Hooray, just for more reviews to go! Current stats for TPATP: 3094 hits, 36 favorites, and 16 alerts.
Recommended Song: Ain't Nuthin' But Music by D12
The Princess And The Pup Ch. 11
Common Enemy
"Back so soon?" The monk sitting in the middle of Inuyasha's home asked nonchalantly. He sat cross-legged which was typical part of the meditation he was previously attempting.
Inuyasha and Kagome stood perplexed, the gaze not straying from the monk. The half-demon slung the demon-slayer over his shoulder and pointed his now free claw at the man, accusingly.
"Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my home?" Inuyasha barked, irritated. His eyes focused intently at the monk, frustrated with the new nuisance.
The princess and half-demon got on guard as the monk got to his feet with a staff in his hand, taking some of his weight to make him more comfortable.
"I am Miroku." The monk greeted, a polite smile reaching his lips. "I was traveling with Sango and when I heard the horn from the castle I figured that you had defeated her and came back here."
"Sango?" Kagome questioned but soon realized it was the name of the demon-slayer slung over the half-demon's shoulder.
"So…you're here to kill me too?" Inuyasha accused.
The monk waved his free hand. "Don't be so brash. I simply wish to find something to do with my life."
"What?" Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at the strange confession that Miroku just offered for apparently no reason.
"Never mind," Miroku shook his head side-to-side. "right now I want to insure the safety of Sango."
Inuyasha smiled with a fang gleaming and brought the demon-slayer down so that he was holding her up bridal style. The half-demon suddenly tossed the woman in the monk's direction. In response to Inuyasha's action, Miroku immediately dropped his staff and caught Sango in his arms.
"What the hell were you thinking!" Miroku and Kagome shouted in unison at the seemingly proud of himself Inuyasha.
"You got the demon-slayer now if you be so kind as to get of the hell out of my house before I kill you." The half-demon's threat was not shown by his expression whilst he donned another trademark arrogant smile.
The monk got visibly nervous but stood his ground. Miroku slowly put down Sango as to not get attacked by an Inuyasha thinking that he was striking.
"Excuse me for intruding but I couldn't help myself." Miroku apologized while he dug into his robe with his right hand. Inuyasha and Kagome watched, puzzled, until the monk pulled out a small book.
The half-demon responded instantly with a hate-filled bellow. "That's my damn journal!"
Miroku nodded, understanding his motive and thankful he wasn't just sliced in half by Inuyasha. The monk saw that he wasn't in two pieces because Kagome was holding him back.
"While I was…skimming through your journal I came across something I found quite interesting…" Miroku trailed off while rubbing his chin with his hand like some sort of detective.
Inuyasha reddened at bit and yelled, "What did you find you interesting, you vermin!"
"What I found interesting was…" The monk stopped for a moment to build unneeded suspense. "I came across the name: Naraku…"
Inuyasha's eyes widened immediately and stiffened noticeably by the princess who was holding him back. A silence came for a minute between the nervous monk, upset half-demon, and very confused princess.
"What do you have to do with Naraku?" Inuyasha voice was filled with venom as he spoke the name at the end of the sentence.
"May we sit down so that I can explain myself?"
Somehow Kagome had been able to convince Inuyasha to sit down while the monk took it upon himself to nurse Sango. The half-demon sat down with a 'humpf' with Kagome seating herself right next to him.
"Who is Naraku?" Kagome couldn't hold the question back any longer, curiosity clawing at her mind.
Inuyasha let out an uncomfortable grunt as his way of saying that he wasn't going to answer her. The princess let out a breath in defeat.
"These are deep gashes…" Miroku thought out loud, getting attention back to him.
"Will you hurry up!" Inuyasha snapped irritably earning a disapproving scowl from Kagome. He then whispered to himself. "You're lucky I didn't kill the bastard…"
"Done." The monk congratulated himself. Miroku got up and walked toward the princess and half-demon. They watched his every movement until he sat across from them.
"Now, what do you want?" Inuyasha inquired.
Miroku searched for the words to reply with to the expected question.
"You are obviously aware of Naraku's trickery." Miroku stated with no comment from Inuyasha or the oblivious Kagome. "Well, my family has suffered from his evil much like your own, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched a bit at the monk's knowledge of his name.
"What of it?" Retorted the half-demon.
Miroku raised his right hand which was revealed covered in glove-like garment held in place by prayer beads.
"My grandfather, the great monk Miyatsu, was involved in many battles with Naraku. During one of the battles, Naraku pierced my grandfather's hand…cursing our bloodline with the wind tunnel." The Monk began to explain. Kagome was leaning in, caught in the story, but Inuyasha wouldn't let his interest in the topic show.
"The wind tunnel is a curse that threatens to kill me one day unless am I able to exterminate Naraku. I know you wouldn't mind getting back at Naraku…" Miroku leaned toward Inuyasha and whispered so only the half-demon could hear. "koinu…"
Inuyasha glared a hole through the monk with the vile expression he looked at the monk with. The half-demon subconsciously bared his fangs at the mention of the soft topic…
"Why should I believe you? I bet you don't even know where Naraku is." Inuyasha argued, with a still baffled princess next to him.
The monk sighed, expecting the remark. "Quite right. I have no idea where Naraku's castle is but I think if we all work together then we could locate and annihilate him."
The half-demon lowered his eyes and looked into space, apparently in deep thought. He rested his chin on his fist which was buried in his knee.
After he remained silent, Kagome muttered quietly. "Inuyasha?"
Inuyasha straightened his back and faced Miroku who had waited patiently.
"If you turn out to be lying, I will not hesitate to kill you." Inuyasha's eyes traveled to Sango, who lied behind them. "Or her."
"I would expect nothing less from the half-demon I learned about in this book." Miroku smiled whilst holding up Inuyasha's journal once again. Inuyasha snatched it from his hand.
"Don't you ever touch this again or tell anyone what you read." Inuyasha said through gritted teeth.
The monk's eyes drifted to Kagome and back to Inuyasha. "I wouldn't dare to such a thing."
The princess appeared perplexed and looked to Inuyasha for answers but simply told the monk. "You're going to be the one to convince the slayer, monk." And left his home quickly before Miroku could argue or Kagome could ask questions.
"How could they have escaped so easily?" The King shouted, petulantly.
It had all gone according to his new plan…for the most part. The half-demon would defeat the slayer easily, as he expected seeing it was Inuyasha, and when he sent out his forces and the half-demon slaughtered them then he would capture him and have him executed for what he did.
It was interesting seeing Inuyasha become full-demon after being struck with the slayer's weapon. That was a attention-grabbing but unwanted twist.
No one could argue with him by having someone who killed so many men slain.
"Damn that boy." Cursed Roba, his brow furrowing.
If the half-demon that lived in his kingdom escaped his grasp wasn't bad enough, his daughter eloped with him! Hopefully the wasn't the exact case…
Actually, he might be able to use this to his advantage. He could accuse him of kidnapping the princess. Hell, he might as well say that the half-demon raped Kagome.
That might not be as good as an idea…Mused the king, rethinking his strategy.
After the sleepless nights he have been suffering because his daughter lately, it might be a good idea to ask for help from another demon that had taken residence in his kingdom…
Miroku was determined not to leave until Sango had at least regained consciousness, and once again Kagome had miraculously convinced Inuyasha to comply.
"Waiting like this is going to only get the army closer to finding my home." Inuyasha complained under his breath to himself. A grunt from his side informed him that Kagome had heard him again.
"Inuyasha, my father's men wouldn't dare journey into a demon-infested forest until they had been threatened on their life, and I doubt Roba would go as far to do that."
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at her and she added. "Maybe we might want to hurry…"
The half-demon nodded at Kagome admittance of her father's irrational, homicidal decision. He probably could have added adjectives that described Roba but that would take too long.
Inuyasha jumped to a high branch in a nearby. He heard the princess's shouts beneath him but ignored Kagome's cries.
The half-demon sat on the thick branch with one leg hanging relaxing over the edge, unafraid of losing his balance.
Naraku…Inuyasha thought with revulsion at hearing the name again. Don't think I forget what you did to my family. You are going to pay for what you did to my son….
The half-demon looked behind him at the truck of the tree. Inscribed roughly in the tree is…I HATE YOU DAD!
We, the people in Texas near the coast, were given the today, Friday, and possibly Monday to deal with the hurricane so I had plenty time for TPATP.
C'mon people, four more reviews!