First off, I'd like to start by thanking everyone who has stuck with this fic! I never intended to take this long in updating. (yes, I take full responsability) You guys are gems, and I give you all boxes of chocolate pocky for being such troopers! I won't keep you away from the goods any longer...so without further ado...
Disclaimer: Nope...I don't own them, and I doubt Belle does either.......or does she o.0
Chapter 12:
'Think of Kaoru, think of Kaoru...." Kenshin chanted in his mind repeatedly. He had been strolling around the makeshift camp enjoying the salty breeze that blew in from the ocean. when he inadvertently stumbled across Kikyo and Tomoe sunbathing...nude. He turned swifty away, his face matching his hair, when one of the girls looked up.
"Ah, Kenshin-san! Would you be kind enough to put some tanning lotion on my back?" Tomoe innocently acquiesced. It was as if being nude in a stranger's presence didn't faze either girl, if judging by Kikyo's nonchallant turn of her head away from the interraction.
"Umm, this one doesn't believe that would be very apropriate, that it would not." Kenshin hastily declined. Without turning around he quickly made his way for more safer territory.
"Well," Tomoe huffed, "You'd think he's never seen a naked girl before with the way he acts." She then turned to her companion, "Kikyo would you do it?"
Kikyo gave a short nod of her head before sitting up to apply the lotion. Both girls were desperate to catch the last bits of sun while it lasted. This was how Hiten found them.
"Ah beautiful vixens, do you need assistance with such a task?" He cooed as he walked to stand in a closer proximity.
"No thanks, we can manage on our own." Tomoe declined.
Hiten stifled a sigh of defeat, but remained long enough to inform the two women of the upcoming challenge.
"It starts in about thirty minutes ladies." Hiten concluded as he left the clearing, though not before stealing a last look behind him at the alluring sight. It wasn't often a guy got to watch two naked women rub lotion on each other.
'If this is what I have to look forward to while I'm here, then I don't want to go home!' Hiten thought. Granted the two girls weren't much to look at, they were, by far, better than what he had at home...his balding brother/roommate, who never helped with the bills. It was this fact that drove him to competing on Survivor to begin with. If their mother hadn't made him promise to take care of Manten, he'd have been on the streets long ago. He couldn't even bring home a girl for the night with out Manten scaring her off! 'Such is life.'
Inuyasha couldn't contain his excitement as the prospect of seeing his Kagome, if only briefly and as enemies, fleeted across his mind. He would be given a chance to see how she was fairing with her team, and hopefully be able to reinstate fear in those that would try to steal her away. Undoubtedly his performance in tonight's challenge would prove to all of his advantage in strength and cunning, therefore rendering all competition useless in their pursuits of his woman. He had it all planned.
A sinister smile crept over his face when his thoughts turned to his brother's soon to be bruised ego.
Sango was a bit ill-at-ease with the look Inuyasha was giving the air in front of him. No doubt he was thinking, which was a bit out of character for her friend. She could only imagine what his little mind could be conjuring. Her thoughts were torn away, though, by her new friend.
"Hey missy," Sanosuke greeted, "You lookin' forward to tonight's challenge?" He posted himself beside her. The fallen tree they used as a community bench groaned under the added weight, but held none-the-less.
They were both exhausted after building their camp. The only item found in the combined group's crates worth utilizing were some ugly blue tarps Hiten had managed to find. Said canvases were made into makeshift tents held down with some thick twigs turned stakes and a small branch to hold the material off the ground. The 'pup-tents' were barely able to house two people semi-comfortably.
In a nutshell, their camp looked pathetic. To make matters worse the only people that had lent aid to the construction were Inuyasha and Kenshin. Kouga had remained in hiding, while Misao continued looking for him. Hiten hadn't bothered along with Hiko. The other girls on the team adamantly refused to dirty themselves with 'man's work'.
Needless to say, their time was well spent, and exhausting. They had all decided on tent partners shortly afterwards. Those that were not in attendance would have to choose among themselves. Kenshin had chosen Inuyasha to be his partner since he didn't want to risk being stuck with any of the women, and Sanosuke had asked Sango for her company.
Kouga had suddenly found himself stuck with Tomoe. He hadn't liked the decision, but she was the only other member in attendance to be paired with, and she wasn't Misao. That had left Hiko, Hiten, Kikyo, and Misao to duke it out for their own tent mates.
#### some time later ####
There were a number of cameras fixed on the two teams. Many shifted nervously under their unblinking stare. Kenshin and Inuyasha, however, could care less what the cameras were doing. Their eyes were glued to the other team, or rather; two members of the other team.
Kagome and Kaoru didn't seem to notice seeing how they were too wrapped up in looking over the course. That's not what the two members of Morte saw though. What they were watching was how close Aoshi and Sesshoumaru seemed to have gotten to the two girls. Their girls.
Inuyasha had red flecks beginning to seep into his eyes when Sesshoumaru came closer to Kagome than was absolutely necessary. The white haired hanyou began to growl when said half-brother placed his arm casually around Kagome's shoulder and guided her to stand near the back of their team.
Kenshin looked warily at his tent mate and tried to pat his arm reassuringly as he followed his line of sight towards Kagome and Sesshoumaru. He knew exactly how the other man felt. He watched with narrowed amethyst eyes as Aoshi bent to whisper something in his Kaoru's ear. The smile that curled her lips caused his own temper to rise. Automatically his hand went to his hip in reflex to draw a sword that wasn't there.
A voice cleared and everyone's attention was directed to the host of the show. Naraku smiled at them all. "I'm glad to see you all have survived your first few hours on the island. But the fun is over and now the challenges begin." He snapped his fingers and Kagura showed up holding a scroll that looked like some sort of old pirate map.
"Here are the rules, it's quite simple," Kagura began with a dull look to her dark ruby colored eyes as she stared at the scroll with a bored expression. "Three representatives of each team will run the aquatic obstacle course you see before you." She gestured to an intricate set up in the coastal waters.
There was a jet ski, bobbing orange flags, and an open expanse of water that led to a drifting raft about two hundred yards away from shore. "You have two minutes to choose three individuals to represent you." Naraku explained and then began to look pointedly at his watch.
The teams quickly conferred.
The two minutes elapsed and Naraku crossed his arms waiting to hear the decisions.
Sesshoumaru stepped forward to represent his team. "We have chosen myself, Aoshi, and Kagome."
Inuyasha stepped up, glaring at his half-brother with utter contempt. "We have chosen myself, Kenshin, and Misao."
Naraku pointed a finger towards one of the camera men, a young man by the name of Soujiro. He gestured for him to have a close-up of the teams. "Very well, I shall honor two of the three requests." He walked towards Sesshoumaru's team and gently pushed Kagome to stand back with the rest of her tribe. He selected Ayame who was busy polishing her nails and pulled her alongside a stunned and visibly annoyed Sesshoumaru and Aoshi.
Naraku then nodded his head at Kagura. She gently pushed Misao out of the lineup with Kenshin and Inuyasha and selected Sango in her stead. Kenshin and Inuyasha shrugged. Sango was athletic too.
"What is the meaning of this?" Aoshi demanded, an icy chill dripping from his voice.
Naraku smiled, cinnamon eyes twinkling. "I'm the host, I make the rules," he answered simply.
As to be expected, the race was easily won.
Standing upon the drifting raft, awaiting his teammate, Sesshoumaru was livid. His claws were already dripping poison, slowly consuming the wooden raft. Ayame was the slowest person he had the misfortune of knowing.
It was as if she wasn't even trying. She kept glancing behind her towards Kouga and glaring at him over her shoulder.
"Wench hurry up!" Sesshoumaru demanded, having lost all patience. He could see his younger half-brother standing upon the shore, talking to Kagome. He could also see Aoshi standing on shore with eyes narrowed in rage at the red haired fluezy that was costing them the race!
Sesshoumaru could stand the humiliation of losing no more and took off flying towards the shore. He paused only briefly to pick up the drowned red haired woman on his way. He dropped her in the sand roughly as he strolled towards Naraku and glared down at the shorter man menacingly.
Naraku only smiled. "Looks like I'll be seeing your tribe at the council tonight."
"I'm sorry for your loss Kaoru-dono," Kenshin told his girlfriend softly as he stood beside her on the beach. His eyes were full of adoration for the peaceful young woman who's heart would reach out for whomever was in need.
Kaoru kissed him quickly on the cheek and rushed towards the visibly upset Ayame. "It's okay dear, it wasn't your fault. You didn't ask to be in that competition." Kaoru tried to assure the angry young woman.
Ayame brushed her off, sending Kaoru falling into the sand with a bewildered expression. Kenshin began to rush to her aid, but was beat by Aoshi who was immediately at her side and helping her rise. He steadied her with a hand at her back as they watched Ayame storm over towards Kouga, who was trying to hide behind the large figure of Sanosuke.
"This is all your fault!" Ayame shrieked. She grabbed hold of Kouga's dark ponytail and tugged hard, causing the wolf demon to cry out in pain. "I shouldn't even be at this hell hole and all you've done is avoid me!"
Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and everyone was silent, giving him their full attention. His presence simply demanded full attention.
"We shall head back to camp to discuss this." He informed all the participants. Sesshoumaru yanked Kagome possessively out of Inuyasha's arms. "We do not fraternize with the enemy." He informed her.
Kenshin moved to stand beside Inuyasha as they watched their girlfriends being pulled away rather possessively by two men that were certainly not themselves. "I suppose I could point out the obvious thing. We did win." Kenshin replied, trying to calm himself and his friend down.
Inuyasha crossed his arms and glared at the retreating backs of the rival tribe. "Then why am I feeling like I'm the one losing?"
#### Later that night ####
It didn't take a rocket scientist to deduce that Ayame would be the first individual voted off the island. Her torch was extinguished after Naraku read the unanimous vote to cast her off the island. At least she held no anger about her rejection.
She even mustered a smile at her former teammates as she walked away from the tribal council.
Aoshi touched Kaoru's arm, drawing her attention. The young woman looked forlorn at the retreating figure. "She didn't want to be here," he assured her softly.
Kaoru sighed as she allowed her gaze to drift over her teammates. "I just hope that when we vote people off it's not a popularity contest."
"We will vote off the weakest link," Saito assured her, butting into the conversation as he sat beside her.
Enishi snorted at the comment. "Yeah right, like this show ever has people with noble intentions. They always start to vote off the strongest competition when the time gets closer." He retorted cynically.
"Well we're different people playing this game," Kagome argued stepping into the discussion. "We don't have to play by the same rules. We can play as the game is meant to be played. The best of the best are the ones that stay."
Megumi looked about to protest to that comment, but the looming figure of Sesshoumaru rising to his feet ended the discussion. "We head back to our camp."
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I would like to thank Belle for helping me complete this chapter! My muse abandoned me and it would have taken a crap-load of a longer time to get this out. TT. THANX BELLE!!! well you guys know what to do...even if you don't want to do it for me, at least give belle your gratitude! Please REVIEW!
