AR: Okay, so I know that I haven't updated in well over a year and I've probably lost most of the people who watch this fiction, but I figured that I put it off too long and I can't keep using the writer's block excuse, so I'm going to try my best with this chapter and, hopefully, it will get me back into this thing.
Y: Wait, you're finally updating? Okay, everyone, get up! She's updating!
Ka: -pulls herself off the floor- It's about time. We've been sitting in the same position for months.
AR: Okay! So let's not bore them with this skit. Chapter time!
Disclaimer: I disclaim...blah blah blah, hooray everybody.
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I'm conflicted
I inhaled, now I'm addicted
To this place
To you, baby
I can't stay away, I can't stay away
We get up, we go down
Then we go one more round
It's wrong
They say I can't stay a-
I can't stay away
(I Can't Stay Away - The Veronicas)
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Chapter Twenty-Five recap:
"That's easier said than done."
"How about you both be quiet? I think I can sense the others coming."
Don't Fall Away
Chapter Twenty-Six: Aijou
"Well, if 'the others' includes InuYasha, then I'm leaving." Kaori declared. Yukana shrugged.
"Okay, bye-bye." Kagome said brightly, grinning as she waved to Kaori.
"Kagome, stop that." Yukana scolded. "Can't you see that Kaori is going through a mid-life crisis? I mean, you're supposed to be sensitive and understanding with things like this, remember?"
"Yukana, this is InuYasha we're talking about. He gets on everybody's nerves." Kagome said. "He's the...he's the pebble in your shoe that you can't find when you take it off to look for it, but it annoys the crap out of you when you put your shoe back on."
"That's a very lovely metaphor, Kagome."
"Yeah, I know. So, what exactly has you so mad at InuYasha, Kaori?" Kagome asked.
"He was mad at me first." Kaori snapped.
"Oh, very mature." Sakurako commented. "Now, really, aren't you supposed to be older than him?"
"No. InuYasha's older than I am." Kaori said. "By almost two years."
"It's a scientific fact that women mature faster than men." Kagome announced, getting strange looks from everyone else. "Well, it is. Trust me, I know about these things."
"That would explain why the slayer seems more intelligent than the monk." Sesshomaru said.
"Sesshomaru, that wasn't very nice." Kagome scolded. "But, since it's kind of true, I really shouldn't say anything."
"Indeed."
"You know, it's rude to talk about people when they aren't around." Sango stated as she walked in, Miroku and InuYasha following closely behind. The three had left Kirara and the kittens in the care of Moonle until they could be deemed healthy.
"Well, that never stopped anybody before." InuYasha muttered.
"InuYasha, I heard that. Sit."
InuYasha hit the ground, face first, and a long string of colorful words flowed from his mouth, as always. A blanket of silence fell over the room as they listened and waited for the spell to wear off so that they could have a civilized conversation without being interrupted by one bad word or another.
Kagome spent that rare moment thinking and looking back and forth between Kaori and InuYasha. She knew about his habits and how he tended to get on the nerves of those he loved, since she was able to observe firsthand.
Unfortunately, the quiet moment wasn't meant to last. Miroku decided it was the perfect time to grab a handful of Sango's rear end. Sango squealed and flipped him over her shoulder, glaring at him as he lay on the ground at her feet.
"Keep it up, Miroku, I dare you," she said dangerously. "You're going to wish to be fed to a hoard of hungry crocodiles."
Kagome flinched, suddenly imagining pieces of Miroku flying everywhere. No matter how much she tried to think of something else, her mind always wandered back to that image and the others soon began to notice her frustration.
"Kagome, is something wrong?" Yukana asked.
"Yes, Sango said that and now I keep picturing Miroku's body parts flying out of the mouth of some huge, starving crocodile." Kagome declared, acting as if it was obvious and looking even more flustered than before. "Oh kami, it's even worse when it's said out loud."
"Kagome." Sesshomaru interrupted.
"What?" Kagome looked over at him and tilted her head. "Is something up? You've got that look on your face again."
"Indeed, there is." Sesshomaru confirmed. "Is there not something you are supposed to be doing at the moment?"
"Oh...right." Kagome sighed. "Come on, Sakurako. We've got stuff to do."
Sakurako nodded and followed Kagome out the door.
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A few hours later, Kagome walked slowly into her room and threw herself on the bed, sighing comfortably and deciding she never wanted to move again. Sakurako, Kiri, and Yue were hard to get to. They kept asking stupid questions even after she had explained everything more than five times. Sakurako also had an annoying tendancy to try and prove her wrong. Her patience had run out on her towards the end, as if she had much to begin with, so she told them to practice whatever they knew on their own for a little while and left them to their own devices.
Kagome rolled over onto her back, her head hanging off the bed, and stared tiredly out the window. She was starting to wonder how she was going to deal with those girls every day, indefinitely. There was no way she'd be able to keep her temper in check, and she knew it. The thought made her glad that she didn't have any extra Beads of Subjugation.
She shifted so that her head was on a pillow, thinking that closing her eyes for a few minutes wouldn't do any harm.
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"The time has finally come to put our plan into action." Naraku declared, a smirk perfectly at home on his face.
Kurayami crossed her arms. "Which plan? The one where you use your devilishly good looks to take over the world?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "Or the one where-" She was cut off by a quick blow to her cheek.
"You need to learn to hold your tongue unless I speak to you. Next time, there will be consequences," Naraku snarled.
"Ah, it seems I have touched a nerve," she taunted.
Naraku glared at her, his red eyes blazing. He couldn't fathom why he was unable to control Kurayami as he could with Kagura and Kanna. Even without her heart, it should have been the easiest thing that he had to do. The half demon was beginning to question what he was thinking when he decided that she could be of use to him.
"I may not have your heart, but I'll punish you severely the next time you step out of line, Kurayami."
"Are you threatening me?"
"It's not a threat; it's a promise, and one that I intend to keep if you cross me again."
"I'd like to see you try."
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Kagome woke up again just a few minutes before the sun dipped behind the horizon. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then looked around. The whole room glowed orange as the last rays of the day came through the window, then the sun was gone.
She swung her legs over the side of the bed, stood up, and stretched her entire body towards the ceiling. Why didn't anybody wake her up sooner? Her thoughts drifted back to the conversation with Kagura and Kurayami. Could they be trusted? Should she tell everyone else about the alliance they had formed? Kagome honestly didn't know.
There was a light knock at the door, then Sango stepped in with one of Kirara's kittens in her arms.
"Did you have a nice nap, Kagome?" she inquired.
"Yes, actually. I didn't do it on purpose, though," Kagome answered sheepishly. Sango smiled and walked over to her, holding the kitten out towards her friend.
"I was thinking, and I decided that I want you to have one of Kirara's kittens," she explained. "I said something to Kirara and she seemed to agree with me."
"Oh, Sango...thank you so much," Kagome said, already fawning over the cute little ball of fluff. "Now, let's think about what I'm going to name you." The kitten opened its large eyes and stared at Kagome. She purred and meowed at her, then reached up and lightly touched Kagome's chin with her paw. The young woman smiled at the cat.
"Aijou," she decided. "Your name will be Aijou."
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note: Aijou = Affection
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AR: Okay, all done. Short update, I know, but at the very least I finally got something out. I didn't detail training, 'cause I couldn't think of anything to write for that.
Se: I preferred when you weren't writing at all.
AR: Well...I decided to focus on my deviantART account for a little while. Oh, and on that note, anyone who is reading Right Kind of Wrong that wanted to see Reiko can look on that account. My username is AngelxofxthexSoul.
Y: So, now you're promoting your art?
AR: Sure, why not? Anyway, I've gotta go start the next chapter. Hopefully it won't take me so long to update this time. -grins- Did anyone notice a dramatic change in writing style around the middle of the chapter? It just shows that it's been sitting on my hard drive for months... -sweatdrop-
Ka: One more thing, AR.
AR: What?
Ka: It's a shame when you have to re-read your own story, isn't it? -smirks-
AR: ...