CHAPTER 8 THE DEAL
"So," Naraku went on. "What do you want of me?"
"I was told you could help me," she said. "I have a friend who has in infected injury. I cannot find the herb that will remove the infection. I was brought to believe you had it."
"I do have it," he confirmed. "But I will only give it to you if you do something for me."
Mearle felt him fingering the jewel on her necklase. She stepped back. "What help do you need?" she asked.
"It's very simple," he said. "There is a group of people who have something I want. If you can get it for me I'll give you the herb."
"What is this thing?"
He pointed at the jewel on her necklase. "They have pieces of the Shikon Jewel with them," he explained. "The shards look like the one on your necklase. If you can get the shards and bring them here I'll help you."
"How will I know who to look for?"
"They have a girl with them wearing strange clothing," Naraku said. "She is with a monk, a demon hunter, a fox child, and a cat demon."
Mearle didn't say anything. She knew who he was talking about. She'd seen them in the woods a few times.
"Do you think you can do it?" he asked, his voice showing doubt.
Mearle nodded. "I will get those shards," she promised. "Now matter what it takes."
"But the wench has purity arrows. If she hits you with one you might get killed," he pointed out.
"I don't care! If I have to I'll kill her!"
Naraku smiled at that answer. "I like your spirit," he said. "So we have a deal?"
She nodded. "We have a deal."
"Good."
Mearle nodded. She started to go. "I won't come back until I have them." she called to him.
When she was gone Naraku laughed. "Some demons are so pathetic, they'll do anything to help their friends. Even make deals with me."
He looked in the direction she'd gone. "Still those kinds of demons always come in handy."
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Mearle walked away from the castle lost in thought. How am I going to get those shards from that strange girl and her company? she thought folding her arms. Where am I going to find them? They could be anywhere. She looked into the sky. I guess I'll have to look everywhere, she concluded. Hopefully they're still close by. That will make my job easier. She started running. If I do find them and run into trouble I know exactly what I'm going to do!
After a few minutes of running she had to stop. Mearle slowed to a walk then leaned against a tree to rest. As her breathing slowed to normal her sharp cat ears picked up the sound of voices. They sound close by, she thought. I think I'll find out who they belong to.
She walked toward the sound. As she got closer she picked up words. It sounded like the people were discussing something. A minute later she saw them through the trees. She saw a girl in a strange outfit, a monk, a demon hunter, a fox child, and a cat demon.
That must be them! she thought excitedly. I've found them!
She got closer, being sure to be well hidden so they wouldn't see her. Now what's the best way to approach them? she wondered, watching them come closer. I know I can't just go up to them and say "I want those Jewel shards. Give them to me." If I do that I'm sure to have trouble. She leaned against a tree. But what else can I do? Then it came to her. I know! I'll just become something very small. They wouldn't expect a kitten!
She got down on her hands and knees. Slowly her body began to change. She started growing smaller. By the time she was done she looked lamost exactly like Kirara only she was orange and wore a necklase. Now, she thought. I'll get those shards.
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"I wonder where Inuyasha went off to?" Sango said, looking around the forest. "I wonder if he's close by."
"Who cares?" Kagome said frowning at the demon hunter. "If he wants to run away to be with his precious Kikyo let him!"
"Kagome, you should really stop talking like that!" Sango scolded her. "He probably just went off to be alone for awhile. You know how he is."
"I don't see why we have to waste two perfectly good days looking for that jerk when we should be looking for those shards," Kagome whined.
"Just forget about it," Miroku adviced. "When we find him you can scream at him all you want and even sit him a few times to relieve your stress."
"And he'll just run away again!"
"If he does he does," the monk said, shrugging helplessly. "We can't help that."
Suddenly they all heard Kirara growl. They looked at the cat. Her back was arched and her tail was poofed.
"What's wrong with her?" Shippo asked.
"I think she smells something," Sango said, reaching for her huge bommerange.
Before anyone else could react Kirara hissed and dashed into the woods. The group heard a rustling sound as well as growls and shrikes.
"What's going on?" Kagome asked.
Kirara ran out of the bushes followed by another cat. This one was orange and black.
"What's that?" Miroku asked as he watched the cats fight.
"More like who is that," Sango corrrected.
The cats got closer. Now they that the orange cat was winning. Kirara was bleeding in several places but the other cat didn't seem to have a scratch on it.
"We have to do something before that cat kills Kirara!" Shippo exclaimed.
Kagme raised her bow. "I'll stop it," she said firing an arrow.
The shaft flew through space and landed in the orange cat's shoulder. It cried out in pain and fell back. Kirara ran into Sango's waiting arms.
The other cat started glowing. As tehy watched, it got bigger and took on a different form. When the glow vanished they found themselves staring at a younge woman in an orange kimono and black cat ears. She leaned against a tree and glared at them with a hateful expression.
"Who are you?" Miroku asked.
The cat girl hissed at the monk. "I do not have to tell you!"
That's when Kagome opened her big mouth. "I sense a jewel shard!"
Sango, Shippo, and Miroku looked at her. "Where?" they asked.
The girtl pointed at Mearle. "It's on her! She's wearing it on a chain around her neck!"
Everyone looked back at the cat girl.
Mearle backed away slightly. A low growl escaped her throat. Now wasn't the time for hesitating. She pounced on Kagome. The girl screamed as the cat knocked her to the ground. Mearle started clawing at Kagome's neck, scratching her in many other places as she did so.
"Hey, get off her!" Miroku shouted.
Merle looked over her shoulder. She saw the girt's friends looking ready to send her to hell. She looked back at the school girl and while using one hand to rip the necklase off her neck she used the other to slash a huge wound from one side of Kagome's body to the other. Then she bolted away, leaving a hurt Kirara, two confused people, an hysterical Shippo, and a bloody mess named Kagome in her wake.
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Mearle ran deeper into the woods with the sounds of Kagome's agonized screams ringing in her ears. She didn't stop or turn back. She didn't care. In her mind the girl deserved it.
After all, she hurt me first. I was just returning the favor, The cat demon looked down at her hand. She still had Kagome's jewel shards. Good she hadn't dropped it. My part of the deal is done. Now it's time for Naraku to live up to his..
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Kikyo was taking a walk through the woods searching for herbs when she heard what sounded like somenone screaming in pain. She stopped to listen. That scream sounded familiar.
Yes she did indeed know it. She bent down and continued searching. It's just her, she thought picking up a strange looking plant. Whatever she's going nuts about probably isn't that important.
Just as Kikyo stood up to move along she was nearly knocked over by a streak of orange. She stepped back just in time to avoid a collision. The strange orange thing shot past her without a look back.
When the thing was gone Kikyo looked in the direction it had taken. That thing had looked kinda famliar. I wonder where it's going in such a hurry?
A/N
Sorry if it seemed I was purposely being mean to Kagome. I wrote this fic a few years ago so whatever's written is whatever's written.