AN: Hi, people! Sorry I've been gone so long! Pleasedon't hate me! '(I had writer's block... XP

Reviews:

The World is a Stage - Yeah, I guess I could do that. - Thank you for reviewing.

Amaras-11 - It's nice to hear from you again! - Rin and Sesshoumaru? I guess. But what do I do with Kagura?

Hearii - Hey again! Well, I guess it would work. Thanks for the advice. Kikyou's in this chapter. You're too nice. Thank you!

Snoochie - Sure thing. I love InuyashaxKagome! - 3

Kite06 - Did I forget to put 'banzai' in my Japanese meanings? Well, banzai, as far as I know, means 'hooray'. That's what a subtitle told me. So I used it.

AN: I hope I didn't lose all you wonderful people when I got writer's block. Because I kept going and stopping, this chapter might seem weird. Ok, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I wish I could own Inuyasha, but it'll never be.

Disclaimer: (I forgot last time -") I do not own Inuyasha.

Runaway

A New Companion?

"Mou..." Miroku perched himself on a rock.

"Keh!" Inuyasha leapt onto a tree branch.

Silence trailed after their little exchange. Inuyasha shifted position.

"Keh. Who gives a damn 'bout that bitch..."

Miroku sighed. He wished he could be like Inuyasha all over again. To be naïve, to be safe in your own mind, to be dumb... On second thought, never mind.

"Inuyasha, we can't think like that! It's our duty as—,"

Inuyasha growled, baring his teeth at the houshi. "Blah blah blah. Who the hell cares! Just say she died and we're off the hook!"

Miroku twitched. "Inuyasha!" He stopped, thinking. "Actually...that's brilliant! We can claim the prize and leave before they find out the truth! Inuyasha, you're a genius!"

Inuyasha smirked, "What took you so long to realize that, houshi!"

They laughed together, seemingly snapping the last string of saneness they held. Miroku fell off of his stool. Inuyasha crashed down to the earth. But still, they continued laughing.

A rustle came from the bushes close by. The two froze. Seeing that they stopped moving, the third being—whether ningen or youkai—paused also.

Inuyasha growled. We let down our guard. It might be just a kitsune. Or maybe an oni calling troops to this spot! Grr... "Show yourself or else!"

Miroku grabbed his shakujou, the rings clanging together. Inuyasha unsheathed his sword. It immediately transformed from a rusty old sword to a powerful blade, not a dent as if new.

The bush shook again as the figure came to give up. The newly greened leaves of the spring fell, having a short lifetime—as the creature when Inuyasha gets a hold of it.

"Gomen nasai. I was sent by my queen."

It was the oni! He raised his sword, the Tetsaiga as it was named. Miroku could tell by his pose and the look in his amber eyes that he was going to strike the enemy with a Kaze no Kizu. Inuyasha was so intended on killing that he seemed to ignore everything else.

Miroku gasped when he could see the figure clearly. Inuyasha misunderstood visibly. "Knew it! It's a butt-ugly oni! Kaze n—,"

"What are you—Inuyasha! That's a woman you're going to strike down! Stop!" Miroku shouted and tried to restrain his deadly friend.

Inuyasha blinked, cocking his head. "N-nani?"

The woman stepped up, coughing into her sleeve. The silhouette of a female turned to a beautiful woman. Her mysteriously intelligent eyes looked them over. "Are you the two volunteers who are questing for the princess?"

Inuyasha crossed his arms as he replaced the sword into its sheath. His blush evidently told Miroku that he found the girl pretty. "What's it to you?"

Miroku, the gentleman he was, answered the innocent enough question. "Pardon my friend. Yes, we are looking for the princess. It's still a search in progress though."

The woman stepped closer to them, her attire one of miko's, "I am Kikyou, the priestess of the Asa kingdom. The queen sent me to assist you."

Inuyasha grabbed her arm quite roughly. "Don't try to fool us...," he turned to Miroku, "...what was the brat's name again?"

Miroku muttered dreamily. "It was Kagome. And, God, she was hot!"

Inuyasha blushed and pretended to ignore his friend's statement. His grip on the girl tightened. "Listen here, princess, go back home. You caused enough trouble already."

Kikyou pulled away, her glare icy. "Excuse me?"

Inuyasha scoffed, "Brat, let's go!"

Miroku stepped forward. "Ano...Inuyasha, I don't think this is Kagome-sama."

Inuyasha crossed his arms. "Tcha! It is, my instincts told me."

Kikyou felt the sudden urge to pierce the hanyou with her purifying arrow. Kikyou, remember, you need to find this Kagome and you need their help.

Miroku argued with Inuyasha. "Oh, come on! This woman is older than the queen's daughter."

Kikyou twitched lightly. I'm just 17 years old!

The perverted man looked away. "Plus, she's more beautiful."

The vengeful miko flinched. Now, I feel like shooting that bastard of a monk...

The monk turned back to his audience. "Kikyou—that's your name, correct?—we cannot take you. We have to do this alone."

Kikyou looked at him. After all this, they weren't accepting her! It took her long to just track them down! She argued with him. "No! It was the queen's order and I will comply with her wishes!"

Miroku looked at her sullenly. "...does that mean you don't want a portion of the reward?"

The look-alike of Higurashi Kagome shook her head. "Ie! I'm just sent to help the search along."

Miroku smiled good-naturedly. "Then, sure! You can certainly help us. Come, Inuyasha!"

One of the most selfish people Kikyou's ever met led a merry march. Inuyasha, slumped, followed like an obedient pet. Kikyou watched them. "A-ano...why are you going back to Asa?"

The miko was threatened. Are they going to ask the queen if I really was sent by her!

Miroku turned around to talk to her and Inuyasha collided with him. "Agh!"

They tumbled in a mess of arms and legs. Miroku got up first, dusting himself off. "Kikyou-sama, we're going to tell the queen that her daughter died."

Kikyou looked at him, bewildered. "Nani!" Having to deal with these—these buffoons! All for nothing?

The sneaky monk shrugged. "Here's a secret: She isn't really. Just...we want to claim our prize. Don't tell the queen, okay?"

Kikyou thought for a second. Oh, yeah? I can be sneaky, too. "But Houshi-sama, I must tell the queen the truth."

With a sigh, Miroku tried to negotiate. "Fine. We'll give you a portion of our reward. Deal?"

Kikyou shook her head. She had them. "I care about Kagome-sama. I will tell the queen if you don't find her."

Inuyasha jumped to his feet. "Bitch! We told you, we found her dead!"

The even-headed priestess looked at him with unforgiving eyes. "Ie. If you did, I need proof. Her skull, her blood, her clothes, anything."

The hanyou glared. "How about I show you your own blood..."

Miroku sighed. "Fine, Kikyou-sama. We will actually search for the princess.

AN: You guys hate me don't you? Well, here's my meanings. Tell me if I'm wrong or forgot a word.

Meanings:

mou - sigh
houshi - monk
ningen - human
youkai - demon
kitsune - fox
oni - ogre
shakujou - I think that's Miroku's staff
gomen nasai - sorry polite
Tetsaiga - Inuyasha's sword
Kaze no Kizu - one of the attacks Tetsaiga can deliver
nani - what
miko - priestess
asa - morning
ano - um
-sama - respectful; add at end of name
Houshi-sama - Miroku's title; means Lord Monk
ie - no
hanyou - half-breed; half-human, half-demon

AN: Wow! That was a lot! I'm still sorry for not writing for so long. Please forgive me people. I hope to see you next chapter! '(