Kagome and Marlowe, Conflicting Cultures!
In the dank darkness, she groaned, near whimpering. The short time she had spent in these inhumane conditions seemed to last through several eternities. Every now and again, she made a pitiful whine of disgust as she listened to the rat scurrying and squeaking in a nearby corner. Besides the horrors of this confinement, her imagination conjured up other torments that the cruel Europeans could devise.
When Kagome heard the rattling of the door in the outer hallway, her heart lept into her throat. Her head began spinning uncertain fates through her eyes like a flipbook. Determined not to go down without a bitter fight, she sought out a weapon. Finding none, she decided to use her bare hands. As the footsteps tromped closer, and a candle's light grew brighter, Kagome dashed to a spot next to the door and resolved that she would do her worst.
Tense moments passed as she waited. Finally, the footfalls stopped and the sound of a lock turning jarred the air. A gentle push shoved the door open. Kagome had already clenched her fist and held them over her head. The first thing through the door would feel a mighty blow, she hoped. It was now or never.
"Oy!"
The face that flashed before her caused Kagome to swing wide, miss the target, and lose her balance. Looking up from the foot of the doorway, she saw the familiar face of her companion who spoke in broken words. He wore a disgusted look on his face, as if her bid for freedom was an ill-timed bow or some other social blunder.
"None of that." He still sounded out the words with some difficulty, as though the words were some heavy luggage he was gladly throwing down. "Captain want see you."
Kagome's quizzical expression caused the agitated speaker to sigh in a labored breath. With little other explanation, he then strolled into the cell, stepping over Kagome, and walked to the center. Watching with a confused interest, Kagome overlooked the open door and focused on the lantern the brute was hanging from the ceiling. This done, he stepped over Kagome and through the door. After returning here, he grumbled out a new sentence.
"Captain want you should wear this."
Instantly, he produced a bundle from beside the doorway and tossed next to Kagome. Before she could react, the door slammed shut.
Standing up, Kagome brought the bundle to her waist. Pulling a rough twine out of the way, she unfurled the bundle and found that it was, in fact, a lovely dress. Glancing to the door, she saw the rolling eyes of the delivery boy. He snorted and closed the sliding door over the peephole, showing no interest in Kagome. His blunt rudeness led Kagome to turn her nose up at the sealed portal.
Looking back to the dress, Kagome was unnerved by the "Captain's" intentions. Slowly, however, she began to devise a different opinion. Was this, she thought, the same guy who had scared that letch into leaving me alone?
A closer inspection of the dress revealed that it was much longer than her skirt, not shorter. Definitely a good sign, she hoped. Cupping her chin, Kagome thought on the subject.
Does this guy have a crush on me? If he does, then maybe I can use that to my advantage! Granted, it isn't as easy as asking for my freedom. But, perhaps if I can sweet-talk him the right way, he might try to help the others at the castle. Hopefully, by now, Shippo's gotten to the others and they've come up with an escape plan.
Thinking entirely of her friends' welfare, Kagome was determined to put on the best performance she could. Quickly she began to exchange her blouse and skirt for the single piece dress.
Slinking along the castle walls, Shippo was living one of a child's wilder fantasies as a great ninja warrior. Of course, with his store of trickery, Shippo had advantages over most of that cloak and dagger class. Still, he rarely got opportunities to be the hero and felt that he should enjoy this chance to the fullest extent.
Dodging detection at various moments, Shippo was doing quite well. The young fox was thankful that mortal senses were too weak and inattentive to notice him by sight, sound, or even smell. The lad still hoped to have this mission accomplished as soon as possible, however. If those Europeans were still around, they might use their guns on him.
Pushing these thoughts away, he resolved to find his friends, regardless. The only worries that refused to be satiated by determination were the concerns about his friends' well being and his ability to find them in time.
"Stop treating me like I was some helpless baby!"
The romantic mist that Shippo had carefully garnered for his covert operation was quickly dissipated by the outburst of a familiar voice. At least he had figured out where Inuyasha was. Though, now, a human child could just as easily have found him as well. Moments later, he sidled up to the small barred window that was the origin point of the half-demon's voice.
"You've fretted over me enough," snarled the black-haired Inuyasha. "Now leave me alone!"
"You should stop being so stubborn," Sango insisted. With her hand on her hip and her finger wagging over Inuyasha's head, Sango appeared to be a mother scolding her rambunctious child.
"The more you agitate yourself, the more you upset the wound" Miroku gave his fatherly addition while sitting at the base of a nearby wall.
Brutish growling was all their entreaties received from the pacing, brooding, Inuyasha. The wound they were concerned with had already gone numb from prolonged suffering, and Inuyasha counted that as a good enough opportunity to pay no mind to it so that he could plan an escape. As if answering his wishes, a voice called out from above.
"You're really too stubborn for your own good," Shippo joined the conversation. "I hope you know that."
Inuyasha was more annoyed than relieved when he beheld his only available rescuer. With an unpleasant smirk, he cast a veiled threat to his young friend. "No, I wasn't aware of that. Remind me to give you a good, firm, pat on the head when I get out of here."
Shippo responded to the curt malice with an intelligent raspberry. It was at this moment that Sango and Miroku both huddled around Inuyasha at the foot of the window.
"Are we glad to see you!" Sango spoke in relief.
"Can you tell us anything about the guards, or a means of escape?" Miroku immediately got to business.
"Or more importantly, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked with traces of his temper still lingering.
The latter question caused Shippo to press his face against the bars in furtive glances. Seeing Kagome was absent from the group, he spurted in genuine surprise, "She's not with you? If she isn't here, I have no idea where she could be."
The confused fox-demon's response frustrated and worried his friends. Sango decided to explain, "The foreigners took her."
"Oh no."
"Is that all you've got to say?" Inuyasha snipped. "Didn't you see them hauling her away?"
The child's head shook out a negative.
"Then you don't have any idea where she would be, would you?"
Miroku's inquiry only caused the lad to lower his head, downcast, and mutter a half-hearted, "No."
His mind made up, Inuyasha declared, "That settles it, we're escaping. Now!" Inuyasha glanced to his fellow prisoners, who nodded their agreement. He then turned to Shippo, "And you're going to help us!"
"That sounds like a good idea," Shippo commented. He then tapped his chin in thought, "How are we going to get you guys out of there, though?"
"That's easy," Inuyasha spoke in a superior tone. "We'll just snatch the keys away from the guards." He paused then added with a mean twinkle in his eye, "Or should I say you'll snatch the keys?"
"I don't think that would be all that wise," Miroku interrupted.
"Why's that?" Inuyasha scoffed.
"As you pointed out to us when we were captured, we are, and remain, in no position to try anything brazen. Especially while you're wounded and could get in the way."
Inuyasha took affront with the monk's forthright honesty. He turned on his friend's common senses, wearing a look that he planned to change his mind, manually. "Oh yeah," he snarled. "I'll have you know that I- Ah!"
Inuyasha weakly crumpled to his knees as Sango continued to lightly pinch his tender shoulder. His numbness had completely evaporated, clearing away his mirage, and leaving the barren truth.
"Thank you Sango," Miroku offered.
"More than glad to be of service," Sango replied in a matter of fact tone.
"Now then," Miroku began explaining his own scheme. But, Shippo cut him short.
"Uh-oh," the fox demon panicked.
The three prisoners glanced up to see what had caused Shippo such duress. A short rustling sound later, and their helper had disappeared from sight. Approaching footsteps signaled new company. A guard was soon standing where Shippo had been standing. Tense moments passed as the prisoners shifted about, searching for inconspicuous activities to take part in. Sulking seemed apt.
An amazing thing then occurred that worried the would-be-escapees. The guard sat himself down at the window. Only Shippo was aware that this particular guard had come there to sneak in a nap. It was in his disguised state, as a small statue, that Shippo had been forced into being a reluctant armrest. Regardless of his intentions, the unawares sentry had, in fact, stalled an attempted escape, the size of his achievement being measured in the length of his nap.