*Commits seppuku*
Well, not really, but it's the only way I could think of for penance. Eleven days without an update...my heart bleeds. (Literally. Everyone's heart bleeds.) But seriously, I'm really sorry. I got swept up in the Christmas season, coupled with the whole deal with deleting chapters and breaking up older ones into newer ones, then I had to install Windows XP on my computer and forgot to install Word, and there was also a fair bit of just plain laziness. So, I'm really sorry. Please, forgive me...?
Anyway. The story has taken quite the depressing turn lately, and I decided that that was quite enough of that. So, this chapter, and the next few, is going back to the old playful style with which I wrote the first dozen or so chapters. You know. Fun-type.
Oh yes, one more important thing. I was thinking, "Maybe I could include THIS plot element in the story." But then I realized that it wouldn't fit. So, I began to think...what if I were to write ANOTHER story? Not a sequel, a completely different story. I'm seriously considering it... REVIEWS!!!
Kai19: I'm fairly certain Sango made sure Shippo didn't see too much. But yeah, Inuyasha was kind of in full-instinct mode right about then. * It's hard to write about suicide and living with the undead, isn't it? * There's a definite reason...(I just haven't thought of it yet. Don't tell anyone.) Oh crap, did I just write that out loud? * Hate to say it, but I have no clue what Bakuryuuha is. I haven't seen the entire series. * I kind of do think like you, don't I? * Kaede sacrificed herself to save Kagome. It's as simple as that. It was a difficult decision to make, but one she made quite honorably. * Just try not to mention updating in a timely fashion to me, okay? I'm still tarnished with the shame of this one...
Inufan101: See above for what took me.
Ryguy5387: I've decided that there were too many cliffhangers.
Silver Warrior: They do, but there's a bit of a problem. And yeah, Tobias is kind of a dolt sometimes.
AssassinReiX: Whenever I can? Sure thing. I've been doing it that way for 48 chapters now.
lunarinuyasha: I do that a lot, sending in plot elements from deep right field.
CharMoonshineINU: Yes. Yes, she did.
slvrstarlight: *twitch* Why will you say, that I am mad? *twitch* The disease had sharpened my senses, *twitch* not dulled them, *twitch* not destroyed them. *twitch twitch* Right. Enough of Edgar Allen Poe. And the flexible comment? Ehh...reread Chapter 39 and figure it out for yourself.
hersheykiss1012: It's not close to over, but it will end eventually. Don't worry though...I have an idea for a NEW story.
Megu-Sama: That much *cough* exertion would tire anyone out. Out of curiosity, how did you post those little symbols in your review???
inu_babe666: It does, doesn't it. It's all part of my master plan, to ensnare all that read. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
LewdaKris: Bear in mind that I have no idea what you're talking about. If it's a compliment, thanks very much.
Saki: Well, now you know what it's like...ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CLIFFHANGER! MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Hino Mitsukiko: I know, but I leave out all those superfluous 'u's. They aren't pronounced and they aren't in the American version. I always thought Tessaiga was a gross misspelling. *Sweatdrops* A little insane, are we? And I didn't know about all those other attacks. Let us assume, for the moment...neither does he.
draca8u: TUBA r0xx0rs your b0xx0rs!!
Rushyuo: All things considered, it's a good thing you don't know my address. Else it might be like that Stephen King story "Misery".
DemonSorceress: I know. I know. Sorry. Explained above.
Jeanne-chan56: Reading the whole thing in one go takes quite a bit. You should be proud. Of course, so should I. BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! Yes, it is quite long. I never planned it to be THAT long...things just turned out that way.
JUNA: She *might* be pregnant again...think about it. I have a thing for Inu/Kag stories. In my eyes, that's just how it was meant to be. Sesshomaru is not meant for Kagome...Inuyasha beating the General? Improbable. You've seen the General's might. Now, if Inuyasha were to team up with some other(s)...I really don't know as much about Miroku and Sango's personality as much as Kagome and Inuyasha's, so yeah, they're kind of in the background.
cinnamin girl: Well, how ELSE would you propose Kagome escape? Hmm? I'm waiting...Seriously, that was the best way I could think of. You can count on me to update...(and in the future, hopefully in a more timely fashion!)
SSSSSSTTTTTTOOOOOORRRRRRYYYYYY!!!!!!
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Chapter 48: A Compromising Situation
Tobias stirred. Shaking himself from the languor that for him, supplanted sleep; he looked around at his companions...all sleeping. He looked up...the sun was rising. He pricked up his ears...silence from the clearing.
He stood up, stretched, yawned, and chanced a peek through the foliage to where Inuyasha and Kagome had *ahem* lain. Tobias didn't see any movement. Heh. They finally tired themselves out. Hoping that nobody else was awake, he crept out.
Whereupon he immediately averted his eyes. The glimpse that Tobias had caught had revealed to him quite a bit of Inuyasha and Kagome that he had never planned on seeing. That, and Inuyasha will rip my throat out if he thinks I'm peeking at Kagome. Looking away, he started to retreat back into the brush; but, not actually looking where he was going, he smashed into a tree.
Tobias bit his tongue to stop from cursing aloud as he rubbed his forehead. His attention was diverted, however, by a soft crackle noise. Looking over to the tree, he saw the last of its very dry, very crunchy dead leaves falling around it. Impact must have knocked them loose, he thought with some chagrin. Whatever.
He began to take a step out, but halted as the crunch of leaves underfoot caused him to freeze. Behind him, he could hear Inuyasha mumble something in his sleep. Dammit! Tobias thought furiously. If I try to walk out that way, Inuyasha will hear me, wake up, and give me a beating I wouldn't soon forget for intruding on him and Kagome. Looking around, he observed with a sinking feeling that it was pretty much solid bushes and trees, all with dry leaves, surrounding the clearing.
Figures the leaves would be dead...there hasn't been any rain for a long time. The last major weather was the General's blizzard, and hell if that didn't kill the trees instead of watering them. He held his head in his hands. Okay, Tobias, just stay calm. You're trapped in the clearing from hell with an extremely protective dog demon and his unclothed mate. Gotta think of a plan. He paced about. I'm on a bit of a timer here...they could wake up at any minute.
I could just wake them up like they are now...but Inuyasha would give me the aforementioned beating. He resumed his pacing. Hey...I could cover them with their clothes! Shielding his gaze from them with his hand, Tobias walked into the clearing. A quick look around informed him that their clothes were nowhere in the vicinity.
Okay...if I were clothes torn off in preparation for a frenzied bout of mating, where would I be? Tobias looked around as best he could while still managing not to look at the two lovers. Nothing. Then a glimpse of red caught his eye. He looked up.
Inuyasha's fire-rat kimono hung in the topmost branches of a tall tree. Well, shit. Tobias silently flung his arms into the air in exasperation. How in the hell did that get up there? An image flashed into his mind, of Inuyasha frantically flinging off his kimono, and it landing in the tree.
Okay. Didn't need to think about that. But now to the problem at hand... Tobias stroked his chin thoughtfully. I could probably jump up there, but I am wearing full-plate armor. The noise I'd make during the landing would most likely wake up Inuyasha...and that wouldn't end well at all. Screw that idea.
Tobias heard a mumbling sound, and he quickly turned in Inuyasha's direction. Cursing himself silently, he turned back just as quickly in the other direction. Inuyasha had just apparently turned over in his sleep. There wasn't a danger...yet.
There will be soon, though. I gotta act fast. Thoughts raced through Tobias's head. All right. What about Kagome's clothes? Wasn't she wearing that odd set of robes? Looking about, though, failed to reveal them. Tobias paced around the whole clearing. Dammit! Where could they- He almost groaned aloud at what he now saw.
The tattered fragments of what used to be Kagome's clothes decorated the bushes and trees. Oh...great job, Inuyasha. A little overenthusiastic, are we? Tobias shook his head. Well, who could question the motives of a crazed half-demon in the throes of mating? He was about to move away when a sparkle caught his eye. Kneeling down to have a look, he saw one of the Shikon shards gleaming in the sunlight.
Whoa! The shards? Kagome must have brought them with her...goddammit, Inuyasha, did you have to shred her clothes? I'll be lucky to find them all... He was rather lucky, in fact; he found a still-intact pocket of her robes with the shards in them. After a quick check to see if he had missed anything, Tobias pocketed the shards. He looked back quickly to see Inuyasha's eyes flutter. The hanyou started to move.
SHIT!!! I'm out of time! What do I do? Think, think, think... Tobias thought so hard, his head hurt. He whirled around this way and that, to see if there was a way of leaving the clearing without really rousing Inuyasha. As he did, his cape billowed into his face.
Stupid piece of – MY CAPE! Tobias fumbled with the neck clasp, finally managing to get it off without destroying it, and flung it over the two lovers – just as Inuyasha awoke.
Inuyasha awoke. (A/N: Imagine that.) His mind was in a haze. Everything seemed to be blurry and indistinct, except for Kagome's warm body pressed against his. She still seemed to be asleep.
He registered the presence of some sort of material covering him and Kagome. Didn't much matter. Looking around, Inuyasha saw that they were in a clearing. The sun had just about risen.
He could feel Kagome stirring beside him and knew that she would wake up soon. His lips curved upward in a slow smile as he remembered their previous *ahem* activities. He hugged her closer to him, savoring the feel of her skin against his, rubbing against her lightly.
Kagome's eyes blinked and she squirmed a little. A breath of a moan escaped her lips. Inuyasha's smile grew broader. He took his hand and traced it around her face with his fingers. Her breath tickled his face.
Inuyasha drew his hand down her body with a feather-light touch; over her breast, down her stomach, to her inner thigh. His fingers started to creep slowly upwards.
Unfortunately for him, Kagome chose that moment to awaken. The feel of his hand on her like that had finally broken her sleeping state. She reached down between them and gently took his hand in hers.
"Inuyasha..." she murmured. "You could have at least waited for me to wake up." She smiled at him as he captured her lips in a kiss. She led his hand back up before finally unclasping it.
"Mate," he whispered. "Kagome...why did you stop me?"
"Honestly?" She giggled a little. "I'm kind of sore...down there." Inuyasha's smile increased just a hair. He was obviously proud of his *ahem* accomplishments.
She pretend-hit him. "Stop smiling! It's your fault. I don't even think I'll be able to walk today."
"Who says you're gonna be doing any walking?" Inuyasha whispered in her ear. Kagome's heartbeat quickened just a bit as Inuyasha's questing hand slipped down between them again.
Inuyasha's fingers dipped into her belly button, making her pant and giggle at the same time. He covered her lips with his in an intense kiss, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as his hand crept downwards. Right before he reached his goal, he stopped, tracing lazy circles around with his thumb.
Kagome almost whined in disappointment at his delaying of her gratification. Her pain had temporarily fled her mind. But Inuyasha held back still.
"Kagome..." he began. "I was just thinking."
"A-about what?" Kagome whimpered.
"About how I love you so much that I would give my life to save you in a second. About how we'll always be together, to the end of our days. About..." He looked deeply into her eyes. "About how, when I'm with you, everything else seems to just...disappear." Kagome's eyes glossed over. "I love you, Kagome. And I always will. Forever."
"Oh, Inuyasha..." she murmured. "Words can't even tell how much I love you." She was crying now, with tears of pure joy. She hugged him to her tightly, trying to forget all the horrible things around them, trying to just lose herself in the moment with the man she loved. With the beautiful hanyou she loved so much. Kagome kissed him again.
But, slowly, Inuyasha became aware of something. There was someone else in this clearing...he could smell them. The fog in his brain stopped him from realizing exactly who it was, but all he had to do was look.
He reluctantly broke his kiss with Kagome to look around. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. Tobias was lying in the clearing, face up. His cape was gone.
"You!" Inuyasha said. Tobias did not acknowledge. "How long have you been here?"
"That was a beautiful speech, Inuyasha," he said, in a weary voice. "If it were any sweeter, you could put it in your coffee."
Inuyasha, quite annoyed, sat up. He noticed for really the first time that Tobias's cape was covering both of them. "Is this your cape? Why is it here?"
"Well, when I got stuck in this clearing and you two as naked as the day you were born, not to mention your clothes were every which way, that was the only way I had to cover you. Think. What would you have done if I were here and you weren't covered up?" Inuyasha had to agree that he would have beaten Tobias to within an inch of his life.
"Anyway...where ARE our clothes?"
"Well, your kimono is up in that tree, and the bits and pieces of Kagome's robes are decorating the bushes," said Tobias dryly. "A little much, don't you think?" Kagome blushed a little bit, but then sat up in shock.
"The shards! They were in a pocket of my robes!"
"Don't get your tail in a knot, Kagome. I have the shards right here." Tobias pointed to one of his pockets. "I'm fairly sure that all of them are here..."
Kagome leaped to her feet, then immediately realized that she wasn't wearing anything. She dived back under the cape and tried to think.
"All the shards...that means I can-" She was interrupted from her thoughts. The small yellow ball of energy Kaede had sent had finally found her and slipped into her head. She could hear Kaede's voice...
"Kagome, when ye hear this, I will already have passed on. But do not grieve for me, for I watch over ye still. This is of grave importance, which ye must hear. The General's last thoughts as ye escaped." Then the General's voice filled her head, which startled her, but she knew he was nowhere near.
"This is very bad. I have been using the shards to locate Kagome, and to teleport...without the shards, I have no way of finding Kagome, Inuyasha...or the boy."
"Inuyasha!" Kagome said, fairly loudly as it were. Inuyasha was looking at her with question marks in his eyes. "That was Kaede...it's hard to explain...she helped me escape. Let me tell you..." And for the next several minutes, she told Inuyasha (and Tobias) all about her incarceration and subsequent escape. Inuyasha stiffened a little when he heard Kikyo mentioned, but said nothing.
"And Kaede just told me the General's last thoughts...he was using the shards to find me. Since I'm the guardian of the jewel, I guess he could locate me with the shards. He was also using them to teleport around. But now that we have the shards, he can't do either one."
"So he can't find us..." said Tobias in a voice filled with awe. "We're across the country from him and he can't find us. This is..."
"Incredible," finished Inuyasha. "So we're finally safe...for the moment."
"Yeah...I guess so," said Kagome.
"Oy! You two!" came Miroku's voice. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo's heads were poking out into the clearing from the foliage. "Glad to see each other, I take it?"
"Ahh, shut up, monk," growled Inuyasha.
"Umm...Inuyasha? What am I going to do about clothes?" Kagome said. Inuyasha scratched his head.
"Don't you have more clothes in that huge backpack?"
"Oh! Um, yeah! Hey, Sango!" Kagome shouted. "Get me my pack, would you please?"
After they were finally both dressed (everyone was much entertained when Tobias tried to leap up to Inuyasha's kimono and smacked his head on a tree branch, ending up with a nest in his hair), they all sat around a campfire and had breakfast.
"So, Kagome," said Tobias. "Since now you have all the shards, why not try putting them together? You know...make a wish and all that?" Kagome put down her bowl of ramen.
"You're right. Give me the shards, please." Tobias obligingly handed them over, including the one he had on his person. Kagome held them in her hand. She closed her eyes and concentrated fiercely. Everyone leaned over. They began to glow...
"Umm..." she said. "I just realized...I don't know how!" Everyone facefaulted.
"Well...couldn't you at least give it a try?" said Inuyasha weakly.
"I am!" She tried again. Feel the aura of the shards...feel their power flowing...now...bring them all together! Kagome opened her eyes to find herself still holding the shards.
"This just isn't working. I can't do it," said Kagome, upset. Inuyasha put his arm around her shoulder.
"You know...just out of curiosity, what would you have wished for if you had the jewel?" said Tobias.
Nobody spoke. Inuyasha was about to say something, but then closed his mouth.
"Well?" No response. "You really don't know??" said Tobias incredulously.
"I was going to use it to become full demon...but that was a while ago. I don't want to become that bloodthirsty monster," said Inuyasha.
"Maybe we should just leave it in shards," said Kagome. Everyone stared at her. "We haven't decided what wish to make...and if we do have the whole jewel and the General steals it and makes his wish, we're all in a lot of trouble. Tobias," she said suddenly, "what would the General wish for if he had it?"
"I'm...not too sure," said Tobias uncertainly. "I mean...he might wish for more power, but he seems pretty secure in his own abilities. I honestly don't know what he would wish for."
"I have an idea," said Inuyasha slowly. "Why don't you take the shards back to your time? That would stop the General from being able to get them!"
"That's a really good idea, Inuyasha," said Miroku. "We should set out for the well at once."
"Only problem with that idea, that I can see..." said Tobias, "Where's the well? Where, precisely, are we?" Nobody said anything. They had been wandering every which way, and none of them had any clue where they were.
"Well, we'll just look for it, then," said Kagome, not unhopefully. "Ask some villagers or something. I'm sure we'll be able to find it in just a little while."
They finished breakfast and set off. After roughly determining which way was north (moss grows on the north side of the tree as they say), they traveled along. Not at their previous speed, but at a more leisurely pace. The terrible weight and the fear that the General could at any second appear had been lifted. They were talking, laughing, joking, as they had not in months.
They encountered a village on the way, and as it was night already, they decided to stay there and actually sleep in a bed for once. With Miroku 'persuading' the innkeeper into giving them the finest room in town, they decided to take a tour. Kagome wanted to look at the merchandise in the shops.
Tobias was more interested in the bar. Inuyasha was more than willing to come along, and Miroku decided to come with them also. Upon walking through the door, they were stunned to see a familiar face, already drunk.
"Heyyyy, I know you guysh!" hiccupped Tybalt. "Come on in, we'll have a few drinksh..."
"Umm..." said Tobias uncertainly. "Aren't you always trying to kill me?"
"Maaaaybe..." giggled Tybalt. "But I'm off work now. I'm just relakshing and lounging around now. C'mon! Join me! Have a sake! Live a little!" He downed another drink and turned to the bartender. "A round of drinksh for my worsht enemiesh, over there." The bartender followed his wobbling finger over to Inuyasha, Tobias, and Miroku. He shrugged and set out three glasses. The three of them shrugged and went to have a drink.
"I'll kill ya later, Toby," said Tybalt. "But for now I'll jusht have a drink...or a dozen, and just relaaaksh." Tobias downed his sake and immediately felt better for it.
Three hours later, all four of them were rip-roaring drunk. Tybalt went up to Tobias and put his arm around his shoulder.
"Remember...remember that one time when I dropped a building on you?" laughed Tybalt.
"And then..." chortled Tobias. "And then...I shtood up, and I shaid, 'That bashtard!'" The two exploded into raucous laughter and high-fived, before downing another drink each. Inuyasha and Miroku were roaring with laughter over a joke between them that neither of them could remember.
Kagome had found some pretty dresses that would do nicely in the absence of her clothes. After all, she had lost one set to the crazed demon in the General's lair and another to Inuyasha...she was running low. Remembering that Tobias said he was going to the bar, she went over and through the door.
She nearly dropped her packages. There was Tobias, boozing it up with...was that Tybalt?!
"Tobias!" she yelled. Miroku was asleep. Tobias dropped his drink, startled. Tybalt just flashed her what he thought was a winning smile, but was actually somewhere in the nature of a grimace.
"What are you doing with him?" Kagome hissed, walking over and yanking Tobias up by the ear. Tobias cringed and pulled away.
"I don't shee what th' problem ish, Kagome," he said, swaying on the spot. "Me and Tybalt here...we're jus' havin' a little fun."
Kagome forced herself to calm down. "Fun? This guy tried to kill you I don't know how many times and-"
"Yeah, but thass on'y when he's working, Kagome. Now, he's jus' a fun guy," said Inuyasha, lurching over and throwing his arm over Kagome's shoulder. "Wan' a drink? It'll put a shong in your heart!"
"No, Inuyasha, I don't want a drink. We need to go. Miroku, too," Kagome said, glancing in his direction. He had fallen off his stool.
It took some doing, but Kagome eventually managed to get Inuyasha (carrying Miroku) out the door, followed by Tobias. After a lot of careful maneuvering through the streets, they got back to the hotel. After depositing Miroku and Tobias in their beds, Inuyasha turned to Kagome.
"Inuyasha, you're drunk. I can't do anything with you now," said Kagome shrilly before Inuyasha even got in a word in edgewise. "Get in your bed and go to sleep. I'll be with you in the morning."
"But, Kagome..." There was a pleading note in Inuyasha's voice. "I need you..."
"All right. But nothing serious." She got undressed and lay in bed with Inuyasha. He embraced her warmly and closed his eyes.
"G'night, Kagome. I love you."
"Good night, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered, before they both dropped off to sleep.
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Well. Finally, no cliffhanger AND no depression. I've really shaped up recently. And the next chapter won't take NEARLY as long to put out! I already have an idea...REVIEW!