Posted: 8-24-04
Part 5: The Cowardly Kitsune
AN: WHEEEEE! I'm a hyper pickle, today! And I don't know why... I do not own The Wizard of Oz or Inuyasha. Why would I be writing this if I did? I'd be too busy counting my money! (Sigh) That sounds nice... Anyway, here's the next part of my ficcie! Enjoy!
Sango, Kilala, the Hanyou, and the Houshi walked slowly down the Green Stone Path. It was very nice outside, but for some reason, none of them felt very good. This could have to do with the fact that they still were having problems getting along with each other, although the Houshi was trying his best to be amiable.
The forest was looking like it was on the verge of ending, and ahead of them were some lush, open fields of a vegetation that Sango did not recognize. There was one last cottage on the right of the road, but, like most of the others they had seen, the four assumed that it was empty.
Just as they were a few feet in front of it, they heard cold, menacing laughter. "So, you've made it this far, have you?" a woman said.
They looked on the roof of the house, and there stood the Wicked Miko of the West, grinning evilly. "I'm surprised. Of course, it might have to do with those two lackeys you picked up..."
"Who the hell do you think you are?!" the Hanyou exclaimed.
"G-rating!!!"
"Whatever."
"That's the Wicked Miko of the West," Sango answered, stepping directly behind the Houshi who was a yard or so behind the angry Hanyou. "She's kind of after me because of the jewel that the Miko of the North gave me, and because I killed someone that she wanted to do in."
The Hanyou and the Houshi stared at her. "You know, that would have been a nice little bit of information to tell us BEFORE we started traveling with you!"
"I forgot!" she stammered, looking both angry and worried.
"How could you forget that someone wants to kill you?" the Houshi commented, staring at her strangely.
"Will you all just shut up!" the Wicked Miko of the West exclaimed. "I know I can't get that jewel right now, but sooner or later, it will be mine! Then you will know my ultimate power!"
She began laughing maniacally. "Here, have a taste..." She produced a bow and arrow set from thin air and fired. A reddish light formed around it, and it headed straight for the Hanyou.
"Not again," he muttered, trying to dodge, but finding that he could not. The miko was still laughing. Just then, the Houshi brought his staff up and blocked the flight of the arrow.
She scowled. "We will meet again," she muttered, dissappearing in a blast of red light.
"Man, if I had known that someone like her was after you, I would have never agreed to go with you to Sapphire Town!" the Hanyou exclaimed, glaring at her.
"Give the kid a break," the Houshi replied. "How was she supposed to know that the Wicked Miko would attack?"
"Yeah," Sango said, still looking slightly uncomfortable. "Did she have something to do with you being pinned to that tree?"
"No, that was the Wicked Miko of the East," the Hanyou replied, frowning. "But I've hear that the one of the West is ten times more bi-"
"Well, we'd better keep moving if we hope to get to Sapphire Town soon," the Houshi interrupted.
"Fine," he growled, starting to walk ahead of the Houshi. Sango and Kilala followed them after a moment.
They finally left the woods and were now walking through some fields where a tall, brownish plant was growing. "Well, at least we're out of that spooky forest," Sango commented, looking at the clear blue sky.
"Actually, fields like this are some of the most dangerous places around these parts," the Houshi replied.
"You're joking."
"No, he's right," the Hanyou answered, seeming very uptight. "There are a lot of evil creatures around here."
"Y-you mean like kitsunes?" Sango asked sounding nervous.
"Yes, and tanukis," the Houshi added.
"And onis," the Hanyou replied, still highly on guard.
"Oh my!" Sango said, starting to sound afraid. "Kitsunes and tanukis and onis! Oh my!"
"You all ready said that!!" the Hanyou barked, wanting to listen more to the sounds around them than to the others talking.
Just then, Kilala tensed up and started growling. "What is it?" Sango asked, looking around. The Hanyou and the Houshi readied themselves for whatever horrible creature was about to come their way.
Suddenly, a large, round pink creature was flying above them. "GET OUT OF MY LAND!!!" it bellowed.
The others stared at it with their mouths open. This had to be some kind of a joke! This thing wasn't scary at all! "Why don't you get out of our way?" the Hanyou retorted. "We're going to Sapphire Town no matter what, so if you enjoy not feeling pain, I suggest..."
"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?!" it replied, looming closer to the unimpressed travelers. "I SAID LEAVE!!!"
"We will as soon as you move out of our way!"
The Houshi had been standing in front of Sango just in case thing got dangerous suddenly, but she walked past him and went up to the strange creature. "Come on," she said, poking it a little, "we're just passing through! It's not like we plan on staying here or..."
She stopped speaking as the creature burst into tears. There was a puff of smoke, and sitting on the ground underneath where the pink ball had been was a very small kitsune. "Why'd you have to hit me like that?!" he exclaimed through his sobs.
"All she did was poke you, you whimp!" the Hanyou replied.
"Be careful, it's still a Kitsune," the Houshi said. "They have very powerful magic."
"Aw, but he's so little!" Sango answered, looking at him and smiling. "He's too cute to be dangerous!"
"I'm not cute!" it retorted, stopping it's tears. "I'm very powerful around these parts, so you'd better stay away from me!"
"Come on, I could step on you!" the Hanyou said, looking at him without enthusiasim.
"You certainly aren't the bravest creature I've seen," the Houshi added, raising an eyebrow.
Tears formed in the Kitsune's eyes again. "You're right!!" he cried, slumping back down onto the ground. "I'm a complete coward! How am I supposed to take care of this land if I'm afraid of clouds?"
"You're afraid of..." the Hanyou began, seeming on the verge of laughter.
"Oh, it's all right," Sango said, walking over and picking him up. "I have an idea! We're going to Sapphire Town to see the Youkai! Maybe you could come with us."
"No way!!!" the Hanyou exclaimed. "I'm not putting up with that whimp!"
"It is a kitsune," the Houshi added, looking wary.
"C-could he make me brave?" the Kitsune stuttered, looking hopeful.
"Maybe," Sango replied. "It sure sounds like he can do some pretty weird things!"
"Yay!!!!" he exclaimed, leaping into the air and landing back on the Green Stone Path. "You don't know what it's been like for me!" Music started playing again. Music that sounded exactly like what was being played for the Hanyou and the Houshi.
"I have run from any trouble,
I'm scared of the smallest bubble,
These creatures, I can't serve,
But I'd be strong and vicious,
Any food would be delicious,
If I only had the nerve..."
The others stared at him, the Houshi still looking worried, Sango looking very open-hearted, Kilala seeming confused, and the Hanyou looking madder than a bull in the ring. "Rule number one," he growled, picking up the now quivering Kitsune, "NO SINGING!!!"
"Sorry," he replied, his voice shaking. "I was just doing what I was supposed to do!"
"Come on," Sango said, plucking him from the Hanyou's grasp. "Let's get going!"
"She's right," the Houshi said, walking past the now pouting Hanyou. "If we linger too long, that miko might find us again."
All of them except the Hanyou began walking forward very briskly.
"We're off to see the Youkai,
The wonderful Youkai of Oz!
We hear he is a really good Youkai,
If ever a Youkai there was!
If ever, oh ever a Youkai there was,
The Youkai of Oz is one because
Because, because, because, because, because!
Because of the mysterious things he does!
We're off to see the Youkai,
The wonderful Youkai of Oz!"
The Hanyou looked like he was about to explode and he leapt forward. "I'LL KILL YOU ALL!!!"
AN: Well, there you have it! They're all there! I'll get chapter six up as soon as I can okay? And now, it's time to respond to my reviewers!
Kato Shingetsu: Thanks for the review! Uh, did you only have on Author Alert between the first time you read and the last time you reviewed, cause mine's been doing the same thing and not telling me updates all of the time. I hope you get caught up!
Night Genie: Thanks! I'm not giving characters like the Hanyou and the Houshi names, because in the Wizard of Oz, they were just the Scarecrow and the Tinman and the Wicked Witch of the West and so on. It is funny because when I write it, I think of their real names but then I'm like "No! He's the Hanyou, not Inuyasha!"
I've been noticing that both Author Alerts and sending reviews haven't been working lately, so if you sent me a review and I didn't get it or you didn't know I updated last time, I understand. If not... (eyes well up with tears)