Thanks for the reviews. An extremely long chappie...heh heh heh. And I know it's too early for this, but I would like to wish a Happy New Year!
Glossary:
Miko: priestess
Hanyou: half demon
Youkai: demon
Osuwari: sit
Ramen: Japanese noodles
Haori: the red coat Inuyasha's wearing
Katana: sword
Kaze no Kizu: Wind scar
Senkonketsu: Iron Reaver Soul Stealer
Baka: Idiot
Inu: Dog
Chapter 7
Inuyasha was mad. Extremely mad.
Earlier, he left Kagome and Shippo at the camp site to check out an irritating demonic presence. Time ticked pass and Kagome was getting worried. Just as she was going to seek out the stubborn Hanyou, Inuyasha reappeared, cursing aloud: "That irksome vixen actually get a whole troupe of youkai to guard her cave. Baka!" But who exactly is he scolding baka, Kagome never knew, because following up, Inuyasha actually ordered them to pack up and retreat to a safer place. He wasn't prepared by the fact that Kagome was just as obstinate. She actually declared loud and clear that she isn't going to hide without him!
"Can't you understand? There must be at least a hundred youkai at the entrance of that cave! If you go, you're going to get killed!"
"What about you? Wouldn't you get killed as well?"
"I'm a Hanyou! Hanyou don't get killed so easily!"
"Inuyasha...do you want me to use that word on you?"
"You..."
"Osuwari!"
Wham!
"Shippo, bind him with some ropes, quick!"
"Ropes aren't going to hold me down!" Inuyasha said spitefully. Kagome merely ignored him, for she knew that she had something that would make Inuyasha eat his words. Pulling a seal from her backpack, she mercilessly placed it on the ropes which tied Inuyasha's hands. The seal was given by Lady Kaede before Kagome set off on her journey. She had told Kagome that it may be used when the need arises. "Well," Kagome thought, "I sure need it now..."
"What the..." Inuyasha didn't even have the time to fight back. "You bloody wench! How am I supposed to fight with my hands tied up?"
"Because you aren't going to fight." Kagome pointed out shrewdly. "You are going to retreat with us!"
Inuyasha opened his mouth and close his mouth several times without saying anything. He looked almost like a goldfish out of water. Though, in this case, he's a very angry goldfish. Unable to think of anything else to say, Inuyasha had no choice but to follow Kagome's lead. After all, he has the duty to protect her.
However, he's still mad. And he stayed mad for the whole day, even when Kagome unbounded him and tried to engage him in a conversation regarding a strategy to rescue his friends, Inuyasha still wouldn't say anything.
Kagome couldn't believe it. Even Souta, her younger brother was much more matured than this... this 'God knows what words could describe' Hanyou.
Surprisingly, Inuyasha's attitude took a one 180 degree change the next morning. He prodded Kagome up and barked: "Dress up fast, we're going to save Miroku and Sango today."
"Miroku and Sango?" Kagome echoed questioningly.
"My friends."
"Oh." Kagome thought for a second. "But we haven't come up with a strategy!"
"My strategy is to attack and rescue them in the shortest time possible." Inuyasha barked, once again. Kagome sighed. He is still so reckless, and nothing seems to be able to enter that hard skull of his. "No problem." Kagome thought as she collected her bow and arrow. Whatever method he's going to use to save his friends, she'll just go along with it. And besides, he allowed her to tag along. That alone, was enough.
"No, Inuyasha!" Shippo shouted. Kagome sighed once more (she seems to do that so often after she entered the feudal era...), now it's Shippo's turn to be weird.
Inuyasha's amber eyes narrowed. Shippo gave a tiny squeak of terror before bracing himself, but that didn't help much: "No matter what...we can't attack today..."
"And why is that so?"
Kagome as the witness to this argument could distinctly feel Inuyasha's murderous aura and Shippo's ever growing fear. She wondered what would take place next. Another earthquake?
"Because...because..." Shippo was shivering like a pathetic leaf in the wind. Inuyasha held his fist tighter and tighter, so tight that his veins were showing now. "It's now or never..." Shippo's subconscious egged him on to say those forbidden words.
"Because tonight's a new moon!" As the beans were spilled, Inuyasha planted a punch on the kitsune's head.
"Ow."
Kagome raised an eyebrow at those words and Inuyasha's dubious response. Shippo on the other hand, grabbed the chance to scurry up Kagome's shoulder. Somehow or rather, once he brought up the topic, he had the courage to explain more: "Inuyasha becomes human tonight!"
Wham. Another punch in return for Shippo's kindness. Kagome knew she must do something, or she'll never know what's going on.
"Let me go!" Inuyasha shouted. Now, not only his hands were bound, even his legs were bound and sealed. Kagome and Shippo let him lie among the bushes as both of them talked. Inuyasha was dead sure that they are talking about him, and he didn't like it. At least, he didn't like the part about him becoming human.
"You big bloody, stupid kitsune!" Kagome was starting to get a mild headache. She should have gagged Inuyasha, but that might just add fuel to Inuyasha's flame of fury. So, she tried her best to ignore all those colorful words Inuyasha was ranting, in short: temporarily deaf.
"Shippo, as you was saying..."
"Inuyasha's a hanyou, and every hanyou turns human at a certain time every month. In Inuyasha's case, it would be the night of a full moon."
"And when he turns human..." Kagome was starting to get the whole picture.
"He would be defenseless, even Tetsusaiga couldn't transform."
Kagome slumped. She couldn't believe it, everything was getting worst and Inuyasha isn't helping by shouting a string of ahem not very nice words. Kagome's ears were getting pain, and Shippo would most probably be seriously infected by the rude culture.
"Inuyasha, osuwari!"
Wham!
And finally, the much desired silence came.
The sun set in the horizon, painting the sky into a harmonious shade of red, purple and yellow. Than, this picturesque sunset fade away, only to be replaced by the elegant darkness of night. Yes, night finally came. The seals wouldn't work on humans, so Inuyasha finally get back his freedom. There's a hitch though, Inuyasha wouldn't sit with Kagome and Shippo. Instead, he chose a spot far away from the warmth of the fire. He chose to sit by the lake, with nothing to accompany him, except the stars in the sky and the stars in the lake.
"Shippo, is Inuyasha always like that when he becomes human?" Sitting by the fire, and far from Inuyasha's sensitive ears, Kagome plucked up her courage and asked.
"Yes." Shippo nodded. This was half true, of course. In the past when Kagome's memories had not been erased, she would accompany Inuyasha whenever he's feeling down, distancing himself from the others. She would have all the patience in the world to sit beside him, and finally manage to make him return to the group. Now, Kagome was actually here wondering, not knowing anything about Inuyasha. Forgotten about the times she spent with him, the laughter, the tears, the raging feelings...
"Yes, she had forgotten everything of the feudal era. But who was hurt the most by this incident? Kagome?" Shippo mused as he stared at her. "Nah, ignorance is bliss." Shippo thought further, than it struck him like a bolt of lighting: "Inuyasha."
"I've made up my mind!" Kagome stood up suddenly. Shippo was half scared to death by her unexpected reaction.
"I'm going to talk to Inuyasha!" Kagome announced it as if she's declaring a massive battle against a sturdy fortress whom no one ever broke in before. And with that, she marched off enthusiastically. Shippo blinked twice at her back and changed his mind: "Maybe Inuyasha's not as pitiful as I thought."
The moon was painted black. Alone he sat by the peaceful lake, the wind whipping his hair. The reflection on the water was of a human. Frustratingly helpless, Inuyasha threw a pebble across the lake, forming gentle ripples each time the pebble skipped on the mirror-like-water.
"Helpless..." Inuyasha thought, "No against enemies, but against human emotions."
Yes, indeed. Humans are passionate creatures. In his human form, Inuyasha's emotions were stronger compared to his hanyou form. Yet, in the past, this was not so torturing. He may feel helpless because he could not protect a mere human girl. What about the present? "Ha." A small laugh of sarcasm escaped his lips. Laughing at himself because he's actually drowning in sorrow and bitterness, shaken by the fact...that Kagome couldn't remember him anymore...
A rustle!
Inuyasha may lose his keen sense of smelling and hearing, but he still has his awareness. His fingers flew to the hilt of Tetsusaiga, preparing to defend himself if he must.
"Inuyasha?"
It's Kagome's voice. Inuyasha relaxed considerably. "What're you doing here?"
"To keep you company?"
Inuyasha was taken back. For an instant, it felt just as before, exactly like what Kagome would do when she still remembers.
"Why? You don't want me to look for you?" Sensing Inuyasha's alarm ness, Kagome asked, offended.
"No, not really." Inuyasha immediately clarified.
Both of them sat by the lake, not saying anything. This time, the quietness was not tainted by uneasiness. In fact, Kagome find it very comforting. She and Inuyasha sitting side by side, staring at the beautiful lake that spreads before them, the ambience...was oddly familiar, but Kagome couldn't understand it. Besides, she would be out of her mind if she bothers this nagging sensation, this familiarity. How could she miss the chance to enjoy this mood? How could she defeat her purpose to accompany Inuyasha, by investigating some weird feelings?
And talking about Inuyasha...Kagome's eyes wonder from the scenery to the human beside her.
"He's...so different." She wondered. The claws, the fangs and the doggy ears have disappeared, his silver hair had gave up their unique shine for coal black, and his eyes...had changed from amber into warm grey.
Kagome was always fascinated by Inuyasha's eyes. Somehow or rather, she felt he's hiding something from her, but she dare not ask...this does not seem to be the right time to ask. "Perhaps..." Kagome thought, "Perhaps I could read it from his eyes..." After all the eyes are the windows to one's soul, right? So, how would Inuyasha's soul look like? Sad? Relieve? Grateful?
"What are you looking at?"
Inuyasha's straightforward question immediately made Kagome realize what she was doing. She had unknowingly shifted from secretly observing to boldly staring. A blush crept across her cheeks.
"Nothing." Kagome answered untruthfully. "Sheesh, I gotta think of something to adjust his attention, fast."
"Erm..." Kagome whipped around. "Let's talk about your parents!"
"My parents?"
"Yeah, I heard from Lady Kaede that your father's a great Inu youkai, while your mother's a human."
Inuyasha looked more frustrated than usual at this topic. "Opps." Kagome thought: "Bad choice."
"My parents are dead."
"Oh." That's the only response Kagome could give. "Don't you have any other living relatives?" Kagome blurted out before she could stop herself. "Since I've placed one of my feet in the 'swamp', I might as well put the other foot in it too. (Translation for those who don't understand: since I've blurted out something, I might as well continue with the mistake.)" She decided.
"You know, like I have a little brother called Souta. He's a big brat actually, very cocky and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, he's alright. Do you...I mean, have siblings?" Kagome asked as she kept her fingers crossed. She sincerely hoped she wouldn't hit Inuyasha's raw nerve, not on such a nice evening like this.
Inuyasha, on the other hand, doesn't look mad. "Siblings?" He echoed softly. A certain person flashed across his mind. A certain person who, like him, have silver hair and amber eyes.
"Yeah, I have one...a big brother who tries to kill me every time we met." Inuyasha spat while baring his teeth (though, it would be excellent if he had fangs) in anger. Kagome sighed. Although Inuyasha doesn't seem to be mad at her for reminding him of his brother, but she definitely realized that violence runs in the family.
"What is he called, that brother of yours? Just in case he comes attacking us, I would know how to address him..."
Inuyasha glared at her before he muttered: "Sesshomaru."
Shippo was bored. How could Kagome be so heartless that she actually threw a kid down there! Mumbling and grumbling like an old granny, he threw a few more fire woods into the flame, only to see it roar and devour the woods hungrily. Shippo continued grumbling as he looked for a nice spot to snuggle and sleep, not noticing the ground was trembling suspiciously.
Roar.
Shippo froze. He was positive that this time, it wasn't the roar of the camp fire. Finally, he realized the 'visitor' was looming over him, casting his small built into the shadow. Shaking with fear, Shippo forced himself to look up as he felt his tummy doing flip flops.
What met his eyes was definitely not good.