Tesse: well i think Hero's back.
Hero: gees Tesse i go off to get milk for 10 minutes and you have a panic attack! what would you do without me?
Tesse: i must admit i wouldn't be writing this fan fiction right now. i would probably be studying and getting good grades, but that's the price i pay.
Hero: fine be that way!
Tesse: i don't own inuyasha or anything else for that matter! blows nose i wish i did though.
Inuyasha: Heritage
Chapter Ten: Free-loading...Sort Of
"Well that's the last of it," Shippo said with a sigh. "The good news is we'll be reaching the next village soon and we can get out of this forest."
Kayori closed up the bag and hoisted it onto her shoulders. No one was in a very good mood. Ryku had his head bandaged up from the incident the night before, Kayori was angry with Ryku, Taimiko hurt her foot and refused to let anyone help, and Shippo was hungry.
'I can't believe we're already out of food!'
'I probably deserved to get hit the first time but I was being honest the second time Kayori hit me!'
'Ouch! Toe! Ouch! That hurt! Ouch!'
'That insensitive JERK! He was so rude! Spying on me then saying he was MY idiot! What the hell does that mean!'
The group traveled in silence, speakin only in thier thoughts when a small village came into view, they were too tired, too hungry, or too pissed off to show any type of rejoyce what-so-ever. So they continued into the village quietly.
"It doesn't look like they have any inn or anything like that. I really don't want to rough it out side again either. What are we going to do Shippo-san?" Taimiko was the first to speak, stating the obvious. None of them wanted to stay outside again and they all looked at Shippo expectantly.
"Well I have an idea, we used to do it all the time when I was traveling with your parents. What we would do is have Miroku go up to the biggest grandest mansion in the village and say that there is a demon spirit haunting them and then offer to stay the night to make sure that the demon is exercised. So what I figured we'd do is have Ryku go up to the biggest mansion and tell them that there is a demon haunting their family! So what do you say?" Shippo explained with a smile.
Ryku looked at Shippo for a moment, "Sounds easy enough, let's go!"
Kayori looked at them both like they were crazy, "Is that realloy what our parents did?"
"Yep!"
"So what you're saying is we go up to some rich old man and free load off of him?"
"Yep! In fact if Miroku were here he'd be up at the big old house over there right now! So quit asking questions and let's go!" Shippo said grabbing Kayori's hand and leading her up along the dirt road.
Ryku put on a straw hat and pulled out some paper talismans. He lead the way and knocked on the gate. Kayori had to admit that if Ryku came up to her right now and said that a demon spirit was stalking her she probably would have believed her.
"Who goes there?" a guard yelled.
"A humble monk and his companions only wishing to help you," Ryku answered smoothly. The gates opened and two guards dressed in armor stepped out.
"Help us with what, Monk?" the first guard asked.
"There is an evil youkai spirit haunting this very castle, I wish to exercise it for you," Ryku answer, once again with a smooth tone of voice. At the mention of an evil youkai spirit both guard shivered.
"Yes please help us, there are youkai all over this village, at night they slaughter innocent people. They have attacked every night for the past four nights and we are unable to stop them," the other guard said.
"Please come in the master of this house will be most greatful to meet you!" the other beckoned them inside. They alerted the other guards that a monk and his companions have come to help them.
'Well it's not like this hasn't happened before, besides we've faced powerful demons and we can handle something like this,' Shippo thought.
The guards lead them up to the castle. The Lord of the castle was indeed old and he was over joyed by the company who were ready to take on the demon.
"My Lord, I am humbly at your service. Me and my companions can exercise these youkai that trouble you," Ryku said bowing.
"Thank you dear monk, you and your company are welcome to stay here as long as like and tonight you will aide us in getting rid of this troublsome demon," the Lord said, "Guards, prepare a room for our honered guests."
Two men hurried off to prepare a room and dinner for them. And then showed them to their room.
As soon as the men ear shot the group erupted with conversation.
"Well that didn't quiet go as planned, I wasn't expecting to actually exercise a demon," Shippo said.
"Well at least we're getting a place to stay tonight," Ryku added.
"Hello!? Weren't you paying any attention? We're going to be up all night slaying demons! You can forge a good night's sleep!" Kayori shouted.
"Well maybe we'll get paid," Ryku said.
"I thought the demon's weren't real!" Taimiko whined.
"Well they weren't supposed to be," Shippo said scratching his chin. "Now all we can do is keep our heads on our shoulders and come up with a plan, it's not like we can't get rid of a demon."
"So what do we do?"
"Play our parts, I guess," Kayori sighed.
THAT NIGHT...
"Here you are."
"Thank-you."
The server left them with a large amount of food.
"Don't eat to much, we're going to be running all around this castle to night chasing youkai. And I don't want to be embarassed by you guys if you throw up!" Kayori said sternly. Ryku and Shippo slowed down and ate they're food slowly. Obviously they hadn't thought of that.
Taimiko was begining to act like Kayori, even she took up scolding them when ever she felt that they needed it. They kept saying things like how they were always getting into trouble and so on and so forth.
But now they were all very quiet waiting for the first demon to appear. Ryku picked up a walking stick and pulled a few talismans out of his sleeve Kayori and Shippo followed. Taimiko was instructed to stay inside and guard to Lord so she agreed, she thought that guarding the Lord of the castle was a big reponsiblity, but the sad truth was Shippo would be doing the same thing from just outside the door.
Ryku and Kayori were going to fight the demons head on. Both of them were the stronger members of the group. Ryku had not only his talismans but he also had the wind tunnel just like his father. I fact the curse was brought upon him by Naraku and he was determined to use it against him.
Kayori was ready with the Tetsuiaga. Even if she didn't know how to use it as well as she probably should it would still prove to be somewhat useful, and if she had to she could always whip out her demon claws and use them.
A few minutes passed but they seem like hours. Finally a guard at the gate screamed "THEY'RE HERE!"
Ryku and Kayori jumped to they're feet, expecting the worst. Sure enough a giant serpent with wings came flying over the gate. He smurked at them, "Is this the best you can do! A Monk and a Mutt? Don't make me laugh!" the serpent snarled.
Kayori wasn't at all in sulted by the "mutt" comment. She'd been called a lot worse in the past. She only smirked and prepared to attack.
Ryku pulled out a talisman. He leapt forward and threw the paper charm at the serpent. Sparks shot out of the talisman attack the serpent at all angles. "NOW! Kayori!"
Kayori leapt forward and ran the Tetsuiaga down the back of the serpent. The serpent fell to the ground dead.
"Quick! Burn the carcus before the spirit can escape and come back to haunt you again," Ryku shouted to the guard who were watching with utter amazment.
"All bark and no bite!" Kayori said as they watched the carcus burn. A few guards sat around making sure that the fire staying under control, Shippo and Taimiko were already asleep. Ryku sat next to Kayori watching the fire.
"True, he wasn't nearly as much trouble as these people made him out to be," Ryku said.
"But they really don't know how to get rid of demons," Kayori said.
"True again," Ryku said leaning against the wall.
There was silence for a while.
"Sorry I hit you Ryku," Kayori said amazing even herself.
"I know that I deserved it," Ryku said with a slight smile on his face.
Kayori blushed, she hoped that in the dim light Ryku wouldn't notice.
"We're setting off tomorrow even if that old coot wants us to stay, right?" Kayori said refering to the old Lord of the castle.
Ryku nodded, "We've got a job to do and I for one am not going to quit."
"Good, I don't like it here," she said once again staring off into the fire.
They both sat there in silence for awhile. 'Ryku isn't as bad as he makes me believe,' Kayori thought, 'but there's nothing wrong with playing hard to get a little longer.'
Tesse: okay that's it for chapter 10
Hero: AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW AFTER READING THIS CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!
Tesse: couldn't have said it better myself. Also I'd like to thank me/nambe, my most loyal fan.
Hero: and all you other's are pieces of umm...poop for not reveiwing!
Tesse: Great now I'm gonna lose all my readers! thanx alot Hero!