I LIIIIIIIIIIIVE! After such a long drought, I return to you now to give you the next installment. And let me tell you, it's a doozy. I am pleased to note that Jamie's poem has received 6 reviews, so on with the story!
Chapter 23: What The...
Miroku and Sango walked unsteadily outside. Their wounds made it painful to even walk. Sango turned to Tobias.
"So you're Tobias?"
"Yes," Tobias said. He puffed on his cigarette. "Let me get that for you..." He unsheathed his sword. They flinched, but in a few decisive strokes Tobias had cut off their manacles.
"As I was saying. I'm Tobias, and I've been traveling with Inuyasha and Kagome for the last few days. I've heard about you, but upon finding the village it became clear you were not there. What happened to that place, anyway?"
"You have seen what I am capable of. You will not tell anyone. On pain of death."
"Naraku," said Miroku confidently.
"Ah. I've run into him before." Before Tobias could get any further, both Miroku and Sango interrupted him.
"Who are you?"
"How did you do that?"
Tobias grinned and cast away his cigarette. "Long story. It starts when those two came to a bar I was at..." He began his explanation.
(A/N: I really don't want to write about all of what he says. I'll be here all night writing. Suffice it to say that he explains everything, even his powers.)
"And then I found Inuyasha fighting Sesshomaru. Kagome was gone. The two of us teamed up and sent Sesshomaru flying, and then we went after Kagome and...you saw the rest."
"That's really interesting. So where did you get that sword?" Sango asked.
"Ah..." A faint tinge of red appeared on Tobias's cheeks. "That's...better left unsaid."
"A mystery man, then?" Miroku said calmly. "Doesn't matter. As long as you're not working for Naraku..."
Tobias scowled. "Don't even suggest that I work for that bastard. What he did to me I'll never forget. And he won't like me when I find him again..." His sword glowed ever so slightly. Regaining his composure, he checked his watch. "WHAT? It's been HOW long?" He stormed into the cave. Inuyasha and Kagome were still passionately kissing, locked in an embrace.
Kagome broke away, looking flustered at Tobias's entry. "Uh...Tobias! Hi! Um...how long have we been here?"
"Half an hour," growled Tobias, jabbing an irate finger at his watch. Kagome looked back at Inuyasha.
"That's got to be some sort of record," she giggled. Inuyasha seemed reluctant to let her go, wounded as she was, but she stubbornly refused any help as she tottered out of the cave. They approached Miroku and Sango.
"How long have you and Inuyasha been together?" asked Miroku automatically. Kagome blushed deeply. Inuyasha gave a small smile and looked away.
"Just a few days." Their stuff had lain in a pile at the back of the cave, mysteriously untouched. Miroku, Sango, and Kagome had re-equipped themselves. Kagome hoisted her pack up a little. "Let's go then!" She then collapsed. Inuyasha dove to catch her.
"Let's go? Surely you jest. Not with three out of five of us wounded like this. We'd better wait until you get better."
"Tobias is right," said Inuyasha. "I don't want you getting really hurt, Kagome."
"What are they then, chopped liver?" said Tobias mockingly. "One might think you don't even care about the rest of us."
"I do! I mean...of course I don't, but...well...if you're hurt, it'll just slow all of us down. We'll rest a few days, then," said Inuyasha, annoyed. Tobias laughed.
"So the mighty Inuyasha has a soft spot for his friends. How sweet." He laughed no more, as Inuyasha gripped his throat.
"Shut up!" he growled. He released Tobias, who massaged his neck uneasily. "We'll stay in the cave. It should keep us safe for a few days, anyway."
"I don't see why we shouldn't send out the witch now!" raged Naraku.
"I have already told you, my liege. The spell only lasts a few days. Were we to send the witch now, the effect would be negated. The girl will not be ready for at least three more weeks. Possibly more. I shall have to observe carefully." The General began to walk out, but was stopped by Naraku.
"If this doesn't work..." Naraku threw him a death glare, which seemingly had no effect. Naraku stomped out. The General watched him go with as little emotion as ever.
"Pig-headed, stupid, arrogant, is there no fault that this Naraku does not have? It matters not. Once the spell has taken effect, the jewel will be mine and he will not get in my way." The General lay down on his bed without taking anything off. "Patience is the key."
The next weeks passed without great incident. Kagome made a fuss about everyone's injuries until Inuyasha, in a loud shouting match, agreed to let them stay there for a full week.
"But not one second longer," he snarled as he dug into his ramen. Tobias, in shifts, passed around his sword for fifteen-second increments over the week until everyone was healed. He was approached several times about increasing the time of his lendings, but he refused point-blank to leave himself powerless for any longer. After that, they set off again, now a full group.
Whereupon they were immediately beset by all numbers of beasts, demons, vermin, and other creatures that Inuyasha suspected Naraku was sending. With Tobias's help, and Miroku and Sango acting as reinforcements, the group dispatched wave after wave of demons. Then, inexplicably, they stopped.
Nothing happened for the next few days. Not a demon showed its face. Inuyasha was increasingly puzzled by the lack of enemies. Tobias suspected foul play, but nobody paid attention to him. It seemed that Miroku and Sango had grown closer as well. There was the odd grope and slap, but mostly they seemed to be much friendlier and more intimate than they had in the past.
Inuyasha and Kagome were closer as well. Tobias seemed finally to have stopped interrupting everything that they did together, so they were free to *ahem* enjoy each other's company. Inuyasha knew that he could not claim Kagome until she agreed, but for the moment he was content to make out with her with increasing frequency and intensity.
"I'm BORED!!!" roared Tobias. He kicked a tree. "We haven't seen a demon in over three weeks, and there's NOTHING TO DO!!"
"Well, I warned you about this before you came. This is what it's like sometimes," Kagome said as they walked.
"Yeah, well, at least you have Inuyasha and Miroku has Sango. I haven't seen Lasako or anyone for that matter in weeks! The best I can do is talk to him," he added, pointing at Inuyasha. He was soon punched.
"This is crap. I'm going-" But where Tobias was going, nobody ever knew. For at that moment, a bolt of lightning struck the ground in front of them and a figure emerged from the flash of light.
Old, wizened, and very ugly, a dumpy little witch hovered about eight feet off the ground in front of them. There was a wart on the end of her nose, her teeth were black and broken, she had more wrinkles than a poorly folded road map, and she wore all black, with a pointy black hat to complete the ensemble. When she spoke, her voice floated out as if it had not been used in a hundred years.
"Eins, Zwei! Eins, Zwei! Und durch und durch
Sein vorpals Schwert zerschnifer-schnück,
Da blieb es todt! Er, Kopf in Hand,
Geläumfig zog zurück."
She shot a beam of blue lightning at Kagome. It hit her and illuminated her as she screamed. In an instant, Inuyasha launched at her with Tetsusaiga, only to hear her hoarse laugh as the blade passed right through her as if she was made of smoke. Tobias tried the same thing, with similar results.
The spell abruptly ended. Kagome dropped, unconscious. Miroku rushed to her side as Inuyasha and Tobias faced down the witch. She smiled slowly. Not for effect, but in all her years she had forgotten how. She looked pointedly at Inuyasha.
"What have you done to her?" shouted Inuyasha.
"With your heightened sense of smell,
This surely will be living hell."
The witch cackled in vile amusement. Inuyasha had no idea what she meant.
"What did you DO?" roared Tobias.
"You will find out soon enough,
These spells of mine are all quite rough."
Inuyasha abandoned the witch to dash to Kagome's side. "Is she okay?" he almost yelled at Miroku.
"She's okay. Her pulse is normal, and she's breathing. She's still unconscious, though." With a howl, Inuyasha snatched up his sword and charged the witch again, only to have his attack go right through her frail body without even leaving a mark.
"That attack won't work on me,
I'm not as fragile as a bee!"
She cackled again and swooped off. Tobias swept in her direction, pausing for an instant to turn back to the two.
"Miroku! Sango! Follow me! We can catch her! Inuyasha, stay with Kagome!" The three left. Inuyasha cradled Kagome in his arms.
"Kagome..." he whispered. "Please be all right..." To his great surprise, Kagome blinked and awakened.
"Inuyasha?" she said feebly. "What happened?"
"That witch hit you with a spell. I think she got it wrong, though. You're not hurt, are you?" he added anxiously. Kagome stood up.
"I feel fine," she muttered. "A little dizzy, but..."
"Then sit down." Inuyasha made her sit. He held her tightly in his arms. "It'll be all right, Kagome," he said soothingly. "I'm here for you."
"I'm fine, Inuyasha," said Kagome unconvincingly. She gave up and hugged him back. "I'm fine," she whispered.
"Kagome..." said Inuyasha. "I love y-" At that instant, he caught the scent.
Kagome's scent had changed, in that instant. Had Inuyasha been coherent, he would have identified it as Kagome's heat. But instead of subtly teasing his nose and simply annoying him, like it always did, this new aroma was so overwhelmingly powerful that it completely overpowered Inuyasha's thoughts.
His human side did not get so much as a say in things as the sheer force of these pheromones caused his demon side to rise up and assert total control. His thoughts turned to only one instinct:
Mate with Kagome.
In the blink of an eye, Inuyasha pinned Kagome to the ground. He shredded off her clothes and disrobed as quickly as was demonically possible.
"Inuyasha?!" shrieked Kagome. "What's going on?"
He heard her voice so faintly it was as if she had shouted it from miles away.
Meaningless noise. Mate with Kagome.
"HELP!" screamed Kagome. She looked at his eyes and saw that they had changed from their familiar golden hue to a deep scarlet. She knew this meant only one thing: his demon side had taken control. He tore off the last of his clothes and pinned Kagome to the ground. He was almost drooling with primal anticipation. Somebody...anybody...help...
Oh, you'd just LOVE me to end it here, wouldn't you. I know you would. And so I will. Don't worry, sports fans, I'll get the next chapter up by tomorrow! I just have a bit of...writer's block. Yeah, that's it. *grins evilly* REVIEW!
I've already told you of Jamie's poem, but he insists that I mention it again. Sometimes he insists with an aluminum bat. So, here it is. FictionPress.com, Poetry, Life, Fantasy/Supernatural, PG13, "The soothing of a Savage Soul". Go to it, I say!
And Lasako: When you review this chapter, give me an email address of yours that actually works. I wanted to put another bit with you in the story, but I should really run it by you first. So please do that.