Kouga closed his eyes and wondered what she was doing.
Of course, he didn't have much time to ponder that because a wind blade gouged a slash in the tree an inch from his left ear.
Kouga yelped in surprise and scrambled to his feet, all while checking to make sure his long, full ponytail was still there. There was only one person that could have attacked him like that. "Kagura?"
"You (bleep)ing bastard! How dare you stand me up!"
"I didn't feel like-" Kouga began and then had to jump for cover as Kagura attacked again.
"You didn't feel like it! I'm the one that got my arm broken! I'm the one that got into an argument with Sesshoumaru! I'm the one that had to sleep on the bare ground last couple of nights to prove a point! And I'm the one that was the one friggin' stood up! Prepare yourself for an ass whoopin' wolf!"
Kouga stuck his head out from around the boulder he was hiding behind. "Hey, your love life isn't my fault! If you have a problem with your inbred dog- Eep!" he yelled back and then ducked to avoid the wind blade aimed at his head.
~*~*~
"Jaken-sama? When do you think Kagura-sama will come back?" Rin asked, while swinging her legs back and forth from the low-hanging tree limb she was sitting on.
"It's about time she left. Yet another female to delay Sesshoumaru-sama and my travels." Jaken snorted in disdain, remembering those golden times with Sesshoumaru where they patrolled the lands together without neither woman nor child to slow there quest for power for Sesshoumaru-sama.
"But Jaken-sama, I would have thought you'd want Kagura-sama to come back. I thought you said you lived to make Sesshoumaru-sama happy."
Jaken blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Well, he's been so sad ever since she left." Rin looked over at her lord sitting under a tree on the other end of the clearing, who was staring off into the distance
Jaken followed her gaze to the serene-faced Sesshoumaru staring off into the distance. "Rin, can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, Jaken-sama!" Rin said brightly.
"How can you tell?"
~*~*~
Kouga scrambled backward on his butt, until he could feel the wall of a cliff behind him and even then he still wanted to continue crab-crawling away. He was doomed and he knew it.
All the other times he'd faced her the situation was different. Whether on order from Naraku or in their duels, she had a cynical yet gleeful wit that remained with Kouga long after the wounds she gave faded. At first, it had infuriated him, but now he'd give anything to heard her sweet mocking and to know she wasn't angry.
Kouga never knew Kagura could look as frightening as she did towering over him, backlit by the moon. Her normal wry smirk was gone, vanished along with the sparkle in her eyes, leaving only a blank sort of cold loathing in its place. Kouga's instincts wanted him to cower and whimper, but he could barely get up, and in any case, his mind was warning him that no amount of showing throat would win him a shred of mercy.
"Well, that was a nice workout." Kagura remarked as her mouth widening into a sincere smile. Adrenaline still pumping in his veins, Kouga flinched a bit when she bent over to ruffle his bangs companionably. "I think I'm relaxed enough to go make up with his mighty asshole-ness."
Kouga opened his eyes and stared at her retreating form, readying her giant feather. Feeling used, confused, and above all abused, Kouga couldn't let her leave without saying something to try salvaging some of his male pride. "Hey! What the f*** was that about? If you're going to attack me, don't stop to do your nails or talk about your love life!"
Kagura ignored Kouga's comment. She gave him one last glance over her should as she climbed onto her feather. "Never make me wait again."
Kouga couldn't help but shake his head, ruefully, as he got up. He dusted himself off, and began to limp off.
"Crazy bitch. Who understands women, anyway?"
~*~*~
Kagura took a deep breath. It was now or nothing and she really hated sleeping without her bedroll.
Sesshoumaru looked up at the sudden arrival of Kagura atop her feather in the middle of the clearing.
"Kagura-sama!" Rin squealed as she jumped down from her tree branch and ran up to the demoness but was stopped by Sesshoumaru standing up and barring her way. She looked up questioning at her hero and stood there.
Kagura faltered for a second then stood up taller and sneered at Sesshoumaru, staring him straight in the eye. "Well?"
Sesshoumaru frowned and looked away. He was a mighty demonlord not a child. He was almost completely sure he didn't do anything wrong.
Kagura, seeing that Sesshoumaru wasn't going to respond, stomped over to her pack, still on Ah-Uh's broad back. "Fine then! If you have nothing to say to me then I don't have anything to say to you! See ya around, Sesshy."
"But Kagura-sama! You can't go! You promised you'd teach me how to dance!" Rin protested and tugged on Sesshoumaru's sleeve. "Sesshoumaru-sama, please ask her to stay."
Kagura stopped. About a day or two before she left, Jaken had ridiculed Rin as clumsy when she had tripped while skipping.It was then that she had told Rin she would teach the child.
"Rin," Kagura sighed as she angrily ran her hand through her bangs. "This really isn't the time-"
"But it'll never be the time if you leave us." Rin quietly said, hurt and started to pout. Her large eyes appearing even larger with the tears quivering in them. Kagura looked and regretted it as she felt her gut twist with guilt. She cursed under her breath.
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and looked away. "Promises should be fulfilled." He commented.
On principle, Kagura glared at him for ganging up on her with the child, then softened.
"Maybe I'll stay for a little while. For just the dancing lessons, mind you. Then no more promises!" Kagura said, her dignity appeased.
"Very well." Sesshoumaru nodded regally and turned away, hiding the tiny lifting of one corner of his lips.
***
A/N: Showing throat is a natural wolf ritual. When 2 wolves battle for dominance, one of them can roll on their bellys or show there throat at any time to end the fight and instantly be forgiven because they had acknowledged the dominance of the other wolf.
And now onto the omake which is actually different this week!
"Yes!" Kouga nearly wept openly. "No more stupid hotspring omakes!"
---
Your screen is blank and then our beloved main character, Inuyasha
is shown.
"Hello, guys." The perky, fake sounding voice of a television announcer is heard. "Are you a date-less loser with no lovin'?"
Inuyasha glares at the camera. "Hey! Why are you zooming on me as an example!"
"Are you tired of having every Friday night free but are dreading the 'club scene'?"
"I'll have you know-" Inuyasha became frustrated. "Shut up!" He then runs off camera to go sulk.
"Have you tried dealing with those *other* lesser services where they try fixing you up with every desperate, pathetic, loser in a tri-city area? Are you tired of their endless questions and personality tests? Well we have a solution. Presenting to you THE CHIBI DATING SERVICE ADVANTAGE!"
The camera shot changes to show dozens of super- saccharin cute children posing and looking generally ... cute.
The Anouncer continues. "The truth is *Chicks dig Kids!* Forget questions. The Chibi Dating Service just gives you a cute child to hang out with and make you look like a caring person. Before you know it, you'll be nurturing your way into the heart (and panties) of the girl of your dreams! Listen to this testimonial!"
"Hello." Miroku smile glints at the screen. "Once I was a wandering priest with a even more wandering hand. No matter how hard I tried, I could get no girl to bear me a son to carry my line. But since I've been traveling with my assigned Chibi, Shippou," Shippou smiles from where's he munching some sort of candy, "I'm starting to get swamped with beautiful village girls every town I visit! Women just melt. Sooner or later I'll convince the hottie I want to bear my child!"
"Houshi-sama? What are you doing?" Sango approaches, irrate.
Miroku winks at the camera and then turns to Sango. "Hey Sango, isn't Shippou cute?" He says shoving Shippou into Sango's face. Shippou give her a super, big eyed look as he licks his lollipop ultra cute because he knows if he fulfills his duties Miroku will take him swimming in the river! (Shippou> Yay!)
Sango blinks and takes Shippou, softening instantly. She begins to actually smile.
Miroku turns to the camera and gives the thumbs up sign. "Thank you, Chibi Dating Service!"
"Chibi Dating Service can also help heal things over with your current girl." The announcer shoves a microphone at Sesshoumaru, who regards the mic and announcer with the same degree of neutral loathing. "Tell our viewers how having a cute child around saved the relationship you ruined with your pigheaded pride!"
". . . "Sesshoumaru glares at the announcer and briefly considers destroying the impertinent mortal. Instead, he just turns around and leaves.
The Announcer continue, unruffled and the scene changes to show Kouga and his crew. "See, these guys don't use our service. No cuteness at all. Completely hopeless."
"Who the hell are you?! Who are you calling hopeless!?" Kouga jumps to his feet and has to be held back by Hakkaku.
"Boss, remember your blood pressure!" Hakkaku struggled to keep his beloved leader back.
"What do you mean we're not cute!"Ginta sniffled.
The Anouncer sweatdrops offscreen. "Okay, you're slightly cute. But not chibi cute. Anyway, call 555-KIDS for the Chibi Dating Service. You'll dig us, 'cause chicks dig kids."
---
And now the second omake of the evening!
"What do you mean ' second omake'?" Kouga growled.
Well somehow the author has to apologize for the last 2 chapters being
short. Plus, I like running
gags. Here we go!
---
Seeing the vague profile of someone with delicate...
"Okay, I get it already. Who else would be setup to mistake Kagura for?" Kouga mused to himself. "Sango's still left. Hm. Even if she's a human, she's pretty hot. And she does like leather. I can deal with that. It would actually be fun!."
(and somewhere Miroku feels the sudden urge to use his Kazaana.)
... amid the cloud of steam in a clearing, Kouga could see that his victim hadn't been alerted to his presence. Now he had the advantage of surprise and planned on using it.
Kouga charged through the underbrush and the tendrils of steam obscuring his prey.
"Bitch! I have you n-!" Kouga began to yell as he prepared to throw a punch, but his step faltered for a split second as he was startled by the wide-eyed look given to him. Unfortunately, his forward momentum caused him to still plow into his victim and tackle him to the ground.
"AHHH! Anyone but Dog-turd!" Kouga screamed to the heavens, then looked around himself paranoidly to the sudden appearance of bubbles and sparkles as the background became pastel shades.
"Get offa me! Get offa me! Get offa me!" screamed Inuyasha, probably having a Jakotsu flashback.
"Inuyasha, are you al-?" Kagome asked as she and the rest of the group rushed into clearing to see what caused Inuyasha to be so alarmed. The sight that hit them caused them to freeze, except for Miroku who covered Shippou's eyes. (Miroku> That is just wrong.)
"AH! THIS ISN'T WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!" both Inuyasha and Kouga protested in unison, but the sudden, random, almost orgasmic spurt of sakura petals behind them didn't help their case.
"Kagome?" Sango turned to comfort her no-doubt heartbroken friend.
Kagome just turned around and shrugged. "At least, he didn't dump me for Kikyou."