Love of Friends
Chapter 15: Troubles and lessons go hand-in-hand
BC: Yo! This chapter is gonna be shorter then I planned it, but because of my in-activity, I have to get something posted! That doesn't mean it will be short though! Before I get to it, I'm going to tell you about an inu-fic idea I've had, just for a little feedback. See, the good guys are fruit, the bad vegetables. I guess that would make Sesshoumaru a tomato, cause you don't know what he really is...
QJP: Oh no you don't!
BC: What?
PLP: It's already taken you long enough to post, and we already know about that crazy idea, just get to the chapter!
BC: I'm not saying it's not crazy, and I know you guys are excited, but still...
QJP: You did it for Talgi's entrance, so do it now too! We know you're excited about it...
PLP: Besides, you've given us so many spoilers, we want to read it now!
BC: Umm...
Baka-chan: Just do it. It will get them to stop yelling at you... hopefully.
BC: Ah... but... Fine! I was just asking them real quick, I wasn't going to drag it out. I don't own Inuyasha, but I own the butterscotch syrup supply. And Cricket 13 gets a raise. (Rolls can of butterscotch syrup into next room to Cricket 13) So there. Enjoying reading!
PLP: Wait! You can't do that! He's rationed!
BC:Rationsdonotpertaintoraises,promotions,giveaways,gifts,orotherbonuses. Intheoccurrenceofonesucheventduringacricket'sration,whichcanbeaspontaneousgesturefromthe Boss (i.e. me) atanypointintime,orasetoccurrenceplannedinadvance,therationbecomesnullandvoidforthebonus,andonlyincludingsaidbonus.
((If you are lazy like me, and don't want to figure that out, it says: "Rations do not pertain to raises, promotions, giveaways, gifts, or other bonuses. In the occurrence of one such event during a cricket's ration, which can be a spontaneous gesture from the Boss (i.e. me) at any point in time, or a set occurrence planned in advance, the ration becomes null and void for the bonus, and only including said bonus."))
QJP: (Whispering) What did she just say?
PLP: (Whispering back) I don't know. It sounded like gibberish to me. All I know is that she must be punished.
BC: (Isn't listening) It's in their contracts. (Grins) Though if you had just let me continue on my merry little way, the ration would have continued as normal. But you didn't, so see ya! (Runs before ramblings can be translated by the purse-wielders)
X
Late the next morning, Talgi finally begins to wake after hearing her own name pop up in Inuyasha and Kagome's fireside conversation. But even though she's awake, she still keeps her eyes shut tightly. That way, If it was nothing worth listening to, it'd be easier to go back to sleep without the sun directly in her face.
"I don't get it. How the hxxx does she sleep so long? I'm a half-demon, and I don't need that much sleep. I mean, she sleeps more then a human!"
Kagome let's out a yawn from Inuyasha's general direction. It sounded like she hadn't been awake too long herself. "So what if she's not on your schedule? Before she joined up with us, she was trying to find us. And before that, who knows? Talgi's used to her own sleep patterns. And just so you know Inuyasha, some people actually enjoy their sleep. They don't want to spend the whole night worrying themselves to the point that they can't."
"Hey! If you want to be killed in the middle of the night by demons, I'll stop. Don't get made at me when I'm just trying to keep you humans alive!"
Talgi moves her head to the side, hoping to see what was going on better. She's just about to open her eyes, but stops. It seemed Kagome had seen her move, but thought it was due to Inuyasha big mouth.
"Inuyasha, stop it. You're getting too loud," whispers Kagome. "Soon you're going to wake her and Shippo up! It's a good thing Miroku and Sango already left to go look for a path. Otherwise you'd have woken them too."
Was it really that late that everyone was up but them? Looks like Talgi wasn't going back to sleep. So she yawns and stretches out her arms, pretending she had been asleep. "What's going on?"
"Oh... just making breakfast. There's nothing to worry about." Kagome glares and whispers to Inuyasha, "Nice going."
"Feh."
Soon, Talgi begins to realize a slight weight sitting on her chest. Blurredly she opens an eye and sees a large puff of light fur, and orange hair. "Shippo... it's time to wake up." Talgi pokes him in the arm a couple of time, but he doesn't move. Then she starts to shake him, "Come on Shippo..."
The young fox demon blinks his eyes a few times and smiles back at her sleepily. "Good morning."
"Good morning... You know, we're the only ones that are still sleeping. Do you think you can get off me now, so I can get up? I'm really starting to get hungry."
He sits up onto Talgi's stomach and stretches, "Maybe in a couple of minutes..."
"In a couple of...?" Talgi grabs hold of Shippo by the tail and jumps up to her feet, a forced frown on her face. "What do you mean by a couple of minutes?"
Shippo laughs, and covers up his mouth. "Oh, so you think I'm being funny?" She holds him under her arm with a big grin on her face, and walks closer to the fire. Shippo pretends to struggle.
"Help me, Kagome! Inuyasha! Somebody!"
Kagome quickly turns to the fire, trying her best to hold back a laugh. "I'm sorry Shippo. There's nothing I can do..."
Inuyasha smirks at him, "Don't look at me. You got yourself into this one. This is between you two."
"Good! That means no interference. Now, what to do with you..." Talgi smiles as an idea comes to her, "Hey! Do you think you'd make me a good breakfast?"
"No!"
"Huh... then what can I do?"
Kagome coughs back another laugh, "You wouldn't want to eat him anyway. Like I said, I'm making breakfast and I'm almost done cooking."
"Oh, right. And I bet that would taste better, too. I guess you get off easy. Ok, I won't eat you!" Talgi sets Shippo down. He's giggling harder, and still trying to hide it. He's just about ready to go sit by the fire, when Talgi leans down next to him with an evil grin on her face. "At least... not for breakfast." She then pounces at him, but misses. And soon she's chasing Shippo around the campsite, careful to avoid the fire, Kagome, and Inuyasha.
Miroku and Sango choose this moment to enter the camp. They were calmly talking to one another, but stop after taking a quick look around. It became quite apparent that things were not as sane here as when they had left them.
"Did we miss something?" Cautiously asks Miroku.
Instantly, Shippo and Talgi stop their follies in it's tracks. Talgi grins at them, "Not really. We were just waiting for you guys to get back! Did you find another path?"
"Wait a second!" interrupts Inuyasha, "How did you know that they had left to find a path?"
Kagome sighs, "Because you probably woke her up! So..." She turns her attention to Miroku and Sango. "Did you find a new path?"
"It took a while… but we managed." Carefully, Sango bends down and sets Kilala on the ground. She scratches the top of her head, and Kilala meows back to her.
"What took you so long, anyway?"
"It's simple Inuyasha. We had some trouble finding a village to travel through. Though we would have been here sooner if not for..."
"Miroku, you can't really blame Kilala for dragging us to that river. You were the one that insisted we leave before breakfast." Sango sets her hand on her stomach with a slight frown on her face. "Those fish were starting to look good even to me, but I knew Kagome had food for us back here." Her face gets a dark shadow over it as she glares at Miroku. "Though I suppose it was good we left so early, not so many of the village girls were out when we were there."
Miroku sighs, "Yes, I know. And I was so disappointed, too..."
Sango's glare instantly intensifies. She stalks past him, and grabs some water containers by Kagome's backpack. From one moment to another, Sango's demeanor had turned icey. "I'm going to go to the nearest river and get some water. Please try and save me some breakfast Kagome."
"Sure... of course Sango."
Once again, Sango stomps past Miroku; she refused to look at him. After going a little way, she calls to her demon companion. "Kilala, you should come with me. It will make the river easier to find."
With a meow, Kilala bounds after her partner. Side by side, they walk out of the camp. Revealing more then a little sadness in his face, Miroku watches as Sango leaves. He was holding his weight up with his staff. Sometimes... he hated to say such things to her. It wasn't that he wanted to make her hate him. He just couldn't think of anything else. Hating him... had to be a better alternative to breaking her heart. Hating him was for the best... her best. Even if it went against how he felt. Even if, it wasn't the best for him...
"Are you all right Miroku?"
Kagome's voice had shaken him out of his thoughts. He blushes slightly as he turns to look at her; he hadn't realized just how intently he had been staring after Sango. "Yes, of course I am!" He chances a small glance over his shoulder to where Sango had left, and Kagome smiles.
"Troubles of the heart, Miroku?"
"Yes... Um, I mean no! I was just… err, I was just... thinking about all the girls that I missed in that village! Hopefully I'll be able to meet a few more of them when we pass through there later on."
"I see..." Kagome winks, "Don't worry, I won't tell Sango the truth. She wouldn't believe me anyway."
Miroku clears his throat, and tries to make his way to the fire without further proving he had faltered. A difficult task, considering he was being closely flanked by a snickering Talgi and a wildly grinning Shippo.
"Ooh! Well… and I guess that answers Miroku's side of my question." Talgi grins, she was only trying to hide this comment from Kagome. She had purposely made sure Miroku could hear it.
But in reality, it didn't matter if Kagome heard her or not. Right now she was far too preoccupied about the food. She pauses her task for a moment as a thought comes to her mind, "You know Shippo... later on, I think it might be good to have that little writing lesson we talked about."
"But Kagome, I can write a lot of stuff… and read it too!" These words came out more sudden then he intended, but he couldn't help it with the confused stare that Talgi was giving him.
"Calm down Shippo. I know you can. It's just, with all the traveling we do, I want to give you a chance to ask questions and practice your skills. It's just like... honing your fighting skills. It's important so that I don't have to worry if you disappear for a while. That is, if you can't just tell me where you're going. Besides, it's probably good to know how to write out 'bathroom'. Then we won't have to go through the same problem as last time."
Shippo hangs his head, looking more like he was being punished then getting a little help. Suddenly, Talgi smiles; she knew what Kagome was talking about now. A moment ago, she had been confused about Kagome's sudden decision to help Shippo write. She would still be confused if Shippo hadn't told his story, in detail, about when he first noticed the feelings between Inuyasha & Kagome and Miroku & Sango. "A little practice never hurt anyone. It'll be good for you. In fact… you mind if I do it too Kagome? It's been a long time since I last had a brush in my hand. I really could use the practice."
"Oh... of course Talgi!" She smiles widely, and why not? Kagome had always liked to write, and she didn't mind helping others, as long as it wasn't anything too hard... like math. This was her chance to see just what she could do. And maybe if she was really lucky, she'd be able to gather a few more pupils from their group of six.
X
Eventually, Sango returns. And soon after that, they all head out on their way. As they pass back through the village Miroku and Sango had found, Miroku tries to spot any beautiful woman that happen to be about. All he sees though, are old women, and a fair amount of glaring men. On occasion, a giggle would rise out from one of the villager's homes. But before Miroku could investigate, there was always an angry looking villager in the doorway.
Kagome looks around in wonder, "Sango, you didn't cause this... did you?"
"It's entirely possible..."
"What did you say to them?"
"Well, I thought it only fair to warn them about the monk."
"With these looks, you must have made him out into some women-hungry demon!"
Sango gives Kagome a pointed stare, "You say that like he's not."
So the trip through the village was short, and fast. At the end of it all, Miroku was almost in tears from the disappointment. Sango on the other hand, looked quite pleased with herself.
X
Some ways down the path, Inuyasha finally consents to a rest. Shippo and Talgi sit in front of Kagome looking attentive while resting in the shade. Inuyasha watches cautiously from a nearby tree as Kagome digs through her bag and takes out some pads of paper and some pens. Down the path a little more, Miroku and Sango are sitting side by side at two separate trees. She looks back over her shoulder to them. "Are you sure you don't want to join us too?"
Miroku smiles. "I'm positive Kagome. I as a monk, needed to learn how to write for various reasons... only one of them being for scrolls I might remind you. It's a talent that also comes in handy for talismans. And as for Sango..." He turns slightly to his left to get a better look at the demon slayer. She appeared to be dozing serenely. "It is a basic lesson that they would have made sure to teach her in the demon-slayer's village."
"All right Miroku... are you really sure?"
Miroku didn't really answer Kagome. He just nodded his head, only half paying attention. He still had his eyes on Sango. Very softly, he calls her name, trying to see if she was still awake. "Sango..." And then a little louder. "Sango?" Silently, he leans forward and looks around. He was trying to find Kilala. She was behind their trees, looking comfortably asleep in the sunlight.
Slowly, he reaches out his hand to Sango. He was planning to move some of the hair out of her face. Sango was asleep, she wouldn't even know it. He had still kept his hand low though, about the height of her elbows. And as he gets a little closer, he notices a sudden flicker of movement around her eyes. He couldn't tell what it was, so he sets down his hand and leans towards her face slightly. Suddenly, there's a finger pressed against his nose.
"That's close enough Miroku."
For a moment, his mouth wouldn't work. But he regained the ability soon enough. "Sango! Well... you've gotten very good if you could sense my presence with your eyes closed. And I thought you were asleep!"
"I was asleep. But how good my "abilities," are, doesn't really matter when I get hit in the face with a branch."
Apparently, the confused expression on his face led Sango to believe he had no idea what she was talking about. (Which was very true.) So she points to bring his attention elsewhere. Connected to Sango's tree was a springy branch. He didn't know if Sango had purposely set it up so it would hit her, or if it was by accident. Either way, it had given her a forewarning he hadn't planned on.
"What were you doing anyway?"
"Um..." Quickly he looks down by his hands. Nearby the bottom of her tree, there were some small purple flowers. He plucks one and shows it too her. "I saw this, and it reminded me of a herb I had seen. Probably from Kagome..." He turns the other way, and holds the flower out towards Kagome. His teeth were gritted in a forced smile. "Do you recognize it?"
She hadn't expected him to want her to lie. Kagome's answer fumbles slightly on her tongue. "No, but uh... I can't really see it from here. The... color looks familiar though..." That sounded really lame. But, maybe it would keep Sango at bay?
Miroku's face falls though. There was no way Sango would fall for that lie. She was going to want a better explanation. But he couldn't think of one... and wouldn't. He wasn't going to do this anymore. He was going to tell Sango how he felt, and his reasoning for not acting on it. Maybe the shock of it all would stop her from trying to kill him long enough that he could get away from right next to her. Miroku had just turned back to Sango and had his mouth open, resigned to tell her everything, when he's interrupted.
"Now see... this is one of the reasons I'm glad to be half demon!"
What was Talgi doing? Was she making a diversion? He wasn't about to run, not now, not yet. But he does turn to look at her, Sango too.
"Kagome, I don't know how you humans can live without seeing clearly! You should know what that plant is!"
"You mean... you know about this plant?" Miroku looked as if the skies had opened, and Buddha himself had decided to intervene.
Talgi lifts her head sharply, a look on her face that says 'you don't?'. "Yeah, I know it. It helps with fever."
"Fever..." Sango still wasn't buying it. "Oh really? Then why didn't Kagome recognize it?"
Talgi shrugs her shoulder. "It's not a common remedy. That small plant is strong, and will knock a fever out of anyone almost instantly. Problem is that it sometimes puts people in a deep sleep. And before they wake up, they're already dead. They only even try it when there's no other hope."
Miroku quickly looks at the plant in his hand, and lets it fall to the ground. He didn't know anything about it, had never really even noticed it before. But Talgi gave the impression of being at least a little knowledgeable about it. And right now, he couldn't tell if she was lying... or telling the truth. Also, that small gesture made it seem to himself, at least, more believable. Who would really want to hold such a harbinger of death?
Sango was a little shocked. Talgi seemed to have so many answers... well she wasn't going to slow the uptake of her final question any longer. She wasn't going to give her anymore time to think of a lie. "How do you know what it does? You don't seem to know a lot about herbs."
"When I was still looking for all of you, I walked into a small village during a transformation night. I was trying to go by quickly, but I heard a lot of commotion and groaning. I followed some other villagers, and they led me to an old man that had collapsed in the path. He was yelling to an old woman that he was fine, not sick at all. And then he started to gasp for air. The old woman ran off for a little bit, and came back with some of those flowers. She put them in his mouth, and made him swallow. He screamed... and suddenly went silent. The old woman started crying. I couldn't understand why, he was still breathing, I could see his chest moving. One of the others told me that after sleep, came death. They were starting to move him, and I decided to leave. It was going to turn day soon, and if I suddenly went back to normal, they probably would have tried to blame me for it all. It was a pretty bad situation to be in."
After a few tense moments of not knowing if Sango believed or not, Miroku finally relaxes and leans back on his tree when she asks no more. "I thought I recognized it." He pretends to stifle a yawn. "Well, I do believe I could nap for a little while. Could someone please wake me when we leave?"
After what just happened, feigning sleep might be his only escape. It would be impossible to actually fall asleep though, but it would hopefully be enough of a guise to stop Sango from trying to say any more. Miroku turns his head back to the others, closes his eyes, and slows his breathing. He had some trouble though, he still couldn't believe what he had been so close to revealing to Sango. His heart was pounding in his chest, it almost felt like it would break through. But he made sure not to move. He could feel her eyes still watching him.
And for a while, Sango was. And then she leans back and looks up at the branches above. Miroku had been about to say something. And, he had looked so... nervous. It was interesting to see him like that. It didn't happen often. He always tried to be so calm. She had seen relief on his face when he dropped the flower. She didn't believe Miroku, not for a second. But she couldn't be entirely sure Talgi was lying. Carefully, Sango reaches down and grabs hold of the small, abandoned flower, and brings it up to her face. She smiles at it. Sango was more inclined to believe it was just an ordinary plant, but she wasn't going to force Kagome and Talgi to tell her why they went along with the lie. At least not now. With extreme care, she places it in a safe spot admist her slayer armor and returns to her thoughts.
All through the little discussion, Kagome had unknowingly kept an eye on Miroku and Sango. And now she was pretty satisfied with what had just happened. She turns back to the others, and smiles as she whispers a question. "Talgi... how much of that was true?"
"Not a word of it."
"I thought so..."
Inuyasha was hunched on a tree branch, listening to what they were saying. "Just like a fox... why the hxxx would you even do something like that?"
Talgi glances up to Inuyasha, and grins. "For the stomp."
"Stomp? What stomp?" Kagome was completely lost in the conversation, but apparently that didn't matter much.
"Don't worry about it. Inuyasha knows what I'm talking about."
Yeah, he knew what she was talking about. 'Rather then fighting that idiot monk, she decided to save his axx from Sango. That's not even fair... she fought back, against me.' "Feh."
"Um..." Kagome slowly shakes her head, "Whatever. It still doesn't make sense to me... Wait a minute Inuyasha!"
Her excited change of subject brings Inuyasha out of the sullenness he was preparing to enter. "What is it now?"
"You should practice some writing too!"
"Dxxx it wench! Of course I know how to write! I don't need you teaching me anything! I'm not stupid, and I don't need help!"
Shippo jumps up and runs over to the tree, "What? Ok Inuyasha... let's see you write then!"
"I'm not going to go to your level and accept some stupid challenge!"
"My... level...?" Shippo was seething now, but Talgi was trying to calm him down and help Kagome quickly pacify things.
"Shippo... he may act stupid but he's still bigger then you. You may get away with things sometimes, but it will just add fuel to the next time he manages to get you in a big fight!"
"He's saying you're stupid too, you know!"
"Wha..." Realization creeps across her face and she scowls, "I'm gonna kill him!" Talgi starts to clamber up the tree, but Shippo's grabbed hold of her ankle so it's slow going.
"Wait Talgi! Stop!"
Inuyasha jumps up another branch, "What the hxxx? I didn't call either of you two stupid, I just said I wasn't!"
Kagome stands right beside Talgi and grabs her shoulder, "Stop Talgi... he's not trying to insult anyone!"
She slips down back to her feet and looks up to Inuyasha. "One of the days Inuyasha... you're going to pxxx off the wrong person, at the wrong time and they'll kick your axx for not making yourself clear!" After this outburst, Kagome and Shippo finally manage to get Talgi back to her seat on the ground and start getting her calmed down. Sango and Miroku had been ready to jump up and intervene, but everything was fine now. They turn to look at each other, and silently decide they're still not going to discuss anything. So they lean back and continue ignoring their situation.
"Are you okay now Talgi? Is something wrong?" Asks Shippo worriedly.
Talgi was holding her head is if it hurt, but there was no pain on her face. It was completely blank, and then changes to small, reassuring smile. "No, nothings wrong. I'm fine."
She's met with disbelieving looks from Shippo, Inuyasha, and Kagome.
"Really." She was still smiling, but looked somewhat troubled as well.
Inuyasha mutters quietly to himself as he returns to the previous branch. "Dxxx fox tempers..."
Kagome unsurely passes Talgi and Shippo a pad of paper and a pen each, and then stands up to hand Inuyasha some as well. "Inuyasha, I'm sure you can write. But just do it please?" He grumbles, but accepts.
"Hey Kagome, what are these things?" Talgi takes the cap of the pen off and sniffs, "It smells like ink."
"It's a bit handier then a brush and ink, but does the same thing. You just write with it how you normally would."
"Oh!"
And so the lesson begins. The first thing Kagome did, was show Shippo how to write bathroom. Then she had to wade through questions that Shippo and Talgi shot at her. Like why call it a bathroom while in the middle of a forest. Or what the bath part had to do with anything, when no one was bathing. Rather then try and explain it, she simply answers that it's what it's called in her time.
Then she has to deal with Talgi asking what she meant by 'her time'. Apparently Shippo had told her some things, but hadn't made it very clear. He tries to explain again that Kagome was from "The present." Talgi asks back, "Isn't now the present?" and Shippo replies, "Not for her, it's the past."
Kagome knew that Shippo was just trying to help, but even she was becoming confused. So she tells Talgi she's from another time and explains that how she can get here had to do with the Shikon jewel, and leaves it at that. They finally get back on track, and restart the lesson.
It doesn't take long for Shippo to realize the unfairness of Inuyasha being up a tree. While he and Talgi occasionally got the pads of paper looked at, Inuyasha didn't. Not that Kagome hadn't tried. She had asked to take a look, but Inuyasha clutched at the pad and said, "You asked me to join, not to show you what I wrote. So I am!" and had to agree with him. She had the feeling there might have been some words that he didn't know, or he was afraid his penmanship was too sloppy and he didn't want to hear any comment. Shippo though, was adamant that he just wasn't writing, and said as much a number of times.
Kagome was just informing Shippo that one of the tails on a character he had written was going in the wrong direction when she's interrupted by Inuyasha. "Hey Kagome, how do you write your name?"
"My name...? Why do you need to know that?"
"For... a letter in case you run back to your time and I can't tell you to get more Ramen." He stares at his pad of paper for a moment. "Something like... 'Kagome, I love that Ramen stuff. Make sure you have a lot.' And I need to know how to write Ramen too."
"Oh. Sure thing Inuyasha." Kagome's just put her pen to paper, when Talgi suddenly laughs.
"It sounds more like he's trying to write 'I love you Kagome', up there." As soon as the words are out, Talgi clamps her lips tight, and puts her hand over her mouth. She meant to say that softer, but now she was sure that even Sango and Miroku had heard her...
Inuyasha jumps down from his perch, and stalks over to Talgi. "And what's it to you if I am!" He growls at her.
Sango and Miroku slowly stand up from their spots. Talgi's mouth moves but she can't get any words to come out, even Shippo's stunned. Walking as fast as possible, Sango makes her way to Kagome. Her breath was caught in her throat, and the pen in her hand was starting to shake from the pressure she held it with. "Kagome...? Just breath..."
The implications of what Inuyasha had said didn't even seem to faze him though, but he did notice everyone else acting strange.
"I... Inuyasha?"
He turns back to Miroku. What was wrong with everybody? "Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"Because of... what you just said."
"What I just said...?" Suddenly the realization hits him, "Oh sxxx..." He had just sputtered something in anger that could be taken another way. A way he hadn't even fully confirmed with himself. It just... came out like that. He chances a look towards Kagome, Sango still trying bring her to her senses. Her eyes were wide, she almost looked frightened.
"Kagome, listen to me. Calm down."
'Is she scared of me?' He reaches out his hand slightly, he wanted to talk to her. To explain... but he didn't think he'd be able to. He lowers his hand once again.
'I'm sorry Kagome.'
Quickly Inuyasha turns away, he needed to get out of there and now. He'd go down this path for a ways and stop somewhere so he could think for a while. But that alone wouldn't stop the others; he had to plan something to distract and keep them busy.
His plan thought out, he makes his way over to Miroku. But the monk was trying to calm him down and stop him. "Wait Inuyasha, what you said wasn't so bad..."
"Get outta my way Miroku!"
He refuses, and instead opts to stand right in his path with his arms stretched out to the sides. "What's done is done. And right now, you and Kagome need to talk. You should not run from this problem."
Inuyasha then pulls his sword out of its sheath, and points it at the persistent monk. "I said move."
Miroku takes a step back. Inuyasha couldn't really be willing to fight for passage, could he? Of course he was angry, that was how he reacted to everything, but this was extreme even for him. All he could do, was hope the hanyou was bluffing, and smiles at him nervously. "Inuyasha, I'm your friend! There's no need to fight me!"
For now, Sango forgets about Kagome. She was more concerned about the ill-favored turn of events taking place behind her. As she stands and turns back, Sango notices Inuyasha crouch slightly. She could see what was happening; he was getting ready to attack Miroku! Before she can give any warning, Inuyasha lunges forward and swings his blade in a wide, horizontal slash. Her view is mostly obscured by the attacking half-demon, and the speed of the assault doesn't help matters much. All she can see, is Miroku collapsing to the ground. Her face quickly changes to a look of complete horror, "Miroku!" She was too stunned to move, and almost to breath. This just couldn't be happening. But it was... and Sango didn't know what to do.
X
BC: (Looking at computer screen) What the...?
QJP/PLP: (Walk into room)
PLP: BC, there you are! What's the point of punishing Cricket 13 if you can just give him a bonus anytime you want?
QJP: And what was with that cliffy you ended the chapter with? What happened to Miroku?
BC: (Holds out one finger right between PLP and QJP, while scrolling with other hand) One complaint at a time please...
PLP: (Bites finger)
BC: (Jumps up out of seat, and grabs sore finger) PLP! I was going to listen in a second!
PLP: But your finger was still in front of my face!
QJP: (Sits at computer) What are you looking at so intently anyway?
BC: A review but...
QJP: Kagome hater?
PLP: WHAT? (Rushes to computer and reads over QJP's shoulder)
BC: While they're doing that, let's just get to reviewer responses...
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QJP: (Joins happy dance. Gets dizzy. Falls on butt.) Uhh... Anywho, you say the last chap's been my most entertaining? That's good to hear. This one though, has been one of my fluffier ones. So all my bases are covered! And there's nothing wrong with my love of Butterscotch syrup... or my love of sporks while I'm at it. Good to hear you enjoyed my latest hot spring scene, it's what... the third one? Just realized that... And yeah, you finally wrote a good review. Kidding... but don't hurt me if this update took too long, I haven't been able to write since freaking band camp. WE ARE BANDOS LOUD AND PROUD! (Gives victory-sign)
Kagome hater: Well ok then. Sorry, I don't know quite what you mean because not only did you not leave enough of a review, you didn't leave some way for me to clarify. If someone can tell me what kagome hater means, please, tell me. Because as far as I can tell, they're talking about Inuyasha and got him mixed up with Sango or something. I really don't know.
PLP: I'm glad you likey my re-write! And I hope you don't mind, I'm clumping those last reviews together. Even if you do, I'm still doing it. So I ended chap. 4 well? I guess I'll have to see what chapter that is. And I'm glad you liked 14, here's chappy15!
inuyasharanma3: This ones not really a reviewer response, since they didn't leave a review, but I noticed I was on their story alert list. I don't know if she's had me there long or not, but I still want to thank her. She's the only person to have me on their story alert! It just goes to show ya, 12 year olds deserve much more credit then they are usually given. So... you rock! (Shoots fist in the air) Yeah!
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P.S.
Sorry for the long wait. I sorta got stuck for a while. I do that every so often. At least I try to work through it though, because I rather like this story. It's got more reviews then everything else I've done, put together. So please have patience for the pits I occasionally fall into. Not to mention I've been busy. But, do not worry… I shall prevail!
BC, over and out.