Chapter III
"Are you sure you sence the jewel shard in this direction? I mean, this is too easy, for a jewel shard," Inuyasha whined.
"Yes I sure, I'm the one with the pristess powers, unless you want to be a pristess too,
Inuyasha,' Kagome smugged.
"Oh shut up, I'm going," Inuyasha stomped into the cave from which the shard was said to be.
It was dark, and reeked of mold and salt. The little pitter patter of water drips gracefully dropping to a their crystal pools was somewhat calming the half-demon's nerves from the ealier quarrel with his friends. They had all called him an incompetent fool and he had bragged to them that he would get the next jewel shard by himself; no matter what.
It was only Sesshomaru who hadn't harassed the simple minded demon, Inuyasha wasn't about to admit it but he was beginning to enjoy the company of his brother. 'If Sesshomaru was nicer more, than we'd might be able to get along for longer seconds at a time.' Inuyasha shock his head, that was the farthest thing from the truth, this Sesshomaru was only temperary, his real brother hated him, and wanted him six feet under. Inuyasha sighed, 'damn my pride'. He trudged on, not feeling signs of danger.
"Well, this is stupid. There's not a demon in sight. When you brag about something, you want it to be somewhat challenging so you can brag more," he huffed.
Meanwhile.
"Excuse me, Sesshomaru?" Miroku asked. Sesshomaru stood tall with his arms crossed, waiting for the jewel to be retrived so they could leave. He questionablly looked over to the monk.
"Yes?" his smooth voice asked.
"I was wondering what it is your shirt says, it's in a language I don't understand?" Miroku took a single step closer. Sesshomaru smirked viscously toward the human, and held out his shirt to show the words.
"A dear friend of mine gave this to me, it reads, 'If you love him, let him go. If he doesn't come back, he's with me.'" Sesshomaru's smirk deepened towards the humans, who were oviously spooked and stepped back.
"It is a female type of clothing, I was given it as a joke and forced to wear it, TODAY of all days,"
He turned away to the cave entrance and waited for Inuyasha. Miroku exchanged looks with the girls; Shippo apparently didn't get it.
"Interesting," Miroku whispered, Sesshomaru hummed in agreement.
Inuyasha over turned rocks and splashed through the pools of water looking for the jewel. Without the Sight that Kagome possessed, Inuyasha had to look alone, or try smelling it out. Scraping around, he found it, laying peacefully behind a bolder. Reaching over to pick it up, Inuyasha heard and felt the cave walls,... shift.
Outside, Sesshomaru felt it too, a small, foul smelling breeze came from the cave aswell, only just rippling the grass. He stood still, but tence, waiting for his brother to come out. Inuyasha was right in the path of the smell, and became quizy because of it.
"Urga, what in the hell? I'm outta here," He threw his hand to his mouth and staggered toward the exit. As he aproched it, the smell deluted and he walked faster. The group saw him coming out,
"Ah, Inuyasha. You found it!" Kagome squealed, as he stepped out holding his nose.
"What, did you dought me?" he asked annoyed.
"Hold up little brother," Sesshomaru stated, still staring at the cave. Inuyasha turned and looked at him with agravation.
"You're not done yet, I think he wants his jewel shard back," Sesshomaru said smuggly, as the mouth of the cave shifted from side to side like jaws.
"A worm," Inuyasha stated dully as his ear twitched, "It's a giant worm"
"Are you afraid of worms, Inuyasha?" Sesshomaru smirked.
"No, I am not! They are just really gross," He snapped back. Shippo rolled his eyes.
"Well. Have at it then, you have to fight this thing by yourself, remember?"
"Yeah, I know. And I'm not afraid!" The giant worm then opened its mouth and roared, sending a large gust of the foul smelling noise at Inuyasha, who quivered back a step.
"Of coarse you're not, I believe you," Sesshomaru smirked.
"Okay, here I go," Inuyasha pulled out his trusted sword and lunged at the slimey creature.
"What's wrong with him, he doesn't usually stagger like that," Kagome noticed.
"Inuyasha is deathly afraid of worms, has been, since he was a child"
"Don't you think we should help him?" Miroku asked.
"No," Sesshomaru closed his eyes, "He said he could do this on his own," he reopened his eyes,
"If he wants help, he must ask for it. I don't think he'll be able to kill it without help either, it scares him too much,"
Kagome sighed, and the others were quiet while watching Inuyasha try to dogde the worm as it thrashed its head around, trying to eat him.
"If it's any consolation," the group looked up to Sesshomaru, "Inuyasha learns how to ask for help in the future, and, is not afraid to. Times certainly do change from now till then. In good ways..., and bad"
"What do you mean by that?" Miroku asked, defencively. But Sesshomaru gave no responce and watched Inuyasha fall on his head another time. Kagome, Sango, Miroku,and Shippo looked on in wonder to the silence. Then with a sudden blast of annoyance, Sesshomaru shouted,
"Inuyasha! You are taking too long, kill it and be done with this. Now! Or I will do it for you!"
"Oh shut up, I can handle this. Ah, Iron Reever Soul Stealer," Thus Inuyasha slayed the weak worm that had only been beating him because he was afraid of it.
"Ha, beat that," Inuyasha taunghted.
"I very well could have and in shorter time than it took you," Sesshomaru snapped fiercely, causing Inuyasha to step back and the two stared at each other.
"A hem, well, it's getting rather late, prehaps we should find a place to stay for tonight," Miroku suggested, to break the brothers' glares. Sesshomaru turned sharply, causing everyone, even Shippo who wore the pendent, to jump back. Sesshomaru merely walked in a direcion in which he smelt a human village, the others followed after Inuyasha in the same direction.
They came across the village as it was getting dark, in which Miroku went directly to the largest palace there.
"Excuse me, old man, may I have a moment?" Miroku asked as the others sighed. Sesshomaru looked on in wonder as to what was goning on.
"Good sir, I happen to be passing by and I senced an evil presents in your home," Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow, his sences were far better than that of a human's and he knew nothing to be in the house. Sesshomaru looked questionably at the others who sighed, "Just go with it," Kagome answered.
"Oh no, what a terrible problem, I may no be the master of this house, but I'm sure my Lady won't mind if you perform an exorcism,"
"And of coarse we will execpt no payment," Miroku bowed.
"Nonsence, you will all be given meals and a place to sleep tonight,"
"You are most generous," Miroku went around and preformed a usual fake exorcism by placing paper talismans around the house then met up with his friends in the dining room. The food had not been served yet, so the group sat patiently, Sesshomaru gave the monk a disaproved glare.
"You lied," Sesshomaru said, without changing his expression.
"I,... don't know what you're talking about. I did these people a great service, by clencing their house," Miroku closed his eyes and sat up staight.
The servent ladies went around the circle of guests and were placing the bowls of rice, plates of fish and other dishes for the travelers. Sesshomaru sat across from Inuyasha, a bit farther spaced than the rest of them. The servent ladies were rather nervous around Sesshomaru, for he sat with great posture and the suddel glare towards the liar. His clothing was much wierder than that of Kagome's and it confused them.
"Look at the way those two are dressed,"
"It's strange, isn't it" Two woman whispered to each other from behind the doors. Eventually, one of the ladies kneeled down next to Sesshomaru and was preparing to place his meal down when he spoke back,
"Don't bother, I don't eat human food," The girl had already been nervous around him and his tone only made her jump.
"What do you eat then?" Inuyasha asked, sending him a glare.
Sesshomaru retaliated with a sinister smirk, "You would like to know, wouldn't you?"
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow with wonder as to what that statement had meant but Sesshomaru wanted to drop it,
"Fine, I will eat it, only to hault your suspicion about me," he said and took the food from the girl.
The group ate peacefully, only with Kagome having to tell Inuyasha to use better manners. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo looked on with both annoyance and amuzement to the quarral. Sesshomaru was about to take another mouthful of rice when he dropped his chopsticks. The others heard the small sound and turned to face him. Sesshomaru put the rice bowl down and stared at his right hand. It was violently shaking and Sesshomaru whinced in pain when trying to bend his fingers. He grabbed ahold of his own wrist and held it close to his body, trying to get it to stop.
"Sesshomaru? What's wrong?" Sango asked, Inuyasha and Kagome hadn't noticed what happened, but did hear Sango's question and looked up. Sesshomaru's hand did stop shaking, but was the least of his problems.
"Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked, but he didn't respond. Instead, his expression charged from pain to shock as he stood up and raced past the group and out the sliding door. The group sat a moment and stared at each other, Kagome, stood up and went to the door.
"I'm sure he's fine, Kagome, keep eating," Inuyasha said blowing off the strange action, but the unnerving sound caused his ears to twitch and Inuyasha stood up and walked out the door, the others not far behind.
Sesshomaru sat on the ground in the dark not far from the house. He was doulbed over and vomiting in the grass and when Inuyasha stood next to him, Sesshomaru refused to look up.
"What's wrong with you?" Inuyasha asked, a little annoyed.
"Nothing," he answered, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand then wrapped his arms around his stomach.
"That's twice now your health has peeked, there's somethin' your not tell'n us and I wanna know," Sesshomaru glared up at him a moment then sighed,
"Fine, I have a small stamach cold, eating the human food only made it wrose. My own fault with execpting the stuff," he explained, still sitting on the ground. Inuyasha sighed,
"You okay now?"
"For the most part,"
"Let's go back inside," Inuyasha turned back around and the others followed. Sesshomaru sat on the ground a little longer, Shippo returned and handed him the pendent,
"It seems to me, with you being sick and all, that you need this thing more than I do,"
Sesshomaru took ahold of the fine medal necklace and stared at it a moment,
"It would seem so," Sesshomaru smile at the little fox, and placed the chain around his neck and followed Shippo back into the palace, without reciting the pendent's word spell.
for some reason, this is my favorite CH so far. I'll up date soon, if youll wait.