Authoress' Notes: Aren't you PROUD of me! It hasn't even been a full month, and I've got another chapter out! I hope this makes up for some of my slowness in the past… and gives you patience in the future. Because school is starting tomorrow, and god only knows how much time I'll have to write.
A warning for ye who are squeamish! More people get stabbed and burned and cussed at in this chapter… ;;
Disclaimer: Don't remind me… Seriously. Please. Just… don't.
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The Piper's Well
NewSalemWitch
Chapter 5: The Red Skull/-+-
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Previously, on TPW:
"Humans aren't weak!" she retorted, but settled herself as comfortably as she could on his back. As she wrapped her arms loosely around his neck, he griped her thighs and she tensed, willing herself not to flinch.
"Relax," he grumbled. "We've been over this before. I'm not gonna hurt you."
Kagome blushed, but whether it was due to her compromising position, or from being caught uncomfortable and nervous, she wasn't sure. "Sorry," she mumbled.
Inuyasha didn't bother to reply as he took off running again, this time with a human girl on his back.
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Kagome squinted into the wind and pulled a piece of Inuyasha's hair out of her mouth.
"Stop squirming," he grumbled.
"Sorry."
Slowly her eyelids slid to half-mast, and Kagome leaned her head against the back of his shoulder. "Does it hurt?"
"Does what hurt?" he snapped. Would it kill her not to talk?
"Your ankles and wrists." Kagome was too tired to start another fight with her captor. If they lived through this, there would be plenty of other times to bicker.
"Keh. It takes a lot more than that to put me out of commission. I'm not a--"
Without willing it her eyes began to close. "A weak human, I know."
"Keh."
Time passed, and Kagome found herself lulled by the dog demon's pace. It was steady, besides being occasionally interrupted by a leap that took them twenty feet or more.
Slowly, through the haze occupying her mind, Kagome realized that Inuyasha was steadily increasing his pace.
"What's the matter?" she mumbled. "Not that I mind or anything, but why are you speeding up?"
"She's coming," was the growled reply.
Kagome's eyes opened automatically, nervously glancing at the green blurs of trees as they sped past. "Oh." She blinked a few times to make sure her eyes would stay open and moved her head to peer out over Inuyasha's shoulder. "Oh! Stop! Look out! Lookoutlookoutlookout!"
Inuyasha skidded to a stop, gagging as her grip around his neck intensified.
"Oh—sorry." Kagome ignored his antics and slid out of his grip and down until her feet touched the ground, though she kept one hand on his sleeve for reassurance.
"Hey—wench, what the hell do you think we're doing?" He took half a step forward and tried to brush her off, but her grip tightened and she tugged him back again.
"What does it look like I'm doing?"
Inuyasha growled exasperatedly. "I see what you're doing--"
"Then why did you bother asking?"
"Shut up! Why are you hanging on to me like I'm some kind of teddy bear?"
"Don't you see that?" she asked shrilly.
"See what?" he glared at her, and she glared right back, pointing behind him.
"That!"
Inuyasha growled in frustration. "I don't see anything, wench!" he barked. Shit, shit, shit. How am I supposed to protect us if I can see what I'm supposed to be fighting?
Kagome was trembling despite her attempts to suppress it. "But it's so big!"
He reached around and grasped her the hand on his sleeve, squeezing reassuringly. "What is it?"
She took a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh of air, trying to calm herself. Would this day never end? "It's a giant… ball of hair, I think. But it's covered in skulls!"
"Shit!" Inuyasha dropped his hand and glanced around with an angry glint in his eye. "She led us right into her trap! This is her home territory, I'll bet you."
Her eyes widened. "Yura?" Inuyasha nodded shortly.
"La!" Yura's giggle resonated throughout the clearing. "What a surprise- vistors! How very wonderful. Hello again, priestess."
Kagome's eyebrows shot down furiously and her posture straightened. She let go of Inuyasha's sleeve and took a step forward. "Stop calling me that!" she yelled furiously, "Just go away and leave m—leave us alone!"
"I leave soon, dearie, but you're coming with me when I do," Yura said, "and your little half-blood will be staying, don't worry." She giggled again. "I can't wait to get my hands on his lovely hair."
Kagome took another step forward, anger fueling her recklessness. Really, challenging a demon—even if it was only verbally—probably wasn't the smartest move. She didn't notice the pinkish glow her skin had acquired.
She opened her mouth to let that one-armed idiot have it. "You stupid little--"
She stopped short when she felt a restraining hand on her arm. She looked back, startled to see Inuyasha frowning at the demoness. Then he grinned. "I bet you wish she was on your side, don't you?"
"She will be, soon enough," Yura hissed, pulling out her comb.
He smirked. "Not if I kill you first."
"Stop bluffing," She scoffed, "You're a mere half-demon who can't even see my individual hairs, let alone my collection."
"But I can!" Kagome butted in furiously, taking another step forward. Inuyasha tugged her back. "And you can be sure I'll help him!"
"You don't need to," Inuyasha told her, smirking. "I can see her 'collection.'"
Kagome looked up at him in confusion. He didn't seem to be bluffing, but just a moment ago he'd said he couldn't see anything. What on earth was going on?
"Inuyasha--"
"Just trust me, okay?"
Yura let out a bark of laughter. "Oh, la! That's rich! A half-demon, asking for the trust of a mortal he kidnapped! I never thought I'd see the day!"
"Put a sock in it!" Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and addressed Kagome. "You, wench, go take cover."
Her first impulse was to loudly and vehemently refuse, but reason held her back. He's looking out for me, Kagome reminded herself, forcing her limbs to move away from the two demons. "Right. Okay." Dry leaves crunched as she stumbled away, looking for cover.
"La, come back here!" Yura pouted, taking out her comb.
Kagome glanced back to see those awful red eyes trained on her. "Eep! Inuyasha!"
"I got it covered," Inuyasha grunted and charged at Yura.
Kagome glanced back again. "Inuyasha, look out! To your left!"
The dog demon growled and swiped at what appeared to him to be air, but he felt his claws connect with something that felt like—well, hair. He smirked. Maybe the wench could pull some of her own weight after all.
Yura's face contorted with fury and she sent her sword flying in Kagome's direction. It began to whistle as it picked up speed, yet still the hand attached hung on, flapping slightly as it trailed along behind. "Stay out of this, wench! You're cheating!"
Kagome shrieked at the sight of the sword, and Inuyasha cursed violently. "Use the haori, you stupid wench!"
"What!"
"It'll protect you!" he yelled over his shoulder, taking an experimental slash at the giant ball of hair in the middle of the clearing. Instantly, Yura changed the sword's direction and it swung around to come whistling over at him.
"Keep your filthy paws off my collection!" Yura shrieked around the hair in her mouth. She was keeping up spectacularly with only one arm. She'd been using her teeth to thread her hairs through the comb.
Inuyasha jumped away from the ball of skulls and hair to land only a few yards from where Yura hovered. "You're really trying my patience," he growled.
Yura merely smirked and started playing cat's cradle with her comb.
With another, fiercer, growl Inuyasha launched himself at her fang and claws bared.
"Look out! Get out of there!" Kagome shrieked.
"What the hell are you talking about?" he snapped just before being caught up by his wrists and ankles again. "Shit! Stupid wench, why didn't you warn me?"
"I did!"
"No you didn't!"
"I did too, you stupid jerk!"
"No you didn't, bitch!"
"Quit your whining, half-demon." Yura rolled her eyes. Honestly, if he didn't have such beautiful hair, she wouldn't even bother with him. "Now, girl, it's your turn."
Kagome whimpered and turned to escape as Inuyasha yelled at her, "Run!"
Yura tsked. The priestess didn't even get three steps before her hair had swooped down and caught her, suspending her in a fashion similar to the half-demon's. Yura scrutinized her prey carefully before shaking her head a bit regretfully. "La, I don't think you're worth the trouble of finding that damn jewel anymore. You don't even know how to look for it, do you?" Kagome shook her head frantically, eyes wide with fear. Please don't kill me. I'm of no use to you; just set me free and let me go home.
"Leave her alone, you bitch!" Inuyasha shouted, pulling at his bindings.
Yura ignored him and pulled a few strings through her comb. Her sword flew up to hover beside Yura, directing its point in the direction of Kagome's stomach.
The hair demoness smiled. "Good-bye, little girl. See you in Hell."
"Damn it all, let her go! I need her to find that damned jewel!" Yura smirked as Inuyasha continued to yell obscenities.
Kagome's eyes scrunched themselves tightly shut as she braced herself for the impact that would end her life in a horribly painful manner. "Oof."
But all that came was a sensation poking at her stomach, much like when Sango had been trying to teach her hand-to-hand fighting and had accidentally punched her in the stomach. "Ow," she gasped, cracking an eye open.
"What magic is this?" Yura scowled deeply before smiling happily. "La! Perhaps you have spiritual powers after all." And she tried to hurt Kagome again, this time slashing at her arm.
"Ow!" she protested, "Stop it! That hurts!"
The demoness ignored her, examining every inch of her carefully. Her hand reached out to tug at Kagome's clothes, and Inuyasha growled menacingly.
But Yura wasn't deterred in the slightest. "La… what's this?" she asked quietly, a smile growing on her face. "A fire rat robe? This must be yours, half-blood." Had she glanced behind back, she would have seen Inuyasha's angry glower.
"Bitch," he spat.
That was all the response Yura needed. Her smile widened and raised her gaze to Kagome's, who was trying not to cringe. "So it is yours! Well, it won't keep her head on her shoulders, should I chose to separate them."
Kagome blanched. "Inuyasha…" She closed her eyes. Why was she calling to him for help? He was as trapped as she was. Kaede… Sango… I'm sorry I didn't get to say good-bye…
"Iron reaver soul stealer!"
Kagome's heart flew to her throat as she fell, only to be caught by a strong pair of arms. She opened her eyes and grinned in relief, throwing her arms around her savior. "Inyasha!"
His cheeks were tinged pink. "Keh." He gently put her down a little way away, far enough to be out of the way of most of the immediate danger. "Now stay here, and stop trying to get yourself killed."
"La, half-blood, I must say I've been more than patient with you," Yura exclaimed sharply, "Honestly, though, I'm getting quite tired of all this."
Inuyasha hopped a good twenty feet forward in the direction of the hair demon. He smirked, arrogant as ever. "So? You saying you want me to finish you off?"
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Kagome nervously watched them bicker. Inuyasha, please be careful…I'd rather be stuck with you than with her.
A flash of red caught her eye, glinting like a piece of glass in the rising sun from the top of Yura's collection of skulls and hair. Kagome squinted up at it. It was… a red skull? She shuddered. Creepy. Her attention was brought back to the fight as Yura laughed her petite laugh and Inuyasha cursed.
"To your right, Inuyasha!" she called, "Wait, no! The hair is coming in from both sides! Look out!"
He jumped and flipped, landing only a few feet from where the hair demoness hovered in midair. "Stupid wench, don't tell me to wait! I don't have any time to wait around for you to find the right words!"
He'll be fine for a few minutes, Kagome reassured herself as her eyes strayed to the red skull at the top of the hair mound again. But that skull… there's something wrong with it. It's… alive? No, that's not the word. But if it's red, and all the other skulls are white… sort of… but I'd bet anything that it's important. She grinned, finally feeling useful.
She slunk as quietly as she could over to the mound, trying not to attract attention with any sudden movements. She glanced back at the two demons still locked in combat. They were completely absorbed with the other's movements, trying to find a weakness to break through. Inuyasha was obviously the better fighter, but no matter what he threw at Yura, she refused to show any sign that she might have been in pain. "You damn witch!" he snarled at her.
Yura smirked at him. "La, darling, if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen!"
Inuyasha returned her comment with curses that would make a sailor blush.
Kagome frowned at the hair demoness. Yura certainly was irritating, with her slutty clothing and perky smiles. But she was also very, very dangerous. She had a secret, one that was obviously closely guarded, but if it came to light it would help to destroy her. I'm sure of it. She's got some kind of mortal weakness, some minor detail that we've overlooked. Kagome thought fiercely and glanced up. The skull… that's it! That must be her weakness!
Quietly bracing herself, Kagome hesitantly placed her hand on the side of the hair. It wriggled slightly beneath her fingers and she couldn't help but shudder in disgust. Don't say anything, don't even open your mouth, don't say anything, don't even open your mouth, don't say anything… Kagome was sure if she squeaked a peep, Yura would hear and come after her again. At this point, she was fairly certain Inuyasha would at least divert the hair demon's attention back to himself to protect her, but it was better not to tempt fate. After all, how many times had they gotten away with that now?
Steeling herself, she grabbed a fistful of hair in both hands and hauled herself up. Then she dug her feet into the hair, praying it would hold her weight. A long moment passed before she let out a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding.
Tentatively, she repeated the process. Then she did it again, and again and again. Higher and higher she climbed until finally she dared to look down.
Her ears roared and her vision swam. "Oh, gods," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut and turning her face up to the sky. Her panic caused her to revert to denial, reminding her of the impossibility of the situation. I'm clinging to the side of a giant ball of dead men's hair while my kidnapper, a half dog demon with gold eyes and white hair—let's not forget the dog ears either—fights a hair demon to protect me so we can go on our merry way and find some magic rock I've never even heard of.
The hopelessness slowly ebbed away, and Kagome returned to her climbing. But she couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Oh, gods, how does this happen?"
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Yura's ears caught the whisper and furiously whirled on the frightened girl, shooting fire at her from the blood red comb. "Abominable wretch! Stay away from my collection!"
Inuyasha watched in horror as Kagome shrieked and let go of the hair to fall a good fifteen feet. By the time her body hit the ground with an audible whump, she was covered in a ball of flames. "No!" He moved to go to her and help put the flames out, but was blocked by Yura. "Damnit, no!"
The demoness smiled. "Yes, half breed."
Inuyasha's gaze darkened, and he cracked his knuckles menacingly. "You… are going to die," he spat.
Yura opened her mouth to give a retort, but he had already begun his attack. His anger was fueling him nicely, she noted as he swiped at her neck. She jerked back and sent her sword after him. If she was the type to worry about blood loss and decapitation and the sort, she'd be more than impressed—she'd be dead. "It's a shame you can't kill me," she taunted smoothly as he battled her sword.
"Shut up!" he bellowed. "Don't underestimate me! I'm stronger than you and I will kill you!" His golden eyes were flecked with specks of red.
"You really are angry, aren't you?" She smirked as he thrust her sword into the ground, hilt-deep, in hopes of putting it out of commission long enough for him to kill her.
"Damn straight!" The sword, unfortunately, had no intention in staying in the ground. After attempting to free itself by jerking up and nothing happened, Inuyasha turned on Yura with a snarl.
He leapt at her, fangs bared and claws glinting in the rising sunlight. She stood about twenty feet off the ground, betraying nothing more than a flash of alarm when he came at her. But it quickly passed, and Inuyasha had no more warning than a smirk and a soft whistling sound before a searing pain sped through his abdomen.
Looking down, he grimaced in pain. The end of Yura's sword protruded from his stomach, dripping blood onto the ground below him. He gasped for breath and the ground came to hit him hard and fast. The sword was thrust back out most of the way when he landed on his front, biting back a yell.
"Stronger than me, eh?" Yura stood over him and shrugged dramatically. "La. Half-blood, half-strength. I should have known." She floated down, putting her comb in the sash around her waist, and reached down to roughly jerk the sword out of Inuyasha's abdomen. He grunted in pain, but refused to show any other weakness.
Had he looked up, he would have seen Yura's chipper smile. "La! Now I can finally have that beautiful hair of yours."
Inuyasha pushed himself up slowly, trying to stand. "Over my dead body," he growled.
Yura smacked him with the flat side of the blade, knocking him over again. "That's what I was counting on," she quipped. "And now I shall meet your demands. Good bye, halfling!" She raised the sword, giggling as the sun hit it, bouncing back into Inuyasha's eyes. He was trying to stand again.
"Yura!"
Said demoness turned and shaded her eyes against the sun. There was a girl standing at the top of her hair collection. She scowled deeply. "What're you still doing alive?" she demanded, "There's not a human alive who could live through my fire." She turned to glare at Inuyasha, smacking him again with the blade and leaving him with a fine line of blood that trickled down his arm. "It's your fault, isn't it? Damn you and that dratted armor of yours. And damn that girl, too, while I'm at it. Damn the both of you."
Kagome smirked, putting on a brave Inuyasha-like front. "I wouldn't kill him if I were you," she called down. Really, standing on an unsteady mound of hair thirty feet off the ground was not fun. The sooner she got off, the happier she'd be.
But first, she had to find out if the red skull was important.
"Really?" Yura quirked an eyebrow. "La! And why is that?"
Kagome held up a small red object, and Yura's inquisitive tone turned murderous. "You'll put that down, little girl, if you've any idea what's good for you!"
Inuyasha coughed and stumbled forward, preparing to jump and whisk Kagome out of there. "Get outta here, wench!"
Yura turned her rage on him and her hairs shot forward. Kagome shrieked a warning, but it almost came too late. "Inuyasha! Behind you!"
He dodged once, twice, thrice before Yura lost interest in him. She turned back to Kagome, dropping the sword and pulling out her comb. Kagome visibly gulped, but held firm. What she was holding firm to she wasn't entirely sure-- but she refused to give in!
It's too bad I didn't think this all the way through… She practically told me the skull is important, big whoop. Now what?
"Your time is up, little priestess!" Yura may have dropped the sword, but her hairs had picked it up and sent it hurtling at Kagome.
Kagome glanced down. Inuyasha would never get to her in time; he was too far away.
So she did the first thing that came to her mind: she held the red skull up in front of her and closed her eyes in a grimace, expecting the worse. Somewhere in the back of her mind Inuyasha's shout of "You stupid girl! MOVE!" registered, but failed to spur her into action.
She'd half hoped the skull would be precious enough in Yura's eyes to keep her from going through with her attack, but as she cracked her eye open it appeared that would not be the case. She didn't see Yura's stricken face as she frantically tried to use her comb to call her hair off.
All she saw was the katana's razor sharp blade speeding directly toward her.
She watched in morbid fascination as time slowed to a crawl. The sword embedded itself in the skull, stopping as it reached the hilt, inches from Kagome's neck. Her thumb started to bleed sluggishly as it scraped against the sharp edge of the weapon. In the back of her mind she noted that she was lucky to not have lost it; as it was the cut was barely more than a paper cut.
Inuyasha was yelling again, and Yura was screaming hysterically. Kagome paid them no mind.
The red skull in her hands cracked and shattered into hundreds of small pieces, slipping through her fingers to bury themselves in the nest of hair. A few fell to the ground, thirty feet below. The sword slipped out of her hands, and the hand that had attached itself to the hilt began to sizzle and disintegrate.
Ew.
Then Kagome found herself leaning backward from the momentum of the katana's impact. Then she was leaning too far and began to fall. Well this is just perfect, she thought dryly, I've saved us both, and now I'm going to land on my head and break my neck. Just beautiful.
She squeezed her eyes shut just as time returned to normal. The wind began to rush past her as she fell, and a scream wrenched itself free of her throat. Then she was jolted out of her terror as she felt two strong arms catch her. She opened her eyes. "Thanks," she told Inuyasha shakily, wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him an impulsive hug. Kidnapper or no, he had saved her from Yura.
"Keh."
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Yura had disintegrated just like her arm after the red skull had been destroyed.
Inuyasha explained to Kagome that the demoness had likely kept her soul in the skull, so the only way she could be defeated was by destroying the red skull.
Kagome hadn't said much after that.
He came to stand beside her, watching her out of the corner of his eye. "Hey." She ignored him, blinking as her eyes slowly roved around the clearing, taking in the bloodstained ground and trees, the crumbled red skull, the bloody sword and the late demoness' clothing lying on the ground a few feet away. Kagome didn't answer him, didn't even acknowledge his presence.
Even in the short time that he'd known her, he knew this wasn't normal. She had been so bubbly, so sharp, so… vibrant when they'd spoken the night before. Even during the fight she'd kept it together pretty well. Sure, she'd screamed in a high-pitched voice repeatedly, but that was to be expected. She was human, and inexperienced in the ways of battle. So he tried again. "You all right?" No answer.
"Hey. Did you hear me, wench?" Silence. "I asked if you were all right."
She shrugged listlessly, but still refused to answer, or even look at him.
Inuyasha frowned, beginning to lose his patience. What was that supposed to mean? "You're not hurt, are you?"
Kagome held up her hand, displaying her wounded thumb. It had long ago stopped bleeding, but it throbbed a little.
Inuyasha examined it, wrinkling his nose in distaste at the scent of her blood. "You'll live," he told her. "We'll patch it up when we get back to camp."
Kagome shrugged and sat down on the grass. Her eyes never once left Yura's katana.
Inuyasha watched her lethargic movements and ground his teeth together, silently counting to ten.
All of her movements seemed slow, as if she were swimming in molasses. Her face was blank, and though she wasn't staring into space her eyes moved slowly and lacked its usual spark. Even her breathing seemed sluggish. He listened carefully. So was her heartbeat… Well, that's not a good sign.
Then it dawned on him, and he nearly smacked himself for not seeing it before. She'd gone into shock! This was probably her first time being attacked… if you didn't count that he'd kidnapped her the night before…
He crouched down in front of her, scrutinizing her as she blinked again and her eyes slowly focused on him. She was awfully pale. "She didn't scare you, did she?"
There was a pause, as if she were having trouble finding her voice. Then came the soft, jerky reply. Her voice sounded underused, and Inuyasha had to strain his ears to hear. "Sort of. I guess."
Deciding there was nothing he could do about it, he stood and offered his hand. "Come on. We should get back to camp." The best thing for her would be to snap out of it, but he didn't have the faintest idea on how to help. Maybe if he just acted normally?
Yeah, right. If anything, that would send her off the deep end.
She stood without his help, but he did notice her breathing returned to normal for a moment. "Yeah. Camp." Then again, it was probably just the movement that made her heart speed up.
He turned and started walking, secretly glancing back to see if she would follow. She was his prisoner, after all, and this wretched day had started when she had tried to escape. Who was to say she wouldn't try it again? "C'mon."
She stood there for a long moment, staring at the ground. Her breathing had slowed down again, but her heart was beating faster than before. She seemed to be contemplating something.
Then she shook her head. Either she knew he could see, or she didn't care if he couldn't.
He turned and scrutinized her. Her face was pale and drawn, and her hands were trembling.
No, he realized. It wasn't just her hands. She was trembling all over—she really had gone into shock, hadn't she?
"C'mon," he repeated, calmer and more patient that he usually was. "You're in shock. You're not thinking clearly. Let's get back to camp."
"No," she whispered. "No. I don't want to. …I want to go home."
"And I want to be a full demon," he retorted. So much for being patient. But really, there was only so much a half demon could stand. "We'll both get what we want, it'll just take some time."
She looked up at him, her gaze dull and angry at the same time. "This… all of this…it's all your fault," she accused as vehemently as she could.
Inuyasha merely snorted. "Whatever."
"No—listen to me!" Kagome frowned violently, and walked up to him, pointing her finger right in front of his nose. Her voice rose and her heart rate slowly but surely returned to normal. "Do you know what I'd be doing right now if it weren't for you? I'd be weeding the garden! I wouldn't be wandering around in the woods, or running from crazy psychopaths who wear hardly any clothes, or—or—you get my point!"
Inuyasha noticed with satisfaction that the color was beginning to return to her cheeks. The shaking had ceased as well. "Yeah. I do," he said, smirking. "Ask me if I care."
Her fists clenched, and for a moment he wondered if she'd physically lash out at him. Not that she could actually hurt him, of course, but she looked awfully angry.
"You-- you JERK!"
He winced and his ears flattened against his head, trying block out the shrieking. "Hey! Bitch, keep it down! You're making my ears bleed!"
"JERK! I'll quiet down when I WANT to! NOT A MINUTE BEFORE!" she screeched at him.
"Shut UP!" he roared back.
"NO!"
"WHY THE HELL NOT!"
"Because I WANT to go HOME!"
"TOO FREAKING BAD!"
And with one last "JERK! I hate you!" Kagome turned on her heel and stomped off into the trees—in the opposite direction of camp.
Growling some choice words, Inuyasha jumped in front of her and cut her off, scowling fiercely. "Camp is that way, bitch," he gritted out, pointing behind his prisoner.
"Don't call me that!" Kagome snapped. Her own scowl was equally fierce, and she refused to back down, meeting her kidnapper's gaze squarely. "You know my name— use it!"
Inuyasha's scowl became a supercilious smirk. "Make me—wench."
Kagome looked down and brought a hand to her forehead. "Please." She sounded like she was exasperated and bone weary.
An eyebrow cocked itself in surprise. "What?" He'd been expecting another tirade, but instead he got manners? Who had dropped this girl on her head as a child?
Her voice was still quiet. "Please. All I want is to go home. You can call me whatever you want, just let me go home."
He almost wanted to, the way her shoulders slumped, and the soft pleading in her voice. But he couldn't. She was the only way to find the Shikon no Tama. "We've been over this before, Kagome," he said roughly. "Once you find me the jewel you can go home. Hell, I'll even escort you there myself so you don't get your stupid ass killed on the way there."
She looked up, eyes suspiciously bright. "How long do you think it will take?"
"To find the jewel? I dunno, maybe a few months." If they were really lucky. If they had any luck at all, it would take less than a few years.
"A few months?" Kagome's voice wavered and her eyes filled with tears. "And I'm just supposed to let everyone worry and not even send word that I'm alive?"
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and sighed, mostly at his own softness. "Look, don't cry! When we get to the first city we come to you can…" Inuyasha considered his options. What would get the wench to stop crying but wouldn't jeopardize his quest? "you can send word back to your grandmother and tell her you're alive. But no telling her where we are, what we're doing, or where we're going. Deal?"
Kagome surreptitiously wiped at her eyes, sniffling pitifully. If I'm still with you by then. "All right. How long will that be?"
"Only a week or so," Inuyasha said, relieved she didn't seem to be ready to start bawling anymore. "Now—let's go back to camp."
Kagome nodded tentatively. "…Thank you."
"For…?" However much he'd like it to be so, it didn't seem probable she'd be thanking him for allowing her to send a message back to her family.
"For using my name." She didn't realize he noticed her small smile. Truth be told, he hadn't even noticed.
"Keh. Stupid wench."
"Jerk."
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A/N: Gods above, I'm glad Yura's dead. She was getting on my nerves. . ;;
Also, I need feedback. Did Inu-chan seem too weak right after Yura stabbed him? Was Yura killed off too fast? Should I have made her actual death more dramatic?
Also, I'm taking a poll for the next chapter. (No details, though, because I'm mean like that.) A gypsy fortune teller, or Baba Yaga? Please tell me in your review!
Thanks, all! The next chapter will be up ASAP!