Hello, all. FF.net is being an ass recently. I couldn't upload the chapter for days! It's sort of short compared to most of mine...sorry about that. I just got Diablo II and my attention has been...*ahem* otherwise occupied. I'm changing my email address. My yahoo! one seems to be auto-deleting all messages sent to me that are not in my address book, so for future reference send messages to vi@moreaufamily.us until further notified. I'm borrowing this email addy until I can get a better one else where. STORY AHOY!

Chapter 13: A Meeting And A Chase

Tobias ran along the sidewalk. Contrary to popular belief, he hated cars and always went by foot if possible. Besides, it wasn't that far to go. As he jogged along, he was thinking very hard. He was so deep in thought, that he completely missed the young woman on the sidewalk ahead of him and ran straight into her.

He caught the brunt of it and went flying. The woman gasped and ran to him. She helped him up.

"Are you okay? 'Cause you went flying like that, and that would really hurt if I did that, and-" Words failed her as Tobias raised his head and looked at her face.

"T-Tobias?" she stammered.

Tobias's eyes widened. "Lasako? What are you doing here?" He was about to inquire further when Lasako flung her arms around him with a squeal of excitement.

"Ohmygawd, it's so great to see you again! It's been so long! Remember all the stuff we used to do together? How we would go to the movies, and go to the galleries, and make out near the park at midnight? Remember?" Her raving was cut short when she saw the closed, angry expression on Tobias's face. "Tobias? What's wrong?"

He lit a cigarette and refused to meet her eyes. "I haven't forgotten what you did to me."

Lasako looked confused. "What did I do?"

"Kenny," Tobias snapped.

"I thought you were dead!"

"I told you where I was!"

"You were gone for a year! That might not seem too long to you, but it is to me! I thought you had finally caught up with him!"

Tobias looked crestfallen. "No, he slipped through my fingers again." He looked into her eyes sorrowfully. "In a way, I'm sort of glad I couldn't catch him," he whispered. "I don't know what will happen when we finally meet again."

"That's not important!" squealed Lasako. "What's important is that we're TOGETHER AGAIN! We can finally do all the cool things that we haven't done ever since you left!"

"What about your little boyfriend?" muttered Tobias.

Lasako's expression turned swiftly to wrath. "He did something I will totally NOT forgive him for. The jerk-off."

"Oh...I'm sorry." Tobias did not sound sorry in the least.

Lasako shrugged it off. "Kenny can roast in the seventh level of hell for all I care. I never forgot about you, Tobias. You should know that. But now we can be a couple again, like we used to. You know I wouldn't forget about you..." She stepped forward and cupped Tobias's cheek in her hand. "You know I still love you." The way she said it, he knew there was no doubting it.

Tobias smiled. "I'm sorry I got upset. I should have known. I...I still love you too." She smiled back.

"How about you come over to my place? I want you to meet Bob! He's my computer."

"You know I'd love to..." Tobias looked as though all was forgiven. Which it was. "But I'm leaving again. And soon." Lasako's face fell. "He's closer than ever, Lasako. I have to go after him. We both know that."

"Don't go...not after I just found you again..." Tobias smiled.

"Don't worry, Lasako. I will come back for you." His voice dropped for a whisper. "I promise." She hugged him tightly, or as tightly as she could considering his armor. She leaned her head back and kissed him lightly. Lasako released him, then slowly walked away.

"I promise!" Tobias called out after her. She turned and grinned at him. Tobias began running again.

I thought she had forgotten all about me. This is good. I'd better come back, or else she'll never let me forget it. He smiled inwardly at this. I wonder where he is now? Tobias stretched his senses out to see if he noticed anything. It hit him like a ton of bricks. Oh, shit...he's heading for Kagome and Inuyasha! Tobias abruptly changed directions and rushed back towards Kagome's house.

This was no jog through the park, though. Tobias whistled through the air, faster than any car on the street. People blinked and started at the blur that passed by them on the sidewalk. Too slow... he thought grimly. He took a mighty leap and landed on one of the rooftops. He bounded from rooftop to rooftop at blinding speeds, heading on a straight vector to Kagome's house.

Inuyasha was sitting near the window. His ears pricked up at an approaching noise, which was closing in rapidly. He stood up abruptly and stared out the window, trying to identify what it was.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome approached. "What is it?"

"Something's coming..." he muttered. "It's really fast. It's-" His keen eyes caught a glimpse of a billowing cape and black armor. "Tobias?!"

Tobias hurtled towards the house, clearing the roof with one flying leap. Inuyasha ran out the back door to follow him. Tobias dashed through the backyard, came to the shrine, and burst through the door like it was made of air. He jumped into the well...

...and landed at the bottom with a thud.

Inuyasha came in through the shattered remains of the door and peered into the well. Tobias barely noticed him. He seems to have just vanished...nah, it wasn't him. I'm probably still feeling the effects of last night. Tobias climbed out of the well. Inuyasha glowered at him.

"What?"

"Why did you come rushing in here? And how can you run that fast?"

Tobias seemed unruffled by Inuyasha's glare. He took out his cigarettes and lit one. He puffed on it for a minute before responding.

"I've always been able to run fast. And I thought somebody was in here."

Kagome came up behind Inuyasha. "Tobias, you came in here like a bat out of hell! Why were you going so fast?"

"I thought somebody was in here," Tobias repeated. "But it was just a figment of my imagination. Don't worry about it."

Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged glances. Inuyasha spoke up.

"We've thought about it...and we've decided. You can come with us." Tobias brightened. "But only for a few days!" Inuyasha warned. "After that, you can go straight back home." Tobias's expression became odd and unreadable.

"Home..." he whispered. "I don't have a home..." Pulling himself together, he looked Inuyasha straight in the eye. "So how is it we get to the past?"

Inuyasha pointed to the well. "Go down there."

Tobias started. "I just went down there, and I ate dirt at the bottom."

"Only a few people can travel through the well, and usually you need a jewel shard," Kagome broke in. Tobias seemed lost in thought.

Does that mean...could he have...no, that isn't possible. He doesn't have a 'shard'. I must have drunk way too much last night. Tobias grinned at the two in the doorway.

"So...shall we?"

REVIEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! And to Lasako: I hope I got your *ahem* unique personality right.