Author's Notes: ((siiiiiiiiiiiiiigh))... In case ya' haven't noticed a couple of announcements:
1: My penname has changed again... Why? Because I'm bored, that's why, dammit. Well, it's now Pariah-of-Exodus. Take a note.. or whatever you choose to take... or whatever.
2:WOOOOOOOTTTT! It was under-celebrated cuz last chappie I was pissed, but MOOP! SHADOWFOX'S TENTH ANNIVERSARY LANDED! WOOOOOOOOOOO!... ((ahem)) anyhoo...
So, y'see... yeah. all that good stuff... and I'm starting to plan out the chappies as much as possible. and I'm really realizing how freakin' long this fic's gonna be. I mean, at least 20-plus chapters.. probably way over 20, though. So, if you've been reading since the beginning, congrats, you won't hafta go back and read the whoooooolllle thing, but if you're just starting and there's 50 katrillion chapters.. wow... sucks for ya', then. by the way, 50 katrillion isn't a real number... y'know, just in case you thought it was... yeah...moving on...
annnnd now i've got like, another four fics planned, so I have around 15 fics in the works or so. most of 'em are songfics, so I might hafta find a different place to put 'em for the time being... once they're written, that is... What I don't get is why won't let you post songfics? I mean, they let us post character names and anime names with only a disclaimer. Why shouldn't the same rule just carry through? I mean, just slap a second disclaimer on there, like all songfic authors do, and you're not breakin' any rules. I mean, granted, there are some songs that bands don't want to have circulating, like if I posted Evanescence's song "You" I could understand the officials getting pissed, cuz no one's supposed to know that song exists, but a song like "Bring Me To Life" or Slipknot's "Duality" that everyone has heard and knows that you didn't write it, why restrict? Why are they hatin' so bad? ... No, I don't intend to ever say that again.. enough of my hippy rant... onward to the fic, so I stop stalling...
The group soon found that Kasu was a likeable character and they quickly warmed up to him, each for their own reasons. Sango, Kagome, Shippo and Inu-Yasha enjoyed his more redeeming qualities, like a bold personality, the ability to speak his mind, and his dedication to his code as a Hell-Warrior. He clearly lived by the rules of the pact that the soldiers took, and he seemed rather optimistic, like he had seen worse no matter what the situation. After all, his life's motto, just from talking to him, seemed to be "There's no giving up now." Miroku, however, liked him for his good, if not slightly depraved intentions. He was a touch on the perverted side. Not to the point of flirting shamelessly, like Miroku himself, but at least to the point of flirting with Ayame.
Kitsune was keeping his mouth shut for the time being, only speaking when he was directly addressed; For the first time he seemed to have nothing to say. Apparently, in Ayame's opinion, that wasn't a bad thing, but it wasn't a very rare thing, either.
"So, Kasu, you're a rogue as well?" Sango asked inquisitively, still fully aware of the sleeping Kohaku behind her.
"Well... I wasn't until around... umm... thirrrrttyyyyyy, no forrrrtyyyy... umm.. probably forty or forty-one years ago." He replied easily, in a light tone.
"How old are you, exactly? We know that Kitsune and Ayame are sixty-five." Miroku put in.
"Umm... How old indeed..." The third fox began to count on his fingers. (yeah, I jacked it from the RK first book.. "couldn't resist, mate!" -Captain Jack Sparrow 'Pirates of the Carribean')
"Umm... if it's that much trouble.. then, nevermind." The monk said exasperatedly.
"No, I suppose, in human years I'm sixty-six... but, If you're going by how to put it into a human's lifespan.. umm.. I'm sixteen or so..." He noticed the confused looks around him, "Umm... if that makes any sense at all..."
"Not really.." Shippo said, with a swirly-eyed face.
"Not in the least," Inu-Yasha said, looking equally duped.
"Actually... I get it," Tomoe stated. She sounded very serious for someone who was also counting on her fingers, "It's like translating the age. Like.. umm... Inu-Yasha, for example!" The dog hanyou looked up at her in slight surprise. "It's like saying that, while he is sixty-seven, he has the mentality and appearance of someone around seventeen. Get it?"
There was a soft chorus of 'Ohh...'s heard and the next subject was brought up.
"Why so quiet, Kitsune?" Inu-Yasha turned to the shadowfox boy. He was in fox form, stretched out on the floor, and was looking quite comfortable. When the hanyou received no response, he pressed, "Sumthin' wrong?"
Nothing.
"Fine then, screw you!"
Nothing.
"What the hell's your problem, now!"
Still nothing.
"Umm.. Inu-Yasha..?" The mentioned hanyou turned to Kagome.
"What!" He asked irritably.
"I think he's asleep..." The miko-in-training said, in a slightly startled voice.
"Oh... I knew that! I was just testing you... yeah.."
"Right... idiot.." Shippo said, yawning, "I think Kitsune has a good idea. I'm exhausted. Especially after Kagura attacked us!"
"Who's Kagura?" Kasu asked. His response consisted of stares.
"The chick on the feather. No mistakin' her." Ayame stated boredly.
"Ohhh! I saw her in the forest. She's cute..." He said, in his consistantly-happy voice.
"WHAT!"
"ARE YOU CRAZY!"
"SHE'S A WITCH!"
"SHE ATTACKS US ON AN ALMOST-DAILY BASIS!"
"I AGREE, SHE IS CUTE!"
That one got some odd looks. Everyone glared at Miroku, minus, of course, Kasu, who agreed.
"Why would you shout something like that out?" Sango asked him in a deadly voice.
"Well, everyone was yelling, so I thought that if I just yelled, everyone would think it was just an insult, instead of praise..."
Sango slapped her forehead in a hopeless gesture, Kagome rolled her eyes, Shippo sighed, and Inu-Yasha just gave him an extremely disgusted look.
"What?" The monk asked innocently.
"Just--! Just... forget it.. nevermind..." Sango said.
"It's okay, Sango. In my time, there are cures!" Kagome said, "There are ways to treat people like him! I promise! Once we gather the jewel, we can wish for the well to open for us all and he can come and get help!"
"Don't raise my hopes, Kagome..." Sango stated in an exhausted voice.
"What!" Miroku asked again.
"Oh, god.. just... Dammit, Miroku, just.. STOP TALKING!" Sango shouted at him.
"Well, fine, all you had to do was ask!" He replied, crossing his arms and turning to face a corner.
"Anyway..." Kagome said, turning back to the matter at hand, "What should we do now?"
"Wait to be attacked again." They all turned to Kitsune.
"Well, well...Look who's back among the world of consciousness." Inu-Yasha cocked an eyebrow at his younger brother.
"Haha. Well, anyway, I say we wait for Naraku to make his next move." The Shadowfox replied.
"Who the hell knows when that's gonna be!" Inu-Yasha growled back.
"Not very long, knowing Naraku." Sango said darkly.
"Indeed." Miroku said, nodding his head wisely.
"I thought Sango told you to stop talking.." Kagome looked at Miroku.
"Yes, Lady Kagome..." Miroku turned back around and faced his corner.
"Well, from what I've seen of Naraku so far, I agree. I say we wait," Ayame stated.
"The Almighty Princess has spoken!" Kasu declared randomly.
"Riiiiiiiight..." Kitsune said, giving Kasu an odd look.
"Stupid smart asses..." Ayame muttered grumpily.
"... Isn't that an oxymoron?" Kagome asked. She got a couple of looks
"Yeah, it is, ain't it?" Kitsune said, staring off into space, momentarily, "Well, anyway, I can smell demons, in case anyone's interested..."
"Now that'cha mention it..." Kasu said, looking towards the door, "I can too."
"Ditto," Ayame confirmed.
"Yeah.. well, so can I!" Inu-Yasha growled, determined not to be left out.
"Whatever." Shippo cast him a look and was rewarded by being suspended in mid-air by the tail.
"What'd you say, you little---!"
"Inu-Yasha!" The dog-hanyou winced. He knew what was coming.
"GAHHH! Wait, Kagome! Lemme get outta the way first!" The tiny fox demon shouted, holding his hands in the air. He ripped his tail from Inu-Yasha's grasp and leapt away, "Okay, go for it!" He gave her the thumbs up sign.
"SIT, BOY!" There was a sound of cracking floorboards as poor little dog-boy hit the ground hard.
"Well, then, I'm impressed," Kasu stated nervously, looking around at the ring of faces before him.
"Don't worry, as far as I know, she can only do that to him," Ayame said, nodding wisely.
"I told you, moron, it's because of that necklace!" Kitsune snapped.
"And I told you that if you call me a moron again, I'm gonna kick your sorry--!"
"Moving on!" Kasu interupted, before this argument turned violent, "I believe we have touched upon the fact that there happen to be demons about. I don't recognize the scent... I don't believe I've met these particular demons before."
"What kinda demons are they?" Kagome asked. All eyes were on Kasu.
"I dunno.. it's hard to tell.." Ayame said, she had her eyes closed in concentration.
"Oh, for the love of---! They're WOLVES, for Pete's sake!" Kitsune shouted impatiently.
"Who's Pete? Someone we should know about?" Kasu asked, smirking.
"Shut the fuck up!" Kitsune returned bitterly, combing the erm.. 'suggestion' with an icy deathglare.
"Just asking.." Kasu shrugged innocently.
"On a slightly more mature note... it's just Koga... Oh, and Ginta and Hakkaku." Kitsune stated.
"KOGA!" The inu-tachi chorused.
"What, you've never met Koga? Oh, well, he's the leader of this wolf-demon tribe in the mountains and..." Kitsune started to explain.
"We know who Koga is!" Inu-Yasha said. His tone dropped and he added "Unfortunately.." as an afterthought.
"Oh, Geez..." Sango said, "I sense that this will be trouble..."
"Yup.." Kagome, Miroku and Shippo nodded in unison.
"What I just can't figure out, though, is why Koga hates Inu-Yasha so much! I mean, sure they're both after Lady Kagome, but---" Miroku was cut off by Inu-Yasha's wicked glare.
"What... Did... You...Just...SAY!" The dog hanyou nearly lunged after Miroku, but after catching Kagome's look, he sat back down quietly.
"Miroku...?"
"Y-Yes, Lady Kagome?" The monk looked terrified.
"Would you like to repeat that..?" She asked in an eery voice.
"No, ma'am.. I'm sorry."
"Oh, Koga!" Tomoe said suddenly, making everyone stare, "He's the charming boy in the skirt, isn't he?"
Of course, this made many of them burst into hysterical laughter immediately.
"Yeah... that's him, all right..." Inu-Yasha growled, "I smell 'im now.. Stinkin' wolf..."
"How do you three know Koga?" Sango asked Kasu, Ayame and Kitsune.
"I don't." Kasu and Ayame answered in unision.
"Well, he and I have a touch of a 'mutual loathing of each other' kinda thing.. Why d'ya think he hates Inu-Yasha so much? It's 'cuz th' bastard knows Inu-Yasha's my older brother.." Kitsune said.
"Well, that definately explains a lot..." Sango said, resting her head in her hand.
"Sango, you seem stressed. Would you like a massage?" Miroku asked, laying a hand on her shoulder his other hand, however, disappeared momentarily.
"AHHHHHHH! YOU STUPID, IDIOTIC, DEPRAVED, PERVERTED, LECHEROUS, MORONIC, IMMATURE IDIOT!" Sango shouted, beating him over the head with the frying pan. (behold the devestating return)
"...I was... just.. asking..." Miroku said weakly.
"Well, serves you right." Kagome nodded her head.
"Yup." Shippo said, climbing onto Kagome's shoulder.
"This is just great..." Inu-Yasha growled sarcastically, "We've got Koga on the way, two new allies who've never faced him, one new ally who's never even faced Naraku, a nearly-unconscious monk and a completely worthless demon to deal with!"
"Don't feel bad, Inu-Yasha, you're not completely worthless," Shippo said airily and leapt onto Kagome's shoulder, where Inu-Yasha couldn't get him. The dog half-demon, as an act of self-preservation, decided not to lunge at the little fox, but instead, sent him wicked death glares. Shippo stuck his tongue out at him in response. Inu-Yasha grumbled a few choice words that would've had to have been censored if they had been heard. Kagome was about to ask him what he had said, when, fortunately for Inu-Yasha (though he'd never admit it), the devastating sound of a whirlwind erupted outside. There was the sound of dirt and earth being shredded, followed by cries of "Koga, PLEASE WAIT! PLEASE! WAIT FOR US!"
"That'd be my cue..." Kitsune stood, and shifted into his fox form. He paused and stretched then walked out. A look of horror came over pretty much everyone's face.
"Don't worry, I'm going!" Kasu stood up hurriedly, "I'll try to keep them from killing each other..." He walked out of the hut, just as Kaede walked in.
"Who are those demons? I don't believe I've seen them around here before." She looked at Kagome and Sango.
"Well, one of them's Inu-Yasha's younger half-brother, one of them's the half-brother's friend, and one of them's Koga, who is neither a half-brother or a friend of any kind." Kagome said expertly.
"Erm... Okay." Kaede said, looking confused. She turned to Sango for an explanation. Sango, too, looked confused.
"Um... Koga's a wolf-demon from the mountains, who's in love with Kagome." She stated.
"Right." Kaede said, nodding to show she got that much.
"Kitsune is Inu-Yasha's younger half-brother, and he is the child of a half-demon mother and a full-demon father, and apparently he and Koga don't see eye-to-eye," Sango continued.
"Go on," Kaede nodded again.
"And Kasu is Kitsune's friend from a long time ago, but they aren't really friends... or something... like that.. yeah... I HAVE NO FUCKING CLUE!" She finally shouted. She huffed angrily, then gave them all a bright smile, "I feel better for admitting that."
"Erm.. yeah.." Inu-Yasha was staring at her like a deer-in-headlights, while scooting back slowly, "I'm sure you do."
It was at this time that the 'polite disagreement' outside decided to make itself known. Ginta, Hakkaku and Kasu came darting back in, panting and looking terrified.
"Evillll... he's EVIL!" Ginta shuddered.
"Soooooo evilllll... darrrrrrk.. everywherrree... evillll...!" Hakkaku was in the feedle position, trembling.
"Holy fuckin' shit!" He shouted. He leaned out of the door, "THAT WAS TOTALLY UN-CALLED-FOR!" He ducked his head back in quickly, though, and noticed the circle of innocent people staring at him, "I didn't come back in because I'm scared... I did it so that.. umm... s-so that.. they could continue their.. erm.. 'conversation'... yeah... that's right.."
"Umm.. what?" Miroku asked blankly.
"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Kasu shouted.
"Oh, geez..." Ayame stood and walked out. A moment later, everyone winced as several loud thuds were heard and Ayame's voice came forward again, "YOU TWO SORRY BASTARDS! GET YOUR ASSES IN HERE, DOUBLE-TIME, IF YOU WANNA LIVE TO SEE TOMORROW!"
Kasu sweat-dropped slightly at that, "She hasn't changed... God help me..."
Ayame came stomping back in, dragging Kitsune back the back of his kimono. He was protesting loudly, with language that no one had ever heard before that probably shouldn't be written.
"Kagome, what does that mean?" Shippo asked.
"Erm.. umm... DON'T ASK UNTIL YOU'RE SIXTEEN! OR OLDER! OR EVER! DON'T EVER ASK ANYONE WHAT THAT MEANS!" She stated hurriedly, putting a hand over his mouth, "No go to bed!"
"But it's still kinda light outside!"
"GO TO BED!"
"Fine!" He said, trembling from Kagome's tone, "I'm asleep!" He lay on his side and pretended to sleep.
Koga came walking in. He was bleeding from random cuts, and was NOT looking happy in the slightest sense, "You stupid sonuva--! Kagome!" His demeanor changed completely and he shot over to her and grabbed her hands, "I KNEW I caught your scent! It's so good to see you, My Beloved Kagome!"
"Uhh.. right.. it's um... great to see you, too, Koga.." His 'Beloved' Kagome was stating, with a slightly off-put expression on her face.
"Is this something we should know about, or is Inu-Yasha just a figurehead?" Ayame asked bluntly. Kagome sent her an alarmed look and Inu-Yasha gave her a deathglare.
"I was just asking," She shrugged.
Author's Notes: yeah, yeah, it took forever... blah-dee-blah-blah-bloop... well, again, my computer deleted, like every review except for ONE shadowfox review... so fuck that stupid thing... anyhoo, I'm uber-sorry about how long this took, and I'll be going on vacation as of Monday July 18th, so I'm trying to update everything this week... hopefully it'll work... Well, I'm tied up with some other stuff too, and believe me, I'd much rather be writing my fanfiction than going to see my family in Florida, as cool as Florida is, cuz my family .. sadly.. isn't. not cool in the slightest... but... on the plus side, I'LL BE ON A FUCKIN' ISLAND! ISLAND! WOOOOOOO! Well, I'd really rather stay here than hafta go there, even if it is an island, but alas, I've no choice in the matter. So, hopefully, I'll get everything updated and y'guys can enjoy the new chappies while I'm away... And I'd really like to apologize to Katie, just because, I feel bad about what I said last chapter. I can't help it. Katie, you're really my friend, but sometimes, the things you say and do really, really do get on my nerves. I just want you to know that I will always support you, since you are my friend, and I would never wish anything bad on you. Even though you won't read the insult or the apology, I just want that to be clear... Later, peeps, and I'll see ya' next time.. PEACE OUT, BEEEEEOOOTCH!