Chapter five: Scrambled
Kagura soared over the woods, her mind occupied with dark thoughts. Naraku wasn't happy with her at all, not since she has tried to gain an alliance with Sesshoumaru. Life was a living hell now. If only she could find a way to return into his good graces.
The sudden buzzing from behind drew her from her thoughts. She spotted the flying bug as it made it's way over, it's nervous buzzing filling her in on the latest news.
Kagura's brows shot up, not sure she had understood correctly.
"Inuyasha and that human have a child together?"
It buzzed to confirm. Her eyes narrowed dangerously "Don't be ridiculous. They couldn't have had a child. She isn't even pregnant..." was she?
When the messenger gave a description, she grew even more puzzled. "And you say the dirty half breed guards it with as much passion as he does the shards and the woman?"
Again, it buzzed out it's confirmation.
Kagura felt an idea forming. "Well, child or no, perhaps Naraku will forgive me my transgressions if I bring it back to him." She followed the bug as it lead the way back towards the travelers.
Meanwhile, Kouga had just heard the news from his little network of wolves, who had picked up the information from numerous other animal sources.
"They say that Inuyasha and Kagome are mated now. They even have a child!"Ginta continued, happy that their leader was at least stopping long enough to hear the news. They had been running none stop for days just trying to catch up to him and the rest of needed.
"That filthy dog turd!" Kouga snapped. "How dare he touch my woman? He doesn't know the first thing about raising pups."
The wolf demon leapt to his feet and started taking off at a full run.
"Wait!" Ginta called out. "Where are you going!"
"To re-claim my woman, and take her and the new pup away! If anyone is going to raise a kid with Kagome, it's gonna be me!"
Jaken had been following the group for some time, his aching foot throbbing fiercely as they continued on.
"I must wait for the right moment!" he repeated to himself over and over. But the farther they went, the more unsure he became that there would ever BE a right moment. Beyond that, he hadn't seen anything resembling a child at all, save for the little fox brat.
"They've tricked me again!" he mumbled out. He was just about to give up when Inuyasha spoke up.
"You want me to carry Aiko now, Kagome?" He held his hand out eagerly and looked like an overly excited kid waiting for a reward.
Kagome noted his look and did her best not to laugh. She nodded and lifted the makeshift carrying pack over her shoulder and head, then gently took the egg form it and passed it to Inuyasha's waiting palms.
"Thank you, Inuyasha. You are such a thoughtful father."
He gave her an odd look, then a half hearted "Feh."
Jaken once again felt his mouth fall open with shock. An egg? What they hell was this?
"Hanyou's don't lay eggs... do they?" He wondered. Well, neither did humans for that matter... at least he didn't think they did. In all truth, he hadn't payed any attention to what humans did to procreate. They were less than worth the ground they walked on as far as he was concerned, so why would he even bother finding out how they had children...
"Careful, Inyasha. Don't drop her. She's very fragile." Kagome was saying.
"I know! I won't drop her!" Inuyasha snarled crankily. "She's just as precious to me as she is to you."
Jaken dropped his head in his hands and sighed deeply. Well, weather it was really a child or not, it obviously meant a great deal to them and would still be worth taking and using to bargain with.
"I must cause a distraction and snatch that egg!" He crouched down, ready to spring up and toss dust in the hanyou's face when the sudden sound of breaking tree limbs and a huge dust cloud appeared just down the road a ways.
"Oh dear." Sango called back. "It looks like Kouga is paying a visit."
Inuyasha gave a hard scowl to the approaching dust storm and gently handed the egg back to Kagome. "That filthy wolf. What the hell does he want now?"
Kouga came to a swift halt just inches from Inuyasha's face, his nose almost touching.
"Oi! Dog turd! What's this shit I hear about you mating with my woman and making some half breed brat?"
"Excuss me!" Kagome was offended over every word. Just who was he calling his woman, and what right did he think he had to call their child a half breed brat?
"Watch your filthy mouth, ass." Inuyasha barked out, his own temper rising over the insult and the claim he had made to Kagome. "She ain't your woman, and it's none of your business!"
Kouga lashed out with a hard kick that sent Inuyasha sailing back. He then turned swiftly and grabbed Kagome up into his arms before she could move out of reach or protest.
"You aren't fit to be a father, or a mate. I'm taking Kagome and the whelp with me!"
He took off at a fast pace, Kagome kicking and screaming at him as they left.
"KAGOME!" Inuyasha dove to his feet and shook off the punch. "AIKO!" Fear and anger hit him full force and he took off after them.
"Oh, this is getting to be rather ridiculous." Sango gave off a weary sigh, watching as Kirara changed to a fire cat, then climbing on her back. Miroku got on behind her and nodded his agreement.
"I told you once word got out, there would be trouble!" Shippo commented and dove onto the monks shoulder. "Now we're not only going to be fighting them for the shards, but for little Aiko as well."
Kirara took off after the two with a growl.
Meanwhile, Kagome was kicking and yelling at Kouga to put her down and stop being so idiotic.
"How could you let that half breed touch you? How could you let him get you pregnant!" Kouga demanded.
"We didn't- I mean, he's not- Oh forget it! I don't know why you think I need to explain it to you! It's all one big misunderstanding!"
"So explain it to me." He insisted.
With a deep sigh, she pulled out the egg to show him. "This is Aiko. She is a project I have at school, and I am to treat her like-"
"That's the kid?" Kouga cut her off, his hand reaching to snag the innocent white egg. As they leapt higher up into the sky. "This ain't no kid, it's just some dumb egg!" He carelessly tossed it over his shoulder and Kagome watched it sailing down towards the hard ground.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" She started beating and smacking the wolf demon, screaming at the top of her lungs at him. Kouga flinched as her hits came harder and faster, not understanding why she was so upset over losing the egg, but suddenly wishing he
hadn't tossed it.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted.
"INUYASHA! GRAB AIKO! SHE'S FALLING!"
The hayou's eyes grew huge with panic and he looked about frantically for the egg. He spotted it as it neared the trees below and quickly shifted his direction. He was just about close enough to grab it when two wind blades slammed into him, knocking him back and away. He landed hard on a branch below and glanced up to see what had hit him. With shock and surprise, he watched Kagura swoop in on her feather and catch the tiny egg in her hand.
"Thank you. I'll just take this to Naraku. I'm sure he will know just what to do with it." At least, she seriously hoped he would. At the moment, she was convinced it was nothing more than some silly egg.
"HEY!" Sango shouted out as she sent her boomerang sailing towards the wind demon. "Give Aiko back, right now!"
Kagura dodged the attack and gave a wicked smile. Perhaps it wasn't such a simple egg after all.
Miroku was about to open his air void when the sound of buzzing reached his ears. "Dammit!" he swore, replacing his rosary beads. "She's got Aiko and their isn't anything we can do to save our godchild!"
He and Sango shared an odd look, then both shook their heads in exasperation over the oddity of becoming so attached to the egg in such a short amount of time.
"LE- GO OF MY AIKO!" Shippo shouted out, suddenly tossing a rapid fire of mushrooms at the woman in a fast and reckless fury.
Kagura tried dodging the mushrooms, but one smacked her dead in the forehead and she gave a light grunt of pain, releasing her hold on the egg.
Everyone sucked in a breath of shock and dismay as they egg once again fell towards the earth. Everyone made a dive for it at the same time.
"I'll get yer egg back, Kagome. Just stop pummeling me!" Kouga begged.
"Hurry Sango! We have to catch her before she hits!" Miroku cried.
"AIKO!" Inuyasha's terrified scream filled the air as he struggled to reach the egg.
"This had better be worth the trouble..." Kagura grumbled as she soared towards the ground.
Meanwhile, Jaken was sitting alone on the road, depressed and feeling useless.
"I lost them, Sesshoumaru-sama." He wailed pitifully to the sky. "How will I ever prove my worth to you if I can't even keep up with your filthy half breed brother and his friends?" He held his hands up in question and looked up to the heavens for some divine answer to his anguish, when he spotted the egg, suddenly rocketing it's way right towards him.
"GAHHH!" He jumped to his feet, running in circles as he tried to position himself beneath to catch it.
Kagura spotted the egg just then and sent a burst of wind down to cushion the it's landing. At the same moment Jaken jumped up and snatched it into his hands, giddy with happiness until he spotted everyone else coming down at him.
"AAAAAHHHHH!" he screamed out, and took off running for cover..
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" They all yelled, as the fall of bodies suddenly collided, smacking sending everyone flying in every direction. Inuyasha knocked heads with
Kouga and managed to snatch Kagome from the stunned wolf's arms, then land on his feet.
"Kagome! Are you alright?' He checked her over, eyes filled with concern and worry.
"Where's Aiko?" She sobbed out, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Inuyasha looked stunned, then frantically searched the ground. "She's not here."
"Jaken took her!" Miroku called out from beneath the pile of bodies. He had managed to break Sango's fall, but his hands were securely wrapped around her waist and he was nuzzling her neck despite the lack of air in his chest.
Sango for her part was looking a bit dazed and confused and still hadn't gathered enough of her wits about her to pummel him.
"He's heading for the village!" Shippo cried out as he wiggled his way out from beneath the pile.