April 13-14, 2004
Nube
by, Goddess of Anime
*hack hack* *cough* *hack* Christ, this cold is worse than I thought. *cough* What was I going to say? Er, yeah. The updates. Time to time it'll be daily updates, otherwise it's either every week or every two weeks. Um, yeah. That's all I got. Here's chappie 4 for ya.
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Scroll 4: More Tears
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Vines wrapped themselves around his arms and legs, pinning him to a tree. He looked around, his golden eyes flashing in fear and anger. What the hell is happening? he asked himself. A pain on the left side of his chest left him stiff and numb though it burned and made him want to scream.
Why Inu-Yasha? a familiar voice asked him. For such a thing.... He strained to remember but couldn't seem to think. It was like running through a quagmire. He couldn't do it quickly enough. He felt the comforting and bitter feeling of betrayal. This felt like a time a long time ago.
His white hair fell in front of his face, brushing his cheeks in a way that reassured him that he wasn't dead. Not really. Sounds faded and the warm summer air cooled until it became unbearably cold. No thought came to his head and he could feel nothing except regret, vengeance, and the cold. The dead cold.
Golden orbs shined through the dim light. Inu-Yasha squinted to make out his blurry surroundings. He wasn't pinned to the Go-Shinboku. He hadn't dreamt of this since.... Groaning he pushed himself up. The gentle scent of Kagome reached him first. He looked at the opposite wall. She had his haori on, bloody as it was. He crouched next to her. She looked so innocent. Like the first time he had seen her. She was the person he loved and hated. Dammit, he cursed. Why am I still thinking like that.
An acute salty scent now replaced her sweet one. He looked closely and saw tears brimming in the corners of her eyes. What are you dreaming about? he asked. What could make you cry? He bent forward and licked them off, taking care to not wake her up. She stirred a little bit and then settled back down again. His face had grown soft, feeling slack and refreshing to his usual grimace. He then noticed that this was the first time he had seen Kagome with her hair up.
Hesitant, Inu-Yasha checked on the marks near the hollow of Kagome's neck. They were nearly gone, reduced to two pearly markings. A sigh of relief rose. She was recovering. With a thought he looked down at his midsection. The hole was gone, but a pinkish-white film creeping over it, slowly healing it. The venom, he thought. A hot bile was rising up his throat again and he pressed his palm against his mouth. This was his only assurance that he was awake.
"Couldn't sleep?" a voice asked him. He nodded and stood up, face to face with Sango. "She was really worried about you," she whispered, glancing over her shoulder at the other sleeping beings. Inu-Yasha nodded again. All this nodding and talking was beginning to get him a head-ache. Sango continued, "We're leaving in an hour or so."
Sango got a cocked eyebrow in response. "We have to go the east," Sango explained. "It's the only way to get rid of Naraku." Demon eyes ignited. "An' then we have to go to the west to get an aid."
"I'm going to work with Kouga," Inu-Yasha hissed. Sango winced and rubbed her palm with a thumb.
"It isn't Kouga," she said even more quietly, avoiding his eyes. Puzzlement was plastered to his face. She added, "We'll tell you when everyone's awake and least likely to strangle you." Inu-Yasha frowned but dropped the subject. This was a blessing for dear Sango, but normally he wouldn't give up so easily. No matter. At least no one hurt, I hope, she bit her lip doubtfully. Kirara padded next to her, meowing softly. Sango lifted her up onto her shoulder and rubbed her under the chin. "At least we're sane," she said below her breath.
The first tendrils of light snaked past the make-shift curtains and speared everyone's dreaming state. Eyes fluttering open Kagome sat up. On unstable legs she slowly tugged the curtains away. Pure morning light washed over her. Sighing contentedly she stuck her hand out through the wooden bars. It was slightly chilly and a little damp. Why do I care?
Sango appeared next to her, bright-eyed and determined. "Miroku's up and Inu-Yasha's been up for awhile," she reported. Kagome looked around the small living quarters and frowned. Neither were in sight.
"Were are they?" Kagome asked, maintaining her testy mood. Sango pointed at the door. "I should've known," she groaned.
Outside was nicer than inside. The grass was covered in dew, courtesy of the showers last night, and had that calming after-the-rain smell. Inu-Yasha was sitting in his usual tree, just right outside the fence. Miroku was there as well. Apparently the two of them were deep in conversation. Inu-Yasha's angered yelling broke her dazed and happy mood.
"Hell no!" Inu-Yasha spat. "I won't work with that bastard!"
Miroku met Inu-Yasha's glowing glare, unwavered. "Do you really want Naraku to live?" Miroku pressed, "Well? Don't you hate him just like the rest of us? I thought that you, out of everyone, wouldn't care how we got rid of him just as long he would be taken care of." Inu-Yasha "hymphed" but refused to back down. He was so caught up in this argument about his elder brother that he didn't notice Kagome hanging back, just listening.
I should just go, she reasoned. While turning to go back she heard Miroku call her name cheerfully. There was no way she could just go back, pretending like as if she hadn't heard a thing. "Um, what's up?" she said nervously. Then scolded herself for showing it. Inu-Yasha turned away, head in hand, staring into an empty space like as if something intriguing was right in front him. "W-we're ready to go," Kagome stammered, twirling a stray lock absently. Miroku gripped his shakujo and straightened up, thanking Kagome for informing him.
As soon as Miroku was out of ear shot Kagome glared at Inu-Yasha, her brow furrowed. "What?" he asked. Kagome resisted crossing her arms or balling them into fists. Instead she jammed them into her pockets and growled in frustration.
"What? We need to go, is 'what'. You know, I really don't care who's helping us," she said and flung her arm up to stop Inu-Yasha from speaking. "I know you have issues with Sesshou-maru, but can't you forget them for a little while?" she asked, half-pleading half shouting.
Inu-Yasha stared at her for awhile before saying casually, "Is it that time of month again?" Kagome's mouth dropped open. He dares to ask me that?!
"Sit!" she shrieked, tears glittering in her eyes. "Sit sit sit!" He fell to the ground twitching. Kagome sniffed and stomped away. Hope that was swelling in her chest last night now dimmed to a tiny flicker of light. Lately, anything about his half-brother wouldn't go through that thick skull of his. Wait, it does. It just goes right through it! she screamed mentally.
Sango ran up to meet with Kagome but then stopped when she felt the sparks of anger coming off her. The only reason she continued was because she saw tears trailing down Kagome's face. "What happened?" she gasped. Kagome clenched her hands into tight fists.
"Inu-Yasha is such an idiot! He won't even listen," she snarled. Sango patted Kagome's shoulder in agreement. It was true, he could get like that sometimes. Kagome plowed on, releasing excess negative energy, "I was trying to tell him to calm down. And all he did was ask 'is it that time of month again?'." She sobbed quietly. "What are we going to do? I didn't want anything to do with the Shinkon no Tama. It's not that I regret releasing Inu-Yasha, it's just tiresome. Sometimes, I wonder why I even bother," she sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Sorry. We should just go."
Sango walked back with Kagome, watching her chosen sister wind down with eyes clouded over with guilt and pain. Won't they ever admit what they truly feel for another? she wondered. Another voice whispered to her, You should do the same. Sango frowned and undid her hair, running a hand through it. It was time for change, and a big one. For everyone's sake.
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I'm not sure if anyone needs the word translations anymore. You know, the ones that have already been explained twice. Oh, don't listen to me. It's up to you. I can go either way. Just do whatever you do when you've finished reading this thing. And as for the all the big stuff: Be patient. It'll come in due time. Coming up in the next chapter: They finally go to that haven the poem was talking about!
nube = hell
inu = dog (not doing this one again)
youkai = demon (not doing this one again)
haori = the red shirt that Inu-Yasha wears (not doing this one again)
Go-Shinboku = God-Tree
shakujo = a holy staff, like the one Miroku has (not doing this one again)
Shikon no Tama = Jewel of Four Souls (not doing this one again)