Author's Note!
I really dislike that new rule...but whatever. Thanks SO much to all the reviewers!


Ayu
Chapter Seven: Dark Cloud

XxXxX Inuyasha's POV XxXxX

I sighed, lying on top of Kaede's hut, looking up at the blue sky. We were still in Kaede's village, all because Kagome had returned to the Modern Era to see if that damn girl Ayu had somehow returned there.

The girl had disappeared over two weeks ago, and we had no idea where she was. Sure, I'd searched for her, but I couldn't find her.

Her scent always ended at the well.

So Kagome had finally decided to go home, just to make sure Ayu had made it back okay.

"I don't know." Sango said from below me, Miroku standing beside her. "I don't think Ayu would just go home like that. Not without telling us."

"Who knows." Miroku said. "She might have just decided to leave. We weren't exactly nice to her."

"Well she hit me with her guitar and almost told Sesshomaru where I was." I growled, jumping down from the roof, landing in front of them. "So I had a reason."

"True." Miroku said. "But she hit me with her guitar, also, and I'm not angry with her anymore."

"You're just too thick headed Inuyasha." Sango smirked.

I glared at her. "Shut up."

Suddenly, Kagome came running over the hill, her raven hair flapping behind her, her face filled with worry.

What had happened?

I ran over to her, Sango and Miroku at my heels. "What's wrong Kagome?"

Kagome stopped in front of me, breathing hard. "Ayu…didn't go…home."

"What?" Sango gasped. "But that's impossible! Where else could she have gone?"

Kagome shook her head. "I don't know. I went to her house, and when I asked if she was there, her mom broke into tears, wanting to know where she was."

"So she's still here." I growled, my amber eyes darting along the area. "But where?"

"Let's start back at the well." Miroku said. "Her scent will be faint, but it should still be there since it hasn't rained since she came."

I nodded. "Good idea." and ran off, not bothering to wait for the others.

I made it to the well in no time flat, landing gently on the grass in front of it.

I instantly dropped to the ground, sniffing it for any sign of Ayu.

There was, I found, a faint hint of her scent, very faint.

Her scent, along with someone else's.

"Damn it." I snapped, getting to my feet, my fists clenching tightly at my sides.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted, she and the others appearing from the forest. "What did you find?"

"She's still here all right." I said, turning to the others. "But she's been kidnapped."

"W-What?" Sango gasped. "By who?"

"Sesshomaru." I said darkly. "That bastard must think I'll come after her, and he'll kill me then."

"We have to go after her." Miroku said. "I mean, she doesn't belong here, she has to get back to her own era."

Kagome frowned, staring blankly at the ground. "This is all my fault. If only I'd let her pull me up…then she wouldn't even be here. Who knows what Sesshomaru's gonna do to her?"

XxXxX

"Rin where are you?" I grinned, darting around the trees.

It had been two weeks since I'd been attacked, and my ribs were almost fully healed, but they hurt a bit, still.

I had spent my two weeks either lying on the ground, helpless, or playing with Rin.

And guess what?

Sesshomaru found my guitar.

So I was happy, being able to play, but not really sing because it hurt to breath deep, for the two weeks.

"Come out come out wherever you are!" I laughed, poking around the trunk of a tree, only to find the hiding Rin.

She giggled when I tagged her. "Gotcha!"

"My turn!" Rin grinned. "I'm it!"

Tag. Yeah, I was bored.

Rin chased after me as I turned and ran, my feet padding softly on the ground.

I had, finally, taken off my boots. They were pretty dirty and worn from the adventures in the Feudal Era, so I'd taken to just going barefoot.

I ran faster through the soft grass, knowing very well that Rin was on my heels, a smile breaking out across my face.

This reminded me of the times I used to play tag with my brother, David. We'd always had such fun when we were younger, running through our street, playing in the ocean.

But…I may never see him again, now that I was in the Feudal Era.

I wondered what my mom was doing right then. If she was worried about me, or if she just thought I'd run away, back to L.A.

I wish I could see her again.

My thoughts were cut off, however, when Rin's arms wrapped around my legs and we fell, laughing, onto the grass.

"Oh, you got me." I giggled, trying to sound defeated.

Rin grinned at me, sitting up. "That was fun Lady Ayu! Let's play again!"

I sighed and sat up. "Can't we rest? I'm tired."

Rin nodded, her eyes suddenly worried. "Does your side still hurt?"

I smiled at her. "No Rin, my side is fine now, thanks. I'm just tired."

Well, my side did hurt a bit, but whatever.

"Lady Ayu?"

"Yes?"

"Are you…are you staying with us?" Rin asked, her eyes shinning in the afternoon sun. "Are you staying with Lord Sesshomaru forever?"

I felt my cheeks flare. "Uh…I don't…know, Rin. I really don't know."

Rin frowned. "I don't want you to leave."

I smiled and patted her arm lightly. "One day Rin, I will leave. I have to. I don't belong here."

"Yes you do!" Rin protested. "You belong here with me and Jaken and Ah Un and Lord Sesshomaru!"

Then she threw her arms around me and cried into my shoulder.

This…shocked me.

Do I belong here? I wondered, staring blankly down at the little nine-year-old. Do I belong here, in the Feudal Era? If I didn't…then I had no choice but to go back to the Modern Era.

But…the well, it wouldn't let me through. Kagome had said that I had a purpose to be here, that's why the well wouldn't let me through…

But what was my purpose?

Certainly it wasn't to stay with Sesshomaru.

"How about we go and annoy Master Jaken?" I suggested, a sly grin breaking out across my lips.

I hated to see Rin cry, and at the moment I was willing to do anything to see the smile back on her little face.

Rin looked up at me. "H-He'll get mad."

"So?" I smirked. "It's just some fun."

Rin smiled. "Yes! Then you can play for me."

I nodded, happy that I still had my guitar.

Damn that thing was lucky.

We ran back into the small clearing where Jaken was sitting, musing to himself about something.

I pressed my finger to my lips, ushering for Rin to be quite.

Rin nodded, covering her mouth to prevent giggling.

Sesshomaru sat next to Ah Un under a tree, watching us creep towards the unsuspecting Jaken.

If he foiled my plan, he was so dead.

But he didn't, he just sat, and watched with some interest.

I gently lifted my guitar from the ground, holding it in my hands.

I turned to Rin and she nodded, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

I stood right behind Jaken and hit a high E on my guitar, hard.

Jaken screamed, really screamed, and jumped about a foot in the air, landing with a thump at my feet.

By then, of course, Rin and I were both in fits of mad laughter, and hardly noticed when Jaken got up and started yelling at us.

"You brazen children!" Jaken snarled, shaking his staff at us. "How dare you do that!"

I laughed, closing my eyes to keep the tears from stinging them. "You're face…was so funny! You should have seen yourself Jaken!"

"Why you idiot girl!" Jaken snapped angrily.

I smirked wickedly at him. "Oh come on Master Jaken, it was just a joke, hardly anything to get all worked up about."

"That was not funny!" Jaken shouted.

I rolled my eyes and sat beside Rin on the grass, who was rolling around, laughing.

"M-Master Jaken is f-funny!" Rin giggled.

I smiled down at her. "Okay Rin, what would you like me to play?"

Rin stopped laughing and sat up, a bright smile lighting up her face. "Anything Ayu! Play!"

I smirked, ignoring Jaken's fuming, and began to play.

"I've got, money in my pocket, I like the color of my hair." I sang. "I've got a friend who loves me. Got a house, I've got a car. I've got a good mother, and her voice is what keeps me here. Feet on ground, heart in hand, facing forward, be yourself. Oh I, no I've never wanted anything no I, no I. No I've never wanted anything so bad."

I continued to strum along to 'Good Mother' singing softly.

"Cardboard, masks of all the people I've been. Thrown out, with all the rusted tangled dented, God damn miseries. You can say I'm hard to hold, but if you knew me you'd know. I've got, a good father, and his strength is what makes me cry. Feet on ground, heart in hand, facing forward be yourself. Oh I, no I've never wanted anything no, no I. No I've never wanted anything so bad, so bad."

I continued to sing, Rin watching me intently, Jaken even stopped yelling. This world was so peaceful.

"I've got money in my packet. I like the color of my hair, I've got a friend who loved me. Got a house I've got a car. I've got a good mother, and her voice is what keeps me here. Feet on ground, heart in hand, facing forward be yourself, just be yourself, just, be yourself. Oh, heart in hand…feet on ground."

Rin grinned when I finished the song. "Yes Ayu! Very nice!"

I smiled. "Thank you Rin."

I turned to Sesshomaru, who was no longer looking at us, but was standing, looking out in the distance, towards the mountains.

I turned to look at what he was staring at.

A dark cloud hung over one of the mountains, quite close to us. I could almost feel the darkness coming from it…it was odd and slightly terrifying.

"Jaken." Sesshomaru said. "Watch over them. I must go."

Jaken nodded. "Yes Lord Sesshomaru, they won't get out of my sight."

"Wait!" I said, crawling to my feet, handing Rin my guitar, as Sesshomaru began to walk away.

He stopped and turned to me, his gaze curious.

"I want to come with you." I said. "I want to know what that cloud is."

"It's not safe for humans." Sesshomaru said. "You will stay with Rin."

I frowned at him. "Look, it's nice that your worried about me an all, but don't be, I can take care of myself."

"As you did with the bat demon?" Sesshomaru said flatly.

I glared at him. "I'm coming with you. And if you leave without me, I'll go anyway, it's not like I can't find the stupid cloud."

Sesshomaru frowned. "Fine. You will accompany me. But get in my way, and I will not hesitate to kill you."

Sure.

"Fine with me." I said tonelessly, walking past him. "Let's go then."

XxXxX Inuyasha's POV XxXxX

I ran through the forest, Kagome on my back, Shippou on her shoulder, Sango and Miroku on Kirara above us.

I had to admit that I was worried about Ayu. I mean, I know we didn't get off to a very good start, but still, she was with Sesshomaru, and that was hardly a good thing.

"Inuyasha look!" Miroku shouted suddenly, pointing ahead of us. "An ominous cloud!"

He really had to stop saying that.

I looked ahead of us, only to see a dark cloud hanging over a nearby mountain.

"Naraku." I growled, picking up my speed. That bastard was there, I could smell him.

And, I could smell Sesshomaru.

"Inuyasha, we have to find Ayu." Kagome said from behind me. "We can get Naraku later."

"We're going after Naraku, now." I growled. "Sesshomaru is on his way there, I can smell him. We'll meet him there."

"Is Ayu with him?" Sango asked.

I nodded. "I can smell her. She's with him."

"I doubt that's a good thing." Shippou said. "Can she even fight?"

"Doubt it." I smirked, entering a clearing, the mountain looming ahead of us. I could see, also, a familiar glow flying through the air.

Sesshomaru.


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