, I guess. But not everyone is in a conspiracy against you, and I don't think Shi wants you to be upset."
She blinked, surprised. "That's pretty deep for you, Inuyasha."
He glared at her, out of the corner of his eye. "So, just because I'm a half-demon means I'm stupid?"
She smiled. "Now you're reading between the lines too much. I just mean. . .well, you have to admit, you don't open up much. You're pretty much a loner."
"Huh?" His glare didn't let up. "And who are you to judge me? You've spent your whole life killing people before they even know you're there! At least I give people a fair warning before I slice their throats!"
She glared back at him. "You don't understand what you're saying! It different where I come from. Letting someone see means spells out death for me."
"Then maybe you deserved to die. The weak die. The strong survive to kill again. That's the way life works. Everywhere. And if you're only strong in the shadows, Ang, someone is gonna come with a lantern. And then what are you going to do?"
". . .What do you do, sit around and judge people? You're damn lucky I think that stupid rosary of yours is inhumane!"
His glare softened as he looked away. "Hn. So now I'm a dog. It's inhumane to put a collar that hurts a dog on it, isn't it? Well, whatever you want to believe, I'll accept it. But if you have to leave. . ."
"You wouldn't let me."
"I did no such thing. Am I stopping you right now?
". . .You would. You need me to hunt down your stupid Shikon shards." She continued to glare at his back. He could feel her glare, almost as if it were one of her daggers. "Well, what are you going to do once the shards are all collected? Kick he back into my own time, the same way you did to Kagome? Because she was worthless?"
"It's not like that!" Inuyasha turned around, and glared at her. The two didn't move for almost a full minute, before Inuyasha took a deep breath.
Remember, she's right. You need her, at least for the time being. If you didn't need her, then you'd kill her. Right now. She almost wants to die, the way she keeps acting. Inuyasha's eyes widened with that thought. She. . .wants to die?
He smirked slightly. "So. . .that's it, isn't it?"
"What?"
"You want to die. That's why you can out here to talk to me. You figured if you could rile me up enough, I'd kill you. After all, that's all I am to you. Just a demon with a short temper, no more than an idiot. Did I surprise you when I figured out what you were thinking? Well, let me tell you something. To me, you're only a girl who can see shards of a jewel I want. Kagome could do the same thing. And ya know what? She didn't aggravate me while I was going it. I'm not stupid. I thought maybe you had made an innocent comment when you said I was being deep. Do you think I never think? I never stop to notice what going on around me?"
She seemed surprised by his anger. "Inuyasha. . .I-I never-"
"I don't care what you never!" Somewhere, he realized he was acting exactly like a short-tempered idiotic demon. But he didn't care. "Go back. Go back to sleep. Leave in the morning. I don't care."
She backed away, and slowly walked away from him. "Inuyasha. . .I'd rather die. . .than have to stay with Biiru. Do you understand me?" She looked him in the eye.
Sadness. . .anger. . .despair. . .what is she planning to do now?
She walked silently back into the home the rest were sleeping in. Inuyasha jumped back into his tree, and settled down. But somehow, he didn't get to sleep. His mind was too busy, thinking.
~*~
"Morning, Ang-chan."
"Hmmm? Oh. Good morning, Megan."
Megan laughed. "Why so formal? And what's with the gloomy expression?"
She shook her head ruefully. "Couldn't sleep last night. I was thinking. . .Meg, what do you think of Inuyasha?"
"Inuyasha?" Megan leaned against the doorframe she was standing in, looking down at Ang, who hadn't sat up yet. "Well, he's a rude, uncivilized demon, I guess. But he does care about other people. He's been pretty nice to me, and he only hurts Miroku when he's being either a pervert or when he's just being stupid. Why?"
". . .No reason. You're right, though, he's not stupid. What about Biiru?"
Meg sighed. "Don't tell me you like one of them?" Ang didn't react at all to the statement.
Weird. You'd think she'd at least say something.
". . .What do you think of him?"
"Biiru? I honestly don't know why you hate him so much, Ang. He's nice to you, and to everyone else. Even to Inuyasha. And Inuyasha isn't exactly nice to him, you know. Whenever he's not looking, he's just glaring at him. Like he hates him!"
". . .Really?"
"Uh-huh."
"Intriguing. How are you and Miroku doing?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Don't stare at him while you're eating. It'd be less obvious."
Megan rolled her eyes. "Well, you always look at the floor, Angela! Honestly. . .every time I've seen you for the past week, you've been looking off into the distance, like you're waiting for something."
She smirked. "Yeah. I just want to fade away. . .where nobody can find me." Megan blinked. Ang realized the reference she had just quoted wouldn't be out for another few centuries. "Err. . .ignore that."
". . .If you want to leave, no one is stopping you."
Megan turned around, a smile back on her face. "Anyhow, if you want breakfast, we're waiting for you, okay?"
Ang watched her leave. ". . .You don't get it," she whispered. "No one does. But I wish they would." She sat up, and examined the end of her braid. "Shit. It's getting loose."
But does it really matter? She frowned. After all, Biiru is the only one who really cares. And I don't care what he thinks about me. Meg and Miroku are too busy with each other that they would hardly notice if a tree fell next to them. And Inuyasha. . . Her frown turning into a blank expression. He hates me. Even if he didn't I made sure of that last night. I. . .I didn't mean to insult him. I didn't think he's stupid. I was serious. He never opens up. I thought. . .maybe I could get to know him. We seem similar enough.
She stood up, and walked into the room where everyone else was eating. Some kind of Japanese food. She sat down, snapped a chopstick in half, and began to push her food around her plate, resting her head glumly in one head.
Only then did she realize no one was talking at all. She glanced up. Kaede, Biiru, Meg, and Miroku were all staring at her with confused expressions on their face. Everyone except Inuyasha, who was busy chasing his food around, and then stabbing it and eating it before starting the process over again. ". . .What?"
"Nothing," Miroku quickly said. "Usually, instead of just not eating, you'll avoid the table totally. It's nice to see you sitting there, at least considering eating."
She sighed. "Don't push your luck. I'm not hungry."
Biiru shook his head. "I'm sure you're still stuffed from the rabbit leg you ate last night. Just the one, mind you."
". . .My eating habits are not of your business."
Inuyasha snorted, not actually looking at her. "You're going to die, you know."
"What?"
He looked up at her, meeting her frightened gaze with a calm, even stare. "If you never eat. Then you'll die from mal-nutrition."
". . .Well, then, what do you care?"
He resumed violently stabbing pieces of food. "Well, truthfully, I don't care too much. But if you die, I'll have to go and get Kagome again."
She smirked. "I see." She stood up, and walked outside, pushing the curtain out of the way.
"Ang?"
She paused. "Hmmm?"
"Where are you going?"
She shrugged. "I'll tell you when I know." She walked out of the house, aimlessly walking. Biiru glared at Inuyasha.
"Good going, dog-boy."
"You could call me by my real name. It'd be polite."
Biiru snorted. "The way you treated her was pretty polite, too. Honestly. . .if you really hate her, then tell her to leave! At least don't snap in her face, and expect her to be fine with it."
"She thinks I'm a stupid demon, Priest. I honestly don't think my opinion really affects her all that much."
Megan sighed. "Inuyasha, you've got a blind spot for her. She doesn't think you're stupid. She was asking me about that today. She hasn't seemed so out of it for a while now. I wish I could help her."
Inuyasha sighed, and stood up, managing to eat and swallow the rest of his food in the two seconds it took him. "I'll go find her. After all," he added with annoyance, "this is all my fault, right?"
He stepped out of the cottage, and began to follow her obvious scent. Miroku watched him go with confusion. "Hn. You'd think he cared for her. . .but did you see her eyes?" Megan shook her head. "They were so. . .empty."
~*~
"Hn. Should I even bother to get Kagome again for him. . .?" Ang's feet made no sound as they touched the ground, as she diligently trudged to the well. "Inuyasha won't miss me. Meg might be sad for a while, but she'll get over it. Hell, maybe her and Kagome will get along. Miroku. . .well, I doubt he minds. I'm just a girl, and Kagome knows him better. So maybe she doesn't get as mad when he gropes her. . .doubt it. Inuyasha. . .well, damn him. He obviously liked her more than he likes me. He never says anything bad about me, but I know he calls me an idiot all the time. 'Keh. . .baka. . .' He says that constantly to me."
Face it. . .he's not an idiot to me. I'm the idiot to him. She reached the well, and sat down on the brim of it. It looks so deep. But when you jump through, it feels like you're floating. Amazing how things can be so different from the way they look. Like Biiru. He looks perfect. Everyone thinks he's perfect. . .even Megan's fooled. But he's too controlling and he wants to be in control. . .constantly. Always be right. Kinda like Inuyasha. . .he's almost the opposite. He looks so angry all the time. . .but he's not. He just displays a front so no one bothers him. Like me.
She stood up, and looked down into the well. "I should leave the shards for Inuyasha. . .but Kaede said something about the Shikon jewel activating the well. So I guess I'll have to give them to Kagome so she can get through." She jumped into the well, prepared for the blue swirls that had greeted her the first time she had gone through.
Instead, she felt a persistence pulling on her wrist. She hadn't gotten through. She looked back up; ready to blast whoever it was that had stopped her. "Inuyasha?" He growled at her, a low, back of the throat noise. She realized his claws were digging into her skin, and blood was trickling down her arm. "What are you doing?"
He pulled her up from the well, practically slamming her into the ground next to it. She could feel her breath get knocked out of her body. Despite the sudden lack of oxygen to her brain, she could still feel Inuyasha glaring at her. "Don't-you ever-leave without telling one of us."
Still gasping for breath, she managed to smirk. "Oh. . .really? Do. . .you own. . .me now?"
Inuyasha glowered at her. "No. But you agreed to help us look for shards. You don't see my abandoning you, and I'm only a worthless hanyou! But even I have some morals, girl. Everyone else told me it was my fault you left, so I came to stop you. I told you before, don't leave when it's my turn to watch you."
"What. . .do you mean. . .by turn?"
"I've been watching you. You're acting stupid, Ang. You've eaten so little for the past few days; you've gotten everyone worried. Megan and Miroku almost had to beg Biiru to stay a few days ago, because he thinks it's his fault you're fucked up."
"It. . .is."
He didn't react to that for a moment, then gabbed her by the front of her shirt, and pulled her up to his eye level. "He's been looking out for you. He cares about you. . .and the best thing you can say about him is that you wish he was gone?!"
She gulped. What's up with him? Since when have I been important to him?
"Are you listening to me?"
Inuyasha glared into her eyes. The only thing that answered him in her eyes was emptiness. Damn her! Why can't she show some sign of something? Instead of that blank gaze? He growled at her again.
"Stop it!"
He pushed her away; releasing his hold on her and pushing her at once, forgetting how much stronger he was. She sprawled back at least five feet. She looked at Inuyasha, with the same blank look. "That. . .that hurt, Inuyasha."
"Huh?" He looked down at his hand. To his surprise, it was tinted with blood. Her blood, from the scent. He looked back at her, shocked to see the amount of blood coming from her wrist. "Ku-kuso. . ."
She smiled at him. "Don't worry. It's not fatal. . ."
"Why are you smiling?"
"Inuyasha. . .do you realize that I can't die until Shi wants me to?"
"Huh?"
I must sound like an idiot. That's must be the second time I've said that. What does she mean? She can't die until Shi wants her to?
"Come on," he said gruffly. "Kaede can bandage that for you."
". . .What are you going to say to the others?"
"The truth."
She glanced off for a moment, and a confused look came over her face, affecting not only her eyes, where her feelings were normally limited. "Oh. . .which truth?"
"What do you mean? There's only one truth."
"The truth can take all different forms. For example, the truth in your opinion is probably you accidentally pushed your nails a little too deep when you pulled me out off the well. My opinion. . ." she smirked slightly. ". . .Is that you failed."
". . .What do you mean?"
She sighed, and looked at him. "Don't ask." She started walking back to the village, letting Inuyasha trail her with distrust. "Because you don't want to know."
~*~
Time to poke someone. . .
Author: Well, I'm on a sugar low, suddenly, and my vision is glazing over, and I'm getting dizzy. Someone call and ambulance!
Inuyasha: Wuzzat?
Author: . . .The thing I want you to call.
Inuyasha: I've got the feeling I'm missing something. And how do I call it?
Author: With the telephone.
Inuyasha: Wuzzat?
Author: Damn it, get a dictionary!
Inuyasha: . . .What's that!
Author: Shut up, or I'm gonna turn you into a puppy again!
Inuyasha: *winces* That's blackmail, and mean.
Author: *sighs* You don't have to tell me I'm mean in such a roundabout way. . .
Inuyasha: I'm not. Merely pointing it out in a strange way.
Author: . . .You're lucky you're not Miroku, or you'd be dead right now.
Inuyasha: Why?
Author: Because, you're pissing me off.
Inuyasha: No, why am I still alive because I'm me and not him?
Author: Because he doesn't have the ears.
Inuyasha: No. . .but Meg said he had some invention from your time. I think it was beaten cream. . .
Author: *laugh* You mean whipped cream?
Inuyasha: Yeah. He was putting it on a deer, because he said you said it tasted good on food. . .
Author: *winces* That's gonna suck. Poor Miroku.
*a loud shout is heard, followed by someone cursing and saying mean things about the author*
Author: . . .Well, I'd better be going. . .
Inuyasha: Yep.
~*~
Today's Use: 73 ". . ."
Current Record: 73, previously 52.