A special thank you to…
Lightning Dragon Alchemeist…ffgirlmoonie…sasha the water goddess…silverkonekatsukari…Avelyn Lauren…animeobsession260…AznxAngel…Ayjah… Charcoal.Rose…readingwriting wench…Punk Rock Miko2…Clouds of the Sky…Goddess of the Moonlit Sky…chiclet180…Jaded Angel of Light…thiev…bdrake07…sweetrosie…Watching Eternity…Amaya Mishugosha…I Laugh at ur Pain…iamthefish…
I apologize for any misspellings. I've broken my glasses again and the keyboard's a bit fuzzy about the edges.
Disclaimer:
The Moon: Hello everyone!
(The characters all edge away, or rather run away very fast)
Jenny: …Erm…Okay, even I don't know who this one is…
Pwale: (Beaming happily) She's someone who's very nice to me and keeps helping me on a different plane of existence, but I don't know how to repay her there, so I'm having a cameo in my disclaimer here! She's The Moon, she keeps scaring my sanity away!
Everyone: …
Lawyer #1: How does this lead to a disclaimer?
(The characters are all busy wondering what's wrong with this strange new lady, and why she is helping that fiend we all know and love as Pwale)
(Well, they'd like to interject that they know me as Pwale, but they certainly don't love me)
…
Sesshomaru: And further more-
The Moon: Quiet you! (Turns to readers) Pwalefriend doesn't own the characters.
(Pwale nods)
Pwale: Yeah! You hear that? That'll teach you!
(Pwale kicks Lawyer #2 on the shin)
Lawyer #2: Ow! What was that for?!
Inuyasha: AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!
(The other Inuyasha characters fall down in pain, covering their eyes)
Inuyasha Characters: It burns! It burns!
Pwale: That's the other reason she's here. She's the only one I knew who had that dress. Thanks, by the way.
(The Moon grins)
The Moon: My pleasure.
…
The Stamp of Gold
Spring For It
…
Spring. What a season. What a season.
Spring had always brought such good luck to him. It had been Spring when he had crushed that little hanyou brat into a lump of depressed and self-pitying mush. It had been Spring when he'd gained his greatest trophy yet, and this Spring he hoped to gain one greater still.
"Such a lovely day out, is it not, my dear?" Naraku asked, brushing Kikyo's hair away from her neck. He stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders, as they both gazed out the window. "And such a lovely view you have from this window. You must be very happy with the garden."
"…Yes." Kikyo said. "I am."
"You mustn't go out today, dear." Naraku said. "It will certainly rain later, and you would certainly die all alone in the cold."
With that he left her, and as if in echo of his words the overcast sky rumbled threateningly and rain began to pour down on the dead garden. Kikyo spent the entire day watching the little innocent rain drops wash away all her little plants that had been killed that night in a late frost. As she watched she smiled a little smile, as if laughing at a private joke.
…
Fortunately, our main cast doesn't include that incredibly creepy lady. And this chapter of our story shall focus not on her, (thank Life) but instead on someone a lot more basic, a lot more loveable, and a lot less twisted and complex about how unhappy they are with the falling rain.
Inuyasha was sitting at the window in the main parlor, glaring out at the fallen rain, while Kagome tried to teach him how to play Go Fish. Inuyasha kept trying to explain to her that if there wasn't any betting he didn't see the point of cards, but Kagome didn't seem to get it. And she was currently searching for the last card that he had thrown over his shoulder when he was particularly frustrated. Neither of them were all that happy.
Inuyasha sighed. Rain. He didn't like rain. He didn't like Spring all that much either. He didn't dislike it, but he didn't enjoy it. It was just there. Cold and wet and rainy and muddy. And Winter was cold and wet and cold. And Summer was hot a dry and over-ripe. And fall was chilly and frozen and…there.
Stupid Seasons.
Inuyasha tried to think of something that he particularly liked at that moment, but came up with nothing.
'I don't like salad.' He thought. 'It's cold and limp and green. And boring. And I don't like jump ropes. Those are stupid girly things that I never got the hang of. I especially hate stupid jump ropes, actually. And trains. They're so loud and gross and annoying. And they always seem to go by just when you want quiet. And they're uncomfortable. Travel in general is uncomfortable. Everyone should just stay at home all the time. Maybe then there wouldn't be as many wars. And that's another thing! All those wars. The world sucks. Those prats in charge don't know anything, the stupid gits. And then there's-'
"Stop thinking resentful thoughts about the world in general and get down here." Kagome snapped, interrupting his inner rant. "We're going to try this again. And no throwing away the cards this time!"
"Did you find the card?" Inuyasha asked as he sat down on the oriental rug in front of Kagome, watching her deal his cards with a bored eye. "And how did you know I was thinking resentful thoughts about the world in general?"
"You were wearing your I-Hate-The-World-In-General Face." Kagome told him, finished dealing and now stacking the cards into a neat little pile and setting the stack down in between them. "And no, I didn't. So I got rid of its mate. Now you start."
"How do I start again?"
"Agh! You ask me for a card!"
"Oh…Can I have an Ace?"
"…Inuyasha, I've got all four aces…"
"Hey! Now I know your cards!"
"Inuyasha, do you have an ace?"
"No."
"You can't ask for cards unless you have one of them."
"But then you'll know what cards I have."
"That's part of the game!"
"Besides, shouldn't we cast lots first?"
Kagome screamed in frustration and gave up. Instead of continuing the torture, she went to the kitchen to get something sugary and sweet. She liked sugary sweet things. They were a lot nicer then Inuyasha.
Inuyasha chuckled to himself as he watched her stalk off. Now he felt much better. But he still wasn't feeling quite the thing he had to admit…
"Oh Kagome!" He sang as he trailed after her, scattering cards as he went, just like confetti.
…
Well, isn't it a shame that we have to leave them there? I'd love to tell you how their day progressed, I really would, it's a charming bit, but unfortunately our story must now take a slightly more disturbing turn.
"Ah. You finally deigned to arrive?"
"The train was late. Some idiot thought the tracks would be a good sheep crossing."
Naraku shook his head sadly.
"The ignorance of farmers." He said mournfully. "They never think about anyone else's convenience."
"Don't I know it." Koga said, slumping into the large cushioned chair that was in the corner of the room and taking a large gulp of his scotch.
"So, down to business." Naraku said, leaning forward, a sadistic gleam in his eyes. "Why don't you tell me about this latest week? How was it for you?"
Koga snorted.
"You remember that wench I told you about, Kagome?" Koga said. "Well, I thought that she'd have left with her family, but apparently not! I ran into her the other day."
"And how did that meeting go?"
"I was perfectly nice to her, of course! If I wasn't she'd probably go whining to Takahashi and then I'd lose my position, which I can't. I just can't. So we walked and chatted like old friends." Koga snorted in disgust and drank another gulp of his scotch, swearing.
Naraku nodded.
"You seem particularly angry with Higurashi Kagome. Care to elaborate?"
"I'm not really sure how I feel about her…"
You see dear readers, believe it or not, Naraku was Koga's psychiatrist. I know it seems cliché, but where do you think all those soap operas got it? That's right. From this here story.
"Ah, yes, I see…" Naraku thought for a moment. "Koga, I have an idea. Something that may make you feelings regarding Higurashi Kagome a little more clear. Be warned, it's highly illegal."
Koga looked up happily. Naraku's "highly illegal" treatments were the whole reason he was Naraku's patient. He didn't have money, so he paid with information about the Takahashi household. In return Naraku listened to his problems, gave him drugs and every once in a while taught Koga a little bit about the type of magic Naraku specialized in.
Half an hour later, lounging on the floor, Koga had an epiphany.
"I hate her." He said wonderingly. "I completely hate her."
Naraku nodded once more. This was going exactly where he wanted it. Soon he'd finally break Inuyasha completely, and once that happened he'd finally get the Shikon no Tama. Just a little more of a push…
"So why don't you do something about it?" Naraku hinted. "You're strong enough."
Koga stared down at his hands, as if he'd never seen them before, and then he got up and walked out of the room. He moved quickly, but he teetered and tottered as he went, unable to quite keep his balance. Pity no one noticed. Naraku watched him leave and then chuckled to himself.
This was going perfectly.
Most self-respecting people would have called the arrangement monstrous, degrading, despicable, and lowly. But then again, most self-respecting people haven't ever been in the position where such an arrangement would seem benevolent.
The world is a funny place, is it not, dear reader?
…
The end of this chapter.
But don't worry.
The next one will be up soon.
Actually, it's already up!
Still, review!