AN: I can already smell that this'll be a long chapter... I have to apologize.... IMMENSELY for getting this chappie up to you guys so late.... You see, my parents surprised me with a little mini-vacation over the weekend. ...By mini, I meant endless... My brother just graduated UF (University of Florida), whoopee, and we moved him back down with us. Permanently. ...I'm happy^^
I'm also very, very happy to thank Kurei for being such a faithful reviewer, *glomps* As well as golden lover and others for their awesome compliments. :D ..I'm having a little bit of mind block, for forgive me in advance for any potential suckiness in this chapter. And to all those curious, yes, this also a S/M.
Enjoy. ^.~
Hanyou on the High Sea- Chapter 5
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Miroku was by no means a chaste priest. ... He was... barely a priest. ...It was by no miracle whatsoever that he found his way to Inuyasha's ship, having been chased out of town after town before stowing away in the WRONG ship in the harbor. ...Being discovered by a certain white-haired deck swabber a week after setting sail. ...As said. ...Miroku was not a chaste priest.
Which is why, only a quarter sober and clamoring on deck, he felt not even the least bit of embarrassed about hitting on the wooden mermaid. His hands ran over wooden nether-regions. ....Her silent charm so appealing... The soft features of her face almost... sculpted.
Miroku ran to the side of the boat and threw-up.
Picking up whatever dignity he had left off the floor was not an option now. ...He plopped down on the smooth wooden deck, laying, head against the base of his lovely mermaid's tail. He looked up at the sky.... now beginning to lighten around the edges with morning. ...That's funny... There were double the stars than he last remembered. ...And they seemed to be dancing... He closed his eyes.
"Nothing to do now but wait..." he told to nobody in particular. ...Knowing how stupid he'd feel when he was regular again, Miroku decided that to think about his drunken behavior now was like salt in the papercut, and pushed it away... deciding to fall asleep.
~*~
Two sets of eyes glared at each other in locked hostility. Two sets of teeth were bared, and four fists were clenched.
Kagome glared at the stranger. ...Not much of a pirate, she thought condescendingly. …Skinny... with a baggy red outfit. ...Not the least bit tattooed, scarred, or pierced. …He had long, long white hair, bright golden eyes, and what seemed like.... puppy ears on his head. ...Puppy ears? ...Hmmph, she thought. He's not tough at all. …I bet he's a mop boy.
First impressions were not all peaches with Inuyasha either.
...Who the hell was this hostile, annoying woman, and WHY was she acting so damn bold? ...She should have been cowering in fear, dammit, Inuyasha thought with irritation. ...FEAR.
Top to bottom, she wasn't much to look at, that was for sure... Messy black hair, patches of black and blue on her face... and.... he noted, almost blushing.... (out of masculine modesty, of course) ....a very torn shirt. ...Thank the gods for dark hallways. ...Her deep brown eyes were wide and fierce, though, looking at him.
Kagome saw the mop boy's eyes traveling down her face and linger... at her chest. To his own defense, he couldn't help himself. Kagome stood, both fists by her side and teeth gritted, forgetting temporarily about her suddenly ...exposed endowments.
She glanced down. ...Oh my gods.
"You lecher!" She quickly pulled her shirt together, red creeping up her face. What the hell was this? Treat-Kagome-Like-a-Piece-of- Meat Day?" "...How dare you ogle me!"
Inuyasha eyes averted quickly, before he recovered himself and shot back. Annoying or not, she had guts. "Who's ogling? It's kind of HARD when you have the chest of a twelve year old boy!"
She sputtered. How...did he just… go there? What he lacked in muscle he made up for in foul-mouth. "I've got a C-cup, thank you very much!" she spat.
Oh my. ...Did she just say that? Kagome's mouth bit itself after she said that, and she turned another shade of red. "I mean... I mean... SINCE WHEN WERE YOU ALLOWED TO JUDGE?"
Inuyasha's eye's narrowed at her again. "I'll be asking the questions here, wench."
"Your mother." She spat. Kagome's fear was waning. ...This guy was a wuss! A perverted, rude, annoying pansy! Her anger was steadily taking over her body.
Inuyasha growled. He bared his claws, flexing them before her eyes. "...Watch your mouth, bitch. I have a good mind to toss you off my ship!"
"...Oh YEAH?" She was too angry to pay heed to threats. "Just try it! ...C'mon, just try and grab me!" Kagome's heart was starting to pound. ...Of anger, mainly, she figured. ...The word 'my', attached to 'ship', just seemed to pass her by.
That's it. Inuyasha's yellow eyes darkened. ...This girl was begging to be taught a lesson. Unused to verbal abuse, his anger mounted. ...NO ONE bad-mouths the captain. NO ONE.
Inuyasha took a step forward. ...She saw his action and reacted instantly, stepping back. Her foot stumbled. Get a grip, Kagome... She shook her head.
Was he going to attack her? She tensed. I can take him... You can fight it Kagome... You're not going under here... She kneeled down, picking up a piece of stone ballast that seemed to appear at her feet. In less than a minute, her heart had started to pound significantly harder.
Inuyasha watched her actions with partial anger and partial interest. ...Oooh. Now she was picking up rocks. ...Still yet, he was amazed at her bravery. ...Not many girls kidnapped had the gall to fight back on a ship full of pirates.
Inuyasha, he realized then, was a little surprised at himself as well. He was the feared Captain Whiteclaw. He killed without hesitation, without remorse. Manten's raggedy love slave had already done more than her share of pissing off, and she was here, still breathing.
...He shrugged it off as miraculous drunk behavior. ... They do happen when fourteen pints of grog are infiltrated in your bloodstream.
Inuyasha started storming over to her. Her eyes narrowed as well and she chucked the rock at his head. It sailed clean between the ears. ...Leaving a red-sea part in his fluffy white bangs.
His hands jumped up and he patted it down. "Aggh! Damn you, bitch!" …That's it. She was jumping the plank. ...Now.
She had grasped that rock with amazing grip. ...A little too amazing. Her hand had started to bleed. ...Not that she seemed to notice...
Kagome's heartbeat picked up even more. It was… It was going to burst from her chest. ...What... was going on? ....She backed up, leaning against a wall. ...Her body suddenly seemed to flush with heat. Inuyasha stopped advancing. ...The woman was now clutching her chest and heaving.
She looked at him, wide-eyed and gasping. "What...what's happening to me...?"
A cruel grin appeared on his face. ...How convenient. Not five minutes and she was already going down for the count. This will make tossing a whole lot easier.
"…Not so high and mighty now, are you, bitch?" He noticed a few drops of sweat appearing on her forehead. ...the scent of blood also reached his nose. ...he looked down, seeing a trickle of red dripping from her hand. …What was this feeling nagging at the back of his mind? ...Inuyasha was going to pick her up and make her swim... he wanted toss her. Didn't he? ...Inuyasha remained frozen in place five feet away from the girl who was now heaving and sweating.
Somehow, the idea of killing this helpless creature was growing less and less appealing. Inuyasha growled at himself for the tiny infiltration of mercy.
...The very same tiny, nagging feeling in the back of his mind told him that he knew this girl. ...Did... they ever meet?
"You... *gasp gasp* ...bastard. ...Just leave me alone..."
He caught the whiff of another scent on her skin. ...The scent of the idiot, Manten. Inuyasha wrinkled his nose. That asshat really did stink it up.
Then, with widened eyes as the familiarity of the smell settled in, he made a sudden realization. ...A quick memory of a burial at sea that had taken place a while before flashed before his eyes... One of his crewmen had died, quivering and gasping much like the wench here now... because he'd gotten into a bar-brawl with the big-headed youkai. How could he forget?
..Manten's touch was poisonous.
He never saw himself walk toward her. He only realized he was touching her when he pulled his hand away. ...Her skin burned with internal heat.
Kagome, on the other hand, was no longer seeing. Her vision had blurred and suddenly gotten a lot brighter. Inuyasha stood over her grimly.
He didn't like her. ...Hell, he didn't even know her. She was annoying, weak and aggravating. Two seconds ago, he was prepared to feed her to the fish. ...Then... why was Inuyasha feeling such an unfamiliar emotion? What was WITH this surge of pity? He looked down at her again.
She had slumped over on the ground. ...Her body was now trembling. The cruel part of Inuyasha spoke into his mind. ...Let the bitch sleep. …Now you can go back to the pints.
The other part said nothing, but it was the one that acted... Inuyasha bent down and hoisted the woman in his arms. What he was doing, he didn't know, and what could be done for her he knew even less. Her arms dangled limply to the floor.
Pausing, Inuyasha thought of the only person who could remotely have been of any help. ...His room was not too far off.
~*~
This, was not going to be easy. ...How do you manage to evade an entire ship of pirates while maintaining cover, and find a secluded enough place to fly off so as to avoid pirate bullets? ...Sango sighed, peeking around the corner outside her cell room. ...Nobody in sight. Kirara gave a happy mew next to her, and the tajiiya was more than willing to offer her pet a scratch behind the ears.
With years of stealth and observance training behind her, Sango silenced Kirara's purring and listened. ...She could hear two people talking. ...Outside the main dungeon room door. With silent steps that would have made an Indian jealous, she made her way to the oaken door. ...Good... there was an open space on top. She quietly hoisted herself up and took a peek outside.
It was hard to tell through the dirty glass, but it looked like the captain was just outside the door. She ducked quickly. She was not underestimating her foe this time. After all, he was a hanyou, wasn't he? She had to keep her scent hidden. Sango looked around, unsure of what to do. ....This is the only exit out of the dungeon room, isn't it? She cursed at her bad fortune.
Sango got up again, hoisting herself up to look outside. ...The captain was still there. ...She could see only smudges of his color, really... but he looked to be holding something... Sango jumped down again, pressing her ear against the door. ..His footsteps were slow, but when the telltale creak of the stairwell came, Sango began to let the tension in her body ease. ...Maybe, she was going to be able to get out afterall. Counting slowly until five minutes were up, Sango took a deep breath and cracked open the door. ...Years of dirty dust fell from the frame as she did.
She looked outside. ...The passageway was empty. ...Except for a pirate in the corner, snoring loudly. ....An empty jug of ale dripped beside him. ....Sango half-smiled.
...If all the pirates on the ship were like that, she'd have a much easier time with this escape.
To her left, an open doorway flickered with light inside. ....She'd best hurry this up...
Motioning to Kirara, the tajiiya made her way for the creaking stairwell. ...With a mew the youkai cat acknowledged. Sango looked up the stairs, listening. ...Good... nobody was around. She placed her foot on the step.
The creak of the stairwell was muffled by the sudden growl that erupted from Kirara. Sango looked down, to see the white fur of the demon cat standing on end, her facing behind them both.
A raspy, groan came from ten yards behind, then, in what seemed like disbelief...
"Fuck... Is that... another woman...?
The exterminator didn't miss a beat. Somersaulting backwards towards the pirate, whoever it was, she called out to Kirara to change. Her boots connected squarely with the chest of something very large, and very dense. He went down with an 'oof', writhing on the floor. Sango bounced to her feet, and Kirara moved in.
The demon cat-turned-lion pounced on a very surprised and very large youkai with three solitary hairs. The pirate didn't even have time to yell before his furry assailant roared and sunk her fangs into his collar.
...The youkai's mouth opened, wanting to say something... trying to say something... but nothing came out but a gurgle... and purplish blood... He tensed as Kirara pulled her teeth out of him, gasped once....then lay still... nothing more to ever come out of his lips.
The demon cat sniffed once. ...The danger gone, a swirl of fire appeared, leaving the cat as she once was. ...Sango bent down and received her partner in her arms. "You're going to get a big dinner for that..." she said with a squeeze. ....Kirara only purred.
Sango went up the stairs. ...In the same stealthy manner, and back turned, she took a look around. ...A small number of pirates were at the end, drunk as all else and doing... something she'd never seen..
"Ey...ey! Toma.. yer doing it all wroooong...." The pinstriped pirate pushed another, causing him to fall loosely to the ground. "...It's hand, hand, then flap, flap... and THEN you twist down... like this...." The pirate hiccupped and started to sing...
"I can't believe... I'm doing this... I must be nuts...." ...Sango almost snickered. There was a chorus of cheers from the other pirates. "...Way t'show 'em the chicken!" cried a drunken spectator. ...Sango reached into her pocket.... and pulled out a firecracker. ....Father was right.... she mused... these really do come in handy.
A lit firecracker soon landed in the middle of the hallway. Every pirate there ducked when it went off. Sango hid. ...When they all came to investigate, she dispatched them all effortlessly.
"Hmmm... this is getting to be too easy..."
Feeling blessed with her good luck but still wary, the tajiiya and her cat scaled yet another flight of stairs. ...YES! an exit! ...She could see an open frame to the far end of this passage, but just before it... was the mess hall. Curse it.
"What do you think Kirara..?" She kneeled down to the floor. The cat looked up at her, looking a bit listless. "Should we make a run for it?"
'Mew!'
Sango frowned... it was her only option at this time... This was her only way out of the ship, and she knew it would be crazy to try to take on an entire room full of pirates at the same time... Or more like suicide...even if they were drunk...
She breathed... she was almost out of here... almost free. She would go back to the agency and save Whiteclaw for later. She was still for a moment, tensing her muscles.
She exploded down the passage at full speed, going down midway in a flurry of somersaults. Two feet from the open mess hall doorway, she concentrated all of her spring in her arms, throwing herself into the air like a rocket...
...And sailing cleanly over the frame. ...Kirara followed, hopping down the hallway after. Sango hid herself watched her pet anxiously, praying she wouldn't be seen. She was looking a little sluggish, she noted. The fuzzy youkai dove straight in front of the door, to a relieved breath from Sango.
... At last... they were free!
Now... Sango thought. ...I need to find my Hiraikotsu... Where did it fall to again..?
Avoiding the roaming pirates on deck was easy enough... It was still dark outside, and there were only maybe four or five sparsely scattered...
Eventually, she found herself and Kirara near the bow. ....This was where she lost... to Inuyasha. .
..Her fists clenched, unwittingly. ...She looked over the water as she crept along the wooden deck. Ahh! There was Hiraikotsu! ...Wedged neatly underneath a wooden mermaid. Narrow deckway turned into the wide space of the bow. Sango, wary of any potential pirates, crept along the walls. Seeing nobody, she walked out into the open and made for the weapon. ...But... she stopped short. She spied something purple lying on the floor.
Sango let out an audible gasp. "...A houshi...?"
~*~
The door to a messy pirate's cabin was kicked open with a loud BLAM. Something fell off the walls and broke. Inuyasha, with a sincere look of irritation, walked over to a short, bald little man sleeping soundly on a chair. The green-skirted girl in his arms had started to quiver violently. The hanyou stormed over to the man and gave him a good, solid kick.
"Wake up, you senile old coot!"
The shrimpy man opened his enormous eyes lazily from the floor and stretched some. "Oh, Inuyasha-sama... have you come for some more sword grease...? You can't polish it enough, you know..." He gave a large, noisy yawn. Inuyasha took Kagome to the small bed in the corner, kicking off a few boxes and bottles. She turned to the side and coughed up some blood. Inuyasha stormed back to the sleepy man on the floor and hoisted him up by the collar, much to his yelping. "Inuyasha-sama! Inuyasha-sama! …What have I done?! Let this Myouga live!" The captain pointed a clawed finger towards the bed.
"You see that girl, Myouga?" The old man nodded fervently. "...That girl touched Manten. Repeatedly. Now do something and fix her up before I get even more pissed off. ...I'm going to go find my Second-in-Command." He dropped the tiny doctor to the floor and turned to walk out of the door. The old man rubbed his head and reached out toward the captain. "B-b-but.. Captain... Wait!"
Inuyasha turned partially with a daunting eye. "Yeah?"
"What do you want me to do? She's... she probably already too far gone!-"
"That's YOUR problem, now."
"...And... and why?"
Inuyasha was turned at the doorway. He was silent for a second. "...I need a new cook."
Wordlessly, he disappeared.
Myouga was left sitting wide-eyed on the floor for a minute. His attention turned to Kagome when she coughed up more blood, rasping. The small, elder rushed to her side, taking a few vital signs and then running over to his medicine cabinet, pulling a multitude of bottles from the shelves. He ran back to her side.
"Darn it..." he muttered. "...The only way she'll live is if I can draw out most of the poison..." He opened her mouth and poured some liquid into it which Kagome swallowed reflexively. "All right…" the doctor muttered. He positioned his large needle over her skin. "…Forgive me, madam... but this is going to hurt..."
~*~
Sango stared at the purple-robed man lying lifelessly on the floor. ...A houshi...? On a pirate ship..? Her eyes flickered over to the golden staff laying a few meters away. ...This... was absolutely unforgivable. …The pirates had taken prisoner a man of Buddha! How…how could they?
The exterminator ran over to the man and kneeled beside him. Carefully, she turned him over. ...She had to be careful. ...Why, he could have already been tortured and beaten... She couldn't risk any broken bones... And... It was her duty, on her honor as a tajiiya, to aid a holy man. ...She checked for any signs of life. ...He seemed to be out cold. His heart pressure was low, and the man was clammy to the touch. She put his head in her lap.
"Houshi-dono? ...Houshi-dono? Are you alright...?" She shook him gently.
Miroku was in the middle of a very pleasant drunken dream. A harem... a big-chested, scantily clad harem was dancing circles around him. ...Touching him. ...Massaging him, shaking him.
...Shaking him?
"Houshi-dono!" One of them giggled. "Do me, Houshi-dono!" ...The priest could hardly believe his good luck. Her breasts hung in his face and he let out a dream-like smile. "Ah, my fair dove... please... say that one more time... Make your priest happy."
She giggled once more... "Houshi-dono... wake up, houshi-dono!" The dancing blonde behind him gave him a rather rough shake. He felt himself grow heavier with consciousness. "...Too short of a dream this has been..." he thought, sadly.
...He opened his eyes slowly, pained. Blinding light flooded in, much to his discomfort.
Sango felt a wave of relief. He didn't look to be injured, at the very least. Miroku was squinting as his eyes grew accustomed to the light. ...There was a dark shape above him... A dark shape... with long, silky hair... And... and breasts?
"Are you alright... Houshi-dono...?" ...The blue-eyed monk slowly opened his eyes and stared at her. She gazed down upon him in concern. …Miroku opened his mouth a bit.
"My lady… Are you… an angel?"
The handsome man was looking at Sango so searchingly that she couldn't help but feel a small bit of red creep onto her face. "Well... no, houshi... but I am here to help you... Tell me... are you injured?" She pulled the man's back to a sitting position. Miroku still felt the presence of booze in his bloodstream, but that all changed in the presence of a lady.
He shook his head sadly and feigned a pained side. "I'm afraid so... my lady... I fear... I have naught time to live..." he turned to the beautiful woman. Sango's face was a mixture of concern and anger. "Those vile pirates... how could they? Harm a man of God! ...Come, houshi... I can get you away from this ship... do you think you can stand...?"
Miroku looked at her with sad, deep blue eyes. "...I fear I cannot, sweet maiden... But..." The imaginary stab in his side stung again. "I have... but one thing to ask..."
Sango looked back at him determinedly. "Yes, houshi! ...Anything to help!"
"Will you..." he leaned in closely and took the tajiiya's hand.
"Will you please... bear my child?"
...Sango stiffened and turned tomato red. ...There was alcohol on the monk's breath. And something grabbing her butt.
...
...The slap was audible a mile away.
Miroku, the lecherous monk was left writhing on the deck floor in pain. Sango reached over, grabbing Hiraikotsu and strapping it over her back. She hmph'ed loudly, still sweatdropping.
"Corrupted priest! ...I can't believe even you would go so low as to deal with pirates..."
Miroku rubbed his blazing cheek tenderly and gave her a sheepish look, then hung his head. "...Forgive me... I was too dazzled by your beauty to think clear-"
"Shut up! You're a drunk and lecherous sea dog! ...Tell your captain I will be back for his head." She turned. "...Kirara!"
Miroku stood, still half tipsy, watching the fiery woman turn with the large weapon strapped to her back. "But... my lady..." he started shamefacedly, "I pray ask... how do you intend to get off the ship? There are no small boats which we have to use and there is nothing but water for miles..."
The woman gave him a dirty look and walked past him. "That... is none of your concern, houshi. I have my resources. Kirara!"
Sango looked around. ...Where had she gone to? The last time the youkai neko was underfoot, Sango had been about to walk into the open bow. The monk leaned over to pick up his staff from the corner of her eye. He fell, trying.
"Kirara..?"
Sango walked back to the deckway she had stood moments earlier. This was unusual. Kirara never wandered away unless told to. ...Sango glanced down the deck and spotted her furry partner, lying on her side. ...Motionless.
Immediate concern filled the tajiiya and she rushed to Kirara's side picking up the small, limp cat. "...Kirara...?" ...She heard a small, piteous mew. The concern was suddenly replaced with fear. No... Kirara... was not moving. In fact, she seemed to have trouble breathing. Her mouth hung open, gasping for air.
"Oh no! Kirara! Are you alright...?!" Sango grew panicked and knelt down to the floor.
What on earth was wrong?! Was Kirara injured without her knowing it? Had she hit herself upon boarding the ship? Sango's fear continued to mount. ...If Kirara couldn't move... they couldn't get off the ship. ...If Kirara was mortally wounded, she'd have nobody to turn to for help. The tajiiya grasped the cat and held her close to her chest. ...A fearful tear welled up underneath her eyelids.
Miroku had finally achieved standing. ...Barely, but he was vertical. Leaning against his chest, he looked around the deck. ....Now, where had that blindingly beautiful prisoner gone to? ...Miroku hobbled over to the deck side. The woman was there... kneeling, and trembling like somebody had killed her pet. [AN: Gomen for the corny pun. P]
The lady is upset...? The monk furrowed his brow. Then I, MIROKU, must aid her distress! Sango heard the heavy, uneven footsteps behind her get closer and closer. ...Yet, that worry wasn't plaguing her mind at the moment.
...Nothing seemed to work to revive Kirara. ...She had simply, and mysteriously, fallen. ...She didn't even realize when the monk was standing over her and the unconscious neko. Finally noticing the shadow, she glanced up to see his serious and puzzled expression. ...Not at her, but at what she was holding.
"What is it that ails you, milady? I take it that... that furry beast is yours?"
Sango didn't know whether to retort nastily to the annoying monk or break down in tears and panic. ...Something needed to be done about Kirara. Sango just felt her head nod, numbly.
Miroku tilted his head. "And... I take it she was not always like this...?"
Biting back a nasty answer to the stupid question, she managed instead, with broken voice, "...She... just collapsed..."
Sango didn't want to ask this man for help... she really would rather have walked off the plank. ...But....if then, how was Kirara to live?
"Please..." she looked away from his face. "...Please help her... You... you have my submission."
Miroku didn't seem to hear her. Or, pretended not to. "...So, this was sudden. Was it..? Did your pet swallow or touch anything or anybody? Perhaps..." he looked at her face. "...Perhaps... a large, balding youkai pirate...?"
Sango's eyes shot open. Her mind flashed back to the brute Kirara had felled below decks on the ship. Kirara had sunk her teeth into him. ...Tasted him... She looked directly at the monk. "....Poison....?"
He nodded, gravely. "...I fear your pet has ingested the poison of one of our ship's less popular crewmembers. ...I fear the last incident involving him and another who touched his skin ended in death." Sango swallowed hard. She was trying hard not to cry. ...Not in front of this... pirate.
There was a hand on her shoulder. She looked up again. The houshi had a gentler look to him. Nevertheless, she pulled away at his touch.
"Come. ...Luckily, there is an antidote. ...As we all learn from our mistakes. ...But.... you must stay close to me." She hated hearing those last words. But... it had to be done.
"Houshi..." She had her face turned downward again with a gritted expression. "...All that I ask.... is that you save the life of Kirara. ...You may punish me then, as you wish."
She heard a small bit of laughter as he hobbled in front of her. Her head rose and the monk was chuckling. "Milady... I'm certainly not going to kill you... If you are worried. ...And, I am the second in command on this ship. ...You... may leave the captain to me."
...Second-in-Command...? Sango pulled Kirara closer to herself as she followed the young monk back, down into the ship. ...Somehow, that wasn't very comforting.
~*~
A hot beam of sunlight was shining in her face.
...Kagome woke up, covered in sweat.
...It was the blankets fault, though. ...She reflexively kicked the rough burlap covering off of her and lay on the blanket-less cot, dazed and confused.
It looked like it was morning... Kagome wiped her brow, uncomfortable in the beds heat. ...She felt so stiff... ...Why...? Come to think of it.... where... She bolted upright.
Where was she?
She took in the room, barely breathing. ...She was still on the pirate's ship. ...She was still kidnapped. But.... She reached down and felt chest and legs. ....She was still alive.
...The room was cluttered with bottles and boxes... Medicine bottles... and supply boxes. There were rolls of gauze bandages stacked neatly against the door.... and she was all alone in the room. Beside her, were two more cots. ...Fresh and pressed. This means... this is a sick bay?
Kagome got out of bed, feeling very stiff and weak, as if her muscles had suddenly atrophied. ...She didn't seem to notice that the burn on her leg had mysteriously disappeared.
She made her way to a large chair next to a desk in the room, sitting down. ...She was already tired. ...her eyes flickered over to a few miscellaneous items on the desk... A mug stuffed with feather pens... a pile of paper... what looked like a hardbound log, or journal... and a calendar... hanging over it all. Kagome glanced at it for a few minutes, not thinking of it very much. ...There were X's on the days, all the way down to the fifteenth, she noted.
Kagome stared at it some more. ...The fifteenth... Didn't that seem a little... much...? Wait a minute...
Her brow furrowed in concentration. ...She had left home on the seventh. Kagome looked down at the place on her leg that had been scorched by the ship's fire. There was nothing but clean skin. Her hand rose to her face. ...Nothing tender... nothing swollen. ...Then that means...
She had slept for a week.
The door opened behind her. Kagome automatically tensed. ...A light, cheery, elderly voice spoke up from behind her. "Ah! ...You've finally awakened! Captain Inuyasha-sama will be pleased to hear it!" Kagome turned to see a tiny bald man with a few whiskers come in the room and place another box down on the floor. He looked up at her and smile. "...He's been hungry for quite awhile, you know!"
Kagome's eyes bulged. ...Unfortunately for her, she didn't take it as he meant.
~*~
AN: Again... Gomen gomen gomen gomen gomen for getting this chapter up to you so late! ...I wallow in my own shame... It pains me...:( Also, you'll have to forgive my crappy, crappy writing.. It's horribly late and I don't think I was as good as I should've been. U_U I hope chapter 6 comes along MUCH faster... I left you a much smaller cliffie this time around, though^^.... Kagome took the doctors info a little... literally. Please stay tuned, and while you're at it, drop that little review.^^