Disclaimer: Sure, I own Inuyasha. Metaphorically.
Sesshomaru's arm was missing. Oh, he had noticed the lack of arm long before this; he wasn't stupid. However, when he had finally gotten around to going back to his father's grave to get it...well, it had been noticeably not present. He glanced about disdainfully in every direction, but his arm simply was not in attendance. Upon mentioning its absence, Jaken had gone insane and flailed a lot, and Rin innocently inquired as to where it could have gone. After some contemplation, Sesshomaru could come to only one conclusion as to the whereabouts of his hand. Naraku. Naraku was always the catalyst behind any mischief that occurred in Feudal Japan. Doubly so if something was stolen. The time to face facts had come; Naraku had kleptomania… among other things. Now all Sesshomaru had to do was track down Naraku. Chances were he would find his arm, and if he got vengeance as well, it was that much for the better. Ah yes, Sesshomaru was a planner.
"Rin," he said, grabbing the girl's attention fully. "Jaken," the toad in question stopped flailing. "We are going." Sesshomaru started walking north; toward where he was almost positive Naraku's castle was located.
Wet clothes are never fun. They stick to your sides and legs and hang off you all funny. And they chafe. Inuyasha was not a weak person. He had spent many a night out in the cold and wet. Hell, he had spent hundreds of nights in the cold and wet. Yet, Inuyasha was a proud man (dog…demon…whatever). He would never admit to anyone, ever, how truly heavy and uncomfortable his fire rat robes were now that they were wet. Oh and wet hair is a bitch. So Inuyasha continued to look indifferently manly to being wet until Kagome had stalked away with Shippo in tow. Well, as manly as one can look face down in a muddy hole.
But now he was alone, thus rendering his discomfort unnecessary. Well, Kilala had stayed behind, but he doubted she had the desire or the ability to rat him out if he showed a weakness. So peeling himself from his embrace with the ground, Inuyasha opted to seek shelter. Peering across the flooding courtyard at a nearby dwelling, he picked up Kagome's neglected backpack and quietly heaved a relieved sigh that her bow and its quiver of arrows were not with the pack. At least she had that much sense. Inuyasha supposed he should be worried about Kagome. She was wandering around Naraku's castle all alone, and Naraku had mentioned something about surprises. Knowing Naraku, they weren't gonna be the fun, birthday kind of suprise. Nevertheless, the memory of angry Kagome was still fresh in his mind and no amount of ramen was gonna get him anywhere near her right now. Plus, he could, at that moment, hear her calling him ten kinds of baka and Shippo avidly agreeing. He figured that they wouldn't be doing that if Naraku had just popped up and yelled "Surprise!"
The decrepit house in which he now found himself dropping Kagome's bag was a lot less decrepit than he was led to believe by outside appearances. Sure the roof was caved in a bit in the back corner, and there was debris everywhere, but overall this place wasn't so bad. You just had to ignore the evil miasma everywhere, gave it a homey feel.
Using debris and what he assumed was a piece of the roof Inuyasha started to build a fire. He didn't know why he was always roped into this shit. Miroku and Sango were off doing the gods only knew what, Kagome was pissed at him, and he looked and felt like a wet dog (oh, that pun was intended). On top of all that, that bastard Naraku had run off like the wimpy-assed pussy that he was and locked them all in one ugly castle-shaped mess. It was days like this that started to take a toll on Inuyasha's mental state. The fire wasn't drying off him at all.
Frustrated, Inuyasha stripped off his haori and yukata Feh! Damn thing is impervious to fire, acids, and big pointy things that go through ones chest, but put a little water on it and it's useless. Inuyasha contemplated putting it in the fire as it wouldn't burn up. Yet, his fire was a piddling little thing at the moment, and would most likely be put out if doused with some fire rat robes. A cool wind whipped in through the gapping hole in the roof, causing the hanyou to shiver and sit nearer to the flames. Swelch! Was that? Inuyasha gazed down at his pants irately. Did his pants just squelch? There were indeed no more straws left, for that had been the last one. The pants had to go too. Pausing to listen for Kagome, Inuyasha started to divest himself of his last oh so annoying garment. Kagome was off playing a game with Shippo which apparently involved a picnic and listing things. Further off Inuyasha vaguely thought he heard Miroku praying. What the heck?
Now liberated from everything but his dignity, Inuyasha fed the fire some more of the roof. It wasn't working. He was fucking cold. His wet hair wasn't helping the situation and neither was the wind. Casting about for a solution, Inuyasha's eyes settled on Kagome's bag. As ugly as it was, it had possessed good things in the past. Ramen came from that bag for heaven's sake. Maybe it would solve his problem now. "You won't narc on me, will you?" he said looking over at Kilala, who was eyeing him curiously.
"Mew," was her only response.
"No, of course not."
He first poked the bag in question. When no angry Kagomes jumped out and attacked him, he decided to proceed to where no dog demon had gone before, into a woman's bag. The excavation commenced tentatively, but soon Inuyasha was flinging things from the sack in abandon. Toward the bottom Inuyasha found what he had been looking for, clothes. He managed to squeeze himself into one of her sweaters, but she hadn't brought anything else but skirts. Ah well, Kouga wore one and no one but him seemed to think that the wolf was a pussy. Besides, who was gonna know that he put this stuff on? No one, that's who. It was only until he got warm, then no more sissy clothes again, ever.
Inuyasha hunkered down in front of the fire with a contented sigh. He hummed with satisfaction in his new found warmth. Suddenly, a hissing sound erupted from above him. He looked up just in time for a giant snake to wrap itself around his neck.
Kagome felt guilty. Inuyasha hadn't really needed to be sat right after he had been electrocuted. That couldn't have been healthy. She hoped he still wasn't still face down in the dirt. He had been a jerk, true, and he had said some awfully mean things to her. Yet, he was her friend and all that. What were friends for, but to forgive? Right? Right.
She had left Shippo in the main structure after he had royally beaten her at the picnic game. Her heart just hadn't been in it. But she figured that it would be easier to quell the dog demon's irritation without Shippo there to make his little…uh observations. So she did what any teenager did when they negotiated with children, she bribed him with candy. Now all she had to do was calm down the stupid demy demon, and then they could all sit around the fire and figure out a way to get out of here….and maybe roast some marshmallows. Yay!
Having now planned it all out in her head, Kagome headed toward the hut where she heard banging noises. Inuyasha was probably still mad, and tearing apart the roof or something. However, there was really no way she could have been prepared for the sight that greeted her.
There was Inuyasha, wearing her blue skirt, and wrestling with a boa constrictor like some perverse Brittany Spears video on acid…dipped in hallucinogenic mushrooms. She proceeded to do the only thing anyone could have done in that given situation. She fell to the ground.
A/N: Gack! But this chapter did not want to get written. We fought, called each other names, and ignored each other, and finally I said, 'either you behave or I will send you to my new beta as is.' And when the chapter heard that I now have a beta, it buckled down and behaved. It still sounds uninspired and forced though.
I have opted to start responding to reviews. Because really, if you guys are taking the time to tell me how I am doing, then I should take the time to respond.
Zombie HamsterHehe, it's a good thing you don't know what you are talking about, I wouldn't have forced you to be my beta if you knew what you were doing. That would just be silly.
unwiredmascotOh yes, I uh…meant to do that. It was all a part of my master plan. Yes, right.
And I have not really run into this type of challenge on but in my group of friends it is quite common. I spent many a health class in high school writing these things. I have only just now opted to start posting them. Oh but they are fun, especially when you finally see the result of your own list. I highly suggest challenging others.
jiraiya's editorIt is a good word. It also proves that I have worked in food services for far too long.
SlummyRedDragonIndeed.
Lucinda the MaidI am without a doubt grammar and spelling retarded.Forming complete sentences and using the proper spelling of a word are skills that are far beyond my reach. Maybe we can play a game of "let's count how many times Abbie confuses her tenses." Hmmm, and now that you mention it, Miroku in drag could be fun. (stores that in the back of her head for her next challenge fic.) Heh, heh.
Inume88I'll keep that in mind.
Ikana SesakoAnd really, who here doesn't enjoy watching bugs getting zapped? There's a kind of sick victory to it all.
half-breed389Wow, thank you.I might just take you up on your offer.