Back to Feudal Japan
Kazuki rolled in his bed; sweat was dripping down his forehead. He lurched forward and panted. Kazuki felt his forehead, it was slightly warm, but that was probably just from rolling around so much. "Man…I haven't had that bad of nightmares in over a year." He looked onto the floor where he could see Kenshin and Sanosuke sleeping in weird positions. Their blankets weren't even covering them anymore. "They seem comfortable…" Temis whimpered softly at him and licked his face. "What's wrong with me girl…I haven't felt so terrible in years…" His tone softened, "But it's weird…I haven't felt so alive…" A smiled tugged at his mouth and he chuckled softly, "I sound like a loon don't I?" Temis crawled onto him and whimpered still. "Guess you don't think it's funny…"
"Are you talking to yourself?"
Kazuki looked at Kenshin who was wide-awake. "How much did you hear of my conversation…with…the dog…" He smiled.
"I woke up about at, 'What's wrong with me girl'." He frowned, "Kazuki, may I ask what's wrong?"
"Hm?" Kazuki wasn't listening completely; his mind was elsewhere. "Oh…I dunno, guess I'm just nervous."
"I see…Kazuki, tell me again why you want me to go with you."
"Because, out of all the people in the world, you scare me the most." He didn't look at Kenshin and just petted Temis.
"I'm confused that I am…."
Kazuki shook his head, "Another day, another time. I need sleep…" "Good night Kenshin…"
"Good night Kazuki." Both drifted off to sleep.
Kagome was trying to get to sleep in her bed. Inuyasha had left earlier to inform the rest of the group that they were getting three more members. Kagome turned over and began petting Buyo. "Hey Buyo…Guess what! You're not the fattest pet within a mile radius!" She laughed and continued to pet the cat and the cat ignored her. "I don't think Kazuki has taken out the jewel shard yet, why hasn't he? It's going to hurt like hell now taking it out. Maybe he did take it out and it's around his neck or something. Not that I'm worried…I mean, Kouga has his in all the time." Kagome looked at her clock, "It's almost midnight…I wonder if Kazuki talks to his dog…" She laughed again, "Probably not, who am I kidding."
Kagome and the other three members met at the well house. Unfortunately, the chubby pooch followed.
"Go home Temis, I'll be back in a few days." Kazuki lowered down to the dog's level and was licked on the nose. "I'll miss you too girl, now go home!" He pointed towards his house and the dog did as ordered.
'Maybe he does talk to his pets in the middle of the night…' Kagome thought.
"So how does this well thing going to work?" Sanosuke looked down into it.
"Kazuki, I'll go down first, then you bring the other two and yourself." Kagome jumped down the well. Sanosuke ran over and looked down again.
His eyes became wide, "It isn't going to steal my soul…is it?"
Kazuki laughed and grabbed both of their arms, "Now, if it was going to do that, it would have already. Hell, maybe it did!" They jumped down the well. They landed and the three climbed out.
Kenshin looked around in awe, "There's so much more wilderness."
"Kagome, so these are our guests?" Miroku stated, he looked amongst the group, "Next time some women would be nice…"
"Why, so you can ask them to bear your children? You're such a pervert Miroku." Sango scoffed.
Kagome smiled, "Okay, everyone, this is Kazuki, Kenshin, and Sanosuke." She pointed to each as she pronounced each name. "And this is Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara." She pointed to them as well. Kagome hopped onto her bike, "Now, let's start looking for those shards!"
The three newsiest members were in awe as they walked in the forest. Everything was much more fresh. Even for Kenshin and Sanosuke it was cleaner.
"So Kazuki, why have you decided and the others decided to join us?" Miroku asked as they walked.
"I get bored easily I guess…" He smiled, "And I guess you could say I kidnapped the other two."
"You did not kidnap us!" Sanosuke put Kazuki in a headlock. He quickly let him go remembering his wounds. "Whooh, sorry kid."
Kazuki panted, "It's okay, only hurts when you touch it." He felt a set of eyes staring at him; he looked down and was being stared at curiously by the young fox demon. "So…is he a squirrel or what?"
"What! I am a fox! Why can't anyone get that?" He looked at Inuyasha, "He is as dumb as you said Inuyasha…"
Kagome glared at Inuyasha, "Inuyasha! Don't make me sit you!"
During the walk everyone seemed to open up a bit. Sanosuke and Miroku got along pretty well, and Shippo took a liking to Kenshin. Kazuki was the only one who remained quiet. Kagome would ask him about it later if she remembered.
"Hey guys! I sense a jewel shard!" Kagome yelled. A large bird demon swooped from the sky and snatched Shippo up by the tail. "Shippo!"
"Help! Get me down!" Shippo screamed. He transformed into a giant pink ball and the bird released him. He also freaked out Sanosuke.
The bird screeched and swooped down to trying to get some more prey. They all managed to jump out of the way…except for Sanosuke who was still in shock.
He snapped out of it and looked below. "Holy crap! Let me down you stupid bird!" He punched the bird and he was dropped. He screamed and waited to hit the ground. Instead he landed on something soft and furry. He sat upright and noticed he was on a giant version of Kirara. He was about to scream but stopped, "Ya know what, never mind."
"All right bird brain…Windscar!" Inuyasha sliced the bird in two when it came down for more prey. He landed gracefully on the ground and smirked. Then he stopped and looked around, "Hey…Kagome…where's the jewel shard?" Just then a mouse ran out of the clearing and bit his foot. "OW!" He jumped up and down in pain and swung his foot randomly trying to fling the horrid creature elsewhere.
"Hey! It has a jewel shard!" Kagome stuttered. She then smacked her forehead, "I bet the mouse was on that bird…"
While Kagome rambled on about her theories the group watched in amusement as Inuyasha cussed out the vile thing…hit his foot a few times against a tree…He then withdrew his Tetsuseiga. Everyone jumped in horror.
"Whooh! Are you trying to cut off your foot?" Sanosuke yelled trying to talk to the furious demon
Inuyasha's eyes were wide but his pupils were small. His thoughts were no longer coherent and all he could think about was killing the mouse. As Inuyasha swung his Tetsuseiga he could see a flash of reddish pink and all of a sudden there was no more pain in his foot.
Kenshin pulled out the halfway inserted jewel shard out of the mouse and sighed. He looked at Inuyasha and shook his head, "Are you alright?" His only response was a feh and some grumbling. "I bet you this mouse just went temporarily insane because of the pain, that I do. If I put it down it'll probably just…" He lowered the mouse to the ground and let it go.
Chomp
Inuyasha screamed in sheer pain as the mouse clamped onto his numb toe. Kagome finally snapped out of her own trance and stared at Inuyasha.
"Sit boy!"
Slam
The mouse scurried out of the crater and hurried into the forest hopefully never to be heard of again.
"Well, that was amusing for the first five minutes." Kazuki said dully. "Now what? I'm hungry…" He kicked some dirt and held his arms behind his head.
"I think we've had enough excitement for the evening, perhaps we should set up a fire." Miroku stared at the now setting sun in the distance. "Unless you'd like to find that mouse Inuyasha."
"Shut up monk!" Inuyasha shouted. Everyone seemed to be picking on him today. "How long were we fighting that stupid thing?"
"Actually I think it was the mouse that took so long…" Sanosuke began but Inuyasha shot him a death glare. "Uh…I think I'm going to get some wood…" He started to walk off.
"Come on Kirara…we really shouldn't let him go alone." Sango stated. She and the cat demon followed Sanosuke making sure he didn't get lost or hurt.
The sun had completely set and they were all sitting around the fire. Out of nowhere they heard a low growl and immediately Kenshin and Inuyasha took fighting stances. Kazuki looked at them like they were the stupid and he shook his head.
He then let out a very sheepish laugh, "I told you I was hungry!"
Anime Fall
Kagome let out a sigh, "Is that all you think about…"
"Hm…" Kazuki put his hands in front of him and began counting on his fingers, "Let's see…food…music…annoying people with my quirky charm…" He made a winsome smile then continued, "exercising…okay…maybe not so much that…but it helps me think…" He stopped and blinked a few times. "Hey, aren't you going to make something to eat?"
"What makes you think I'm making it!"
"Because you're the girl…"
"SIT BOY!"
Slam
"Oh no! Wrong person again!" She yelped.
Inuyasha got out of his new crater and glowered at Kagome. He growled and then hopped into a tree to avoid a fight. Kazuki was in a fit of giggles and rolling on the ground. Sanosuke kicked him and he sat upright. Kazuki winced in pain.
"Crap, haven't those wounds healed yet?" Sanosuke complained.
"Ya…but this way I get sympathy…" He let out an obnoxious laugh and started rolling on the ground again.
"Um…Kazuki? You okay?" Sango asked worriedly. "You sure are acting weird…" Kazuki could no longer hear anyone over his own laughter. He was holding his sides and almost crying. "It wasn't that funny…"
Kazuki sat upright immediately and sighed, "You're right…I'm good…and I'm hungry…if someone doesn't make something I'm going to eat my damn shoe!"
"Fine!" Kagome yelled and started searching through her bag. She found some ramen and started getting ready to cook.
"Wait, I can cook Kagome that I can." Kenshin offered. He grabbed the supplies out of her hands and started cooking.
"Sure…"
When Kenshin finished Inuyasha began sniffing the food. He frowned and looked at the group.
"It's no good…we must dispose of it…" He eyed the food suspiciously.
Miroku studied the food and sniffed it. "It smells fine to me…"
"Ah ha! To the untrained nose…" Inuyasha pointed to his nose proudly. "I can pick up things that you humans can't!"
Shippo stuck his face nearly in the big pot and sniffed. "It smells fine to me!" he pouted.
"Shippo, Shippo, Shippo…" He patted the foxes back. "We all know I have a better nose." He picked up the large pot and headed away from the group. "I better go dump this in the river…be back in awhile…" Inuyasha then left the group. Moments later a happy Inuyasha came back to the group.
Kazuki scowled, "You have some noodle in your teeth!" He tackled the dog demon.
"Why the punk!" Sanosuke shouted.
"Agh! I'm sorry! It just smelt good!" Inuyasha screamed as Kazuki chased him around with a stick. "Get away from me!"
"Here kitty kitty kitty!" Kazuki taunted.
Inuyasha stopped and glared back. Then the tables were turned and he tackled Kazuki. "For the last time I am not a cat!" He shook Kazuki.
"Sit boy!"
Slam
"Ow…" Kazuki groaned. He and Inuyasha came out of the crater. Inuyasha wasn't that badly hurt since Kazuki had broken his fall. "Why…" He stopped for a moment to think then he snapped his fingers, "Let's roast hotdogs!"
"I don't carry hotdogs around…" She said annoyed.
"That's why I brought them!" He pulled out some hot dog packages. He let out a hearty laugh.
Sango looked at the packages confused, "Um…Kagome? Can I ask you what those are?"
"Something tells me I don't want to know what they are…" Sanosuke narrowed his eyes at the package.
"We're eating dog?" Kenshin yelped.
Everyone looked at the bag disgusted. Inuyasha was just horrified.
"You sicko!" He shrieked. The thought of eating dog made him nearly puke. Of course Kazuki was in another fit of giggles. Boy he was giddy today…
"They're…not…actually…dogs!" He said between breaths and laughs. "Trust me, it's an edible animal that won't disturb you!" He found a stick and starting cooking one. "Man I love it back in the old days…"
'That's what I was afraid of…' Kagome thought.
Sanosuke grabbed one of the hot dogs and started cooking it like Kazuki. He finished and looked at it. "Now what?" Kazuki grabbed the hot dog and put in on a bun. He grabbed some ketchup out of his bag and put it on it. "Here!"
He took a small bite then looked at it. Smiling he took another bite and another. "This is good!" Everyone else tried it and were also happy. Well, Inuyasha didn't try it, but that's to be expected from the DOG demon.
After everyone finished they all decided it was best to get some sleep. Before Kazuki could doze off Kagome stopped him. "Can we go for a walk?" She asked. He nodded and they decided to walk by the river.
They walked for a long time without talking. Kazuki looked at his feet and Kagome looked at Kazuki. He looked at her and grinned.
"I thought we discussed this…it doesn't work…'member?" He said.
"What?" She asked confused. His voice startled her and she jumped slightly.
"Staring, it doesn't blow people up." He smiled softly and looked at his feet.
She smiled then frowned, "I've been wanting to ask you something…um, have you taken out the shard yet?"
He stopped and sighed, "No…I tried…I can't get it out without a knife…and that's not going to happen. Besides, why do you want it out so badly?" He scowled sending chills down her spine.
"Well…you've been acting kind of different…"
"Kagome…" His face was stern and somewhat angry, "How well do you know me? I had only known you for a day before I put the jewel shard in…besides…how have I been acting funny?" His voice was somewhat calm put the vein on his forehead said otherwise.
"When we first met you seemed nicer…"
"Kagome, when we first met I accused you of eating road kill, now I'm heading back." He hissed. He headed back towards camp and left Kagome standing by herself. She stood there thinking when all of a sudden she heard Inuyasha scream and then the group laughing.
"GET OFF MY FOOT YOU DAMN MOUSE!"
A female figure stood in a tree watching the stupidity of the scene. She frowned then let out a small laugh. "Fools…" She stroked a white rat she held in her arms. "But it's okay…soon he will be under my control…I was hoping for someone a bit more powerful…but I suppose power is not necessary, as long as if he can get the job done." The small mouse from before climbed the tree and sat on her shoulder. "So it's the boy with the shard you say?" She cooed at the mouse. "Squirrel's life was worth the sacrifice I suppose…" She jumped out of the tree and started heading farther away from the site. "Perhaps Master will be pleased…you did poison the dog correct?" The mouse squeaked and she cackled. "Good, good…but your breath stinks…I'll go get that antidote for you…"
Next time on Inuyasha, Inuyasha gets the chapter ALL to himself. But it's not that great…Why does Miroku have 3 arms? Sango…why are you dressed like Kikyou. Shippo looks like he's 17! What the hell…Kazuki don't you dare touch Kagome! Next time on Inuyasha, Dream a Little Dream. See you soon!