Love of Friends
Chapter 16: Sappy Tree Friends
BlackCat: (Hands clasped, ears drooping) I'm sorry everyone. I was frazzled by school... I know it's no excuse. And now it's August, and I decide to try and write more. I'm just sorry... and to any former readers that read this... thank you for the second chance. Also, I know chappie 15 needs major revamping. Once this chappie is done, I'll repost that one. (Nods head) Thank you, everyone, I only own Talgi and the storyline. I wish I owned the others too, but for now, this is good enough.
Queen of the Jean Purse: You really should be sorry!
Princess of the Leather Purse: Do you know how long we've been waiting?
BC: Oh! Yeah, you two should tal... no. I'm not going to do this now! I was trying to be serious!
QJP: Yeah... like that would have lasted long.
BC: Just... read please. For my sake...
There's a few more moments of Sango being so afraid, that it seemed like her heart had completely stopped beating. It starts once more when Miroku shakily stands up from the ground.
"That... was far too close for comfort." Miroku mumbles to himself. He turns toward Sango with a weak smile upon his face. He was hoping to reassure her, but stops his endeavor far from it. What once was utter horror on Sango's face, is now relief. And it was a look of relief so strong, it almost looked like it hurt.
Sango had been so devastatingly worried about him; even with all he had hoped to prevent, he couldn't help but feel some bit of triumph that her concern was for him. This small joy did not last long though, it soon mutated into anger, and was aimed directly at Inuyasha. He should not have caused Sango such unneeded worry! He is about to give the hanyou a piece of his mind, but is interrupted by a warning shout from Sango.
"Miroku, the tree!" she calls.
Miroku looks up and sees the tree he had, not so very long ago, been leaning against make its way closer and closer. He tries to turn around and run, but is under the leafy branches before he can react.
"Miroku!!!" Sango screams out.
Talgi scrambles up from the ground, "Miroku?" she glances at Sango, unresponsive from shock. "This is not looking good..." and runs forward, taking her sword out of its sheath, and slices through the trunk; just bellow the limbs. She then tries to pull up at one end, laying the sword to the side, but it doesn't do her much good. The trunk was much heavier then expected.
Without another word, Inuyasha goes into a frenzy, trying to chop any trees near the path with Tetsusaiga. He lets them fall into piles on the path, getting farther away with each one. As he goes through with his crazed plan, Talgi lets go of the tree. She was only lifting it a little off the ground anyway. She looks in Inuyasha's direction, hoping to somehow convince him to help, but his sounds of havoc were coming from an area far out of sight now.
"Dxxx it! This isn't working! I could cut it in smaller pieces... but I don't know how long it will take,and we don't even know how Miroku is!"
"Roll it to the edge."
Talgi looks down, crouching by the tree was Sango, her palms pressed against it. "I see you got your senses back. Now we just have to work on Kagome."
Sango looks up to the half demon, there were tears in her eyes. It was a look so intense and unexpected that Talgi is slightly taken aback. "Uh... right. Rescue first, joke later." She quickly helps Sango roll the log. Once it's out of the way, Talgi grabs hold of the limbs and pulls with all her might. Dropping it off along the side of the path. Sango runs up to the huddled figure left behind. She kneels beside Miroku and shakes him slightly, unsure if he's unconscious or merely stunned. When she spots his insidious hand move near her leg, she opts for the latter, and reacts accordingly. With a well placed slap.
"Lady Sango, you misunderstand...!" Miroku was still on the ground, but messaging the red mark on his cheek with his far hand.
"Misunderstand what? You seem to say that to me quite often, yet I'm never wrong about your intentions. You can't deny your perverted nature."
"Um, Sango..."
"No Talgi. You're not going to interfere this time." and gives Talgi a very scathing look, making her step back.
"My dear Sango, Talgi is doing nothing of the like. Now, if you would just lift your leg slightly, you could continue venting in a... more comfortable fashion."
Sango shifts her eyes downward, and her demeanor changes from anger to regret. Her face was ablaze in embarrassment. She tries to rectify the situation by sitting Miroku up. She had assumed Miroku was being lecherous, though all he was trying to do was remove her knee from his robes
"Miroku, I-I..."
"There's no need to apologize to me. Given past circumstances, I understand why you would react so. Just remember next time that I have one undeserved slap against me."
"Then there's nothing to be sorry for." Once again, Miroku had put Sango in a bad mood.
"Hey, I tried to tell you..." Snips Talgi, finally sheathing her Binusayou. She then crouches by Miroku's other side.
"That's right... I'm sorry Talgi. I should have listened to you."
"All's forgiven." She grins, till she takes a closer look at Miroku. "Monk, did you know that you're bleeding?" and taps above her eye.
Carefully, Miroku places his finger to his head. And then winces at the pain.
"I knew a branch snapped back and hit me. But I just thought it left a welt."
"So he actually hurt you..." Unknown to Sango, Miroku, and Talgi, Kagome had come out of her stupor and brought her first aid kit. She was closely being followed by Shippo, who was looking at her with concern. Silently, she passes a bandage to Sango. She was looking very upset, and slightly depressed. "Miroku, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..." She looked about ready to cry.
"You're sorry? I pushed Inuyasha into a tree-destroying frenzy. And set him off on Miroku. You didn't do anything."
"Into a what?"
Talgi points out the downed trees, leaving Kagome awed at the destruction.
"W-what... what has gotten into him?"
Sango places the bandage on Miroku's head, "I know his life wasn't being threatened, and he still had the Tetsusaiga... but do you think that his demon blood has taken over?"
"No! Absolutely not Sango." Admonishes Miroku. "I've seen him like that, we all have, and this certainly wasn't the same. He had no malice, he wasn't trying to kill me. I've known him long enough to tell when his strike is for another target. And I'm sure he meant to leave me enough room to get out of the way of his blade. He's upset, yes. And extremely so. But he has not transformed."
"What are you humans talking about?"
"You've seen his sword, correct Talgi?" Questions the monk.
"Yeah... He just about took your head off with it."
"It's made from his father's fang, specifically to keep his demon blood in check."
"In check?" She queries.
Miroku nods, "His father's blood is sometimes too strong for his half-demon body. Least it is now, after his sword was broken in half. It will occasionally takes over when Tetsusaiga is out of reach, and his life is in danger. Each time it happens, it gets harder to stop. He almost completely changes to a full demon, and with it, a full-demons power. But at the loss of his judgment and humanity. Normally, he ends up almost killing someone. And it's usually one of us."
Kagome reaches her palm out to rest against the pile of trees. "But why all this?"
"That, I can't answer. But we should really clear the path of... debris. We can't just leave it here. No sane passing villager would leave the path. It's too dangerous, they'd fall prey to some demon."
Miroku tries to stand, but falls back. Luckily, Sango catches him and sits him back up. "Apparently I was hit harder then I first thought. Sango, Talgi, Shippo. If you three would start taking care of the trees while I rest a little longer, I should be able to build up enough strength to take Kagome and find Inuyasha. I should at the very least be able to escort her and stave off some of the weaker demons."
"Miroku, you can't even stand! How do you think that will help Kagome? Not only that, but you'd never be able to find Inuyasha on foot. I'll take Kilala, and fly over the piles. You should stay and rest."
"But Sango, that would only leave Talgi and Shippo to start on this diversion. You and Kilala are needed here."
"And right now, you can't protect yourself. Much less Kagome."
"That's it!" Interrupts Talgi. "I'll take her to him. This way he doesn't run too far off. I can even start on the trees at the end while you, Kilala, Shippo, and Miroku once he heals, work on the ones here. I'm not too used to carrying that much weight over such a distance, but I should be able to manage."
"Talgi, are you calling me fat? Because this isn't the time..."
"No. I'm just used to Shippo's weight more. Even I know better then to suggest something like that."
"Oh. Well really, none of you need to bother. I could just... walk alongside the path. I'll eventually find him."
"You know that's too dangerous." Sango stands, "Kagome, you don't really want to go after him. Do you?"
"What? Of course I want to... I want to..." She averts her gaze from the others. "You're right Sango. I-I don't know what to say to him!" She hugs herself in deep thought. "What can I say to him?"
"Kagome, Miroku's advice to Inuyasha was good. He should have talked to you, but instead he ran. But while he was still nervous, you've actually had a chance to calm down..."
"No. No I haven't. I am nowhere near calm."
"Well, you're at least calmer then he was. Your the one with the cool head between you two."
"See? come on. I promise I won't drop you." Talgi reaches out behind her to enforce this fact.
"...Ok." She hesitantly stands up and is about to grab on to Talgi's shoulders, but stops once she realizes her pen and a small sheet of paper are in her hands. She stows them into her pockets, and hoists herself up. Talgi stumbles slightly at the new weight, but remembers in time to hold on to Kagome's legs, and steadies herself.
"Gee, you really are fat!"
"Talgi..."
"I'm joking Kagome!" Her attention turns to the others. "Shippo, make sure to keep these guys from... well, from anything. Well, I guess I'll see you three when I break through." She jumps up the the top of the pile and almost trips off.
"Talgi!" Kagome yelps.
"Sorry..." She looks gloomily over the tall pile.
"What's wrong?" Calls up Miroku.
"Let's just say you should try and recover fast."
Shippo waves, "Good luck Kagome, Talgi."
Talgi smiles from her perch. "No need to worry about me. I won't need any luck." She leaps off the pile, and starts to run to the next. "You might need it though Kagome. And it might be a good idea to take mine too."
"You know what? I changed my mind, I don't want to do this anymore."
"I'm not stopping, so if you want to jump..."
"That sounds good, if you'll just slow down..."
"Yeah, not gonna happen." says Talgi. "After setting him off, this is the least I can do." And continues over Inuyasha's obstructions.
Talgi hops over many more piles of trees and slowly, they begin to get shorter and shorter. Finally ending with one lone trunk splayed half-heartedly just by a fork in the path. She lowers Kagome, and continues to the fork alone, carefully looking at the ground.
"Are you tracking his scent?" Tentatively asks Kagome.
"No, no. I can smell him well enough, but I already know which we he went." She looks closer to the right arm of the path. "I was just looking at his tracks. He's stopped running. Probably figured we'd never get this far." Talgi snorts in contempt as she stands. "You know, I can't believe he got so upset at such a small incident. And after that, he cuts down all those trees. I just don't get it."
"I think I might."
Quickly she looks at the human she'd been lugging around. "You do?"
"Maybe. He knew we wouldn't just leave the path blocked. We've helped out too many people to just suddenly decide we're going to stop now."
"That's a good point."
"Right. So... um, now that we know which way he went, I guess we keep going till we find him?" A fact easily seen as something she wasn't happy about..
"Actually Kagome...you're going to have to go on by yourself."
"What?! Talgi, you can't do this to me!" Says Kagome, a hint of panic working its way into her voice.
"I think you might have too. Any farther then this, and I don't think I'll be able to keep myself from spying on you two. I don't want you to have to worry about me listening in."
This was good news. If she waited, she could sneak back to camp and not have to find Inuyasha. "Oh well in that case..."
"Before you get any ideas, you should remember something. I plan to still be here, working on this mess. If only to make sure you're gone for enough time to of had a nice, decent talk with Inuyasha." And gives Kagome a heartfelt half-smile.
Now she was disappointed again. "Oh. Right, I mean... what makes you think I'd do something like that?"
"Kagome, to be blunt... you'd do just about anything right now if you could get out of talking to him. You'd probably even try to bribe me with jewel shards if you thought it would help. And besides... it's written all over your face."
"What about Ramen?"
"Kagome..." sighs Talgi. "Look. The others and I can't really make you talk this out with him. But if I have to, I will go back and get Shippo. With his transformation and my mimicking abilities..."
"I think I get it now. You don't need to do that!" Kagome was once again in a panic.
"Good. Because it was either that or getting him to ask you questions till you decided by yourself." She leans forward, eyes wide, and speaks not with her voice, but Shippo's. "Kagome, how come you and Inuyasha aren't mates ye...?"
"Gah! Talgi, stop! Please!? I'll go, ok?" Kagome's face was bright red in embarrassment. Slowly she trudges toward the right wing of the path. At a thought, she looks back to ask a question. "Talgi? Shippo um, wouldn't really ask something like that. Would he?"
"He might if I ask."
That puts a little more quickness in Kagome's step. Kagome pauses and looks back to Talgi. "Kagome, don't forget to tell him I'm sorry." Dumbly, Kagome nods, and the continues on her way.
Talgi waits patiently till she disappears around the bend, and then sighs in relief. "Finally. I didn't want to actually go back and get any of the others. All I wanted to do before, was see how Inuyasha would react. But then he had to go and blow it all out of proportion. Probably because of the whole 'stupid' thing earlier. That's the last time Shippo and I use that idea. At least for Inuyasha." She quickly looks around. "And now I'm left with no one but myself to talk to. Great." Deftly, she plucks her sword from it's sheath, and then proceeds to slice the one, lone, trunk in half.
Slowly Kagome walks down the path. She was exhausted, and Inuyasha was nowhere to be seen. He had been farther away then Talgi or she could ever guess. In a move of pure grace, Kagome trips over her own feet and falls to her knees. It wasn't so much the exercise, as the intense pressure her mind was putting on her that made her feel so weary. She didn't want to do this, though she knew she should try to. But it all made her feel so weak.
Suddenly, almost like an inaudible whisper, her attention was being pulled to the side of the path. A strong sense that told her this was the way to go. It was not unlike how she could sense the jewel shards, but very different as well. This was a demonic aura, and one that belonged to Inuyasha. Though she had never been able to sense one before, it seemed she had gained the ability without her knowledge. It was really nothing more then a slight hint, but it was also the only thing she could think this feeling to be.
Kagome forces her self to her feet, after having her moment to compose herself. And though she didn't know just where he was, she'd take her chances and find Inuyasha. She takes one final, steadying breath, and plunges into the trees. Kagome walks calmly through the trunks, carefully watching her surroundings and preparing herself to scream bloody murder if a demon attacks. Luckily none try.
She makes her way past countless trees, with the help of thin trail, and breaks out from the tree cover and into a clearing which is only occupied by a few trees. One holding a familiar red clad half-demon lost in thought. "Inuyasha I've been looking for you!" She shouts as she jogs to the tree. Though this conversation was not one she wanted to have, she was still happy to of actually found him.
"K-Kagome!" He almost looks ready to smile, but just changes it to a deeper frown. "Kagome, what do you think you're doing here? Just... just..." He turns around on his tree branch, facing his back to her. "Just go away and leave me alone."
This deflates her spirits somewhat. Kagome slowly walks the last few steps and places her hand upon the tree's trunk. "Inuyasha, please." She begs, "Just listen to me." But he refuses to respond. She hangs her head in defeat and is about to plod her way back to camp when her hand brushes against an odd lump in her pocket. Kagome reaches her hand in, and pulls out the pen she had from earlier. She had forgotten she'd pocketed the item before. Quickly she reaches into her other pocket and grabs the crumpled bit of paper in it. Smoothing it out as much as possible, she places it against the tree and jots something upon it's surface. Now to get it up there.
Looking around the base of the tree, Kagome finally finds a rock large enough to suit her purpose. She places it in the center of her note and scrunches the remaining paper around it. Kagome takes a few large steps back from the tree and lets loose her projectile right at Inuyasha's head. Just before it makes contact, he catches it.
"What in the Seven Hxxxx are you thinking?" He half turns back to her. Crossing one leg over the branch as he lets the other hang to the side. He stares at the tree trunk, refusing to look at Kagome. "I told you to leave me alone! Don't you understand that?"
"Please Inuyasha, just read it!"
"Read it?"
"Yes. Read the note I just threw to you."
Carefully, Inuyasha opens the paper, letting Kagome's stone drop to the ground. He looks over one side, but it's blank, so he flips the paper over. He could see characters written on this side; but no matter which way he turns the paper, or which he turns his head, he still can't decipher the words. "Kagome, I can't read this dxxx thing."
"Can I see it then?"
Inuyasha flinches back. Kagome's voice was coming from too close for her to be where she should be. As he recoils, he moves the paper from in front of his. Kagome was sitting on his branch right on the other side. "How... When did you... What...?"
Kagome smiles to him halfheartedly. "You have been looking at it for a few minutes now. And this tree was really easy to climb." She sticks out her hand to him. "So can I see it? I'll show you what it says."
Inuyasha holds on to the paper a few more seconds before passing it to Kagome. She takes a quick look at it and groans. "No wonder you couldn't read it, I smudged the ink." She whips out her trusty pen again and writes on the other side of the paper, using her knee for support. "That should do it." She hands the paper back and points to each of the words in turn. "This one's my name... while the one over here is how you write 'Ramen'."
Inuyasha though, wasn't paying too much attention to her. "Kagome, I told you to go. Why are you still here?" He wasn't mad, he was just trying to get his question answered.
Kagome sighs and puts the pen away once again. "Because I still have some things I need to say to you."
"But..."
"Inuyasha please. This will be much easier if you don't distract me."
He reluctantly settles back to listen to her. His grumpy face showing just how happy he was.
"Right. Inuyasha, I... we all knew that what you said before wasn't how you meant it. It was just a shock..." She fidgets slightly. "To all of us. Even Talgi. I don't know what she was thinking, but she didn't know. She even went out of her way to help me find you and asked if I could apologize to you for her."
"She's going to be really sorry when I..."
"Inuyasha, please. Just let me get out what I have to say. Miroku got in your way, but he you made into a diversion. Talgi on the other hand, didn't know what she was getting into. She didn't know..." Kagome lowers her face to the ground. "About Kikyo."
'Kikyo? What does she have to do with this?' And though he didn't know it at first, he did now. Kagome was crying.
Kagome manages to stifle the tears momentarily as Inuyasha looks on, lost. "Talgi didn't know about your feelings for Kikyo, or how embarrassing it would be for someone to suggest anything like she did about... nothing more then a copy-Kikyo. But I knew all that. And I don't want to say anything that would make things worse but, I feel like I need to explain myself. No matter if you decide to run off and join up with Kikyo or anything else I... I..." she pauses to wipe more tears from her face. "I love you, and I can't do anything to change that."
If Inuyasha was drinking something just then, he'd of done a spit-take. But all he can do is sit there, looking on dumbly from shock.
Kagome tries to diffuse the situation with a bitter laugh, but fails miserably. "That's probably the stupidest thing you've ever heard. Forget I even said anything." She takes one branch down at a time but pauses after just a few. "I'm not saying 'Don't run off to Kikyo or anything,' but I'm hoping you come back for diner." Kagome reaches the ground and without looking back, scuttles off back to camp.
Inuyasha's brain though, is still in the midst of a meltdown. Incapable of any thought more complex then the tree he sits on.
BC: Well, now that the forgiveness has been dealt, I have only one thing to say. Guess who's back, baby!
QJP: Forgiveness? I don't think so.
PLP: Yeah! Even if we haven't been keeping up with our fics either!
Baka-chan: Don't look at me, I've only gotten the chance to read the first couple of chapters. And I don't even remember those.
BC: Nee... don't remind me. (Not so excited anymore) But guess what readers? It's time for viewer mail... gah! I-I mean Reader responses! Yeah... (Looks around shiftily)
QJP: Yes, I know. Evilly cliffs of D00M. Just past 1 year later I finally post the next chap. But don't you mis it a tad? Not the marching, God no. But being able to see everyone from band.
The Myth Keeper: I'm so sorry. This is no where near soon. But At least I am updating. And yeah, cliffys are evil, evil thingys. But necessary. And besides, this one was made of candy. So it's ok!
PLP: Thanks. But, what do you think of my long-awaited return chappy? At least, long-awaited by me...
BC, over and out... for now!