Authors' Notes - Here we go, minna-san! Chapter 16 of "Don't You Dare!" is
here and rarin' to go!
Nataku-chan - We wanna first take this time to thank everyone for their awesome reviews! You guys have been so motivational!
Miss Chang Po - Hai, hai! Though folks keep begging us not to kill Inu Yasha.
Wufei - Why not? He's weak anyway. ::eeps as the two authors jump on him and beginning beating the daylights out of him::
Miss Chang Po - ::pulls away:: Uh. ahem. Yeah. So, we'd like to apologize for the delay, although I don't think the last update was that long ago.
Nataku-chan - Compared to some of your other works.
Miss Chang Po - Oh hush, you're no better. But anyways, sorry about that. Like I've said before, we just get an idea for a fic and we just have to drop what we're doing to work on it. For instance, I've got an idea for a Rurouni Kenshin fic - my first - that is probably gonna get me flamed all the way to Jingoku - but oh well. And Nataku-chan is working on another Inu Yasha one-shot.
Nataku-chan - Shhhh! Why'd ya tell them?
Miss Chang Po - Oh please, you were gonna do it anyway.
Nataku-chan - That's just it! I was gonna do it! ::growls as Miss Chang Po just sticks out her tongue:: Fine, I'll tell'm how you're gonna end 'Heart of Space, Dove of Peace'.
Miss Chang Po - ::gasps, lunging towards her:: Don't you dare!!
Read and enjoy!
Chapter 16 - Interlude
For a moment, everything seemed to stand still. He could see her there, calling out to him just as before. And then out of the stillness of the dark, the attack ripped through her body rendering it useless. She remained still for a moment as surprise skirted quickly across her face. Then time started again, albeit slowly, as she stumbled forward with his name dying on her lips.
"Inu. Yasha."
An anguished cry ripped from his lungs the same moment her body hit the ground.
~~
"Kago-mmphh!" He clamped a hand over his mouth, effectively smothering the scream that had threatened to emerge. However, as he made to move it away, he felt a slight wetness against his cheeks.
'What the.?' Inu Yasha sat up slowly, swiping at his face with a free hand. Bringing it into the dim light filtering through the trees overhead, he rubbed the wet substance through his fingers. The smell of salt reached his nose. Amber eyes widened in surprise. 'Tears.?'
~ No way! ~ sneered his pride, balking at the mere thought. ~ Youkai do not cry. They can't! ~
~ But humans can, ~ offered his mind. ~ You forget he's half-human, idiot. ~
Frowning in confusion - since when his brain ever been on his side? - he turned his gaze over to Kagome. After another full day of traveling, she had set up camp for them within the safety of the forest. She had tending to his injury, cooked a small meal for the two of them and fell asleep before she could even finish her own.
He crept over beside her, taking in her features. He lowered his head close to hers, nudging her gently. "Kagome?" She stirred, but did not rouse.
~ She's wiped out - expended way too much energy. ~ his mind pointed out. ~ She's left herself way too vulnerable. ~
~ That's because she spent it all trying to help us! ~ his heart defended, clenching at the sight of her to worn out. ~ Besides, I'm willing to bet she's still a little rattled from our ki-finding session. ~
Inu Yasha frowned in remembrance; all of his voices brought up good points. Kagome had been working tirelessly and was in well need of a rest. However, while she slept, she was in fact leaving herself open for attack.
~ Hang on, ~ his pride scowled. ~ Just what the hell are you here for? Moral support? ~
The other voices only mumbled in response.
His pride, however, wasn't finished just yet. ~ Weren't you the ass who said Kagome wouldn't make it a week without you there to protect her? Just what do you think's gonna happen if you let her down now? ~
'Let. her. down.?' The thought had never occurred to him before, and yet now it brought a familiar pain to him - similar to the recent addition to his reoccurring nightmare. 'No. I promised Kagome that I'd stay by her - and to do that I have to protect her. If she were to die before me-'
The dread he had felt separating his ki from hers came back to him. He clutched his shut, trying to clench down on it and remove the pain from his body. Kagome could not - would not be allowed to die. If anything were to happen to her, he would be left incomplete.
A nagging feeling in his chest told him Kagome would feel the same way, but he ignored that thought. Right now, he needed to focus.
~ Focus on what? ~ Another new voice, whom the others promptly labeled his 'growing sense of despair', wailed, ~ You're dying, you idiot! Your strength is fading from you even as you speak! What're you gonna do?! ~
Inu Yasha stood up slowly. "Simple," His eyes blazed with determination. "I'm gonna get it back." Casting one last look at a snoozing Kagome, he grabbed the Tetsusaiga and trudged off into the woods.
~ End Chapter 16
Authors' Notes -
We apologize for the freakish shortness (and any errors in format you might find, it's the computer's fault, not ours) of this chapter. We decided to keep this chapter at this particular length so that it could serve as an interlude of sorts.
Nataku-chan - Funny how I did that with 'Tandemonai' too. Anyway, as you're already aware, we've been switching back and forth between Miroku, Sango, and Shippo and Inu Yasha and Kagome. However, from here on in, we're going to try to focus a chapter(s) on each arc of the story rather than back and forth.
Miss Chang Po - It's freakin' difficult for us to keep track, as we're sure it is with you. So next chapter will focus on Miroku and co. in the little village being plagued by demons. You'll find out what happened to all the adults in the village, and what the story is with Hiroshi and Misao. Plus, there'll be oodles of Sango and Miroku moments. erm, we think.
Nataku-chan - And after we get that squared away a bit, we'll get back to Inu Yasha and Kagome. Rest assured the action's gonna pick up as Inu Yasha's condition worsens.
In the meantime, keep up the three R's of fan fiction! Ja ne!
Nataku-chan - We wanna first take this time to thank everyone for their awesome reviews! You guys have been so motivational!
Miss Chang Po - Hai, hai! Though folks keep begging us not to kill Inu Yasha.
Wufei - Why not? He's weak anyway. ::eeps as the two authors jump on him and beginning beating the daylights out of him::
Miss Chang Po - ::pulls away:: Uh. ahem. Yeah. So, we'd like to apologize for the delay, although I don't think the last update was that long ago.
Nataku-chan - Compared to some of your other works.
Miss Chang Po - Oh hush, you're no better. But anyways, sorry about that. Like I've said before, we just get an idea for a fic and we just have to drop what we're doing to work on it. For instance, I've got an idea for a Rurouni Kenshin fic - my first - that is probably gonna get me flamed all the way to Jingoku - but oh well. And Nataku-chan is working on another Inu Yasha one-shot.
Nataku-chan - Shhhh! Why'd ya tell them?
Miss Chang Po - Oh please, you were gonna do it anyway.
Nataku-chan - That's just it! I was gonna do it! ::growls as Miss Chang Po just sticks out her tongue:: Fine, I'll tell'm how you're gonna end 'Heart of Space, Dove of Peace'.
Miss Chang Po - ::gasps, lunging towards her:: Don't you dare!!
Read and enjoy!
Chapter 16 - Interlude
For a moment, everything seemed to stand still. He could see her there, calling out to him just as before. And then out of the stillness of the dark, the attack ripped through her body rendering it useless. She remained still for a moment as surprise skirted quickly across her face. Then time started again, albeit slowly, as she stumbled forward with his name dying on her lips.
"Inu. Yasha."
An anguished cry ripped from his lungs the same moment her body hit the ground.
~~
"Kago-mmphh!" He clamped a hand over his mouth, effectively smothering the scream that had threatened to emerge. However, as he made to move it away, he felt a slight wetness against his cheeks.
'What the.?' Inu Yasha sat up slowly, swiping at his face with a free hand. Bringing it into the dim light filtering through the trees overhead, he rubbed the wet substance through his fingers. The smell of salt reached his nose. Amber eyes widened in surprise. 'Tears.?'
~ No way! ~ sneered his pride, balking at the mere thought. ~ Youkai do not cry. They can't! ~
~ But humans can, ~ offered his mind. ~ You forget he's half-human, idiot. ~
Frowning in confusion - since when his brain ever been on his side? - he turned his gaze over to Kagome. After another full day of traveling, she had set up camp for them within the safety of the forest. She had tending to his injury, cooked a small meal for the two of them and fell asleep before she could even finish her own.
He crept over beside her, taking in her features. He lowered his head close to hers, nudging her gently. "Kagome?" She stirred, but did not rouse.
~ She's wiped out - expended way too much energy. ~ his mind pointed out. ~ She's left herself way too vulnerable. ~
~ That's because she spent it all trying to help us! ~ his heart defended, clenching at the sight of her to worn out. ~ Besides, I'm willing to bet she's still a little rattled from our ki-finding session. ~
Inu Yasha frowned in remembrance; all of his voices brought up good points. Kagome had been working tirelessly and was in well need of a rest. However, while she slept, she was in fact leaving herself open for attack.
~ Hang on, ~ his pride scowled. ~ Just what the hell are you here for? Moral support? ~
The other voices only mumbled in response.
His pride, however, wasn't finished just yet. ~ Weren't you the ass who said Kagome wouldn't make it a week without you there to protect her? Just what do you think's gonna happen if you let her down now? ~
'Let. her. down.?' The thought had never occurred to him before, and yet now it brought a familiar pain to him - similar to the recent addition to his reoccurring nightmare. 'No. I promised Kagome that I'd stay by her - and to do that I have to protect her. If she were to die before me-'
The dread he had felt separating his ki from hers came back to him. He clutched his shut, trying to clench down on it and remove the pain from his body. Kagome could not - would not be allowed to die. If anything were to happen to her, he would be left incomplete.
A nagging feeling in his chest told him Kagome would feel the same way, but he ignored that thought. Right now, he needed to focus.
~ Focus on what? ~ Another new voice, whom the others promptly labeled his 'growing sense of despair', wailed, ~ You're dying, you idiot! Your strength is fading from you even as you speak! What're you gonna do?! ~
Inu Yasha stood up slowly. "Simple," His eyes blazed with determination. "I'm gonna get it back." Casting one last look at a snoozing Kagome, he grabbed the Tetsusaiga and trudged off into the woods.
~ End Chapter 16
Authors' Notes -
We apologize for the freakish shortness (and any errors in format you might find, it's the computer's fault, not ours) of this chapter. We decided to keep this chapter at this particular length so that it could serve as an interlude of sorts.
Nataku-chan - Funny how I did that with 'Tandemonai' too. Anyway, as you're already aware, we've been switching back and forth between Miroku, Sango, and Shippo and Inu Yasha and Kagome. However, from here on in, we're going to try to focus a chapter(s) on each arc of the story rather than back and forth.
Miss Chang Po - It's freakin' difficult for us to keep track, as we're sure it is with you. So next chapter will focus on Miroku and co. in the little village being plagued by demons. You'll find out what happened to all the adults in the village, and what the story is with Hiroshi and Misao. Plus, there'll be oodles of Sango and Miroku moments. erm, we think.
Nataku-chan - And after we get that squared away a bit, we'll get back to Inu Yasha and Kagome. Rest assured the action's gonna pick up as Inu Yasha's condition worsens.
In the meantime, keep up the three R's of fan fiction! Ja ne!