Chapter 8 - A Strained Mind
"Kagome!" Kaede said, spotting the group approaching. "I did not expect you all back for a while." Kagome, Sango, Shippo, and Serena ran up to the old woman.
"Well, I have to go back to my time for a while. I have a big test in a couple of days," Kagome explained.
"And I need more clothes and shit," Serena added. As Serena spoke, Kaede noticed her neck wound.
"My world, child! What happened to you?" she asked. Serena blushed.
"Oh, this is nothing," she said, shrugging. "I just got into a fight is all." Kaede looked as if she expected this.
"What did Inu-Yasha do this time?" she asked Kagome. Inu-Yasha heard her comment and rushed over to the priestess.
"I didn't do anything! That idiot got herself in a battle with one of Naraku's demons," he defended. Serena scowled at him.
"Who are you calling an idiot?" she asked.
"Umm…you," he replied. "Moron."
"You better shut your mouth, puppy!" Serena said, starting to get angry.
"Enough with the arguing already!" Sango said, stepping in. "You two are worse than children!"
"Feh," Inu-Yasha said. He started walking away from the group, heading toward the forest.
"Why are you walking away, dog boy? Are you a coward?" Serena yelled after him. The others sighed and took a few steps back as Inu-Yasha whirled around.
"Who are you calling a coward?" he asked in a low voice.
"I believe I was talking to you, Inu-Yasha," Serena said. He ran toward her and stopped when he was right in front of her. Their faces were almost touching and he glared at her.
"You think I'm a coward? Did you forget you were the one who passed out from a little nip?" he said.
"At least I managed to beat the demon. Were you able to kill Kagura? I don't think so," Serena said. He growled and she smirked at him. Inu-Yasha went to punch her, but she caught his fist in her hand and pushed it back so that it hit his own face. He stared at her as blood started to drip from his nose.
"How the…" he said, shocked. Serena stared blankly at him for a moment. Then she walked into the woods, headed toward the well. Kagome glanced at Inu-Yasha before running after her cousin. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kaede stared at Inu-Yasha as he stood perfectly still, blood still seeping from his nose.
"Inu-Yasha?" Miroku said cautiously. "Perhaps you should let Lady Kaede look at your no…" He was cut off as Inu-Yasha jumped up into a nearby tree. Miroku shrugged as they started into Kaede's hut.
"Can't say I didn't try," he said to the others. Kaede and Sango nodded.
"Inu-Yasha sure is stubborn," Shippo added.
Kagome was chasing after Serena, who was still marching steadily toward the well.
"Serena! Serena, wait up!" Kagome yelled. Serena ignored Kagome's shouting and kept walking. Kagome finally caught up to Serena and touched her on the arm. She turned around and looked at Kagome.
"Serena, didn't you hear me?" Kagome asked her.
"Yes, I heard you," she replied. Kagome looked confused.
"Then why didn't you stop?" Kagome questioned. Serena sighed before answering.
"I was ignoring you," Serena said. Kagome was still confused.
"Why?" she asked. Serena turned back around and began striding toward the well again.
"Because I know you're going to ask me about the fight with dog boy," Serena finally responded as Kagome followed closely behind her. Serena reached the clearing before Kagome did and sat on the edge of the well, with her feet dangling in, preparing to jump into it.
"Serena, wait!" Kagome said. Serena sighed and swung her legs back over to the ground.
"What is it now?" she asked, standing up to face Kagome.
"Why did you fight with Inu-Yasha again?" Kagome asked. Serena groaned and rolled her eyes.
"I knew you were gonna ask me that!" she exclaimed. Kagome just tapped her foot lightly, waiting for an answer. "Okay, okay! Don't get huffy!"
"Just spill already," Kagome said, become aggravated.
"Inu-Yasha…he just…he gets on my nerves," Serena said.
"Well, he can be a bit annoying sometimes, but I don't go around punching…" Kagome said.
"A bit annoying!" Serena said, inturrupting Kagome. "He is completely annoying and he's…infuriating…and he's an obnoxious, egotistical JERK!" Kagome looked shocked by Serena's rant.
"Now, hold on a …" Kagome started to say.
"And you know what's worse? He's PROUD of himself! He has no compassion for others and he's proud of it!"
"WHOA! Just…stop for a minute!" Kagome said, putting her hands up. Serena looked at her with a puzzled look on her face.
"Why?" she asked. Kagome took a deep breath.
"You've only known Inu-Yasha for a couple of days," she started.
"So?" Serena replied. Kagome shot her a look.
"Lemme finish," she said. Serena sighed, but started listening. "You've only known him a short while. How can you know what he's really like?"
"I…I…Just look at the past few days and you can tell. He's pushed me, insulted me, like ten times, and he tried to punch me," Serena said. "I think I've seen enough to know he's a jerk."
"But…he's not always like this. And earlier you were trying to be his friend. Did you forget about that?" Kagome asked.
"I learned a long time ago that you shouldn't waste your time trying to be a friend to someone who doesn't want you as one. And since it's so obvious that Inu-Yasha hates me, why should I bother being nice to him if he's not going to at least be civil?" Serena asked.
"Inu-Yasha has his good qualities too. He can be really nice when…he wants to," Kagome finished reluctantly. Serena got ready to jump again.
"Well, I'm not going to bother being nice to someone who won't be nice back. I'll see you on the other side, okay?" Serena said before jumping into the well.
Normally, I'd go yell at Inu-Yasha, but I really need to study for that test. I guess I yell at him when I come back on Tuesday afternoon. Kagome thought. Then, following her cousin's lead, she jumped into the well.
Naraku had once again been watching the gang through Kanna's mirror. He chuckled when Serena used Inu-Yasha's own fist to punch him. He also watched Kagome and Serena as they argued about Inu-Yasha.
"It seems that Iokji did manage to do his job before he was killed," Naraku said aloud, although he was speaking to no one. "Now the fun will really start."
Kaede, Shippo, Sango, and Miroku had been inside Kaede's hut since Kagome and Serena had left. Sango was polishing her Boomerang Bone, Miroku was dozing over in a corner, Kaede was cooking soup, and Shippo was looking out the window.
"Inu-Yasha is still up in the tree," Shippo said to the others as he hopped away from the window. Kaede and Sango looked toward the window.
"Really? He is awfully stubborn, isn't he?" Sango asked. The others nodded.
"Yes, this is so like Inu-Yasha. He hides instead of admitting defeat or humiliation," Kaede said, turning back to her soup. Sango starting polishing her weapon once again and Shippo began playing with a top.
"I can't wait till the girls come back," he said loudly. Kaede thought she heard a faint "Feh" coming from the tree.
Inu-Yasha only half-listened to the conversation in the hut. He'd been perched on the same tree branch for hours, ever since Serena had used his own fist against him. I am not stubborn. He thought. Its because of that idiot Serena that I came up here. Inu-Yasha shifted and a flake of dried blood fell off his face. He touched his nose and felt a lot of blood, not all of it dried. I'd better go find water and wash it off. He jumped down from the tree and took off toward the setting sun, following the familiar path to the nearby stream.
Serena jerked awake and sat up in bed, breathing quickly. She looked down at herself and saw that she was drenched in sweat.
"What a weird dream," she mumbled to herself. She looked over at the clock. It read 5:06 in red blinking digital letters. It's 5 a.m. already? I'll never get back to sleep now. Serena groaned and flung the covers off of her. She swung her legs over to the side of her bed and stood up. She shivered as her bare feet touched the wooden floor. Damn, this floor is cold! She thought as she walked toward the window.
Her belongings had arrived yesterday afternoon, right before Kagome and Serena had come back through the well. They now lined the walls of her brand new bedroom.
Serena reached the window, stubbing her toe on the trunk in front of it.
"Oww!" she hissed through clenched teeth. She opened the window shade and sat down on top of her trunk. Serena pulled her foot toward her face and examined it in the dim light provided by the street lamps outside. She didn't see any blood so she put her foot down and looked out the window. The sun was coming but it hadn't risen yet, so the outside world was a murky gray color.
Serena stood up and closed the shade. The last thing I need is for people outside to see me in my nightclothes. She opened her trunk and dug around inside of it. She pulled out a bundle of clothing and a small purple box. She exited her bedroom and headed for the bathroom. She quickly changed her clothes, discarding her white t-shirt and boxer shorts and replacing them with a pair of green sweat pants and matching sweat shirt. Serena hurriedly ran a brush through her hair and put it into a ponytail. She rested the purple box on the counter. Then she went back to her room and dumped her nightclothes on her bed. She went downstairs and into the kitchen. There, she grabbed a small piece of paper and a pen. She left a note explaining where she went and looked down at the watch adorning her right wrist. It read 5:21. Okay, time to get going. She thought as she exited the house.
Once outside, Serena started to stretch her limbs, making sure that she was warmed up. When she finished, she began to run. She jogged down the steps of the shrine and proceeded to sprint on the sidewalk. Hers legs pumped against the concrete. All she could hear was the beating of her heart. The streets were practically deserted at this early hour and she was blissfully alone.
Serena loved to run because it usually blocked out all of her thoughts. But this time, her thoughts resonated loudly inside of her head. I wonder if I hurt Inu-Yasha? She thought, a flood of concern washing over her. His nose looked like it was bleeding before I walked away. I hope he's alright. She paused, her feet stopping.
"What the hell am I thinking? I hope I broke his damn nose. He deserves it, that bastard!" she yelled. Serena started to run again when she received a strange look from a fellow jogger and once again, she couldn't keep her brain from thinking. I really hope he's okay. He's a little rough, but Inu-Yasha seems like he can be a nice guy. Serena growled out loud in rage and then gave up on her run. I will not think. I will not think. She repeated to herself as she headed back toward the Higurashi shrine. I will not think. I will not think. I know this qualifies as thinking, but I will not think. I will not think.
She kept repeating the words in her head until she reached her new home. She ran up the steps hurriedly and went straight to her room. She grabbed another bundle of clothes from her open trunk and went into the bathroom again. This time, she stripped down and hopped into the bathtub. After a hot shower, Serena got dressed, this time for the day. She put on a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. Over her shirt, she put a jean vest that matched her pants, but she didn't zip it up. She brushed her hair, then styled it in one long French braid. Serena suddenly grew lightheaded and grabbed onto the edge of the sink. Her hand hit the purple box she had brought in earlier and it fell to the floor. The latch popped open and an avalanche of hair accessories tumbled to the ground.
When the dizziness passed, Serena looked with disdain at the mess on the floor.
"Shi…crap," she paused mid-word, remembering that Kagome's little brother Sota was in the house. She bent down and began to pick up her stuff. I hope Inu-Yasha isn't in pain. I just didn't want to let him punch me. She thought as she tossed her ponytail holders back into the box. She picked up a comb and started to put it back when she noticed her mirror was cracked. She looked at her reflection for a moment. I hope that bastard is in pain. I should have rammed his fist through his head. Serena's hand shook, the comb's teeth digging into her skin. Then her hand stopped shaking. I really do hope he's alright. I hope that asshole dies. I really want him to be my friend. He should burn in hell.
Serena heard a loud snap. She looked down at her hand and saw that she had broken the comb. She threw it in the trash and continued cleaning up. I hope he's okay. I wish he would just die.
Serena sighed. The day had gone by so slowly. There was nothing to do in the present that could compare with demon fighting.
As Serena undressed for bed, she looked out the window. Someone had opened her window shade. She could see the twinkling lights of the city gazing back at her. It felt creepy. It's like watching a thousand eyes staring at you. I can't even see the stars. I wonder what Inu-Yasha is seeing right now. I'm pretty sure that he can't see house lights. The night sky must be so beautiful there. Serena laid down in her bed and stared at the ceiling. Maybe he's staring into the eyes of a demon about to rip him to shreds. Serena pulled the covers over her and closed her eyes. If I were only so lucky.
That night, Naraku chuckled to himself as he watched Serena prepare for bed.
"This will be interesting. The poison is working its way through her system. When it's finished, I'll be rid of at least one bothersome opponent," he said grinning. Goodnight, Serena. Sweet dreams.