A/N: Hey everyone. So just in case you didn't know, to make up to you my extended absence I WILL be posting a chapter every day until Friday and then it will be once a week on Fridays. Ok so on to the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for the few characters that I have invented to make my story possible.
Ch. 13 The First Task
He must have waited for half the day for the rain to calm down a little or for the wind to soften but it only seemed to increase in intensity. Finally Jaken gave in to the fact that the storm may never end and he may as well go out into it before it got any worse. So after gathering himself he stepped out into the storm and continued up the mountain. He tripped once or twice as the path had gotten muddy from the rain and as he got higher up the mountain, rain turned to snow and ice.
Jaken stopped when he saw that the top was near and almost instantly the sky cleared and the sun filled the sky. He almost fell over in shock as the suns blinding light hit him directly in the face.
"Ah, blasted nature! Make up your mind! First it's stormy now it's sunny!" He yelled into the sky shaking the staff.
He then sat down to calm down and relax before he continued to the top to what he hopped would be an empty nest. After a few minutes he got up and continued on, as he got closer he moved slower and more carefully. Soon he spotted a nest and he was thrilled to see it was absent of the dragoness.
'Ah ha! Maybe some luck has finally come my way.'
He then rushed over to the nest still careful of how he stepped in case the dragoness was out of site but still nearby. As he reached the edge of the nest he ducked down glancing around and above where he was for any sign of the nests occupants.
'Nothing. My luck certainly has turned for the better!'
He then stood and looked into the nest immediately finding his target. He then reached in and grabbed one of the egg shells.
'How much will I need though? Bokusenou didn't say…hmm…maybe I should grab a few just to be safe.'
He then reached in for a bigger fragment and another. The last of which slipped and shattered on the rocks. The sound seemed to echo through the air but Jaken didn't notice as he wiped off the purple goo on his shirt.
"What is…"
"Ka-cheep."
Jaken froze instantly as he tried to figure out what the best approach would be since he didn't think he would find any babies in the nest.
"Ka-cheep! Ka-cheep!"
"Ka-cheep!"
"Ka-cheep!"
He then turned hearing more than one baby and was greeted by five. The baby dragons continued to chatter as they move towards him. On bite his leg and on reflex Jaken pushed it off. This only worked to upset the others and caused them to also bite him. Jaken could feel the welts starting where the dragons where biting him and he tried to shoo them away using his staff.
All the sudden the babies grew quiet and then began to chirp again. Jaken was about to try and quiet them but he noticed a shadow that was growing around him. He turned and looked to the sky in time to see the dragoness descending to her nest. Jaken then ran for it taking the shells that he had already gathered with him. He didn't look back once, too afraid that the dragoness would be coming after him. When he spotted the cave he had previously stayed in, so he ran to it seeking its safety from his pursuers.
Once inside Jaken squeezed as close to the furthest wall as he could hiding his head under his arms. After a few minutes and nothing Jaken was about to relax and continue down the cave when he saw an approaching shadow near the cave entrance and heard feet crunching in the dirt. He then curled up again hopping that the dragoness wouldn't notice his hideout or if she did wouldn't be able to reach him. The air grew still and there was no sound to be heard except for Jaken's racing heart.
'Please, please Kami let the dragon not notice me.' He prayed to whoever would listen.
Then suddenly Jaken felt a pull at his shirt. He stifled a yell as he hopped it was only the wind.
"Ka-cheep?"
Jaken startled by the sound pulled his head from his arms and turned around to see one of the baby dragons standing before him. He then looked to the cave entrance to find it open and dragoness less. He then turned to the baby dragon again as it tilted it's head at him. He then went cautiously to the entrance and peeked his head out looking around for any sign of the baby dragon's mother and there was none.
"Ah, thank Kami."
"Ka-cheep."
He then turned to the baby dragon, "You should go back to the top to your mother. Now shoo!"
He motioned up the path and turned to go down the mountain. Soon the dragon was at his side again.
"Ka-cheep?"
Jaken stopped, "Go back up the mountain to your mother! She might come after me of you are gone too long!"
The baby dragon seemed unfazed and after a few moments of it not moving Jaken continued on his way. He was almost to the bottom when he heard a snap behind him and when he turned he found the baby dragon was still following him.
"Gaaah! You stupid dragon, go back to your mother! Don't you know what's best for you?"
The baby dragon still seemed unfazed at Jaken's attempts and tilted its head questioningly letting out another, "Ka-cheep?"
"Ah! Go away!" He yelled shaking his staff at the baby dragon.
The dragon then grabbed his staff in its mouth and pulled it from him.
"No, give it back!"
The dragon then stopped and dropped the staff letting its mouth hang open in a sort of playful smile. Jaken looked at the dragon and couldn't help thinking of Rin. He then realized that he couldn't force the dragon to go back unless he took it back, so he gave in.
"Fine, let's go." He said concedingly as he picked up his staff. The baby dragon let out another chirp this one of happiness, and followed the imp to wherever he may go next on his journey.
'Well the next one shouldn't be so hard. The flowers Rin used to pick were on bushes and in the grass.' Jaken thought to himself as he headed to where Bokusenou said the flower of life could be found.
~*~*~*~
Kagome breathed heavily as she moved away from Kumiko dagger in hand.
"Lady Kagome are you sure you have never trained with blades before?" Miyuki asked from the side lines.
Kagome didn't let up her stance, "No I haven't. I never trained at anything before except for archery."
"Hmm, interesting. Let's try swords now. Kumiko you can take a break."
Kumiko eased up and relaxed her stance bowing to Kagome before moving to the side line.
Kagome then moved to put her knife away and grab a sword but Miyuki stopped her.
"Sheath your blade on your hip and use this sword." She said handing her thin short sword with a blue stone in the handle.
"This?"
"Yes. That sword is yours now and it will be your defense in the case that your enemy is close to you. If you lose your sword you have your knife as back up and as a chance to disarm your opponent. In the case that you do so you can hopefully defeat them or in some cases you will be forced to do hand to hand. This is important, since your sword is your first defense in close ranged battle."
"Ok."
"The sword I have given you is light but has enough reach to keep your enemy away. Your movements with this sword should be smooth and graceful. It is an extension of your arm and should be used as easily to attack and defend. Now raise your sword and take your stance, I will be your opponent. Watch us Kumiko, you are next."
Kagome lifted her sword and felt its weight in her hand. She lifted it so that its tip pointed at Miyuki and she spread her feet apart preparing herself for any attack she might throw at her.
Miyuki picked two swords from the rack and lifted them both balancing them out in her hands. She then turned to Kagome facing her sideways with her legs also spread one sword held above her head and the other at her abdomen.
"Kagome I want you to attack me."
Kagome was shocked, "But I don't..."
"Attack me. Let your instincts guide you."
Kagome then changed her posture to offensive and analyzed Miyuki's stance for any weaknesses before she attacked.
From Kumiko's perspective the two women were doing equally well but Miyuki on the other hand felt something else about the fight.
'She is wielding the sword as she did the knife, like she has trained with it her entire life. I have never seen this much natural skill in anyone.'
Clapping was soon heard and Kagome stopped to see who was watching to see lord Arisugawa. Miyuki also stopped and bowed, "My lord, I didn't know you would be coming by the Dojo."
"Yes, well I thought that if it was ok with you and Lady Kagome that I may borrow her for a while. I have some things I need to talk to her about."
"Yes, it is fine with me. Kagome you have done very well today, that is enough unless you want to continue when you are done."
"Ok, thank you Lady Miyuki. If it's ok I am going to go back to my chambers after I am done."
"That is fine. We will see you at lunch perhaps?"
Kagome smiled, "Of course."
Kumiko stared down at the floor as Kagome moved to leave but before she did she mentioned to lord Arisugawa, "You know, Kumiko has also been doing very well to my lord."
"Really?" He then looked to Kumiko, "That's wonderful. I do hope that you all are training for not though. I can't imagine how it would be if any of you got hurt."
"Now Lord Arisugawa you know that we will see our fair share of action also being at the back of the lines."Miyuki said as she picked out a sword for Kumiko.
"Yes, well I still hope nothing happens to any of you. Good work Kumiko, I am proud that you have progressed so nicely."
He then walked out of the Dojo followed by Kagome who waved before exiting.
Once outside Kagome turned to Lord Arisugawa, "What did you want to speak about my lord?"
"Not yet. We will speak in my study."
They continued to walk in silence until they reached his study where he asked after closing the doors, "What are your feelings towards that wolf demon also...Umm...Kurgan?"
Kagome laughed, "Koga, he is a friend even though he sometimes says otherwise. We have known each other for a while now and he has had the same feelings, but I have told him I never will."
"And why is that?"
Kagome was a bit shocked, "Well we are only friends so…."
"And why couldn't you be more?"
"Because I loved someone else at the time and I can't be with him anyway."
"Who?"
"Inuyasha, but he chose Kikyo because I'm the copy."
"So do you still love him?"
"No. I haven't loved him for awhile. Since I got over him being with Kikyo I have only cared for him as a friend but I am still mad at him."
"And why couldn't you love Kouga or someone else?"
"I…it wouldn't work. I'm too different and when everything is done I am going to have to leave."
"Why do you have to leave?"
"I have to go back to my family. They love me and would miss me. Anyways if I were to love and be with a demon he would out live me and grow tired of me before I was forty years old because of my appearance."
Arisugawa didn't know what to say but he then asked, "What about love? Is that not important to you either?"
"It is! That's the most important thing but I couldn't stand knowing as soon as I got older he couldn't love me anymore because of my appearance."
"But if he could?"
"I couldn't do that still. It would be to hard on him when I died."
"So you couldn't be with a demon anyways, unless you lived as long as he did?"
"Yes, but there is no way to do something like that. There is no fountain of youth and there is no point in talking about this."
"How did you plan to be with Inuyasha?"
Kagome sat now, "He was going to use the jewel to be human for Kikyo, and I thought he would do the same for me."
"So the Shikon-no-Tama can do something like that?"
"Yes, but it has to be a pure wish but like I said there is no point to…"
"Do you love Lord Sesshomaru?"
Kagome froze immediately thinking back to when she saw him for the first time and every time after to the day before when she had for a moment wanted him to kiss her.
"I…I don't know what feelings I have towards him. He was my enemy for so long and then I helped him and he helped me and now… now I just don't know anymore."
Arisugawa nodded, "Kagome, I believe you should think on these things and decide for yourself how you feel and what you should do in response."
Kagome nodded and sat there looking in her lap.
"If you wish it you can stay in here as long as you like. No one will disturb you here."
"Thank you Lord Arisugawa."
"No, thank you Lady Kagome." He said as he walked out of the study closing the doors.
~*~*~*~
A/N: Well there you go, sorry for the late at night post but it couldn't be helped. See you tomorrow and please read and review.
-Vamp ^_^