A/N: A/N: And after dropping off the face of the earth, Akina returns with another installment of BJD! You are all being treated. Feel loved that I found enough time to actually put this up! What with finals around the corner, not only have I been studying like mad, but it's like every time I turn around, someone finds something for me to busy myself with! Weather it be a band something, or homework, or Driver's Ed, or sleeping… I'm just glad to have found my way back to my laptop underneath all these piles of clothes in my messy messy room!
Here are some happy peppy review replies for my happy peppy reviewers who take their happy peppy time to send me happy peppy reviews!
Kawaiibabe14—Oh, I haven't even started with the sit command yet… 'evil laugh' And…I updated! Don't hurt me…
Fuf—I am so glad you love it! Keep reading; hopefully I'll keep it full of good humor! You know me!
Well… that was a slightly pathetic batch of review replies.
And the disclaimer—
The irritated hanyou winced as he girl clinging to his back let out squeal after high-pitched, painful squeal, with every ascension up into the sky. "Would you stop screaming already? I think I've gone deaf in my right ear thanks to you!"
"Well if you'd go a bit slower and not jump around so much, maybe I could stop scream—EEK!" She was once again cut off as a tree branch whizzed by her head. Unable to watch any longer, Kagome squeezed her eyes shut and hugged Inuyasha's back tighter. "Why are we doing this again?" Her question was slightly muffled by the thick layer of fire rat fur.
Inuyasha sighed heavily, and broke into a run along the forest floor. "Remember when you said you saw a funny pink glow in the woods? That was a shikon jewel shard you were seeing. Then you felt that tingly feeling that pulled you towards the glow, right? You were sensing the jewel. Now, we are following whatever demon has that shard in its possession right now. You got it?"
"Um, yeah, I think…"
"Don't think. Know."
"Okay! I know! I got it!"
"Good." He sniffed the air, skillfully dodging trees that jutted out into the path they were taking. "I smell fresh blood," he said aloud, mostly to himself. "I think we're almost there."
"Almost where?" There was no time for Kagome's question to be answered. The dog-demon burst out into a clearing, where not too far ahead stood a red-eyed, mouth-foaming, cat-like creature. It was down on all fours, and it stared at the two intruders with a murderous glare. Its gray fur was stained with fresh blood.
Inuyasha let Kagome down from his back and turned to her sharply. "I need you to find where the shard is in this thing. The sooner, the better."
Kagome nervously scanned the creature before her. "Well, his forehead is glowing a funny pink color—"
"Great. Thanks."
Inuyasha stepped forward, pulling the Tetsusiga out of its scabbard. With the giant fang aimed at the enemy, he began the fight with the traditional insult-swap.
"Hey, you! Cat-Breath! Been filling your gut with villagers, have ya? Allow me to help you loose some weight!" on 'weight', he took off at a run.
The cat hissed—it could pass as a laugh—and poised itself to counter attack. Once Inuyasha was within range, he swung the sword at the cat's neck, only for the cat to dodge easily and swat him with its tail.
Annoyed, Inuyasha continued the onslaught. His efforts were fruitless effort, for with every assault the cat-creature came back with a swift and agile counter attack.
Meanwhile, while Inuyasha was busy with the demon, Sango, Miroku and Shippo approached the abandoned Kagome on the back of the transformed Kirara.
"Its about time! I could use a little help here!" Inuyasha called to his friends.
"Kagome, have you tried a sacred arrow yet?" Miroku asked urgently.
"A what?" she responded in confusion.
"Try shooting an arrow at the demon. You have—well, had—perfect aim. I'm sure it's bound to do the trick."
Convinced to least give it a shoot, Kagome nervously loaded an arrow onto her bow and pulled it back shakily.
Okay girl. Everyone is counting on you. Just make the shot, and it'll all be over.
"Where should I aim?"
"For the shard! Aim for the sacred jewel shard!"
She spotted the glint on the cat-demon as it reached a stand-still.
"Hurry! Before it moves again!"
Kagome gulped and squeezed her eyes shut. Here…goes…NOTHING! With a grunt, she released the arrow.
Everything seemed to stop as the anticipation of the arrow hitting the target grew. Then suddenly…
Plop.
The arrow landed a measly five feet in front of Kagome.
Kagome stood, confused. Sango and Miroku sighed heavily. Shippo hung his head. Inuyasha slapped his palm to his forehead and growled.
"You've got to be joking…" he grumbled. It seemed as if the battle had come to a halt at the revealing of Kagome's pitiful archery skills.
"You beat the demon!" the teen chirped as Inuyasha marched back to the rest of the group.
"No thanks to you," he snapped back, putting the Tetsusaiga back into its sheath. "You're supposed to be an excellent marksman. What's with that performance back there?"
He got a blank stare in return from Kagome. Shippo hopped onto her shoulder to clarify.
"What he means is that you were able to shoot an arrow really good before. Now you stink."
"Well that's putting it rather bluntly," remarked Sango.
"Sadly, it's the truth," replied the monk beside her.
Kagome took this as an insult. "First of all, I am a marks-wo-men. Secondly, I've never touched a bow-and-arrow in my life. Thirdly, I think I did pretty darn good for a first shot. There's a first time for everything, you know." As an emphasis to her statement, she and crossed her arms across her chest lifted her chin high in pride.
Shippo sighed from his perch on the girl's shoulder, While Miroku and Sango shook their heads in sadness. Inuyasha stared at her for a while before grunting in frustration and looking away with distaste.
"This is insane. Call me when air-head here gets a brain." With that, he turned on his heels and began to walk back towards where the came from, out of the clearing and into the woods.
Tears threatened to over flow as Kagome watched the hanyou, feeling dejected.
"Why does he hate me so much? I did my best…" She whimpered, wiping away a stray droplet on her cheek.
"Its not that he hates you…" Sango attempted at comforting her friend. "He just… um…"
Any sign of sadness was replaced instantly with a deep welling anger. "Whatever! You can tell that arrogant jerk that this air-head is leaving, and maybe he should find a brain of his own!" Turning sharply on her heel, Kagome stalked away in the opposite direction that Inuyasha had gone.
The remaining party sighed simultaneously.
Sango was first to speak. "So, who wants to go with who?"
"Kirara and I will go with Kagome," Shippo said from the ground. "Maybe you two should go talk to Inuyasha."
"Good plan." They split without a backwards glance.
"Just what goes through your mind when you say things?" Miroku yelled out to Inuyasha, who was sitting cross-legged on a rock near the outskirts of the woods.
"Well, there's an obvious answer," Sango said to him. "NOTHING!"
"Hey, will you two lay off?" the hanyou said defensively.
"No," Miroku told him. "You have to learn that you can't just say whatever comes off the top of your head. We're dealing with a different Kagome now than we were before."
"You have to be more gentle with her," Sango supplied. "You can't be the usual you when your around her."
"Get off my back! What, you going to blame me for her amnesia, too? Its not my fault she can't remember a damn thing about any of us!"
"We know that!" Miroku shot back. "Its just that your not improving anything by yelling at her whenever she does something we're not used to."
"Well, she needs to lean her mistakes somehow. I'm just helping point them out. Besides, how else is she going to get her memory back unless we teach her what she didn't and didn't do then, and what she should and shouldn't do now?"
"You would be handling this situation if it were Kikyo in this position and not Kagome, wouldn't you?"
Inuyasha turned to glare at the monk, his eyes narrowing to slits and a dangerous growl emitting from his chest. "Don't you dare bring her into this."
"You know I'm right," Miroku said, standing firm and unfazed by the threat before him.
"If you aren't sure how to shut the hell up, then maybe my fist can show you?" He cracked his knuckles, making more of a statement than a question.
Miroku began to walk away, talking to Inuyasha over his shoulder. "Think about what I said. Women are sensitive things, Inuyasha. Try treating Kagome as you might Kikyo."
Sango, who had remained silent this entire time, watched as Miroku walked past her. With a final look back at her poor hanyou friend, she followed the young monk towards the near-by village.
"I didn't think you'd actually say it," Sango said to Miroku later as they sat alone in a small hut. The remains of a cooking fire burned between them.
Miroku sat, eyes shut, as if deep in thought.
"It had to come out eventually," he responded, looking up at Sango. "We all know it's the truth, even if some are afraid to admit it. At least now its out in the open."
"Yeah, but I still can't believe you said it…"
"I assume your talking about the comment I made about treating Kagome like he might the priestess Kikyo?"
Sango looked up from the fire and gazed questioningly at the monk across from her. "That too, but I was thinking about the other comment you made. The one where you said, 'Think about what I said.' I'm not sure if he can handle it right now."
"True. His mind does seem to functioning on a rather low level. Lower than normal, anyway."
"He does care deeply for her. You know this, right?" She went back to staring into the fire.
Miroku sighed heavily. "Yes, I know. Perhaps I am overestimating him. This whole issue must be that much more stressful on him than it is on us." He went back to his meditating position. "It looks like we will be the teachers for two distraught people this time."
The corners of Sango's mouth formed into a playful grin.
"I call Kagome," she stated simply. Looking up, she watched as Miroku's once content face contorted in annoyance for having been beaten to the more reasonable of the two pupils.
Tsuki: I just called my Akina 'Kagome'.
Akina: 'beats head on desk'
Tsuki: 'realizes the sadness'
A/N: Wow. After that last little part about Kikyo, I thought Tsuki was going to kill me on the spot. But, she took it quite well. And yes, all you Kikyo-happy people, she is making her way into the story at some point, but I warn you, I am not a Kikyo-happy person, so nothing particularly good is going to happen to her. Just a heads up…
And… what else do I have to say? Oh yeah… REVIEW PLEASE!!! I've only got—what—six? And there were only those two for the last chapter. I'd appreciate more, thanks.
Until next time, I bid thee fare well and good-bye.
Toodles! Akina