Chapter 8: by Kojika85
Miroku
stood on the stairs looking over the small crowd that had gathered. No matter
how hard he looked, he couldn't find Sango. He had
hoped that she would have cooled down enough, so he could explain his actions
earlier. It wasn't his fault that Jakotsu character
decided that he wanted some fun. HE had pulled him into the small condiment
cabinet and started molesting him; not like he went there for the attention
purposely. He had been looking for Sango!
He had to find her. Admittedly, he had some explaining to do. He inwardly
cringed. He would be extremely lucky to get out of this fiasco without being
sent to the hospital. Her temper was something to be feared, and fear it he
did. What she deemed inappropriate contact in public earned him a hard slap in
the face; imagine if she was REALLY peeved!
'Stupid hot woman looking cross dresser. Isn't it
against the law to work while dressed up as the opposite sex!??' Miroku continued to grumble to himself as he searched the
other passengers for his beloved Sango. He couldn't
get the taste of man spit out of his mouth. He had tried mouthwash, mints,
candy, and other tasteful treats. Nothing seamed to work. Granted he was
enjoying the attention being given to him freely. Once he found out Jakotsu's hidden 'secret' though, everything he had
thoroughly enjoyed became like poison.
Miroku turned and spied someone who wouldn't hesitate
to help him find his love. He called out to her; unaware of the precarious
situation she had found herself.
"Kagome!"
Said woman jumped, somewhat flustered that she would be caught having to
bandage and splint a man's sprained tail. Who would have thought that that Misao character could conjure such a death-like grip on a youkai's most sensitive area!? It didn't help with the
position she had to find herself to perform the small operation.
Kouga was on his stomach, lying on the ground. His
face was contorted with discomfort, but his soulful blue eyes portrayed his
enjoyment of the situation. Kagome, on the other hand, found herself straddling
his lower back; while facing his rear. Her legs were in an awkward position on
either side of his body. Long slender fingers were caressing his tail, which
now sported a makeshift splint.
It was obvious she was used to giving such treatment,
especially with her dating one of the most obtuse men Miroku
had the pleasure, or displeasure, of knowing. With his short-tempered
personality, and inability to weigh the consequences of future actions, it was
a wonder Kagome didn't have a PHD in spontaneous field surgery.
Miroku tried to keep from laughing at the scene
before him. One of his best friends was found stroking a youkai's
bandaged tail! He randomly thought that perhaps it WAS a good idea to bring his
condoms as his luxury item, since they weren't even on the island yet; but
innocent Kagome was already succumbing to the allure of the scenery.
"What happened to him?" He said while gesturing to the wolf.
"Some crazy woman attached herself to Kouga's
tail." Kagome answered while removing herself from his person and standing
up.
"Yeah, and I thought we had lost her! That Misao
is scary for a woman." Kouga agreed while he too
picked himself off the ground, mindful of his still throbbing tail.
Kagome stood in her spot, eye twitching, as she listened to the two men with their drabble on about women and their disconcerted whims.
They were traveling back to the docks where the boat was to pick them up.
Silently, she wished that Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, or even the weird Enishi
guy would be there so she could rid herself of the offending males she was
currently with. Miroku had apparently pissed Sango off again, but the details were nonexistent with him.
############
Sango poked her head out from behind the bush that
had sheltered her from searching eyes. She sighed in relief when she saw Miroku turn and beginning to search in another direction.
She turned and looked at her companion. He looked as white as a ghost. His gaze
held unwavering towards a tall lean woman with long black tresses. It was
obvious he knew, and was afraid, of the woman that held him ruptured.
"You know her?" Sango ventured to ask Sanosuke.
"Her name's Takani, Megumi. We dated in high
school, but I haven't seen the lass since.....nor do I want to." His eyes
never faulted in their stricken observation of said woman. He had witnessed her
attempted treatment of Enishi. He didn't rightly care
for the guy, especially since he was hitting on one of his childhood friend's
girlfriend.
Sano hadn't seen hide-nor-hair of Kenshin since they
were kids, but they had at least kept in contact through the mail after they
had crossed paths once while at a fighting tournament. Kenshin
had been competing in swordsmanship; Sano, hand-to-hand combat. In fact, that
was where Kenshin had met Kaoru if memory served
correctly. But to be back on topic; Megumi had switched patients.
She was currently aiding the island doctor with the rebandaging
of a wolf- youkai's tail. In actuality, she was the
one rewrapping while the doctor was talking to a young lady, and seemed to be
congratulating her on her care of the creature until then. She was blushing
from the obvious compliment implied, while the wolf looked ready to tear both,
the doctor and Megumi's heads off.
Sango allowed her gaze to wander to the pair that
were reckoning with the apparently abysmal woman. To her surprise, it was
Kagome and a youkai she couldn't quite place. Her
cheer quickly turned to dread though, when she noticed that Miroku
was with them. His gaze was franticly searching the crowd of passers by. Could
he have been looking for her? Definitely not.
#############
'Gods this woman was hell on his tail! Why did she have to mess with it when it
was obvious that Kagome had done a fine enough job as it was?' Kouga continued to rant in his mind as the woman introduced
as Megumi continued to molest his cursed appendage with as much gusto as it had
taken to sprain it in the first place. His previous bandages and splint, a
stick and a piece of cloth Kagome had ripped from her blouse were haphazardly
thrown in a heap beside him. New bandages were being roughly wrapped around his
furry tail. Too tightly he would have added were he able to speak through the
pain. Funny, that didn't hurt when Kagome had done it.
"How in the world did you manage an injury like this?" Megumi's all
business voice cut through his musings like a hot knife through butter.
"Some rabid twit had it in a death hold!......YELP!!!"
Kouga cried when she gave it an unnecessary hard tug
at his 'rabid twit' comment.
"You shouldn't speak so rudely of people. It is impolite."
"IMPOLITE!!!! SHE BROKE MY FUCKING TAIL!!!!!!"
People that happened to be passing stopped and stared at the fuming patient.
Kagome buried her head in her hands with embarrassment, previous conversation
forgotten. Megumi looked like she was about to cry from the outburst. All was
quiet in the immediate vicinity.
"Was she at least cute?" Miroku did the
only thing he could to break the silence. Little did he know that the item of
his quest was listening. If he though getting in Sango's good graces was going to be hard; it was impossible
now.
Kagome stared wide-eyed at her friend. 'Did he just say what I thought he said?
Did they break up or something? That's it! When I find Sango,
we are having a LONG talk.'
"What?" Miroku couldn't stand the look of
surprise on Kagome's face. It didn't go with her intelligent disposition.
"Miroku, what exactly happened on the plane? Did
you and Sango break up?"
Questions, questions, so many questions. Miroku could see them swimming in her eyes. 'Just like Sango's.' She had questions in her eyes too. Those
questions were left unanswered, replaced by the look of betrayal. Before he had
met her, Miroku had seen that same look on many
women, as they found him with another. Of all the women he had been with
though, none were his Sango.
He had never cheated on her, and had never wished to. Now to see that same look
of hurt and betrayal in her beautiful brown orbs,
sucked the life out of him. He then recalled as they filled with insurmountable
anger.
She had hid her pain behind a mask of anger. It was just like when she had hid
her love for him behind anger at his passes. She wore a mask, as did all. His
mask was innocence, Sango and Inuyasha's
were anger, Kagome's was cheer, and Sesshomaru's was
indifference. Seeing as how Kagome was still awaiting his answer, Miroku gave a slight nod.
"Yes, Sango and I had a fight on the plane. She
forced me to trade seats with someone afterwards, and I haven't been able to
talk to her since." His countenance oozed of his morose feelings.
Kagome's feelings automatically went out for her friend. She knew how much they
had both sacrificed in order to be together, and hoped that they would be able
to work through this. As much as she wished to help; it wasn't her place to
interfere.
"Have you tried asking Inuyasha or Sesshomaru if they've seen her? It IS a small island after
all."
Miroku nearly slapped himself in the head. He had
been worrying over Sango since he had gotten off the
plane, but not ONCE did he think to ask the other male members of their little
clique. He chuckled lowly in his throat at Kagome's rational. Giving his long
time friend a final wave, he turned on his heel in search of the brothers.
###################
'Oooooo, that ookami would
pay,' Ayame silently seethed. When he said Island in the Pacific, she had pictured buff,
tan men rubbing suntan lotion on her back while she sipped on a colorful drink
with a little umbrella in it. She pictured restaurants, and hotel suites with
room service. Not to be gallivanting around the trails of some back-woods
island jungle, and such! Who the hell did he think she was?!? Some Calamity Jane? If so, she had news for him.
There was no way in hell she was going to stoop to such a low status. He would
just have to put his foolish whims aside. 'Besides,' she thought sourly to
herself, 'It's not like there was anything on this pathetic excuse for an
island worth staying for!' There wasn't even a spa!!!
During Ayame's inner rant, she passed by two women
who looked strikingly similar. They called out to her, but she continued on her
path. They were no doubt beneath her anyways. In her anger and arrogance, she
didn't see the puddle until it was too late. Ayame,
daughter to one of the most powerful business men in America, and self proclaimed princess, found
herself sitting in a mud puddle on a remote island in the pacific....oh how
life was grand.
####################
Kikyo and Tomoe couldn't hold back the laughter. They
had tried to warn the redhead of the massive puddle, but she hadn't heard them.
They both turned when they heard chuckling coming from directly behind them. In
unison the two women turned and stared in shock. The cute,
hot, and devilishly handsome host, Naraku, with his
assistant Kagura. Both were there sharing in
their mirth.
Kikyo felt weak in the knees. She didn't know whether
to faint, or squeal like a schoolgirl. She settled for
drooling. Besides, this WAS Naraku she was facing.
Not to mention, he was looking at HER. Quite strangely, but looking at her
none-the-less. Regaining her composure, Kikyo offered
her hand in greeting only to be intercepted by an equally enthusiastic Tomoe.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Naraku!
My name's Tomoe, and this is my friend Kikyo. We look forward to being on your show!"
Naraku took Tomoe's hand, but kept eye contact with
the one named Kikyo. When she went to shake his hand
as well, Naraku held it and placed a light kiss. Kikyo did faint this time; right into the waiting arms of Naraku. He turned to the red faced Tomoe.
"Believe me, the pleasure's all mine." He motioned to the boat that
was awaiting the contestants. She followed.
Kagura stayed close to her employer. She was quite
miffed at how she was ignored during the introductions, but then again, this
was Naraku. He never introduced her to people; she
had to do it herself. Then again, she didn't want an introduction to someone
like Kikyo. Didn't the girl know how to compose
herself? She had drooled all over Naraku, then fainted in his arms. The whole scene in a nutshell was
disturbing and disgusting.
She didn't want to delude herself into thinking that the crime-lord had taken a
serious liking to the wench. To Kagura, it was
obvious that whatever interest Naraku had taken to Kikyo, it was for her profession. A skilled criminal
defense attorney would be a godsend to someone like Naraku.
'Too bad,' thought Kagura, 'it would have been nice
to be rid of the man.' She hated him. She hated her required service to him.
She hated everything about him.
