April 14-15 & 22-23, 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....
Sorry for dragging it out sooo slowly. I didn't really expect that either. And let me tell you this now: I'm not pressing for reviews. But it's still nice getting them, knowing that people are still interested in knowing what's going to happen next. I know that I haven't been reliable in the past, but I'm being more strict with myself and have been writing everyday (sort of). I've even missed Angel for you guys, as well as my homework....
Thanks to my 2 sole reviewers!
Kawaii Rin ~ Maybe I'm being too harsh on myself. And I suppose I have a creative mind. Kind of doubting it. Glad you liked it, though.
EvilSpiritKiba ~ I did like your new fic. I even left a review! *lol* For a moment there I thought you didn't like Inu-Yasha! *laughs harder* Sorry, for some reason I think this is funny.... Don't mind me! And I haven't lost my mind just yet.
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Scroll 5: To the East
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Soon everyone was accounted for, or at least almost everyone. "And what of Inu-Yasha?" Miroku asked. Kagome's grip on her thinning pack tightened. She refused to wait around for him.
"He'll come when he feels like it," she snapped. Her eyes were shimmering with anger. Sango and Miroku fell back one pace, allowing her her needed space. Being so close to the end things were already starting to fall apart. Would they ever catch a break?
Sango nudged Miroku. When she didn't get a response she stepped on his foot and glared at him. He looked at her with a pinched expression. "What?" he asked. Sango sighed an exasperated sigh. He could be so daft sometimes.
"What are we going to do this time?" she said in a hushed tone. Miroku shrugged, watching Shippou run ahead to Kagome. Miroku sighed, "What can we do?"
This time around Sango couldn't answer. Every way possible, even a few warped ideas, were tried. Both miko and hanyou were stubborn and weren't capable of changing their minds without something big had happened. A warm pricking sensation filled the back of her head, a smile slowly forming across her face. "I know one." Miroku cocked an eyebrow, intrigued. Sango whispered into his ear her devious plan. Soon both of them were hyperventilating from their efforts to not laugh. "And I have a plan B as well," Sango assured him.
The trees loomed over them and the underbrush was overgrown with several unrecognizable plants growing in abundance. "Just how did you find this place?" Sango asked, in awe. Kagome shrugged, shielding her eyes from a beam of golden light. From overhead a small branch snapped off, falling a foot from her. Instinctively Kagome pulled out her bow and an arrow, pulling the string taught. "Are you stupid?" someone growled. Kagome lowered her bow, her shoulders sagging in relief.
Miroku ran up to Kagome, his hand brushing her rear. Inu-Yasha's eyes narrowed, one hand on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga and another on the scabbard. Kagome smacked his cheek and kicked him. "Perve!" she yelled. Miroku groaned.
"I didn't mean to," he mumbled. Everyone looked at him curiously. This was a first: Miroku not meaning to grope a girl's rear. Kagome shook her head and turned around. Inu-Yasha stayed close behind her keeping a wary eye on the monk. Sango looked at him in disbelief, adjusting her hiraikotsu.
Miroku groaned and hoisted himself to his feet. Damn, she's good! he thought, rubbing the back of his neck. Not even moments after he had recovered Kagome had called out, "It's right here!"
Everyone gave words, and oaths, of relief. Everyone plowed into the expansive cave free of stalactites and stalagmites. Inu-Yasha got a whiff of layers upon layers of a single stale scent. The most recent time the person had been here seemed to range between 5 to 8 months. An incredible sad and humble feeling washed over him, taking him off guard.
A moving figure caught his eye. It disappeared behind two slates in one of the walls of the cave. Silently he followed it, moving through a winding tunnel. What lay on the other side was amazing. Pure golden rays of light blasted through the canopy overhead. The same scent in the cave was in here. The figure was sitting on an up-turned tree root, head resting against the stone wall. The mixed emotion, old and new, was so intense that he felt it. Felt Mistress Pain and Lady Sorrow twist ice knives into his gut and twist them about.
It felt terrible. He felt out of place and like as if he had intruded on sacred ground.
"Who's there?" a timid voice snapped bravely. It sounded angered and afraid. Inu-Yasha gave a quick glance in the voice's direction. He asked quietly, "Kagome?" A sense of confusion, then comfort and pain, floated his way.
Picking his way across the over-grown grass and wild flowers he found that he couldn't remember why he had come. Everything that has happened seemed futile. The details around him had absorbed his attention entirely, sending him waves of calamity and reassurance.
"Nice place, isn't it?" Kagome asked, wrapping her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. Inu-Yasha nodded. Kagome silently laughed. "When we first began to search for the Shikon no Tama I would come here often. I would come to cry, to scream, to confess and to dance. Dance all the while...." she whispered.
Kagome gave a growl of anger and choked back a... something. "I used to dance. Six days a week for four hours. Then I got caught up in things. Everything in life was so messed up that I had to give up something. And there was only one thing." She sniffed and laughed out loud. "God, why am I blubbering about this? I stopped whining about it months ago."
Inu-Yasha sat with his back to her. Even though she wasn't crying he could tell that she was about to. Could that be my fault as well? he questioned. He remembered the photo he saw one time. Kagome was in a white dress. The skirt looked to be made of very light material and the top was tight, hugging every curve. In it she looked excited and at peace of mind. Her hands were delicately placed in front her, right leg straight and left leg bent carefully. Was that her dancing? It made him wonder why she ever gave it up.
Without noticing it Kagome had stood up and was half-way across the room. "You coming?" she called. Inu-Yasha quickly caught up to her, not able to put on his grimace. Is it possible for everything to change in one moment? he wondered as he followed Kagome through the winding tunnel.
The fire crackled warmly, giving a homely feel in their cave. That wasn't enough to help Miroku and Sango suppress their smug smiles. Kagome was practically sitting on Inu-Yasha's lap and neither one noticed. Miroku cocked an eyebrow and Sango shrugged. Shippou was shaking with silent giggles. Sango clapped a hand over his mouth, tremulant herself. Inu-Yasha glared at the trio. "What the hell is so funny?" he snapped.
"N-Nothing," Sango gasped, a wide grin spreading across her visage. Shippou snorted and triggered the laughter from all them. Kagome and Inu-Yasha looked at them quizzically. Kagome stood up and grabbed her sleeping bag. "I'm going to sleep," she mumbled, kicking off her sneakers and burrowing into her bag. Sango nodded in agreement. Shippou dove under the cover, receiving a tight hug from Kagome.
That left Miroku and Inu-Yasha.
As soon as they were sure that both the girls, and fox demon, were asleep they left for the outside. It was gorgeous out. The crescent moon gave off a blast of soft silver light and the stars over-head winked in and out as a lone cloud rolled past them. Inu-Yasha flicked a rock against a tree, the tiny popping noise bringing on a head-ache.
Miroku cleared his throat and commented, "You and Kagome seem to be friendly with one another." He received a twisted look for that. "What? Did I say something wrong?" Miroku asked innocently. "Or was that actually the truth?" Inu-Yasha growled.
"Shut up."
"Why would I want to do that?" Miroku smirked.
"Sod off!"
"Still not going to admit the truth?" Miroku pressed lightly.
Inu-Yasha mumbled incoherently. Miroku raised his shakujo in warning. With a glare Inu-Yasha said repeated slowly what he had just said. "I said: I. DON'T. WANT. TO. ADMIT. IT. TO. YOU." Miroku shrugged and lowered his holy staff, then gave Inu-Yasha a nice whack across the top of his skull. Inu-Yasha gazed at Miroku with fire in his eyes. "What the fuck was that for?!" he howled.
With a sigh Miroku explained to his dense friend, "You need to have some sense knocked into you." And then walked off like as if nothing had happened. That is how real counseling is done, he thought.
Whispering Kagome asked, "Are you asleep, Sango?" Sango shook her head. Hesitantly Kagome added, "Do you remember the question you asked me?" Sango nodded. Continuing, "I thought about it and I guess it's true." Sango sat up, eyes wide, mind attentive.
"Yuh-huh. And...?" Sango prompted. Kagome shrugged and sat up, trying her best not to wake up the resting Shippou. "I dunno," she replied, eyes lightly closed. "That's as far as I got."
Sango suddenly asked, "Are you going to tell him?" Kagome's eyes flew open, fear crossing them as if the idea terrified her. "I don't know," she whispered. "Maybe. But Kikyo...." Sango snorted.
"Screw Kikyo. He doesn't love her. It's all you, Kagome. It's all you," she murmured. "Besides, Kikyo's already a stiff. Who would love her?"
Kagome studied her fingernails, saying sulkily, "Inu-Yasha." Sango groaned and lay back down, facing her friend. She sounded cross.
"You have to let it go. Repeat this to yourself: I have to let it go. Go on. Say it."
Quietly Kagome repeated the six words. Sango pouted. "Louder," she ordered. Kagome sighed and repeated the words louder. Sango nodded in satisfaction and turned over, ready for sleep at last. As soon as they had settled down they heard a string of colourful words a little ways off from the mouth of the cave. Both groaned and slapped their pillows over their faces, muffled laughter seeping past the cotton and fluff.
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You know what, I honestly thought that I wouldn't make it past the fourth chapter but here I am. *dazed* Wow. I feel the need to celebrate. *pops open a pepsi and an orange soda and opens a bag of chips* Cake of any sort or variety for all! *smiles happily and sings 'Eighth World Wonder'* And what was Sango's plan exactly? You'll find out soon enough! Yes, a little humour every now and then. What? Nothing can always be drab and evil in life. One more thing: By the time chapter 7 is complete everything'll go faster. These chapters are just to spell it out to you. Sesshou-maru's in chapter 7! *covers mouth* Oops. That totally of gave it away. Sorry!
nube = hell
hiraikotsu = boomerang bone, Sango carries one