Chapter 2 "And the group just keeps growing"
Yoshimi: We didn't get...
Maki: ...the right number of reviews!
Yoshimi: Don't finish my sentences, you know I...
Maki: ...hate that.
Yoshimi:Grr...
There was only darkness. He could here his foot steps, rapping on unseen pavement as he ran. Her voice. A cry he'd listened so closely for. Sango's voice calling his name. It was all downed out suddenly by dreaded laughter. A strong 'ku ku ku'. Naraku saying, ' You time is up monk...two weeks!' And a scream he reconized as his own.
Miroku woke with a start. He'd been having vivid dreams of late, but none matched this. u
"Monk?" Sango whispered, prodding his shoulder in the dark.
"Sango, what are you doing up?" Miroku mumbled.
"I heard you cry out. Are you ok?"
"Yes," Miroku admitted, " I was dreaming."
"Would I be prodding to ask what of?" Sango said, seriously.
Mirokuhesitated before replying honestly, "how long I have before I am to die."
"What's all the noise?" came Kagome's voice through the dark
"Yeah you two, mind letting us in on your lil' secret?" Inuyasharemarked from overhead.
"I was dreaming and woke Sango," Miroku stated, " she was just inquiring of what I was dreaming of."
"And what is that?" Kagome said
"When I am to die," Miroku said for the second time that night.
Sango whispered shakily, "I was about to question him on when that was."
"When, Miroku?" Kagome pressed. She had just found out that Miroku was her half brother; she didn't want to lose him now.
"Two weeks."
Sango gasped and Kagome stifled a cry. Inuyasha just said, " So we search for the shards faster. Big deal, we only had two left anyway."
"Yeah, Kouga's," Kagome dreaded the thought of facing Kouga. The guy called her 'his woman' after all. Going to him was the last thing she wanted, but the first thing she needed to do. For the group.
"Hey, Kags, you finished in there?" Inuyasha was standing outside Kaede-obachan's hut, where Kagome and Kaede were working some 'miko magic'. Actually they were making a potion, of which Kagome would tell nothing of to anyone.
Kagome came out clutching a small, white pill, and a small midnight- blue one, " Ta-da!" she said, "This, not a sword or weapon, will bring down Kouga!"
"Keh! That little thing?" Inuyasha scoffed, turning on his heel.
"You never know Inuyasha, some of the things from Kagome-sama's time can do great damage. Like that...um...Kagome? What do you call that clicker thingy that kills people with a boom?" Miroku asked.
"A gun, and yes, you're right, this thing can kill, or lets just say, in Kouga's case, worse."
"Uh?" Sango said confused, " what do you mean worse?"
Kagome didn't answer, just smiled evilly. Sango gulped.
"Are we going to go or not?" Shippo said, tired of being left in the dark.
The party of six was walking towards the Godshinboku Tree. Each deep in though or stuck in akward silence. The calm before the storm.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked quietly, disterbing the stillness.
Sighing he answered, " what is it?"
"I know that you don't like the idea of the pill," Kagome talked fast, "but think of it this way, we need Kouga's help, and we can't have him injured," she stopped for a breath, "and, I really know that you won't like what I'm going to do to get Kouga to take the pill, so all I have to say is that I'm sorry, and that I don't mean any of it."
Inuyasha was puzzled. She was apologizing? For something she hasn't even done yet?He was too confused to respond.
"Kouga? Kouga!" a distressed. frightened sound came to him; Kagome's voice.
Sensing trouble of some sort, the wolf demon headed towards the call, ready to fight any who got in the way of his rescue mission.
"Kagome! You're mine and no harm shall come to you!" he called out in his thoughts.
It was a scene no one wanted to play. Like actors each person was standing mechanically as if directed by a playwrite. Kagome in front of the sacred tree, an oh-so-frightened look upon her face. Sango, Miroku and Shippo were placed behind her, a few meters back and in a wary mood. Inuyasha stood against the tree itself, looking arrogant, mean and spiteful.
"Kagome! Is this pitiful half-breed hurting you?" Kouga said, slightly out of breath as he dashed into the clearing.
Kagome nodded, "He's scaring me Kouga-kun."
Shewent and stood beside Kouga, draping her hand around his waist. For a second Kouga was too shocked to say anything.
"Uh, Kagome?" he said, finally finding his voice.
"But everything's all right now, you're here," Kagome turned to face Kouga as she said this. Then she coughed, doubling over and putting her hand over her mouth.
Only Inuyasha saw her put a small, white object in her mouth. His ear, which had been lying flat on his head in pain, what she said had hurt, perked up. He was beginning to get the picture. Inuyasha dreaded what Kagome would do next, he knew now, the only way to get Kouga to take the pill.
Sango hid her eyes and Miroku put his arm around her. They knew what was coming, but they also knew what would come with it. Sango had tried to stop Kagome earlier but she was determined. They had to get Kouga on their side, and drastic times call for drastic measures.
Kagome turned to face Kouga again. Her arms snaked around his neck. Her face inched closer, and she licked her lips. Then she did the thing that Inuyasha would remember to the end of his days- she kissed Kouga.
He no longer saw the Goshinboku behind them, only Kagome and Kouga. He could no longer hear anything, just the sound of his own heart screaming in pain. Her words from earlier came back to him, 'and, I really know that you wont like what I'm going to do to get Kouga to take the pill so all I have to say is that I'm sorry, and that I don't mean any of it.' It didn't matter that she didn't mean it because she was kissing Kouga.
Kagome glanced over at Inuyasha. Whatever link she had to sanity dissolved that instant. She saw it in his eyes: the thing she feared most. Betrayal.
Kagome backed away from Kouga. He was smiling from ear to ear. Then that smile faded. His face twisted into a grimace of pain and he fell to his knees.
"What the fuck did you do to me woman?" Kouga asked through grunts of pain.
By now Kagome had walked over to Inuyasha, she had tears in her eyes.
"Kouga," she said not looking away from Inuyasha's eyes, " take a look at yourself, as you are now. You often forget that I am a miko."
All eyes were on Kouga then. His tail was gone; his ears had lost their point. No fangs, nor claws. His shikon shards lay on the ground.
"You turned me into a... into a..."
"A human!" Miroku laughed, so this was what she did; smart girl.
"You! You turned me human! How could you? Why?" Kouga was confused.
"Kouga, I have two reasons for turning you human. The first is that we need your shikon shards," Kagome said as she walked forward and picked his shards off the ground, "and the second is that we need you as a friend, not an enemy. Now all the shards are either held by us, "she held up theirpart of the jewel, "or Naraku. The battle draws near, we need all the help we can get."
Kouga still was not convinced, "why would I help? What do I gain?"
"You'd gain becoming a youkai again, for one," Kagome informed him, trying to hide her laughter, " and Naraku willanihilate the wolf tribes if he wins, you should know that."
"And if I agree, you can turn me back to a youkai? No tricks, nothing?"
"Yes, on one condition. And this includes you Inuyasha, because I can slip another one on these in your Ramen if you don't agree. You. Have. To. Get. Along."
Kouga paused for a second then said, "but only for my woman."
Inuyasha just 'feh-d' and looked away. It was the closest to 'yes' you'd get from either of them.
"Good, now lets get going, and Kouga, I'm not your wom-"
"Quiet Kagome, there's something out there," Inuyasha said as he crouched low, growling.
"I smell it too. ItsNaraku!" Kouga said, "Quick Kagome, change me back."
Kagome tossed Kouga the midnight-blue pill. He examined the new object then swallowed it and turned back into a youkai in a swirl of dust.
A rustle over head, then, not Naraku, but Kagura, landed with a soft thud in front of Inuyasha.
"Kagura!" Inuyasha said, "What? Naraku too scared to come face us so he sent you?"
"That bastard? Why would I fight those whooppose against him?" Kagura said, standing gracefully.
"Erm..." Miroku said as he, Sango, Shippo and Kirara came over, "I'm confused. Naraku created you and you've always been on his side. Care to explain?"
"Not anymore," Kagura said stiffly, " No, not anymore. In fact, I came to ask if I might join those who rally against him. Rumor in these parts is that a group of outcastsare going to challenge Naraku once and for all. I figured it might be you."
"Um..." Kagome said quietly, " we are going to challenge him, but how do we know we can trust you?"
"Are you a miko or not girl? Probe my aura!" Kagura snapped.
"Right," Kagome concentrated for a second then said, " no, she's not lying."
"Kagome! Where did you learn that?" Sango asked.
"I forgot that I could do it now, it comes with becoming a miko. But I still don't have my full miko powers yet," Kagome finished sadly.
Suddenly Shippo spoke, "Where is Kanna? Don't you always travel together?"
"No," Kagura said, with a hint of despise in her voice, " Kanna chose to stay with Naraku."
It was Kouga who spoke the unsaid question, " Can you lead us to Naraku's castle?"
Kagura nodded, and she turned and started walking North without another word.
(Sometime later that night)
"Inuyasha it's getting dark, we should stop and make camp for the night."
"Feh, whatever."
"I'll make Ramen! And I think that I have an extra sleeping bag for Kagura. Shippo do you mind sharing with me?"
"Nope!"
"Oyasumi Inuyasha. Oyasumi Kouga-kun. Oyasumi Kirara. Oyasumi Sango-chan. Oyasumi Shippo. Oyasumi Miroku-sama. Oyasumi Kagu-."
"Kagome! Shut-up!" Inuyasha said, as he dropped down from the tree he was perched in and covered Kagome's mouth, " Kuso! How did I not smell them coming?"
Inuyasha had smelt the last three people he wanted to be around...
Maki: ooooooooh! Who is it?
Yoshimi: You know very well who it is...but I'll give the readers a hint... Kagura led them there.
Kagome: Who?
Inuyasha : It's- choke
Maki: now, now Inu-chan...we can't have you telling everyone.
Shippo: Inu-chan? hysterical laughter
Yoshimi: cuts in before someonecoughshippocough gets hurt I think that I have an idea Maki...
Maki: What?
Yoshimi: I want to turn Inuyasha into a PLUSHIE!
Inuyasha: Nooooooooooooooo...
Yoshimi: Yes
Inuyasha: no
Yoshimi: yes, jerk
Inuyasha: no, whore
Yoshimi: yes, bastard
Inuyasha: No, bitch
Yoshimi: A bitch would be a dog, dog-boy, are you implying something?
Inuyasha:...
Kagome: Well Inuyasha? face red
Inuyasha: NO!
Other Voice: Guess who? Yup, I get to make my appearance when they are to distracted to say anything. So I'd just like to say, (5) FIVE one-two-three- four-FIVE reviews are needed. Ja Ne