April 13, 2004
Nube
by Goddess of Anime
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha... yet. *holds up a prayer bead neclace and grins evilly* Here doggie, doggie, doggie! Come here....
I am trying to write everyday, which isn't hard ever since I got this wretched cold. I will answer questions, if they won't reveal what I've got in store for our dear characters. I don't know much about Kaede's home, or if it's really called a hut so correct me on anything incorrect about the setting, characters and so forth. Just keep in mind that I'm well versed in the manga, not the anime, so things are bound to be a little different. If some things may read a little oddly that could very well be my headache pounding away at my brain. Just like right now.
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Scroll 3: The Remedy
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Soon everyone had grown worried. Inu-Yasha was still in the same position he had been since dawn. Kagome even threatened to leave all the ramen at home, and all she got was nothing. Until nightfall no one could figure out what had happened to him. Kaede offered one solution. "There seems to have been poison within Juromaru," she began. "But it isn't anything like I've ever seen before. When the fire touched it it became solid and melted back into its original form as soon as it was touched."
To say that everyone was shocked would've been understatement. Fear and anxiety laced in with their shock, which was clearly shown in their expressions. "Is there a way to make it dissolve?" Sango asked quietly, readjusting her hair unnecessarily. Kaede frowned, racking her brain for possible answers.
"Maybe... water makes it dissolve," Shippou suggested slowly, thinking it over. "Think about it. Fire makes it solid and touch reverses it. Water could make it dissolve." Everyone looked in amazement at the kitsune youkai. His theory actually made sense. Kagome smiled, full of good spirits. But those spirits were darkened by one question: How would they apply it?
Kagome licked her dry lips and looked down. "How would we apply the water?" she choked out, heat creeping into her cheeks. Normally she wouldn't be the one to bring this up but she was thinking logically. Kaede nodded in agreement. Lately everything seemed to have downside. She answered her own question,"He could probably drink it and we can apply it to his wound." Sango let out a small breath and nodded. Miroku stood up, gripping his shakujo. Shippou leapt on his shoulder and the both of them left wordlessly to fetch water.
Without thinking Sango asked Kagome the question that everyone was wondering. "Have you fallen in love with the eighth world wonder?" Kagome went rigid. It was the first time someone asked her. She remember how her friends, back home, had accused her of being in love or hung up on some guy. Every time she had denied it. She was now questioning it. "I don't know." Another awkward silence blanketed the pair.
Both girls jumped when the door opened noisily. Shippou stumbled in with a bucket bigger than him filled to the brim with clear water. "Is this enough?" he gasped, putting down the half barrel. Kagome nodded, grunting as she tried to lift it up. Sango quickly helped, tottering to keep up with Kagome.
Slamming down the bucket Kagome took off a strip of cloth from around her leg and dipped it into the water. She squeezed out the access water and gently dabbed it around the gaping hole. The sickly and rubbery pink substance around the wound began to crinkle and then dissolve altogether. Sango grabbed Kagome's wrist and pulled it back. "Wait for Miss Kaede."
This time Kagome wouldn't listen. If it were a regular demon the wound would be half healed by now. Because of the poison in Juromaru it wasn't anywhere near close. But why am I okay? she thought. Her hand stopped. She lifted up the bottom part of the haori and removed the bandages. The cut was deep and nasty. It hadn't healed at all. "Oh my God," she breathed, fingering the gash lightly.
The other people in the room looked at her quizzically. Kagome stood up on shaking legs. "Naraku's going to find us," she said in a tense and clipped tone. "The poison, it'll lead him to us." The truth had dawned on her a little late, but maybe not too late. "We'll all need to wash up. We're covered in this crap."
"But, Naraku was killed. By Juromaru himself," Sango countered. Kagome shook her head, growling in frustration, "Naraku's still here. Barely alive, but here. He's surreptitious and has this uncanny ability of making out of things alive. As soon as he gets the chance he'll track us down. Others are already getting started."
Miroku cleared his throat before speaking, "To where are we going? We don't know any other place that will be safe or how long Inu-Yasha will stay in this state."
Kagome folded her arms over her chest, feeling tremulant suddenly. "Do you remember that poem? It went like this: 'Come hither, come hither/ My child, my child/ Your days are about to end/ 'Tis a dark time/ 'Tis a great struggle/ 'Tis our world/ Your haven to the East/ Your unusual abutment to the West/ Go forth and rid the fainéant/ You are our savior/ My child, my child'
"Don't you see? We have to go to the East. I know one place there that will be safe. As for the West...." she trailed off. Sango studied her fingernails, mumbling incoherently.
"What?" Shippou asked, prodding her gently. Sango, too, stood up and paced. She gulped and began awkwardly, "Do you, um, think that... well, maybe, that the help it refers to is Sesshou-maru?" and she ended quietly. Silence came on fast and the air crackled with electricity. "Just a thought. Could be wrong," she added hastily.
Kagome felt a spur of white-hot pain spur in her chest. "No. I think that too," she admitted numbly. Sango tried to hide her relief, then felt stupid for trying. She was with friends so she shouldn't have to mask her emotions. Kagome dug through her pack, pulling out a pair of sweat-pants and a white tank top. "I'm going to wash up," she announced. "Are you Sango?" Sango nodded and picked up her own bag.
She began to follow Kagome out the door but turned around and said with slight amusement, "You should go too and get Inu-Yasha to drink some of that water, even if it means to force-feed him." Miroku chuckled and stood up. Picking up a ladle he dipped it into the luke-warm water and allowed it to slosh down Inu-Yasha's throat. I think it's safe to leave him alone for a little while, he thought, slowly standing up. Maybe the poison had some sort of effect on demons and on human males.
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What a load of crap. Sorry to have to put you through all this, I really am. If people have suggestions I'm open to them, but you gotta act fast or else I'll write the next chapter. And no one wants that. *rolls eyes* And sorry about my crappy attitude. I've a had huge headache the whole time I wrote this and, um, yeah. Just review or whatever the heck you like to do. Arigato and good-bye!
nube = hell
kitsune = fox
youkai = demon
shakujo = the holy staff Miroku carries
haori = the red shirt that Inu-Yasha wears