After Miroku's departure, Link explained the strategy to Inuyasha. Although Inuyasha argued that it was a waste of time to sneak inside, he had to admit that the boy was only trying to help, but that didn't mean he would listen. The best course of action, in Inuyasha's opinion, was to jump in and destroy all in his path; that was his plan of attack.
"What makes your idea so great? I'm telling you that my idea is best!"
Shippo merely rolled his eyes. They had yet to make it over the wall, since Inuyasha was constantly on Link. Besides, even if the plan was different, he still liked Link's best. When did Link's plans not work? The child remembered not too long ago, how he and the warrior had gone after Kagome, and although it was sudden, Link knew what to do.
"Inuyasha, blindly charging in has its downfalls," Link explained sternly. "I believe our best choice of action would be to simply sneak inside." He should have known that this argument was unavoidable, but that didn't mean that Link would keep it up for any longer. Besides, they were running out of time, and the longer they delayed, there was a chance something terrible could happen.
Fed up, Inuyasha turned his nose in the air. There was no way that someone like him was going to order him around, and it was definitely not going to be some snot nosed brat. Since when was he the leader? "Listen, either you butt out and leave this to the adults, or you follow me! Which is it?" Inuyasha should have known better then to bring him along. It would have been better if Link stayed with the girls. Sneaking inside? That would just be a complete waste of time.
For a moment, they both leered at one another.
Annoyed, Link stepped away. "Very well, Inuyasha," He muttered with an air of nonchalance. Turning around, the boy's eyes fell on Shippo.
The look was enough to let the child know it was time. Automatically, he transformed in to his pink ball, and as soon as Link situated himself on top, Shippo ascended in to the air, leaving behind an irate half demon, or that is to say, human.
"Hey! Get your asses back here! Shippo you runt! You're both going to get it! You hear me?!"
The fox child sweat dropped. "Link, are you sure this is alright? We might need him…"
Thoughtful for a minute, Link sighed. Perhaps Shippo was right, but either way, Inuyasha was acting unreasonable. "If Inuyasha is as he claims to be, then he shall catch up eventually. But, in his state, I'm sure we will save a lot of time getting inside before we are spotted."
Shippo understood, but he wasn't looking forward to when Inuyasha caught up. For all he knew, he would get hit. Fortunately, Inuyasha had yet to strike him.
As soon as the pair reached the top of the wall, they turned their glances to the mighty fortress floating over a massive body of water which appeared clear of any contamination. In fact, the water shimmered in the moonlight, reflecting the moons above.
"Hey, how come the water isn't black?" Shippo questioned.
Those were Link's thoughts exactly. Why? He wasn't sure, but they would find out soon, at least he hoped so. As they hovered above the wall, Link turned his gaze below. "Do you see them, Shippo?"
Shippo looked in his line of direction. "Yeah."
Four boats circled the perimeter in front of the fortress. Eight female pirates, commonly known as Gerudo, were standing watch from their boats, their weapons at the ready just in case. They were not an easy tribe to bypass, but Link had proved otherwise in the past. On this day, it shouldn't be any different, but then again things were out of the ordinary.
The pirates were too far for him to see, especially when it was so dark. "How do we get inside without getting caught?"
Link mused for a moment. Years before, he remembered sneaking inside the fortress, and it wasn't very difficult, but there was much he had to accomplish in order not to get caught. He knew if they were to simply fly over, then there would be a great chance that they would be spotted, and in just seconds, the entire fortress would be made aware of their presence. Link made his decision, and it was risky. "Shippo, when I tell you to fly over the wall, go straight until I say stop. Ok?"
Shippo wondered what Link had in mind. "Ok…"
From their hiding place above the wall, Link watched the boats turn in the opposite direction. The Pirates roamed the waters in a pattern, and while it might have seemed like a good strategy for keeping watch, Link saw through their failure. "Now Shippo."
Wary, Shippo moved forward, both he and Link cloaked by the night. The fox child's heart pounded in his chest, and he could not help but worry. While they were a good distance above the guards, he had a feeling that infiltrating the fortress wasn't going to be easy. In fact, any second, one of those guards would look up and then what? Shippo gulped loudly when they reached the center of the lake below. Something was going to happen. "Now wha—"
Link quickly shushed him, and he glanced below, hoping that they were not yet caught. To his relief, they had not noticed. If they were to continue any further, they would most definitely be discovered. As soon as all three boats made the next turn, Link tapped the tyke's pink head. "Ok, Shippo trans—" He was cut off suddenly when a male voice rang through the air.
"Yoo hoo! Fairy boy!"
Upon seeing the little green man fly over, held up by his red balloon, Link nearly face palmed. The little guy was smiling from ear to ear, obviously unperturbed about floating in at the wrong possible time.
"What's he doing here?" Shippo cried with surprised, shifting suddenly.
The thirty five year old man waved at the two. "Tingle has come to help!"
Before Link and Shippo knew what to think, dozens of arrows shot toward them, the arrowheads wrapped by flames. From below, feminine voices rang out, their voices filled with panic and rage.
Realizing instantly that their cover had been blown, Link knew he and Shippo had no other choice. "Shippo! Transform back!" It was the only thing he could think of. If he and Shippo were to continue on in their path, the guards up ahead would no doubt stop them now.
Panicking at the sound of alarms going off around him, the youthful kit cried out. "Why? We'll be killed!" He replied. Link wasn't making any sense. Shippo could easily turn in to a different form and they could get away faster, but here Link wanted him to return to his original form. If he did that…
Avoiding another arrow aimed for his head, Link shook his blond head. "Seems we'll be taking a detour," Link's gaze fell on Tingle who at the moment was trying his hardest to approach him and Shippo without getting hit.
"But…"
Nearly gritting his teeth, Link looked away from the green man and turned his gaze toward the oncoming arrows sailing in his and Shippo's direction. Time was running out, and Link nearly cursed when the child hesitated. Of course he understood his fear, but stalling was not in their best interest right now. "Shippo!"
Pink smoked filled the air, and immediately, Shippo felt gravity take effect. He should have known something like this would happen. With the wind pushing all around him and Link, Shippo yet out a panicked cry. There was nothing to hold on to.
A few arrows zipped past him, and Shippo cried in fright, but thankfully they missed. Noticing the lake closing in on him and Link, Shippo prepared for the dreaded impact. Just as soon as he shut his eyes, murmuring his last goodbyes, strong arms wrapped themselves around his small form, covering his nose and mouth in the process.
The balloon which held Tingle up suddenly popped. Tingle screamed in fright when he found himself falling. In an effort to somehow fly, he flapped his arms, but he failed. With widened eyes, Tingle grew frantic. All of his brushes fell from his pack, along with his many containers of ink and parchment. Even during his free fall state, he could not reach out and grasp them. What more could the helpless man do? "Ah!"
Barely missing the arrows, they both plunged beneath the water's depths. From above the surface, the pirates sounded the alarms, turning their boats back to the fortress to possibly warn their comrades of the sudden attack. Below, Link relinquished his hold on Shippo, and allowed him to cling to him freely while he swam toward his destination straight ahead.
The fox child held his breath, his eyes shut tightly while Link took charge. Water filled his ears, and he felt this unpleasant helplessness beneath the waters. Shippo did not know how to swim, and so he felt completely useless, only relying on Link to guide the way. He hoped he could hold on long enough without breathing, but he didn't know how long he could handle it.
A tunnel appeared before him, and to Link's relief, he found it was not locked. The pirates must not have noticed over the years that the tunnel leading in to their fortified fortress was open. He would have laughed, but because of the situation, he kept going. He knew he had to hurry for Shippo's sake and for his own. If only he had his Zora mask; getting inside would have been so much easier with it.
Darkness clouded his vision for a moment, but his eyes readjusted to his surroundings soon enough. A narrow tunnel led him to the fenced off maze just around the corner. Long before, he had opened the very path, and fortunately it remained as it was. Ducking under the sharp edges of the broken steel, Link pushed himself forward and toward a geyser that brought him up to the surface.
Shippo finally released the breath he'd been holding. "Gosh, I thought we'd never make it!" Shaking his head, he looked around. "Hey? What happened to Tingle?"
Link caught his breath and shook his head. What happened to Tingle wasn't really any concern of his right now, especially after he blew their cover. But, whatever the case, they were both inside, and that alone was enough to satisfy Link. The blond warrior turned in the direction of the far off door. The path before him was blocked by a couple spikes; if one false move was made, they'd detonate.
While Shippo settled himself on the blonde's head, Link bypassed the spikes floating above the surface before approaching another geyser, this one shooting out from the wall to his right. Link prepared to go under.
The child was about to comment on the strange spiked objects, but before he could, Shippo groaned. "Not again…"
Not a moment later, Link submerged, this time lifting himself out of the water and onto the small platform above. Now that they had made it, inside would be a different story. He turned to the door where a golden anchor decorated the surface. Grasping the knob, he opened the entry way and both he and Shippo walked inside, leaving a trail of water behind.
Within the large room, a large body of water greeted them. More spikes sat atop the surface threateningly, and beyond that a ramp that would lead them onto dry ground. Barrels filled the room, their placement out of the norm but ignored.
Searching around, Link stepped off the ledge and back in to the water, wading over to the ramp easily. In just moments, he stepped onto the cemented floor. "Seems the entire fortress is aware…" He could hear the alarms echo through the tunnels of the dungeon room.
"I should have figured this would happen," Shippo muttered with a sigh. He dropped to the ground near Link's feet and looked around the damp room. His emerald eyes fell onto a large cell which sat a few feet away from the two. "Where do you think the king and the others are?"
Link pondered. 'The pirates must have placed them someplace else…but where?' Link also mused about the whereabouts of the mutants. He would have presumed they'd come upon them soon enough, but so far nothing. Pushing away his thoughts, the youth knew they didn't have much time.
Before Shippo could say anything, he watched as Link climbed the steps before scampering after. "Hey! Wait for me!"
OOO
Inuyasha cursed. This was the second time, Link and Shippo went off on their own. The first time the half demon was unaware, but this time, they just took off ignoring him. He was irritated. The boy had just recently appeared in their lives, and already his teammates were trusting, especially Shippo. It was obvious Shippo was fond of the boy, but Inuyasha didn't trust him; it seemed he was always showing him up one way or another.
Inuyasha grabbed onto the rough surface of the wall and attempted to climb it, but it proved difficult. From above, he heard the sound of alarms going off. 'Figures!' The minute he got over the wall, he would take care of whoever was in charge, and then he would deal with Shippo and Link.
Inuyasha wasn't even half way up before he found himself sliding back down to the bottom. "Damn it! How the heck am I supposed to get up there?!" His fingers were already bleeding, and he clenched them before hitting the wall with one hard strike. For some reason, he was still in his human form. The moon had yet to change, and it seemed he was stuck like he was for a while.
A strange noise from behind caught his attention. Turning around, he saw a strange creature slowly advance on him. The faceless, armless, legless creature with a slimy body swayed toward him.
"What the?" With his back to the wall, Inuyasha unsheathed his sword, preparing to cut the strange being in half, but he stopped when a familiar feline swooped down. "Kirara!"
The two tailed dispelled of the Like Like, and looked around the area, curiously wondering what happened to both Link and Shippo.
"Glad you're here!" Inuyasha exclaimed before situating himself on her back. "Let's go!"
OOO
Kagome clapped from her place on the enormous shell with Sango. The Zoras had demonstrated their agility in the speed competition quite wonderfully, and it surprised her that such creatures were capable nimbleness. Of course she shouldn't have been so surprised, considering they were sea creatures, capable of such feats, but this was the first time seeing it. The school girl wished so badly that she had her camera.
Kauji had won the first round, showing off to the girls with his high jumps and flips, that made many of the other Zoras cry out in jealousy. Of course Kagome only marveled further at the sight, often cheering loudly, which only proved to boost his ego which pushed him on. At the very end, when he made the tenth lap around the spring, which included many hoops beneath the surface where the competitors had to swim through in order to finish successfully, Kauji leapt from the water and onto land gracefully. A moment later, the others emerged with visible frowns.
Sango was impressed, and she couldn't help but smile when the males turned on the energetic Zora. "Those flips were remarkable," she commented. At one point she had been sitting with Kagome, with their feet hanging off the ledge of the shell, but nearing the end of the race, both she and Kagome were standing with awe.
The priestess nodded eagerly. "I know! I wonder what the next one will be." She watched as some of the males started placing various jars around the shell, the entire spring before them, and up on the cliff resting overhead. Among the room, several pillars were also placed, and on top of each were more jars, some larger than others. She was about to comment on the placement of the pots, but she frowned noticing her female friend's gaze settled elsewhere. "Sango?"
Sango frowned. "Where is Miroku?" The slayer swore he was with them a short moment ago, but sometime during the race he disappeared.
"I don't know." Speaking of which, she wondered what happened to Serena. Kagome remembered the little fairy staying with them while the guys were away, but she hadn't seen her for quite a while. Did she fly off somewhere? Since it would be a few minutes before the games started up again, Kagome and Sango made their way off the shell and around the spring in hopes of locating their friends.
Some of the female Zoras were off to the side, flirting with some of the males with proud smiles. One of them even had her arms linked with a male, obviously showing her affection. Of course, it was strange that they would hold a competition, especially when most of their tribe was abducted. And to Kagome and Sango, they would have thought they'd reschedule the event to a much later time when all was at peace, but apparently not.
Along the way, a familiar grinning Zora found his way toward them. "Where are you two off to? The next game will start soon." Droplets of water fell off his form, and of course it was enough to embarrass the girls who were still not used the tribe's current nude form. "Looking for your friend?"
Sango perked up. "You know where Miroku is?"
Kauji nodded before pointing behind him. "The guy went off that way a short while ago I think. Probably touring the place."
Sango smiled. "I see. Thank you." She turned to her companion. "I'm going to go find him. I'll be back," she explained before leaving a puzzled school girl behind.
Kauji smirked. "Are you ready for the next event?" He asked, watching the girl's expression turn from confusion to excitement almost instantly.
"Of course!" Kagome marveled at the male standing before her. "How did you do those high jumps?" She had a feeling that not all the Zoras could make them. Perhaps he underwent difficult training in order to pull off such moves; that was a great possibility. Or maybe the tribe was born with it.
Again Kauji smirked. "It wasn't so hard. In fact, I've been training for this moment for a while now," he admitted before scratching his head embarrassed. "But, I didn't think I'd win like I did," he laughed.
Kagome grinned. If only everyone pushed themselves a little harder, instead of just sitting around doing nothing. People could make something great of themselves if they only put in a little effort, like Kauji for example. He might have only won the first part of the competition although he probably went through some rigorous training, but with a little push and more endurance, he might just succeed. "I'm sure you'll do great in the next event."
The Zora smiled. "You really think so?" He laughed. "I don't know. Everyone else is pretty good," he explained while turning his gaze to the other competitors who were warming up. "Strength isn't a strong suit of mine."
Kagome waved it away. "You'll do just fine." The priestess had faith that he would win, and she was cheering for him, as well as everyone else.
The male blushed before scratching his cheek. "Kagome…"
"Yes?" she cocked her head to the side.
"Would you cheer for me in the next match?" he asked. He had to admit, he liked having someone applaud him on.
Hearing this, Kagome smiled warmly. "Of course! I've been cheering from the start!" she explained with a laugh that melted his heart and sent his heart pounding. "I know you'll do great! So far, you've impressed me and Sango."
Kauji felt his face light up. He felt a sudden urge to jump in to the pool and do twenty more laps. This had been the first time he ever had a girl cheer him on, not counting his mother who had passed away some years before his training. "Thank you Kagome."
She nodded before noticing his friends look in their direction. The young girl didn't feel like keeping him for too long, and besides, there wasn't much time left. "Better get ready," she mentioned.
He nodded. "The next match is dealt with breaking all the jars in one motion. There are three levels that we must reach, and whoever remains, they win," he explained. "Watch me break all those jars!" He grinned before walking away with a wave to the girl.
Kagome grew curious of this new information. 'So, they're dealing with distance now…I wonder what they will use to break those jars.' She thought about what weapons they would use. Surely bows and arrows would work, but then again, the jars were scattered around, not in a straight line where they could easily be eliminated in one blow. 'A boomerang?'
OOO
Allowing himself a few seconds of rest, Kauji prepared himself for the next event. He wiped the sweat from his brow, and he couldn't help but inwardly smile.
"That was something," a voice said from behind. "I never saw you jump that high nor swim so fast before Kauji." As far as this Zora thought, Kauji was more laid back, not the energetic male he had grown to understand.
Turning toward the lean Zora, Kauji grinned. "Merek, yours was quite impressive also," he replied. "I just felt more exhilarated than usual is all."
Merek raised a brow. "Oh? Surely you weren't because of that human woman, were you?" he scoffed at the younger male before him. "You'd be wise not to get way ahead of your thoughts, Kauji. Humans girls are not as subtle as our own," he warned. Merek was reaching his early fifties, and he'd seen the world a little longer than Kauji and a few others had.
Kauji frowned. "What are you implying, Merek, that I would have some infatuation?" He turned his back to the older male. "What I do is none of your business."
Merek shook his head with shame. "You could do so much better…but I'm afraid you'll only lose your heart along the way…"
Ignoring the Zora, Kauji ambled away, hoping to continue his preparations for the next event without any disturbances. What did Merek know anyway? Merek was living his life single, and he had the impulse to talk about his love life? Kauji was in his early twenties, and sure he'd had girls hanging around him constantly, but that didn't necessarily mean he was hoping to settle down with any other them. Then again, he did have the occasional thoughts.
Kauji sighed before wrapping a white cloth around his waist that reached mid-thigh. "He speaks the truth though…" But Merek never experienced anything involving the opposite sex, nor did he participate in any activities with a female. What made him think he could just say he's making a mistake when he wouldn't even know? What Kauji did with his life was his own business, and he'd deal with it by himself.
"Hey, Kauji!" Another Zora called out to the male, and this time, it was a friendlier face.
"Zaruth, how have you faired?" He greeted the male with pat on the back.
The other male, taller in size and much darker in comparison to Kauji, chuckled. "Oh I've seen better days. I came in dead last, but that was to be expected," he explained pointing at his injured leg. "You did a splendid job coming in first. Who'd have thought I'd seen the day you'd be doing flips for them there girls!" Zaruth laughed again. "I don't blame you, they are gorgeous."
Kauji nodded. "I was surprised you were entering, considering what happened to your mate…"
Zaruth nodded. "Yeah…I thought I'd give it another try. I'm tired of being lonely. I'm doing this to earn Shunte's heart after all," he grinned. "She and I have been courting for a few months now."
This was a surprise to the Zora. "Really? I didn't know. Well, I wish you the best of luck, my friend." He and Zaruth shook hands.
"Yes. Me too." The older male turned away and continued on his path elsewhere.
OOO
Elsewhere, Miroku leaned against the walls of the cavern, his thoughts trailing back to the guys. He pondered deeply, hoping they were alright on their own. Sure Inuyasha was with the youths, but then again, something could go wrong. There was no telling what lied beyond that massive wall. Link mentioned before that it was well guarded on the other side, and it seemed like he had a plan.
"Miroku?"
Glancing up from his musings, Miroku smiled at the slayer in front of him. "Ah, Sango?"
"Miroku? What are you doing here?" She questioned the monk. Sango found him leaning against the shop's door, not far from the spring.
He apologized. "I was just thinking," he explained. "How did it go?"
"Kauji won," she replied. "You're worried about the others?" She knew exactly what was troubling him. When he returned unexpectedly, he informed Kagome and herself about how Inuyasha, Shippo and Link were going to go inside the fortress on their own. Of course the news was questionable and also surprising, but in a way it did make sense. The whole reason Miroku came back was to keep steady watch on the domain, in case anything should go wrong, and Sango knew that she and Kagome might need the extra help.
Miroku nodded. "I just can't help but think I made the wrong decision coming back here…"
Sango understood. "It can't be helped now."
"Yeah," he agreed. "Kirara's already left."
"I'm sure they will be back soon. After all, Inuyasha is there," she reassured. Inuyasha didn't normally fail to protect his companions or fail to complete a task. Not only that, but with the power inside his new blade, she was sure they would be just fine.
The monk nodded. "Yeah, you're right," he replied and removed himself from the wall. "Let's head back."
OOO
The town was quiet that eerie day with the eclipse still high in the sky. The residents, still fearful of the oddity, went about their normal routines, with shushed whispers behind their doors. Many, on the other hand, refused to leave their homes due to strange happenings recently, regarding kidnaps, or robberies.
Kafei took his time sweeping out front the Stock Pot Inn, his thoughts elsewhere. The past day, he sent word to the soldiers stationed around the town about the local thief that was on the loose. Of course the name Sakon didn't come as a surprise to them and the soldiers kept their eyes out, but he knew that wouldn't be enough to stop him.
"Honey, dinner," Anju held the door open, watching her husband stare off in to space. She was troubled about the strange mishaps these days. Her thoughts traveled to the folks that had visited not too long ago. Anju wondered how they were holding up. "Kafei?"
The youth narrowed his eyes, spotting a familiar figure leave the Milk Bar next door. Although the figure was shrouded in shadow, he recognized the outline of the person. The person, Kafei watched, glanced both ways before dashing up the steps in a hurried fashion. Dropping the broom, Kafei ran after the man, leaving a baffled Inn keeper behind.
The individual was much too fast for him to catch up, but the moment he reached the stairs, he found the area vacant. Glancing both ways, he could not tell which way the thief went. "It's like he vanished!"
A door closed a few feet from the lad, and he realized it came from the Mayor's office. The building was straight ahead, and the sign on the door read closed. Surely it was locked he thought. The mayor, Dotour and his mother Madame Aroma resided there. The building acted as their home, as well as an office where his father ran meetings several times a day. But as far as Kafei knew, his father was not holding any meeting at the moment.
"It couldn't be…" A dreadful thought pushed him forward. He grasped the handle and turned, but the door would not budge, in fact, it was locked. That was odd. Someone had gone inside the moment he reached the end of the steps, and he was sure it was Sakon. Of course, the lad wasn't sure what reasons the thief would have to enter his parent's home. "Open up!"
After several calls, someone from behind the door unlocked the lock. "Who is it at this hour?" a male asked from behind the door. As soon as door opened, Mayor Dotour stood staring at his son questionably. "Kafei? What brings you at this hour?"
Kafei glared and glanced behind his father. "Father, are you alone? I thought I saw someone walk inside just now."
"Hmm?" The mayor scratched his chin. "No one but your mother and I. No one's been here since yesterday my boy," he explained. "The doors have been locked for hours now."
That was strange indeed. Kafei went on. "Are you certain? The door wasn't locked a moment ago."
Again the mayor grew perplexed. His son wasn't making any sense. As far as he knew, no one had sneaked inside. If so, he would have been the first to know. Yet, his son claimed his door wasn't locked. "Kafei I think you're worrying too much. Just your mother and I are here. I assure you that there is nothing to worry about." Dotour hoped this would ease his son's troubled thoughts. "Now, hurry home to your wife."
"Father—"
The older man closed the door, leaving Kafei to stare at the old oak. Something was not right. His father was acting strange, and the youth was sure he wasn't hallucinating. Kafei turned away from the house. He would not give up his search yet. Sakon was somewhere in town, and he was going to find him at all costs.
OOO
To say Kagome and Sango were surprised was an understatement, they were astounded. They had just been sitting, waiting for the next event to take place, and not a moment later, they watched what appeared to be a razor sharp boomerang fly past, destroying several jars in its path.
The attack was so fast, it made Kagome break out in a grin. "Oh wow!"
The said boomerang made a U-turn, breaking several more jars before returning to the owner's arm in one swift movement. It was clear that the weapon was not merely just a boomerang, but a removable extension of their fins on their forearms.
Sango couldn't believe her eyes. "Amazing. It's an attachment," she breathed. How that was possible, she couldn't understand.
Unfortunately for the first male, he was unsuccessful breaking all the jars. That was one Zora down, and only fourteen more to go. The game was simple, as Kauji had explained to Kagome earlier. In order to progress to the final event, the Zoras must eliminate all jars before ascending to the next level and then the last. Whoever reaches the third level, and is left standing, they are the victor.
The next up was a lean male, with a darker hue to his skin. A scar ran down the center of his eye, but all in all, he was well built. A grin spread across his face and he prepared himself in a stance just as the one before him had. He brought his hands together in front of him and narrowed his gaze at the new replacement jars in front of him, as well as those aligning the edge of the spring. All at once, two arm-fins broke off and flew in the direction of the pots. In a fluid motion, all of the pots were destroyed, including those around the bank of the spring.
Kagome and Sango applauded.
After watching a few more take their chance, Sango found herself wondering what they would achieve at the end of this tournament. The prize must have been important if all the males were participants.
"Oh look!" Kagome pointed, gaining Sango's attention. "Kauji is next!"
A few of the males around them hollered and cheered for the male, who in turn waved back with a bright smile. He didn't seem the least bit worried, but he took his stance. Kauji glanced at the female Zoras along the side of the spring, who waved and smiled him on. He couldn't help but wink at them, watching them swoon. The young male's eyes turned toward the travelers, who were standing on the shell with the leader and a few other Zoras sitting back relaxing.
Kagome threw her arms in the air, her smile never leaving her face. "You can do it! Go for it!"
Her teammates smiled at the sight. Obviously Kagome was enjoying herself, and it was enough to put her teammates at ease. They'd been worried about her ever since she was kidnapped. They brought her back to the Stock Pot Inn without any clothing but blanket that concealed many bruises. Although a couple days had passed, she didn't seem to fret about it. Besides, they knew that if Kagome ever wished to talk about it, she would in time. But for now, they would enjoy their time watching the event.
Kauji winked at the team and turned his gaze to the pots in front and around him. He would take them all out with one go and advance to the next level. Crouching down, he brought his hands together, and after a short moment of concentration, the fins released and shot forth toward their targets.
One by one, the pots broke, leaving behind several more shards that would need picked up. The sharp blades swiftly swerved around the spring's edge, destroying the remaining jars easily before returning back to their owner.
A roar of cheers sounded, and the Zora waved at his friends, his smile bigger and brighter than before. Among those were Miroku, Sango and Kagome. There was no doubt that he would advance to the next round.
Kauji stepped away and turned to rejoin his companions on the sidelines. Since he had just progressed to the next event, he sat down, and made himself comfortable. Of course, from his seated position, he couldn't help but look across the spring. His emerald eyes fell on Kagome, and he waved when she smiled in his direction.
While some of the males went about replacing the jars, Kagome turned to Sango. An idea had already formed. "Sango, why don't you participate?"
Sango was surprised to hear this. "Me?"
Miroku was just as surprised as Sango, but he thought the idea didn't sound bad. "Sango?"
"Me? I don't know…" Sango replied uncertain.
"Sure you can! You're just as good!" The young girl assured knowingly.
The leader, who had been sitting there for some time, overheard the conversation and chuckled. "A female? Why, I've never heard the likes."
The males gathered near grew interested. They eyed the slightly older female up, wondering if she was actually capable of breaking all the jars in one motion. But then again, she didn't appear to have any attachments like they did.
"And what is so wrong with a girl wanting to participate?" Kagome questioned moving to stand before the leader with hands placed on both her hips. Girls were just as capable as men were, especially at sports. First he tells them that she and Sango can't join their companions to help rescue the tribe, because women were supposed to be out of harm's way. Not only that, but now they weren't allowed to play any sports. What, did they think women were fragile creatures, and were only allowed to look beautiful for male eyes?
"The idea is ludicrous. A female participating in male sports?" The leader laughed on.
Sango sighed. "That's ok, Kagome."
The priestess sighed and sat down defeated. "I suppose…"
One of the males sitting nearby spoke up. "Hey, give the girl a chance."
"Yeah!" Another Zora beside him replied. "Let's see just how good she is. There's nothing wrong with that."
Kagome perked up. That was a surprise. Apparently not all the males here were sexist. She turned to her companion hopefully, before her eyes fell on the leader who instantly looked agitated.
Upon hearing the conversation, Kauji stood up and casually walked onto the pristine shell. Passing Miroku and Kagome on his way, he stopped and regarded the older woman. "I see no reason why she can't participate."
The leader scoffed. "Get back to your place, Kauji. This is not a sport for women, and it is deemed inappropriate," He argued, though Kauji only laughed before leaning against his throne in a manner that seemed rude.
"Oh why not? Are you afraid she might actually possess some skills that might out match our own?" He asked. "A little break wouldn't hurt anyway."
"I'm in charge here and—"
"You're in charge?" Kauji questioned with nonchalance. Sure he was the leader, but that didn't mean he could control their lives. The only ruler they had was their king, and it was the only leader they had whom they would take orders. "I believe you don't have control over everything, Larith," The male began with a sneer. "While the King is away, that doesn't mean your word is law. Everyone here has a right to do what they please, and although she may not be a Zora, she does not need to abide by every rule. They are our guests, and as such, should be treated with a little more respect." Besides, their teammates were helping their tribe also.
Kagome sweat dropped. While it was very nice of Kauji to stand up for Sango, she thought he might have gone too far. She hoped his display wouldn't drop him from the rank in the tournament.
Silent for a moment, Larith scoffed and glared at the male. "Very well. A small demonstration is fine," He admitted. "However, we do not have that much time to dawdle."
Kauji smirked. He knew that old Zora would see it his way. "We thank you for your most humble offer," his voice dripped with sarcasm as he gave a small bow, the smile never leaving his face. Turning his back, he patted Sango on the back. "Looks like you're up."
Sango thanked him, but he waved it off as if it was nothing.
Larith's hand rose, easily silencing the room, but most of the Zoras rolled their eyes. "Attention!" He smirked when he earned the ears of his fellow males and few females. "We shall be given a small demonstration from one of our guests," he explained suddenly. "This woman," He pointed to Sango who suddenly found all eyes on her. "Will break all the jars around the spring in one go…but," he stopped, puzzling the team as they watched him scratch his chin thoughtfully. "She will compete against one of our best."
Sango and Kagome glanced at each other. Was it really that necessary?
"If only to make it interesting…" Larith explained before snapping his finger. "Minarv!" He called.
There was movement in the crowd, and a long Zora, quite tall in appearance stepped forward. Out of all the Zoras in the room, he seemed ordinary. What made him so special? He brushed past some of the males, earning glares and disapprovals as he ambled onto the shell to stand before the leader. His expression was passive.
Larith smirked. "The woman shall be given one try."
Hearing this, Kagome frowned. Only one try? Was that even fair? The priestess looked to her companion, and smiled when she saw her encouraging smile. She supposed it was only fair. After all, this was a competition exclusively for the males. She knew Sango would break all of those jars.
Larith looked at the slayer closely. "Now I will ask you this, do you still wish to compete? Against one of my men?" He asked. "There's still time to back out…"
Sango shook her head. "I'm not backing out."
The opponent chuckled. "Doing this, there's no going back. Are you prepared for the consequences if you should lose?" he asked, earning baffled stares from the team, and knowing looks from the other males.
Sango was perplexed. "Consequences?"
Kagome tapped her friend on the shoulder. "Don't listen to him. He's just trying to scare you in to backing out." She'd seen this trick plenty of times. In this situation, the guy wanted her to back down so that he was the dominant one. Well, Kagome knew Sango stood a good chance against him.
The slayer understood. She wouldn't back down so easily. "I'll take the chance," she replied before turning her back to the male before sauntering off the shell to take her position off to the side.
Minarv smirked before following after her. "Interesting…"
The leader smiled. "That's settled. We shall begin. Who has more power? Male or female?" he cackled, ignoring the glare sent his way by Kagome.
Sango positioned herself. Still in her battle suit, she grasped her boomerang before a thought occurred to her. Glancing down, she unhooked the fairy boomerang granted to her by the Great Fairy a few days back. This weapon was capable of traveling short distances, while her original was lighter and manageable than before, also capable of changing its size; she decided to put not use it. The slayer held the small weapon in front of her.
Larith cleared his throat. "Let's begin!"