The Calm Before The Storm

The group was sitting in the hut all looking at the floor. Kazuki was still asleep since the fight the day before. He didn't have a fever and he was breathing normally but his quietness sent chills down Kagome's spine. It was as if he was dead. Meia couldn't tear herself away from the boy grateful for what he had done.

"He looks so peaceful…" Sango sighed as she watched his chest move up and down.

"Ya…" Kagome muttered, "Rest in peace kind of peaceful…"

Kenshin looked at her sympathetically. "I understand you're upset but you mustn't think of the worst scenario, that you mustn't." He also began to stare at the still body. "Both you and he come from a more peaceful time, I'm sure when you first began that you weren't exactly used to these warring times."

Inuyasha leaned back against the wall and frowned. "Tell me about it…"

Kagome opened her mouth to say sit boy but knew in a way he was right. "Maybe we should take him back."

Sanosuke sat up suddenly and spat out a stick he was chewing on. "Are you nuts? Just imagine it…" He held out his hands holding them to the wall. "Picture this…we drag his limp body down the well. We drag his limp body up the well. We drag his limp body to their house. We knock on his door and Mrs. Kitakawa comes out. 'Mrs. Kitakawa, here is your son." Sanosuke stood up and held out his finger accusingly. "What is wrong with him?" He quickly got on his knees in a begging position. "I'm so--- sorry Mrs. Kitakawa! But your son was almost eaten by a giant rat! But that's okay because he was being noble about it!" He stood up again in the motherly stance. "Oh? And how is this' She will ask." He got back on his knees. "Well, he jumped into harms way to try and save the girl he almost was forced to marry!"

Miroku cleared his throat and scratched his nose while pointing to Meia. She was sitting by Kazuki red from embarrassment and anger.

Sanosuke sighed, "Sorry Meia, I didn't mean to snap like that."

"It's okay…" She mumbled. "It is my fault…"

Inuyasha stood up and exited grumbling, "Tell me when the pity party is over…Let's just leave him here and come back in a day or so. Maybe by then he'll be awake…"

Just then Chika ran into the hut trampling Inuyasha into the ground. "Meia! Meia!" She swept the girls into her arms twirling her about the hut nearly trampling the rest of the group. Inuyasha pulled himself up and stared in horror. This woman was a lot stronger then they all first thought. She had the other girl a good few inches off the ground.

"Sango!" Shippo exclaimed, "Maybe she's possessed by a demon!" He hid behind her leg cowering. "Not that I'm worried or anything…"

"What's…wrong?" Sango questioned.

The normally passive woman was laughing and smiling. She pulled her sister into a tight hug then released her. She flushed red realizing what a fool she had made of herself. "I'm sorry…I was just excited." She said softly and smiled gently.

"So what's the news?" Kagome said excitedly.

"I'm getting married!" She exclaimed excitedly. She spread her arms and began twirling. She sighed dreamingly and began talking about him, "His name is Hiroshi. He's kind, handsome, gentle…" She stopped twirling and smiled. "He's the same man who let you and Kazuki borrow his sword." She sweat-dropped, "He would like it back…"

"Sorry about that Miss Chika." Kenshin laughed nervously, "I meant to give it back that I did. Congratulations, he seemed like a nice man when I talked to him."

"What?" Kagome said confused, "You've only known the man for…" She stopped to think then she exclaimed. "Two days!"

Chika was in her own little world so she didn't seem to hear or maybe she just didn't care. "We want to get married tomorrow…"

Everyone congratulated her and gave her the best of wishes. Chika thanked them then stared at Kazuki. "I can take care of him for a while of you like, it's the least I can do."

Miroku nodded, "Actually that's what we were planning to do." He grew serious and he narrowed his eyes. "We can't stay here much longer, we've already wasted much time." He stared back it Kazuki, "We'll come back soon to check on him, or when Kagome plans on going home she can come get him."

Chika nodded and her voice softened, "I'm so sorry for all the trouble my sisters and I have put you through…" She forced a laugh, "But seeing Akako and Chiyo adjust is well worth it I suppose. Meia and I shall see that Kazuki stays safe. Won't we Meia?" She smiled at her younger sister who only nodded.

"Not to impose or anything but do you have any supplies that we could possibly use?" Sango asked.

Chika smiled and winked, "I'm sure I can manage something."

And Chika did just that. The villagers were overgenerous. They gave them everything they needed if not more. They were still worked up over them returning the four daughters. Soon they were on the road again in search of the jewel shards, but still it was hard for Kagome to pinpoint any. Their best bet was just to continue forward until she had a stronger sensation.

"I spy with my little eye…something that is yellow!" Shippo exclaimed happily as they walked along the worn out path.

Kagome pondered for a moment then snapped her fingers. "Inuyasha's eyes?"

"Nope!"

She frowned, "Oh, I thought I had it…" She groaned, they had been playing this game for half an hour and there were less and less thing too choice from. She let out an exasperated sigh and thought to herself, 'This is the last time I teach anyone any games.' She quickly changed her tone and glanced around, "Is it my backpack?"

"Right!" he said happily, "This game is fun Kagome! Now lets see…"

She sighed again. 'Where was a demon when you needed one?'

Sanosuke looked at Shippo annoyed, "Have you ever met someone named Yahiko?"

Shippo looked at him confused and asked, "No, why?"

"Nothing…just remembering how overzealous he could be…" He looked up realizing they were in the thicker parts of the forest making it hard to see. "I miss buildings…at least you could see the sky with buildings…"

"In our time…" Kagome began while kicking a small rock out of the way. "In our time some buildings are so tall it can be hard to see the sky."

"Our?" Sango asked.

Kagome stopped for a moment realizing Kazuki was not with him. She lowered her head and continued, "Sorry…forgot…"

Kenshin smiled sympathetically, "Now Kagome, he'll be fine that he will. It's more then likely a minor concussion."

Inuyasha glared up at the sky of trees, "Ya, that's what usually happens when ya land on your head."

"Sit boy!"

Slam

Inuyasha crawled out of the crater angry and with twigs in his hair. "I'm surprised I don't have a concussion with how she treats me!"

"SIT SIT SIT SIT!"

Slam, farther down slam, even farther slam, and farthest slam.

Inuyasha growled in frustration. "That's it, let's camp here for the night." He disappeared into a tree wanting to get away from everyone. He needed some time alone anyways.

Sanosuke made a mental note to himself, 'Note to self, jewelry is for woman. Not men with pissy women.'

The group sat eating around the fire, all with their own thoughts and in their own little worlds. The fire flickered and they all sat their not speaking. Sanosuke threw a stick into the fire and it crackled. The stick was soon engulfed in flames.

"When do you think Kazuki will wake up?" Kagome finally asked.

No one answered right away not sure on how to answer. Finally Sanosuke spoke up with a smirk on his face.

"I don't know but when he does he's gonna pissed that we left him."

"I hope he's okay." Shippo said as he tried to figure out the yo-yo Kagome had given him. "He's kind of fun to be around."

They could hear a nearby feh, "Feh, more like a pest if you ask me."

Sanosuke threw a rock at the invisible voice. "Oh come on, you were worried just as anyone else was. You practically de-clawed yourself with all that nervous chewing."

The same rock came flying back hitting Sanosuke square in the forehead and leaving a red imprint. "Feh! You're imagining things!"

Miroku sat there crossed-legged and with his eyes closed. "I don't know Inuyasha…"

"I'm not going to piss myself over some weirdo who thinks I'm a cat!"

"He was quite peculiar wasn't he, even for someone from a different time." Sango added to the conversation. "Moody I guess is a good word."

"Kagome, how did you come across him in the first place?" Miroku asked interested. "You two didn't exactly see eye to eye at times."

Kagome clenched her fists and snapped, "That jerk was my new neighbor! His mother was at our house and apparently he was snooping around upstairs or something…" She grabbed the sides of her face and squeaked, "He was snooping around upstairs! What if he went into my room! What if he read my diary!" She stopped to catch her breath for a moment then continued. "The jerk then decided to spend the night at our house for some odd reason. Talk about imposing. He even has the nerves to search through our medicine cabinet! Then he goes and blackmails me…THE JERK!"

The group stood quiet for a moment wide-eyed until Inuyasha soon appeared his eyes covered by his bang and him looking downward.

"He…made…me…do…tricks…" Inuyasha muttered.

"What?" Sango asked confused.

"HE MADE ME DO TRICKS FOR CASH!" He screamed. He clenched his fists and seethed through his teeth, "I was humiliated!"

Sango squinted her eyes. "If you ask me he's just a pervert…" Images of the magazine went through her head and her eye started twitching. "Just a little pervert."

Miroku held his arms behind his back now while he walked. "Actually, he's not a pervert if you ask me. At least he wasn't in the hot springs…" He clamped his mouth shut.

Sango jogged up to him and tapped him on the shoulder. "What does that mean?" She snapped.

"Um…what does what mean?"

Kenshin sighed and started explaining, "When we were at the other village with the sisters they had an indoor hot springs…and…well…Kazuki is quite the bashful one that he is…"

Sanosuke nodded. "His face matched the color of his hair. It was amusing for at first…but then it was just kind of sad."

Sango frowned. "But he's still a pervert."

Kagome held her finger to her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe the magazine was his brother's…He wasn't exactly…nice…"

"Kazuki has a brother?" Shippo asked as he jumped onto Kenshin's shoulder.

"Ya, his name is Kisho." Kagome stated. "Him and Kazuki look nothing alike…and Kisho makes Kazuki look like a saint! Right away he snapped at me for no reason!"

"I thought he was okay…" Sanosuke said.

"You and he are the about the same age, and your both just a buncha punks." Inuyasha laughed. Sanosuke put him in a headlock.

"Wanna say that again!" Sanosuke 'joked'.

"His dog was cute!" Kagome blurted happily. "Oh whoops, that was kinda random." She laughed nervously.

"Temis?" Sanosuke asked. "She was kinda fat."

She thought about the dog for a moment and she thought of something. She sighed, "Kazuki wanted to tell me something that day…but we got called to the kitchen."

Sanosuke lifted a finger and smiled, "Where we found a certain dog demon cooking."

"Inuyasha cooked!" Shippo laughed.

"Why you little…" Inuyasha growled.

"ORO!" Kenshin yelped as Inuyasha chased him around the group. Shippo was holding tightly onto Kenshin's Kimono.

Miroku stuck out his foot when they ran past and the three went flying ahead. They ran up to them and they were lying in a heap on the ground.

Sango sighed. "When will you grow up…"

"But Sango! I'm still a child!" Shippo chirped.

"I WASN'T TALKING TO YOU!" She snapped. She stopped and sighed. "Sorry, guess I'm a little high strung."

"About Kazuki…" Kagome asked. "I think everyone is."

"Stupid punk, making us worry." Sanosuke said smiling. "Always thinking of himself."

"It was that same punk that saved me and Inuyasha…" Kenshin added. "Without him we probably would have killed each other."

"I guess we do owe the punk for that."

"Then again," Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "If we never brought the punk we probably would have never gone to your time!" He sat Indian style with his arms firmly across his chest.

Kagome smiled, "Weird how one person can change your destiny, huh?"

"What?"

She shook her head still smiling, "Nothing Inuyasha…"

"Things sure would have been different without Kazuki…" Miroku began.

Inuyasha spat at the ground and stood up. "He's not dead! Just unconscious! Get that through your head monk." He jumped into a tree and disappeared again.

The fire was starting to go out and it was much darker outside Kenshin stood up and smiled at the group. "I can go get some more firewood, Kagome, care to join me?"

"Uh, sure." She stood up and followed Kenshin into a small clearing where some sticks littered the ground. She looked at him and tilted her head, "Kenshin, are you worried about Kazuki?"

"Well…Miss Kagome, I'm not sure if it's anything, but he said something once that bothered me…"

"What did he say?"

"He said I scared him…He wouldn't go into any more detail than that. This happened while I was at his home. He was talking to his dog…"

"I WAS RIGHT!"

"ORO?"

"Oh nothing…" Kagome laughed nervously. "Just something I was pondering that same night. Please continue."

"Well, though I hate to admit it I was eavesdropping." Kenshin said ashamed. "But he was saying how terrible he felt but that he felt great."

"He keeps needing sleep…"

"That also worries me. I'm wondering if him sleeping for so long has anything to do with that."

"Maybe he's sick and he didn't tell us!" Kagome shouted worryingly. "Oh Kenshin! What if there's something seriously wrong with him! What if he has some sort of disease and didn't tell us!"

"Calm down Kagome…" Kenshin held onto her shoulders. "If there was anything seriously wrong with him his mother would have told us. Did he hit his head any time after you met him?"

"Not really…No, I don't think so."

"There is something wrong with him, I'm sure of that. The question is what." Kenshin looked at the setting sun. "It'll be night soon. If you want we can go back."

"No, I'll go back by myself tomorrow. I'm sure he'll be okay when I get there…" She gulped, "I hope…" She picked up one last stick of firewood. "Let's go back now."

They walked back to the camp and everyone was there just sitting around boringly doing nothing in particular. 'Things will be better, tomorrow I can go check on him.' She said to herself to ease her worried mind.

Meia walked into the hut to check on Kazuki. It was already dark out and she had to leave to go eat supper. She went in there and saw Kazuki sitting up against the wall with his head tilted down so she couldn't see his face.

"Kazuki!" She said relieved. "You have no idea how worried everyone has been!" She started to walk towards him. "I'm glad you're awake…" She wiped a tear away from her face. "I'm just so happy."

He shifted slightly but remained silent.

"Oh Kazuki! Sorry, but your friends decided to go on ahead of you…" She looked at him for a response but he said nothing. "Miss Kagome said she'd come back for you tomorrow if you were awake. Oh yes! Chika's getting married! Isn't that wonderful? A warrior in the village proposed to her. The same one that let you borrow that sword I believe…Kazuki? Why aren't you saying anything? I'm sorry if I made you mad…thank you for saving me…Kazuki…I…I…love you…"

She could hear a soft chuckle. She stood there startled and watched as Kazuki slowly raised his head. She stepped backwards as he stared at her. His eyes were no longer violet but a frightening yellow.

Kagome smiled at the group like nothing had happened but then something suddenly jumped behind her. She turned around and nearly screamed. Kagura stood behind them with her bored expression. She stood there just glaring as if she had nothing better to do.

Everyone grabbed for his or her weapon except for Sanosuke and Kenshin who were confused about the intruder.

"What do you want Kagura!" Sango snapped.

"Oh quiet, I'm not here to fight."

Inuyasha jumped down from his tree and withdrew tetsuseiga. "Oh? Then just came to die is it?"

Her expression grew angrier. "Hardly, I came here to warn you."

"Warn us?" Miroku questioned but remained in a fighting stance.

"Just head back to the village before it's to late." She was about to leave but stopped. "And if anyone asks, I was never here, understand?" She then disappeared.

"The village…" Kenshin pondered. "KAZUKI!" He began to run in an all out sprint. Everyone realizing what might have happened followed.

Kazuki held Meia's limp body in his arms. She slowly slid to the floor and he could hear a thud. He lightly shook the blood from his right hand. He stared down at her body and smirked. "Only the rest of the world to go…"

Next time on Inuyasha: What has Kazuki done and why? Can the others save him? Will Naraku actually appear in person and reveal his insidious plot? Next time on Inuyasha, Village of Destruction.