Chapter 23 Let the Spying Commence!
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A/N: YO! I used them review reply thingys! Thank you all for reviewing and reading!
Inuyasha05, Kirara Kitten, O.oo.O, Sk8er7, inuyasha1818
Thanks everyone for reviewing! And I'm sorry for taking so long on the update!
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"Are they still following us?" Ayame whispered as discreetly as she could to Kagome.
"Yes." Kagome said through gritted teeth with a sharp glance behind her.
"What are we gonna do?" Sango asked keeping her gaze locked straight ahead. She didn't want their stalkers to think they knew they were there.
"We'll split up and meet behind them." Kagome said. "Then we'll give our stalkers a piece of our mind. Alright?" Her friends nodded in agreement. "Let's do it then!"
Their plan decided the three girls slit up, each going in another direction.
Xxx
"Hey, where did they go?" Inuyasha asked struggling to see over the sea of bobbing heads before him.
"I don't know! They just disappeared!" Miroku said a little worried. Where had they suddenly gone off to?
"I thought you were watching them!" Koga snapped.
"We're ALL supposed to be watching them!" Miroku snapped back. No way was he going to let Koga pass all the blame onto him! "Let's not argue about this right now. We have to find them!"
"SO, YOU ARE FOLLOWING US!" A female voice screamed from behind them. And let me tell you, she did not sound happy. Not at all. I would hate to be on the receiving end of that line fire right now.
Startled, the three guys jumped about ten feet in the air.
"Should we turn around?" Inuyasha whispered to Miroku who was right next to him. "Or should we run for it?"
"I say we run." Came the monks reply.
"Not so fast!" the same voice said through gritted teeth. "Turn yourselves around and face us!" She ordered.
Slowly the three stalkers complied afraid of the hurt that they knew was about to befall them. As they made their 180 degree turn, their eyes met with those of Kagome, Ayame, and Sango. The looks of pure anger they were receiving…
"Well at least we know where they are now." Koga said laughing awkwardly.
Ayame glared at him, her hand on her hips. "Why were you following us? You've been doing it for a couple of days now and we want to know WHY!" She bellowed.
"Because… because… because… You tell them Miroku!" Koga stuttered unappealingly.
"We were following you because…. we thought you were in danger?" He answered making is sound like he was asking a question rather than answering one.
"And why would you think we were in danger!" Sango was the one to ask.
"Because…. You tell them Inuyasha!" Miroku said passing off the spotlight.
Inuyasha glared at the monk as if to say 'You're so dead later.' "Well… I got this visit from that old hag, Kaede. She told me this new evil was after you and to keep watch after you all." He rushed in one breath.
"I'm going to hurt her! I should have known she would do something like this!" Kagome stamped her foot and for a moment her anger for Inuyasha disappeared. And I mean only a moment. "But that does not mean you can follow us around! Stalking is against the law! We could sue you for this!" Kagome wagged her finger at them. Man was she pissed!
"Calm down Kagome! We were just worried about you guys! No need to get overexcited over nothing!" Inuyasha said not realizing his attempts were futile.
"Calm down! You want me to come down? I find out my Boyfri--" She immediately put her hand over her mouth stopping her words. Boyfriend? Was that was she was going to say? Were they even still dating?
Everyone was staring at her, speechless. Let me just say she does not do well under stress.
"Stop following us, we can take care of ourselves!" Kagome ordered. "Come on Ayame and Sango!" Her face red, Kagome pushed through the three guys before her.
Glaring at their counterparts, Ayame and Sango followed after their friend.
"I wonder what that means Inuyasha?" Koga grinned elbowing him playfully.
"So what do we do now?" Miroku asked.
"Duh! We follow after them!" Inuyasha said with an air of cockiness.
"But they told us not to." Miroku unwontedly pointed out.
"So what, monk. Since when do we listen to what they say?" Koga said, for the first time on Inuyasha's side.
Not waiting for a response they hurried after the girls trying to catch up.
"I swear those two are going to get me in trouble one of these days." Miroku muttered before following after them. "Guys! Wait for me!"
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"Kagome, I think after a day like today we all need a break. We need to do something fun." Ayame pointed out.
"And what, Ayame, do you have in mind?" Kagome asked taking the bait.
"You'll see." The girl grinned linking her arms with her two friends and leading them away. "It's going to be so much fun!"
Xxx
"A country bar? You took us to a country bar? Where everyone wears ten gallon hats and cowboy boots?" Sango stared in disbelief at the flashing neon lights that read 'The Rootin Tootin Cowboy". (I never said I was good at naming places…)
"Not everyone. And don't go getting all bent out of shape before you actually step inside! Live a little! This will be fun! I've been here tons of times and the people here are great!" Ayame said walking forward and opening the door.
"You better be right. 'Cuz if I feel weird being here, we're leaving." Kagome said through gritting teeth as she walked inside.
Kagome entered and stopped dead in her tracks. Almost every head wore a cowboy hat, save for a select few. The song of the moment blared loud over the speakers. Two guys stood at the front of the room singing very badly to 'Play Something Country'.
"Yue!" Ayame called to a guy sitting at the bar. He was one of the few that opted not to wear the cowboy hat. "How have you been?" She hugged him snuggly before sitting beside him.
"Looks like she comes here often." Sango muttered to Kagome.
"Yeah. Looks like it."
"I'm doing pretty good Ayame! I haven't seen you in so long!" He grinned and took a sip from his drink.
"I know. It has been awhile." She agreed. "These are my friends. Sango and Kagome." She introduced.
"Hey girls. I'm Yue." He nodded formally.
"Nice to meet you." They both said.
"This yer first time here?" He asked obviously sensing their discomfort.
"Yeah. How'd you know?" Kagome asked.
"I can just tell. It's okay though. It takes some time getting used to but the people here are just like me and you."
"Riiiiight." Sango and Kagome both said sarcastically. No way were these people just like them!
"You'll see." Yue said quite confidently.
"Yeah we'll see." Kagome said as she and Sango too their seats at the bar.
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"Is this where they went?" Miroku asked a little skeptically.
"It's where their scent trail ends." Koga stated.
"But this is not someplace they would normally go." Inuyasha pointed out.
"It's someplace Ayame would go." Koga said entering the building.
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'Maybe this place isn't so bad.' Kagome was surprised to hear herself thinking as she sang along with Ayame and Sango to some country song. She followed the words as the lit up across the screen. She was even allowing herself to think maybe this was actually fun! But that could also be the alcohol talking.
The crowd of wanna-be cowboys and cowgirls cheered and 'YEEEEEE-HAWWW' showing there approval. They stomped their feet and clapped to the beat of the music.
Kagome smiled to herself as she looked over to Sango who seemed to be enjoying herself as well. I guess I do need to get out a little more, She thought to herself.
The song ended and the trio headed back to the bar where Yue was still sitting. He smiled a knowing smile at them.
"Not that bad, was it?" He asked Kagome.
"No it wasn't." she said not afraid to admit she had been wrong.
The next few hours wore on much in the same way. The girls got up and danced, sang some karaoke, or just sat and chatted with Yue at the bar. The cheery atmosphere allowed Kagome to forget all the stresses that had been put upon her over the past few days. Her stress had piled up so high she wasn't even aware she had been stressed out until now.
The only downside to the evening was that an abundance of guys kept coming up to her and asking for her phone number, or if she wanted to dance, or get together some time. Ayame and Sango seemed to be having the same problem as well. Kagome gave each one the same answer. NO! But they couldn't seem to take a hint and just kept coming. Some of them even came up to her more than once! And these losers had the cheesiest pick up lines ever.
"Is that a mirror in your pocket? 'Cuz I can totally see myself in your pants."
"Did you hurt yourself from that when you fell from heaven?"
"I'll give you my number if you give me yours."
"Hey hot stuff. Wanna go for a ride with me?"
One guy seemed so desperate, and drunk he was practically begging her for her number! What a loser! Kagome turned to the bar tender and gave him this look; 'Do something!' it said. And with a nod to someone across the room the drunk was pulled off his stool by two burly men and thrown out.
"Thank you." Kagome breathed to the bartender.
"You're welcome." He said before attending to someone at the other end of the bar.
"You ready to go?" Ayame asked sensing anymore fun they may have had this evening was gone now.
"Yeah. Let's get out of here." Kagome said. She slapped down a 50 on the counter for the bartender, who wasted no time in snatching it up, and then got up to leave.
"Bye Yue!" Ayame waved. "See you soon."
"Yep." He nodded and turned his attention to the guy nearest him.
"So what do you want to do now?" Sango asked. "It's not even dark yet."
"Ya know what? You guys go ahead and do something. I think I'm going to go for a walk and then maybe head home sometime later." Kagome said shoving her hands in the pockets of her jeans.
"Are you sure? You don't want us to come with you?" Ayame asked suddenly worried by Kagome sudden need to be alone.
"No. It's alright. You girls go have some fun. I just need some time to think and gather my thoughts." Kagome said.
"Alright… But you better go straight home when you're done! Or call us on your cell if your not. We don't want something happening to you."
"I will Ayame." Kagome laughed. "Don't worry so much. But I'll see you guys later. Bye."
"Bye," Sango and Ayame said in unison.
And that's where they spit up; Kagome heading one way and her two friends heading the other.
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"How many guys is that now that's come up to her?" Inuyasha said unhappily. He and his friends had hidden themselves in a dark corner of club so as to not be seen by the girls they were currently 'stalking.' The girls seemed to be having a great time. It had been a long time since Inuyasha had seen a genuine smile on Kagome's face. Although it had been a long time since he had seen much of Kagome at all.
"Calm down Inuyasha." Miroku said. "It's not like she's actually accepting the advances of the cowboy wanna-bees' you don't see me getting upset over the guys coming up to Sango do you?"
"Whatever! It still doesn't make in any easier!" he snapped.
Miroku decided to ignore that last remark and continued his spying.
"They're leaving!" Koga said almost immediately getting up to follow after them.
"Wait!" Miroku put a halting hand on the wolf demon's shoulder. "We just up and follow them right away! We have to wait until they get a little ways away so they won't see us!" The girls were almost to the door before Miroku let Koga go. "Now let's go."
But what Miroku didn't anticipate was how difficult it would be to push their way through the crowd of dancers. The dancers didn't seem to keen to break apart long enough to let the three guys pass. So unfortunately, took them a little longer than they would have liked but they finally broke free and found themselves in the light of the warm sun.
"Where did they go?" Asked Koga. "Good going moron! Now we lost them!" He knocked Miroku on the head.
"I see Ayame and Sango over there…." Inuyasha trailed off looking to the right. "But where is Kagome?"
"She's not with them?" Miroku asked once he recovered from the knock to his head.
"No!" Inuyasha sniffed the air. "She was just here…. I can smell her scent… but it's too mixed in with the other scents around it! Damn it!"
"I'm sure she just wanted to go for a walk. We'll follow Ayame and Sango and maybe they'll meet up." Koga said sounding far wiser than his friends thought he was.
"Yeah. Maybe." Inuyasha resigned. There was something deep inside him telling the hanyou this was not the case. Kagome would not meet up with her friends, he knew this.
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"Naraku." A cold female voice said. It was filled with emotions not well hidden.
"Yes, Kagura?" Naraku answered. His face was hidden in the shadows of his room, but you could still tell he was sitting at his desk. What he was doing, you would only guess.
"Someone is here to see you." She said just as coldly.
"Tell whoever it is that I'm busy. I will not see anyone right now." Naraku said emotionlessly.
"I did Master. But this person is rather persistent and refuses to leave until he sees you."
"Who is it?" Naraku sighed.
"He calls himself Hojo."
Instantly Naraku perked up. "Send him in."
"As you wish." Kagura nodded and bowed out.
Seconds later she returned, Hojo with her.
"Ah! Hojo!" Naraku clasped his hands together and stepped out from behind his desk. "How are you doing my friend?" he gagged internally. Friend? No way was he and this human friends!
"Not so good." Hojo answered looking down.
"And why is that?" Naraku asked pretending to be sincerely curious. Really, he could care less.
"I have spoken with Kikyou earlier today and it seems she has ruined everything! She told me she told Inuyasha of our plan! Which means Inuyasha obviously informed Kagome, undoing all that we had accomplished!" Hojo said unblinkingly.
"Yes. I'm rather aware of that." Naraku seated himself on the corner of his desk.
"You are?" Hojo said in disbelief. "Why didn't you tell me? And what are we going to do about it?"
"I, Human, don't have to tell you anything. And what you are going to do what I tell you." Naraku snapped icily. He didn't like humans thinking they could order him around. He was the one that should do the ordering. "Kagura."
"Yes Master?" The wind demon snapped to full alert, waiting to hear what he lord wanted of her.
"Bring me Kanna." Naraku ordered.
"Right away Milord." She turned and was gone.
In that short time before she returned Naraku never took his eyes off Hojo. He stared emotionlessly at the weak human before him. The hate Naraku had for Hojo, being human, was plainly visible. But, because Naraku needed Hojo (for the time being) he would tolerate him. But just barely. After that… the boy's fate would be sealed with one swipe of his tentacles.
Kagura returned with Kanna a few minutes later.
"You called Milord?" Kanna said emotionlessly.
"Yes. Show me Kagome." He ordered.
The mirror swirled for a moment before a clear image of Kagome appeared on the screen. She was walking alone, her hands in her pockets. Her eyes were downcast and an expression of pure sadness showed on her face.
Naraku grinned. She was alone. No one was with her. No one was there to save her. Not her friends. Not her lover. Not the wolf demon or the Monk. Not that old hag, not even the taiyoukai or freakishly happy human that accompanied him. She was alone. And practically his for the taking. Had that old hag not warned Kagome of this? That she needs to be careful? The hag's efforts where obviously in vain, since Kagome had just ignored them.
Naraku tore his gaze from his slave's mirror and turned his attention to the pathetic and gullible human before him. The human, it seemed, was staring unbelievingly at the magical mirror. Naraku smirked. Stupid human. He was just like the rest. Easily surprised and intrigued by something so simple.
"Hojo." The Human's gaze left the mirror and looked to the owner of the cold voice. "You will go to Kagome and bring her here. Only then shall you have her as yours." Naraku's face contorted in a freakish grin, much like the one the Grinch gave before he found his heart. (lol)
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Kagome had been walking alone for what seemed like hours. It was only when she noticed it beginning to get dark that she decided it was time to head for home. So she turned herself around and began heading that way. Yeah, she could just wish herself home and magically be there, but she strangely wasn't ready to face her friends yet. And walking home was one way to make that meeting farther away.
She watched as the sun slowly set behind the horizon and as one by one the street lights came one, shortly followed by the business lights. It was now dark, night had fallen. Despite the sudden lack of light Kagome did not feel inclined to quicken her pace. She remained traveling at the slow but steady pace she was going now.
But the sound of footfalls behind her caused her to instantly quicken her pace. She began walking faster, but did not break into a run. Her ears were listening, seeing if the person was following still her. Maybe taking a walk wasn't such a good idea. She began to regret not leaving her friends. Why had she not headed Kaede's warning?
The footfalls she had thought she heard earlier seemed to be gone. Or so she thought. No sooner did she think that thought when a gloved hand covered her mouth. Her scream was muffled as she struggled and tried to get away, but whoever had her, had her tight. There was no way she could get away from him. At least not that way. Unfortunately, before she could attack her attacker, he covered her nose and mouth with some kind of rough rag. Her chances of escaping now were gone.
And that was the last thing Kagome remembered before losing consciousness.
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Thank you guys for being so supportive. I hope you like this chapter. The last four paragraphs might not be so well written, I was upset as I wrote them. But because of my duty and how I have been neglecting it lately I forced myself to finish.
I just learned that I have to put the cat that I have known all my life asleep. He is 17 almost 18 years, old and soon will no longer be with us. His name is Tigger and has Cancer in his jaw. Because of that he has lost all his teeth and his jaw hurts to leave. The Vet says he only has 3 to 4 weeks to live if we don't put him down. I am so going to miss that cat. I can't imagine not having him around anymore. The only good side to this is that he lived a good and full life up until this point and putting him to sleep with end his suffering.
Thank you and please R and R.
Clouds of the Sky