NOTES: Thanks for all the tips put into the reviews. I'll try to focus a bit more on Inu Yasha's thoughts (I didn't even notice how much I was leaving the poor guy out! lol) Also, I'll try to keep only one person's spoken words in a paragraph so it's easier to distinguish. ^^ Arigato!
DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi owns Inu Yasha and co., not I. So don't sue me pweese. I need my dollars to buy more anime and manga stuffs! ^.~ Thanks!
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Inu Yasha was camped about half a mile away from Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kirara. He sat in a tree, staring at the night sky, reminiscing. He was thinking on all the times he and Kagome had fought before, trying to see what had solved each of those arguments. Come to think of it, most of them were never solved. One or the other would just happen to get their way, and the issue was dropped. He sighed. 'This time...' he promised himself, 'this time I vow to apologize. Kagome would never stay mad at me if I just told her I was sorry...'
He was trying to think of how he'd run out of cover once he saw her, and he would run over to her and get her away from Sesshoumaru. Then he'd apologize most valiantly and she'd forgive him and come back. Then they'd go get the jewel shards again, kill Naraku, and things would be good. He grinned to himself. Yes, even if she couldn't get home again, she'd just stay with him, right? He could protect her, and she fit in a lot more than she wanted to think.
He drifted into sleep, still in his thoughts of mixed memories and fantasies of the future.
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Now that they were on Kagome's trail, Miroku was acting more like himself. He had the handprint on his cheek to prove it. "Ah, but it is always worth it!" he mused to himself, aloud.
"Is it now?" Asked Sango, trying not to laugh at the monk's antics. "Then I guess I have to make my punishments more harsh, ne?" She grinned. Miroku put his hands up in mock defeat, trying to make his grin look like a pout. Sango laughed.
Shippou watched this from afar, grinning a bit at their foolishness, but not able to quite get into it because he couldn't get his mind away from his fears for Kagome's safety. He didn't trust them to get there in time, and he certainly didn't trust Sesshoumaru to take care of Kagome. He had seen too readily how willing he had been to kill his own brother, so why would Kagome be any different? Shippou curled up to sleep, having promised the others that he'd try to quit being so dependent on Kagome's backpack for sleep.
Sango and Miroku noticed that the kitsune had fallen asleep, so they decided they should sleep as well.
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Kagome sneezed. She was just unable to sleep tonight. The flowers they camped by didn't help. Something about this kind just bugged her nose. No big problem though. They'd be moving on tomorrow. She sat up, intent on taking her time to bathe in the stream nearby. She hadn't been able to yesterday or the day before, so this was her chance. She undressed and crawled into the stream, silencing herself from yelping of the cold, least she should wake anyone up. Rin seemed to enjoy sleeping next to Kagome, and Jaken liked to stay as far away as he was allowed. She didn't know where Sesshoumaru slept. He was always out of sight, but she didn't really mind.
She rubbed her aching feet. She could almost swear that Sesshoumaru took the roughest routes just to make her walk more. She grinned at herself, remembering how Inu Yasha always slowed down without too much comment just when she would start getting tired of walking. She shook her head, knowing that she could make herself cry again if she let herself think on it too much. All he has to do is show up and apologize. She could bet he was going to come after her. That was almost a given. Just for an apology... she couldn't forgive him for what he had done unless she knew he hadn't meant it.
Getting out of the stream and grabbing for her nightclothes (Sesshoumaru had brought her "proper" clothes to wear in her travels with him) and got dressed. She decided she still couldn't sleep, so she sat on the shore and looked at the reflection of the stars on the water. She thought back to Inu Yasha again. "Hurry, baka... my feet just can't take this much more." She whispered to herself, and then stifled a bemused laugh.
"Must you speak to yourself?" Came a nearly monotone voice from behind her. She started and turned to face Sesshoumaru. She had been having a harder and harder time trying to be submissive, and she could tell that no one was being fooled anymore by her humble act. Sesshoumaru could probably smell her defiance, but he hadn't mentioned anything yet. However, at this particular moment, she felt more sincere in her behavior. Probably from the lack of sleep, she thought.
"Gomen, Sesshoumaru-sama. I didn't realize you were there..." She thought for a moment, and then blurted out "How long were you there?"
"I've been here, trying to sleep until you woke up." He glared at her, daring her to act up, though still knowing what was going to come.
"NANI?! You could have SAID something!" She blurted out before remembering that she was supposed to be the 'weak, submissive human'. However, she was fuming at him. She had bathed in front of him, and he had just watched! He was as bad as Miroku! Blushing furiously, she tried to get around him to go to her sleeping spot quickly. Better to sleep this away...
Sesshoumaru grabbed her arm. She looked at him, more than a little afraid. Was he going to kill her this time, for shouting at him? She shuddered at the thought.
"You aren't loyal to me." So he knew. She looked into his eyes, and knew that it was a statement. Even a dare for her to deny it. She decided not to deny it. Better to be honest, just in case. At least at this moment. She racked her brain for some way to reply to this with as little risk to herself as possible, but he interrupted her thoughts by turning and walking back to the camp. She followed wordlessly.
He woke Rin and Jaken, as Kagome wondered what he was doing. He didn't say anything more to them than what they were to wake up and follow him. Sesshoumaru took Rin's hand, as she was too tired to understand that she was even going anywhere, and had Jaken follow him. Kagome gawked for a moment before walking after them. She followed for a few minutes until something that resembled a cloud appeared under their feet and lifted them from the ground. Without Kagome.
"Nani?" She asked as she saw them rising. Without thinking, she lunged at the cloud, knowing in her mind that her hands would probably pass through it and she'd fall back to the ground, left behind. However, her hand caught on something and she clutched at it for the life of her. Jaken nearly fell down to the rapidly receding ground as Kagome's full weight was hanging from the end of his staff. If it wasn't for Sesshoumaru having grabbed the top of the staff, Jaken may have been left behind as well. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow in question at the foolish miko, who would probably die now, as soon as her strength waned and her grip released. The ground was far below them.
"You won't leave me behind! I refuse!" Kagome shouted, fear making her hold on the staff much stronger than it would normally have been. She tried to pull herself up, but found that the cloud wouldn't hold her. She would have to keep hanging onto the staff. Unless...
Kagome grinned in her mischief. If he planned on letting her drop to her death, at least she'd humiliate him first. She lunged upwards again and grabbed a hold of Sesshoumaru's leg, pulling herself up and wrapping one arm around his fluffy tail. Sesshoumaru growled, sending shivers along her spine.
"Release me, girl." She could hear his attempt to control his voice. 'So even the great Sesshoumaru can get upset. Good.' She thought.
"I told you, you weren't going to leave me, and if this is the way to keep up here, then I'm willing to do this." She stuck out her tongue at his back. Rin was asleep at Sesshoumaru's feet, and Jaken was trying to decide if it would be safe to use his staff to hit Kagome until she released his master. He decided against it, least he miss and be tossed down to his death by the already-upset youkai lord.
Kagome wasn't stupid. She knew that he could easily kill her, and she was almost certain that he would. However, she was in a lose-lose situation, so she took the option that would be best to her name and worst to his, so long as it'd have the same fall at the end. To her surprise, however... he only pushed her down to the cloud, and she stayed there. She sat there, afraid to move, least she fall, and kept one hand clutched to the leg of his clothing (just in case!).
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Shippou woke up to find himself gazing into the night sky, when he saw a familiar object fly across his vision. 'Kagome!' He could just see her, looking bewildered, sitting at Sesshoumaru's feet. He got up and ran in the direction they had been flying, only stopping long enough to draw a quick arrow pointing in his direction of departure before leaving his friends behind.
'I can catch up with her...' he convinced himself as he followed the shrinking figure of Kagome in the sky...
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NOTES: Ok, just so you know... starting on the next chapter I'll be putting replies to reviews under this section. That way, where it says "REVIEWS:" anyone who doesn't want to read the replies can just skip on to the next chapter without worrying about missing something important. Also, I'm not going to reply to past reviews, just because I'm lazy... heh. ^_^ I hope this chapter was enjoyable, if a little short. Still, it's not as boring as the last chapter, ne? Lol. Please read and review! ^__^
DISCLAIMER: Rumiko Takahashi owns Inu Yasha and co., not I. So don't sue me pweese. I need my dollars to buy more anime and manga stuffs! ^.~ Thanks!
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Inu Yasha was camped about half a mile away from Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kirara. He sat in a tree, staring at the night sky, reminiscing. He was thinking on all the times he and Kagome had fought before, trying to see what had solved each of those arguments. Come to think of it, most of them were never solved. One or the other would just happen to get their way, and the issue was dropped. He sighed. 'This time...' he promised himself, 'this time I vow to apologize. Kagome would never stay mad at me if I just told her I was sorry...'
He was trying to think of how he'd run out of cover once he saw her, and he would run over to her and get her away from Sesshoumaru. Then he'd apologize most valiantly and she'd forgive him and come back. Then they'd go get the jewel shards again, kill Naraku, and things would be good. He grinned to himself. Yes, even if she couldn't get home again, she'd just stay with him, right? He could protect her, and she fit in a lot more than she wanted to think.
He drifted into sleep, still in his thoughts of mixed memories and fantasies of the future.
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Now that they were on Kagome's trail, Miroku was acting more like himself. He had the handprint on his cheek to prove it. "Ah, but it is always worth it!" he mused to himself, aloud.
"Is it now?" Asked Sango, trying not to laugh at the monk's antics. "Then I guess I have to make my punishments more harsh, ne?" She grinned. Miroku put his hands up in mock defeat, trying to make his grin look like a pout. Sango laughed.
Shippou watched this from afar, grinning a bit at their foolishness, but not able to quite get into it because he couldn't get his mind away from his fears for Kagome's safety. He didn't trust them to get there in time, and he certainly didn't trust Sesshoumaru to take care of Kagome. He had seen too readily how willing he had been to kill his own brother, so why would Kagome be any different? Shippou curled up to sleep, having promised the others that he'd try to quit being so dependent on Kagome's backpack for sleep.
Sango and Miroku noticed that the kitsune had fallen asleep, so they decided they should sleep as well.
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Kagome sneezed. She was just unable to sleep tonight. The flowers they camped by didn't help. Something about this kind just bugged her nose. No big problem though. They'd be moving on tomorrow. She sat up, intent on taking her time to bathe in the stream nearby. She hadn't been able to yesterday or the day before, so this was her chance. She undressed and crawled into the stream, silencing herself from yelping of the cold, least she should wake anyone up. Rin seemed to enjoy sleeping next to Kagome, and Jaken liked to stay as far away as he was allowed. She didn't know where Sesshoumaru slept. He was always out of sight, but she didn't really mind.
She rubbed her aching feet. She could almost swear that Sesshoumaru took the roughest routes just to make her walk more. She grinned at herself, remembering how Inu Yasha always slowed down without too much comment just when she would start getting tired of walking. She shook her head, knowing that she could make herself cry again if she let herself think on it too much. All he has to do is show up and apologize. She could bet he was going to come after her. That was almost a given. Just for an apology... she couldn't forgive him for what he had done unless she knew he hadn't meant it.
Getting out of the stream and grabbing for her nightclothes (Sesshoumaru had brought her "proper" clothes to wear in her travels with him) and got dressed. She decided she still couldn't sleep, so she sat on the shore and looked at the reflection of the stars on the water. She thought back to Inu Yasha again. "Hurry, baka... my feet just can't take this much more." She whispered to herself, and then stifled a bemused laugh.
"Must you speak to yourself?" Came a nearly monotone voice from behind her. She started and turned to face Sesshoumaru. She had been having a harder and harder time trying to be submissive, and she could tell that no one was being fooled anymore by her humble act. Sesshoumaru could probably smell her defiance, but he hadn't mentioned anything yet. However, at this particular moment, she felt more sincere in her behavior. Probably from the lack of sleep, she thought.
"Gomen, Sesshoumaru-sama. I didn't realize you were there..." She thought for a moment, and then blurted out "How long were you there?"
"I've been here, trying to sleep until you woke up." He glared at her, daring her to act up, though still knowing what was going to come.
"NANI?! You could have SAID something!" She blurted out before remembering that she was supposed to be the 'weak, submissive human'. However, she was fuming at him. She had bathed in front of him, and he had just watched! He was as bad as Miroku! Blushing furiously, she tried to get around him to go to her sleeping spot quickly. Better to sleep this away...
Sesshoumaru grabbed her arm. She looked at him, more than a little afraid. Was he going to kill her this time, for shouting at him? She shuddered at the thought.
"You aren't loyal to me." So he knew. She looked into his eyes, and knew that it was a statement. Even a dare for her to deny it. She decided not to deny it. Better to be honest, just in case. At least at this moment. She racked her brain for some way to reply to this with as little risk to herself as possible, but he interrupted her thoughts by turning and walking back to the camp. She followed wordlessly.
He woke Rin and Jaken, as Kagome wondered what he was doing. He didn't say anything more to them than what they were to wake up and follow him. Sesshoumaru took Rin's hand, as she was too tired to understand that she was even going anywhere, and had Jaken follow him. Kagome gawked for a moment before walking after them. She followed for a few minutes until something that resembled a cloud appeared under their feet and lifted them from the ground. Without Kagome.
"Nani?" She asked as she saw them rising. Without thinking, she lunged at the cloud, knowing in her mind that her hands would probably pass through it and she'd fall back to the ground, left behind. However, her hand caught on something and she clutched at it for the life of her. Jaken nearly fell down to the rapidly receding ground as Kagome's full weight was hanging from the end of his staff. If it wasn't for Sesshoumaru having grabbed the top of the staff, Jaken may have been left behind as well. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow in question at the foolish miko, who would probably die now, as soon as her strength waned and her grip released. The ground was far below them.
"You won't leave me behind! I refuse!" Kagome shouted, fear making her hold on the staff much stronger than it would normally have been. She tried to pull herself up, but found that the cloud wouldn't hold her. She would have to keep hanging onto the staff. Unless...
Kagome grinned in her mischief. If he planned on letting her drop to her death, at least she'd humiliate him first. She lunged upwards again and grabbed a hold of Sesshoumaru's leg, pulling herself up and wrapping one arm around his fluffy tail. Sesshoumaru growled, sending shivers along her spine.
"Release me, girl." She could hear his attempt to control his voice. 'So even the great Sesshoumaru can get upset. Good.' She thought.
"I told you, you weren't going to leave me, and if this is the way to keep up here, then I'm willing to do this." She stuck out her tongue at his back. Rin was asleep at Sesshoumaru's feet, and Jaken was trying to decide if it would be safe to use his staff to hit Kagome until she released his master. He decided against it, least he miss and be tossed down to his death by the already-upset youkai lord.
Kagome wasn't stupid. She knew that he could easily kill her, and she was almost certain that he would. However, she was in a lose-lose situation, so she took the option that would be best to her name and worst to his, so long as it'd have the same fall at the end. To her surprise, however... he only pushed her down to the cloud, and she stayed there. She sat there, afraid to move, least she fall, and kept one hand clutched to the leg of his clothing (just in case!).
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Shippou woke up to find himself gazing into the night sky, when he saw a familiar object fly across his vision. 'Kagome!' He could just see her, looking bewildered, sitting at Sesshoumaru's feet. He got up and ran in the direction they had been flying, only stopping long enough to draw a quick arrow pointing in his direction of departure before leaving his friends behind.
'I can catch up with her...' he convinced himself as he followed the shrinking figure of Kagome in the sky...
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NOTES: Ok, just so you know... starting on the next chapter I'll be putting replies to reviews under this section. That way, where it says "REVIEWS:" anyone who doesn't want to read the replies can just skip on to the next chapter without worrying about missing something important. Also, I'm not going to reply to past reviews, just because I'm lazy... heh. ^_^ I hope this chapter was enjoyable, if a little short. Still, it's not as boring as the last chapter, ne? Lol. Please read and review! ^__^