Authors' note - Konnichi-wa, minna-san! Miss Chang Po and Nataku-chan
have returned!
Wufei - ::shudders involuntarily::
We sincerely hope you guys are enjoying our fic so far! (Send more
reviews! We like being praised!) Read and enjoy! (It's good for you!)
The Standard Disclaimer applies....
Inu Yasha - A Feudal Fairytale presents...
"Don't You Dare!"
A Chang Po/Nataku Production
Chapter 7
"So, you see the problem?"
"Yes… 'tis quite a conundrum…"
Satisfied that she had cried enough tears to last two life times, Kagome regained
her composure and returned to the village. Once she arrived to Kaede's hut, she
was surprised to find that Kaede and the others stood outside the entrance
engaged in a hushed conversation.
"What's going on?" she asked softly.
Startled at first, the others looked up, relieved to see that it was only her.
"Kagome!" Shippo bounded into her arms, hugging her tightly. Kagome nuzzled
him gently, hoping to siphon off some of his exuberance. "Where were you? We
were so worried!"
"Gomen ne, Shippo-chan," she replied softly. "I had to go do some thinking."
Unbeknownst to her, the other three exchanged knowing glances. She glanced
around. "Where's the healer?"
"Kaeruishi has already made her leave," Kaede answered. "Satisfied with her
payment, she has managed to supply us with ample information."
Kagome felt her spirits lifting. "She was able to cure Inu Yasha?" she asked. The
looks on her companions' faces told her otherwise; down she went back to feeling
miserable.
"She did provide us with medicines that will help stave off the illness." Sango offered.
"That should buy us more time."
"More time?" Kagome clenched her fists at her sides. "She said he only had a
month to live!" The others looked at her. "I was eavesdropping, okay? I was
worried."
Miroku nodded. "Your concern is understandable, Kagome-sama," he replied. "But
we can assure you that Kaeruishi did Inu Yasha no harm."
'As if telling him he's gonna die in a month is harmless…' Kagome thought to herself.
The monk, however, was still speaking. "Even though Inu Yasha's illness has been
*subdued*, we still have a problem."
Kagome blinked, her heart sinking even further. "The Shikon no Tama."
Sango nodded. "Exactly. Even though he won't admit it, Inu Yasha is in no
condition to go shard hunting right now." The others nodded in agreement. "If he
did, he's more likely to make things even worse for himself."
"Still, he's not likely to let a deathly illness stop him." Shippo replied. "That baka is
dead set on collecting all the pieces."
"He's right," Miroku replied. The little kitsune looked surprised that no one had
bothered to reprimand him for that little barb; nonetheless, he decided not to press
his luck any further.
"Even so, can we risk putting off searching for them?" Sango asked. "Just because
we take a break, doesn't mean all the other seekers will."
Kagome's brow furrowed in thought. She was right; could they risk leaving the
Shikon no kakeru vulnerable to humans and youkai who would exploit their abilities?
It was much too dangerous… but what else could they do?
"I know!" Shippo chirped. "We keep gathering the shards, and when we put them
all together, we wish for the Shikon no Tama to make Inu Yasha well again!"
"That's a very noble idea, Shippo," Sango replied with a sad smile. "But I doubt it's
possible." She folded her arms over her chest. "It's a bit humiliating to say, but
there's no way we'd manage to collect them all without Inu Yasha's help."
"Yes," Miroku agreed. "He does make up a considerable amount of our group's
strength. Plus, it would be much difficult without Kagome-sama's ability to see
the shards."
She blinked. Was he suggesting that she would refuse to leave Inu Yasha's side
to search for the shards? Were her feelings towards him that obvious?
"Yeah, you're right," Shippo relented with a pout. "Besides, as ungrateful as Inu
Yasha can be, I don't think he'd be happy we wasted a wish like that." He huffed
indignantly. "He'd say something like, 'Oi, bakayaro, you were supposed to wish
for me to be a full youkai!'"
Miroku allowed himself a small grin as he scratched the back of his head, deep in
thought. That was Inu Yasha all right; showing gratitude was definitely one of his
strong suits. Though he couldn't help but wonder, was it possible for a person to
make two wishes? And if so, after seeing first hand how he behaved before and
after, was being a full youkai still something Inu Yasha wanted?
"Kaede-bachan," Kagome said softly. "What information did Kaeruishi give you, if
not a cure for Inu Yasha's illness?"
"Ah yes," Kaede replied. "That is another part of the problem." The young miko
frowned in confusion. "You see, despite all her years of experience, Kaeruishi did
not know of any cure that might rid Inu Yasha of his illness. However, she told us
of someone who might."
"Who?"
"She said that in the west there lives another youkai healer, much older and wiser
than Kaeruishi." replied the priestess. "She believes she possesses the answer - a
cure that will save Inu Yasha's life."
"Then we must contact her as soon as possible."
"Houshi-sama, if this youkai is as ancient as Kaede-sama claims," Sango replied
knowingly. "Then it is very unlikely that she has stepped foot out of her domain for
hundreds of years."
Kagome frowned as all of this sunk in. Inu Yasha was ill, plagued by a rare disease
that had shortened his youkai life-span down to a single month. Not only did this
leave him vulnerable, but the Shikon no kakeru as well; yet, there was no way he
could go trekking after them in his condition. That left only one option; someone
would have to go off in search of the cure.
~~~
Evening fell over the village speedily and quickly. It went unnoticed however, by
Kaede and those in her company, as they continued plotting and planning on how
to handle their current situation. After much deliberation, it was decided that despite
Inu Yasha's illness, the Shikon no Kakeru were too dangerous to leave in the hands
of evil.
"Then, it's settled," Miroku replied decisively. "In a few hours, Sango and I will head
out in search of more shards."
Sango nodded in agreement. "While we were up North, we heard a rumor about
another Shikon no kakeru in that area. The demon possessing it is rumored to be
very weak, so we shouldn't have that much of a problem."
Kagome frowned indignantly. They were going about this so calmly that it was
driving her insane. No one had bothered to ask her opinion; how could they just
go about making decisions without her consent? "Hang on a sec," she replied.
The others glanced at her in curiosity. "We shouldn't assume so much… it would
be better if we all went…"
"Don't worry, Kagome-chan," Sango replied with a smile that was somewhat forced.
"Both Houshi-sama and I know what to do - the job'll be a bit tedious, but we can
handle it."
Kagome bit her lip, forcing herself not to say something she'd later regret. First,
Inu Yasha, and now Sango and Miroku? Didn't her abilities count for anything
anymore?
It seemed as though the monk sitting across for her had somehow acquired the
ability to read minds, for he soon replied, "Your ability to see the shards is a
valuable asset, Kagome-sama. Your power often is a deciding factor in many of
our victories and it will be a difficult task ahead of us without you," Sango let out
a soft 'oh', and nodded in agreement.
"But should you accompany us on this journey, Kaede-sama would have to keep
poor Inu Yasha perpetually, ah…" He paused, searching for the right words.
"Doped up, as you would put it," Kagome sweatdropped. "For he would no doubt
try to follow to ensure your safety."
The young miko fell silent, her previous conversation with the ailing hanyou coming
to mind…
~ "Can't you understand…? Don't you get it? I can't protect you anymore… not like
this…"~
~ "Kagome, if other youkai catch word of this, I won't be a match for them… Hell,
I won't be able to protect myself, let alone someone else." ~
'He's worried about collecting all the shards,' Kagome told herself woefully. 'If
something happens to me… it'll be harder for him to get the Shikon no Tama.' Her
hands clenched tightly in her lap. 'I really am just his Shikon no kakeru detector…'
"Kagome… Kagome?"
Kagome blinked as she felt a hand on her backside. The owner of the offending
appendage was quickly shoved into the wall beside her.
"You really ought to stop doing that, Miroku," said Kaede, shaking her head
shamefully.
"I was just making sure that Kagome was okay with our arrangements," he replied.
The three women in the hut gave him a glare that suggested that that was *not* the
way to go about it.
"Hey, what about me?" Shippo protested. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Why, you'll be coming with us, Shippo."
"I'm useful, too, you know! You can't just--" The kitsune paused. "Nani?"
"We'll be needing your, uh… skills if we hope to avoid any unnecessary altercations."
The young kitsune blinked for a moment before nodding knowingly.
"Are you sure you're all right with this, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, touching the
other girl's hand gently.
Kagome nodded slightly. "I'm fine." she replied. "This is the best way to go about
it." She offered a small smile. "Just make sure you guys take care."
"Don't worry about it, Kagome," Shippo chirped. "I'll take care of everything!"
She giggled slightly, watching the little youkai puffing his chest out in pride. "You
keep those two out of trouble for me, Shippo-chan, okay?"
"Yosh!" Shippo exclaimed. "Nothing'll get past me-yawn!" He rubbed his eyes
sleepily before curling up beneath Kagome's sleeping bag.
The others laughed before following his example and retiring for the night.
~End of Chapter 7
have returned!
Wufei - ::shudders involuntarily::
We sincerely hope you guys are enjoying our fic so far! (Send more
reviews! We like being praised!) Read and enjoy! (It's good for you!)
The Standard Disclaimer applies....
Inu Yasha - A Feudal Fairytale presents...
"Don't You Dare!"
A Chang Po/Nataku Production
Chapter 7
"So, you see the problem?"
"Yes… 'tis quite a conundrum…"
Satisfied that she had cried enough tears to last two life times, Kagome regained
her composure and returned to the village. Once she arrived to Kaede's hut, she
was surprised to find that Kaede and the others stood outside the entrance
engaged in a hushed conversation.
"What's going on?" she asked softly.
Startled at first, the others looked up, relieved to see that it was only her.
"Kagome!" Shippo bounded into her arms, hugging her tightly. Kagome nuzzled
him gently, hoping to siphon off some of his exuberance. "Where were you? We
were so worried!"
"Gomen ne, Shippo-chan," she replied softly. "I had to go do some thinking."
Unbeknownst to her, the other three exchanged knowing glances. She glanced
around. "Where's the healer?"
"Kaeruishi has already made her leave," Kaede answered. "Satisfied with her
payment, she has managed to supply us with ample information."
Kagome felt her spirits lifting. "She was able to cure Inu Yasha?" she asked. The
looks on her companions' faces told her otherwise; down she went back to feeling
miserable.
"She did provide us with medicines that will help stave off the illness." Sango offered.
"That should buy us more time."
"More time?" Kagome clenched her fists at her sides. "She said he only had a
month to live!" The others looked at her. "I was eavesdropping, okay? I was
worried."
Miroku nodded. "Your concern is understandable, Kagome-sama," he replied. "But
we can assure you that Kaeruishi did Inu Yasha no harm."
'As if telling him he's gonna die in a month is harmless…' Kagome thought to herself.
The monk, however, was still speaking. "Even though Inu Yasha's illness has been
*subdued*, we still have a problem."
Kagome blinked, her heart sinking even further. "The Shikon no Tama."
Sango nodded. "Exactly. Even though he won't admit it, Inu Yasha is in no
condition to go shard hunting right now." The others nodded in agreement. "If he
did, he's more likely to make things even worse for himself."
"Still, he's not likely to let a deathly illness stop him." Shippo replied. "That baka is
dead set on collecting all the pieces."
"He's right," Miroku replied. The little kitsune looked surprised that no one had
bothered to reprimand him for that little barb; nonetheless, he decided not to press
his luck any further.
"Even so, can we risk putting off searching for them?" Sango asked. "Just because
we take a break, doesn't mean all the other seekers will."
Kagome's brow furrowed in thought. She was right; could they risk leaving the
Shikon no kakeru vulnerable to humans and youkai who would exploit their abilities?
It was much too dangerous… but what else could they do?
"I know!" Shippo chirped. "We keep gathering the shards, and when we put them
all together, we wish for the Shikon no Tama to make Inu Yasha well again!"
"That's a very noble idea, Shippo," Sango replied with a sad smile. "But I doubt it's
possible." She folded her arms over her chest. "It's a bit humiliating to say, but
there's no way we'd manage to collect them all without Inu Yasha's help."
"Yes," Miroku agreed. "He does make up a considerable amount of our group's
strength. Plus, it would be much difficult without Kagome-sama's ability to see
the shards."
She blinked. Was he suggesting that she would refuse to leave Inu Yasha's side
to search for the shards? Were her feelings towards him that obvious?
"Yeah, you're right," Shippo relented with a pout. "Besides, as ungrateful as Inu
Yasha can be, I don't think he'd be happy we wasted a wish like that." He huffed
indignantly. "He'd say something like, 'Oi, bakayaro, you were supposed to wish
for me to be a full youkai!'"
Miroku allowed himself a small grin as he scratched the back of his head, deep in
thought. That was Inu Yasha all right; showing gratitude was definitely one of his
strong suits. Though he couldn't help but wonder, was it possible for a person to
make two wishes? And if so, after seeing first hand how he behaved before and
after, was being a full youkai still something Inu Yasha wanted?
"Kaede-bachan," Kagome said softly. "What information did Kaeruishi give you, if
not a cure for Inu Yasha's illness?"
"Ah yes," Kaede replied. "That is another part of the problem." The young miko
frowned in confusion. "You see, despite all her years of experience, Kaeruishi did
not know of any cure that might rid Inu Yasha of his illness. However, she told us
of someone who might."
"Who?"
"She said that in the west there lives another youkai healer, much older and wiser
than Kaeruishi." replied the priestess. "She believes she possesses the answer - a
cure that will save Inu Yasha's life."
"Then we must contact her as soon as possible."
"Houshi-sama, if this youkai is as ancient as Kaede-sama claims," Sango replied
knowingly. "Then it is very unlikely that she has stepped foot out of her domain for
hundreds of years."
Kagome frowned as all of this sunk in. Inu Yasha was ill, plagued by a rare disease
that had shortened his youkai life-span down to a single month. Not only did this
leave him vulnerable, but the Shikon no kakeru as well; yet, there was no way he
could go trekking after them in his condition. That left only one option; someone
would have to go off in search of the cure.
~~~
Evening fell over the village speedily and quickly. It went unnoticed however, by
Kaede and those in her company, as they continued plotting and planning on how
to handle their current situation. After much deliberation, it was decided that despite
Inu Yasha's illness, the Shikon no Kakeru were too dangerous to leave in the hands
of evil.
"Then, it's settled," Miroku replied decisively. "In a few hours, Sango and I will head
out in search of more shards."
Sango nodded in agreement. "While we were up North, we heard a rumor about
another Shikon no kakeru in that area. The demon possessing it is rumored to be
very weak, so we shouldn't have that much of a problem."
Kagome frowned indignantly. They were going about this so calmly that it was
driving her insane. No one had bothered to ask her opinion; how could they just
go about making decisions without her consent? "Hang on a sec," she replied.
The others glanced at her in curiosity. "We shouldn't assume so much… it would
be better if we all went…"
"Don't worry, Kagome-chan," Sango replied with a smile that was somewhat forced.
"Both Houshi-sama and I know what to do - the job'll be a bit tedious, but we can
handle it."
Kagome bit her lip, forcing herself not to say something she'd later regret. First,
Inu Yasha, and now Sango and Miroku? Didn't her abilities count for anything
anymore?
It seemed as though the monk sitting across for her had somehow acquired the
ability to read minds, for he soon replied, "Your ability to see the shards is a
valuable asset, Kagome-sama. Your power often is a deciding factor in many of
our victories and it will be a difficult task ahead of us without you," Sango let out
a soft 'oh', and nodded in agreement.
"But should you accompany us on this journey, Kaede-sama would have to keep
poor Inu Yasha perpetually, ah…" He paused, searching for the right words.
"Doped up, as you would put it," Kagome sweatdropped. "For he would no doubt
try to follow to ensure your safety."
The young miko fell silent, her previous conversation with the ailing hanyou coming
to mind…
~ "Can't you understand…? Don't you get it? I can't protect you anymore… not like
this…"~
~ "Kagome, if other youkai catch word of this, I won't be a match for them… Hell,
I won't be able to protect myself, let alone someone else." ~
'He's worried about collecting all the shards,' Kagome told herself woefully. 'If
something happens to me… it'll be harder for him to get the Shikon no Tama.' Her
hands clenched tightly in her lap. 'I really am just his Shikon no kakeru detector…'
"Kagome… Kagome?"
Kagome blinked as she felt a hand on her backside. The owner of the offending
appendage was quickly shoved into the wall beside her.
"You really ought to stop doing that, Miroku," said Kaede, shaking her head
shamefully.
"I was just making sure that Kagome was okay with our arrangements," he replied.
The three women in the hut gave him a glare that suggested that that was *not* the
way to go about it.
"Hey, what about me?" Shippo protested. "What am I supposed to do?"
"Why, you'll be coming with us, Shippo."
"I'm useful, too, you know! You can't just--" The kitsune paused. "Nani?"
"We'll be needing your, uh… skills if we hope to avoid any unnecessary altercations."
The young kitsune blinked for a moment before nodding knowingly.
"Are you sure you're all right with this, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, touching the
other girl's hand gently.
Kagome nodded slightly. "I'm fine." she replied. "This is the best way to go about
it." She offered a small smile. "Just make sure you guys take care."
"Don't worry about it, Kagome," Shippo chirped. "I'll take care of everything!"
She giggled slightly, watching the little youkai puffing his chest out in pride. "You
keep those two out of trouble for me, Shippo-chan, okay?"
"Yosh!" Shippo exclaimed. "Nothing'll get past me-yawn!" He rubbed his eyes
sleepily before curling up beneath Kagome's sleeping bag.
The others laughed before following his example and retiring for the night.
~End of Chapter 7