Second chapter went over as well as the first, thank goodness. I was a little worried about that one. I know that there is not very much of Lord Sesshomaru in that one, but you will need that information to follow the future chapters. This one is more interesting, I promise.
For the record (ahem): I do not own, in whole or in part, any part of the Inuyasha franchise. Nor do I own any of the characters from said franchise that are used forthwith. The following story is solely based on the ramblings of a college student at a boring job and are not to be taken or believed as part of the true Inuyasha saga. That being said, please enjoy my first attempt at fan fiction. Feel free to critique ad nauseum. (whew!)
Chapter Three – Planning and Waiting
The next few days went by fairly uneventfully for Kagome and the others. Inuyasha was bound and determined that the next major demon they fought be Naraku. With this excuse, he did not want to fight anyone else before Naraku, so that when they were face to face, he would be at his full strength. He refused to chase after a water demon plaguing a village two days away from Kaede's village. Sango and Miroku went alone, leaving a fuming Kagome to lay into Inuyasha, and Shippo to tend to the rest of the ramen.
"I cannot believe that you are refusing to come up against anyone other than Naraku," Kagome wailed, as Kaede simmered the mush stew that was to be their dinner that night.
"You don't know what you are talking about, Kagome. Just lay off, will ya'?" Inuyasha was already angry over something tonight, and didn't need to have yet another fight with Kagome. It was obvious even to Shippo, who was too busy polishing off the last of the ramen to interfere in this conversation.
"You! You are always the first one to jump at the chance to fight. Anybody. Even a simple water demon. What's wrong with you?" Kagome planted her fists on either side of her hips as she waited for an answer to her question.
Inuyasha plopped down in the corner of the hut with a loud "Feh!" and sat with his head in his hand. He stared down at the floor and tried to calm down. Shippo sat in a corner, close to Kaede who was still stirring the simmering pot. He wanted to help diffuse the situation, because Kagome was his best friend. Heck. Even Inuyasha is a friend. Even if he does try to kill me. But he is real mad about something. I am almost afraid to go near him. Not Kagome, though. She doesn't even seem to notice he's upset. Of course, she looks pretty upset too.
"I'm talking to you, Inuyasha. Don't you even care? You don't seem to want to go anywhere lately." She whirled around on one foot and began pacing the floor. "You don't want to go anywhere and you don't want to let me go with Sango and Miroku to help people and fight demons."
He didn't move. He just kept looking down at the floor, and now he was tapping the clawed fingers of his free hand on the floor. What is wrong with him? I cannot even get him to argue with me. I'm getting worried. "Well, I am sorry. I am not going to sit around here day after day, waiting for time to pass me by while you do whatever it is you are doing now. The next time we get a call from a neighboring village about something troubling them, I am going."
"No, you're not!" He still did not look up, but his voice held a certain amount of anger in it. Even Kagome sensed that he was really mad this time.
"Yes I am!" She stamped her foot on the floor, and could feel her miko powers rising in defense. "Who do you think you are, Inuyasha? You cannot keep me here. I am not a prisoner. Do you hear me?"
"Calm yourself, child. He means no harm," Kaede said as she started to ladle stew into several wooden bowls. "Perhaps if ye speak to Inuyasha in softer tones, Inuyasha will give ye an answer." She handed Kagome a bowl, gesturing her to sit on the other side of the fire pit.
Kagome just stood there, bowl in hand, looking from Kaede to Inuyasha and back again. Keh! No one seems to understand what I am saying. Suddenly, we splinter off into pairs? When did this happen? And what's next; Shippo and Kaede take on Naraku by themselves? What is going on? With her mind rapidly filling with questions designed to keep her anger at the boiling point, Kagome fairly threw herself on the mat and shoved the chopsticks into the stew.
Shippo passed on the stew, having eaten three helpings of ramen himself, and sat down beside Kagome. He didn't dare touch her, though. She looked like she would strike the first person who did.
Kaede held out another bowl of stew for Inuyasha, but it took a moment of awkward silence before he looked up from the floor to see it. With a loud "Feh!" he grabbed the bowl and started shoving large chunks of food into his mouth. It was the only thing he could think of at the moment. He knew he couldn't talk, because he eventually would spill the beans. Then she really will want to kill me.
After a little while of the sterile silence, Kaede was the first to speak. "Now, Inuyasha. Tell us why ye are suddenly unwilling to venture forth and fight."
He chewed on that last piece of meat with excruciating precision before answering. "Maybe I just think that some of the things Kagome says about resting up before mortal combat is worth heeding." Feh! Let's see her argue her way out of this one.
"Good thinking, Inuyasha," said Shippo. "The last time you fought him without your full strength, you almost died. And now he has a whole host of minions at his disposal. I don't even want to go up against him, and I never get hurt!"
Inuyasha cast Shippo a baleful grimace. "If you went up against Naraku, we would simply never see you again."
Shippo stuck out his tongue at Inuyasha. But, realizing that Inuyasha was still very angry, wisely decided to move a little closer to Kagome.
"See, child. A reasonable answer to a reasonable request." Kaede seemed reluctant to press Inuyasha for a more explicit answer. Maybe she knows what we planned out last night. I sure hope so, because I know I won't be able to keep her here for long alone.
"Keh." Kagome was not about to buy it for an instant. Something was up, and she was not a part of it. I hate being left out! "Okay, Inuyasha, let's say that I believe you. Then how do you expect us to find Naraku if we never leave the hut?"
Inuyasha just stared at her, unable to think of an answer. It had taken him all night to come up with this one excuse. And it took her less than five minutes to find a very big hole in it.
"Or are we going to sit here and wait for him to find our base camp?"
"No. We will find him. When I feel up to it." Good one, old boy.
Instantly Kagome's face was contrite. She got up onto her knees and looked closer at Inuyasha. "Are you ill? I don't remember you getting wounded lately?"
He stood up quickly before she could see the beads of sweat on his forehead and give away his lie. "I'm fine. I'm going onto the porch. Stay....here....Kagome." And he quickly made his exit. He was too frustrated to say anymore. As soon as he stepped outside and closed the door, he started to run. Maybe I can work off my frustration this way. Kagome will be safe with Kaede for a short while.
"Dammit!" She threw up her hands and sat back down on the mat. The outburst made Shippo jump. "What is wrong with him? He only wants to go after Naraku now, but doesn't want to go find him. It makes no sense to me."
Kaede, still sipping up noodles from her stew, said without hesitation. "Inuyasha thinks differently from us, Kagome. He has many things on his mind, and doesn't like to admit when he is wrong. Perhaps he has decided to think before he acts, and is trying to come up with a plan for hunting Naraku before ye go after him."
Kagome digested her words carefully. "I guess that could be it. But why would he not want to just say that? I mean, we are all in this together, aren't we? Shippo and I would gladly help him formulate a plan."
"I know ye would, child. But Inuyasha has always been proud. Ye know this. Remember how long it took for him to accept ye. And to be one of a group instead of a lone demon-hunter. Let him be. His melancholy will not last long."
"But, Kaede, I am so used to going around looking for demons and shards that I am going crazy stuck in this cabin. I don't know how much more I can take." She laid herself out on the mat and put her arm over her eyes. She did not want to think anymore today.
"I think you are forgetting one important factor in all of this, Kagome. Inuyasha is coming up on his new moon. Soon he will be human. It could very well be that he has decided to wait until after then to go after Naraku. That would be the wisest thing to do. Ye wouldn't want to be out there looking for Naraku and be forced to hide from him for a whole day while Inuyasha is human, would ye?" Kaede finished her statement by placing her bowl on the floor with a resonant thud. This seemed to her to be the definitive reason why Inuyasha was unwilling to go after demons now.
Kagome removed the arm from her eyes and looked over at Kaede. Perhaps she is right. Maybe he is afraid of coming upon Naraku while he is in human form. No, that would mean he has some idea of where Naraku is, and we haven't seen hide nor hair of him for weeks. Kagome's breath caught in her throat as another answer popped into her head. What if he is doing it to protect the gang? If we were to go demon hunting again and got stuck in the woods at the new moon, what would stop Naraku from killing one or all of us? Inuyasha feels that responsible for our safety. "Feh. I still wish he would just talk about his feelings. Just once in a while. Perhaps it would be better if I went home until after the new moon. Then at least he wouldn't have to worry about me."
Kaede thought about that for a moment. "Perhaps ye are right, child."
Shippo bounded into the conversation, safe in the knowledge that Kagome was no longer angry at anyone. "Yeah. You know how protective he is of you Kagome. If you went back to your time, at least he wouldn't have to worry you would get hurt while he was in human form."
She slapped her hands on the floor as if they were gavels. "That is it, then. As soon as I am able to slip away from him, I will go back through the well and not return until after the new moon. Let's see. That is two days from now, so I have to find sometime soon when he isn't watching me."
Shippo yawned. "Good, now let's get some sleep. All this thinking is making me sleepy." With that, he curled up where he was sitting and fell instantly to sleep.
Sesshomaru emerged from the forest into the small clearing where the Bone Eater's well lay in solitude. He had been high enough in the trees around the miko's village that no humans even knew he was there. He also knew from the villager's incessant chattering that a village several days walk from here had called on the aid of the gallant crew. And that they had left yesterday, so his hanyou brother would not be able to sense him in the area. Not that he was that close to the old miko's hut. He just did not want a confrontation to ruin his plans of undermining Inuyasha. He wanted to learn from the villagers more about this Kagome.
What he had learned from the villager's talk was short in usefulness. The girl had come from somewhere else, but they knew not where. They all regarded her as Lady Kagome, and confirmed his belief that he was the reincarnation of the miko Kikyou. But none of them seemed to know how she came here or why. Apparently they just accepted her presence without question.
Sesshomaru was convinced that she used the well to return home. But he wanted to know where that was. He stood next to the well and peered in. It is not very deep. Maybe 100 feet. Very dusty and littered with bone remains of several demons, but certainly nothing impressive. He straightened himself and looked around. There was no device that would aid the human in transportation. I remember that she simply sat on the edge and jumped in. Then the blue light flashed and she was gone. He thought about it for a moment, then gracefully vaulted over the edge of the well into the depths. After about two seconds, he landed on the dusty floor. Looking up, he saw the tops of the trees he had been in all day. He had gone nowhere.
He leapt back up and over the lip of the well, coming to stand at the same spot he had occupied moments before. He had done exactly as she had. The only difference was "Her miko powers. Hm, maybe she is stronger than I gave her credit for. This is an unpleasant turn of events. If she is strong enough to transport herself through an invisible barrier that I cannot break through, then she is a possible liability to me."
Turning on his heels, he took to the skies to find a suitable resting place for the night. "She can no longer remain with my brother. She is too powerful."
"Rin, stay here! Do not go any further! We are not to be seen in the woods. Lord Sesshomaru wants us to wait for that miko to be alone!" Jaken tried to run up to the girl, but at six years old she was already much taller than he.
"Rin is hungry. I need something to eat, and I smell food!" She called over her shoulder as she skipped in the general direction of Kaede's village. This village looks nice. I bet they would feed me. Then I can take Jaken back to Sesshomaru-sama. I am getting tired of wandering in the woods.
Jaken started choking as he realized they were nearing the first huts of the village. He ran as fast as his squat legs could take him and grabbed the back of Rin's clothing. Rin stopped quickly and Jaken ran into her, knocking both of them onto the ground. "Rin, you listen to me. Lord Sesshomaru told me to keep an eye on you, and that is exactly what I am going to do. There are people here who will recognize us as being associates of Lord Sesshomaru." He looked at Rin and grimaced. "Well, they would recognize me. You they would never look at. You are only a human, whereas I am a great and powerful demon."
Rin laughed, a loud and bubbly laugh. "Jaken is making jokes. Jaken is funny."
Before Jaken could set Rin straight, he heard voices he recognized. It was that infernal miko, Kagome, and that little runt Shippo. "Rin," he said in an anguished whisper, "we are too close to people who know us. Lord Sesshomaru will be very displeased if we disobey his orders."
Rin finally listened to him. "Rin doesn't want to anger Sesshomaru-sama." She sighed and began to walk back into the forest. "I guess Rin can wait until morning to eat. Let's go find Sesshomaru-sama."
Jaken finally took a deep breath as Rin understood what he was telling her. But, he wanted to hear what Kagome was yelling about. Maybe he could bring some important news to Lord Sesshomaru. Then maybe I will no longer be a babysitter.
He wasn't sure what they were arguing about. Something about Inuyasha refusing to go and fight anymore. Something about a new moon. He tried to remember everything they said, though, because Lord Sesshomaru knew much more than he about Inuyasha. Perhaps he would know what the new moon means. Then he heard it.
"That is it, then. As soon as I am able to slip away from him, I will go back through the well and not return until after the new moon. Let's see. That is two days from now, so I have to find sometime soon when he isn't watching me."
Jaken leapt into the air. This is what Lord Sesshomaru wanted me to find out. That miko will be returning to her home within two days. He must be told that she will be leaving. And soon.
He scrambled back into the woods, but soon realized that he had no idea where to go. "Rin! Rin, where are you?" He ran and jumped in rotation, trying to catch up to that stupid girl. And ran straight into Lord Sesshomaru.
He looked down at the runt demon with slightly arched eyebrow. "I thought I told you not to into the village and risk being seen."
"My Lord, I am so sorry. This Jaken is not worthy of your generosity. But I was following Rin, trying to stop her from entering the village."
Sesshomaru turned to his side, where Rin was happily swishing the fluffy ruff that hung from his shoulder. "Rin is right here. Where you were not."
"My Lord, I know this. I sent her back into the woods before she reached the village. But I overheard that miko talking to her friends."
Sesshomaru was suddenly interested. "I overheard the villagers say they had gone demon-hunting."
"I heard the miko with my own two ears. She was talking to the old miko and the little kitsune."
"And what did she say, Jaken?"
Jaken bowed, barely able to contain his excitement. "That she will be returning within two days to where she comes from. Before the new moon. That is when something is supposed to happen to Inuyasha, and he is afraid he will not be able to protect her."
Sesshomaru thought over what Jaken had said. She will return to the well soon. And I will be waiting. "We will let Inuyasha think that she is returning home, but she will not be coming back to him. Perhaps we can persuade her to take another route."
The trio took to the skies to return to Sesshomaru's castle. As they flew, Sesshomaru digested the rest of the information Jaken told him. Just what does happen to my brother on the new moon? He mentally noted to look the answer up in his father's library. Another possible weapon against Inuyasha.
Coming Next – Chapter Four – The Well and the New Moon
Inuyasha plans to remain in Kaede's hut as he becomes human, but Kagome slips past him to return home. Sesshomaru lies in wait at the well to stop her from returning home.