Kagome yawned. The moon was high in the sky, and according to her watch, it was a little after midnight. This time, Inuyasha didn't seem to be in much of a hurry, so he was walking in front of her.
Sleepy?
No...just a little tired. I'm surprised you aren't.
Don't need sleep.
Now that's bizarre. Weren't you the one running with me on your back for, like, twelve straight hours?
Something like that. (rolls arms) You were a little heavy.
(flushes in embarrassment) Shut up! You weren't asked to carry me, you know!
It's not like you could've kept up for long enough to elude the police. Besides, they do have those dogs, and they'd sniff you out immediately.
What about you? (sarcastic) What are you, scentless?
Not particularly, but a) I was running much too fast to leave a lasting scent, and b) I ran in the water before we got into the forest, so even if they got that far, they'd come to a dead end since half of my body was immersed in water.
(snorts) Smart guy.
(smirks) Have to be.
When are we getting to this place anyway?
It won't be long. Would you believe she's a priestess?
...Not particularly...I thought priestesses hated demons.
Nah, that's a myth. In some cases, they do, like when an exorcism needs to be performed, but they don't worry about humanoid youkai like me who have souls and can think for themselves.
Ah...I guess you learn something new everyday, huh?
Yep. Speaking of...you wouldn't happen be of religious ancestry yourself, right?
Kagome looked at him strangely, and he looked over his shoulder at her, his face serious.
No...why would I be?
Just a question, is all.
But for some reason, Kagome strongly doubted that. No way was that "just a question"; there had to be some reason behind it. But what was the reason?
It's impossible for me to be a priestess, you know. I'm designated to go to hell, and the lucky ladies of the cloth already know they're hitting clouds.
Not necessarily. There are some practitioners of the darkness. My friend is one of them.
Oh? Maybe she can teach me a few tricks.
Kagome had only been joking, but Inuyasha remained in grave silence. What did that mean?! She absolutely hated when people were all cryptic with her. Did they think it was cool? It wasn't. It was just plain annoying.
Hey, carry me on your back the rest of the way.
(laughs in disbelief) What?
Yeah, I just decided, I am sleepy.
No way! I carried you this far! You don't think you can walk a few more minutes?
Do you want me to collapse? Then it would be so much easier for the police to find my body, and it would be all your fault, and you'd be considered a kidnapper, and—
Okay, okay! Jeez...just shut up. You make my head hurt with your prattling.
Kagome smirked triumphantly, and climbed onto his back, rolling her eyes when he made exaggerated sounds of struggle.
Damn, did you gain an extra ten pounds on the way here?!
Oh, shut up! I am not fat! I happen to be very svelte, thank you.
...What does that mean, fat?
(narrows eyes) I hate you.
(chuckles) I return the sentiment gladly. However, since I can't just dump you off any old place without looking like some kind of insensitive criminal, it seems I'm going to have to stick around. Do you much mind?
Anything's better than what's waiting for me "back home".
Then I'll take that as a yes.
Apparently, the same's true for you.
Well, technically, I don't have a home, so I don't really care. I like to roam anyway.
Oh. ...Where do you keep getting money from?
(sighs in exasperation) Why do you care so much?
I told you, I don't. I'm just very intrigued. I thought you said you were homeless.
I am. But that doesn't mean I can't do odd jobs for cash. If you're gonna be rambling these lands with me, you're gonna need to be bringing in a little income as well.
I don't "work".
Because...?
There is no because. I just don't work.
Why? Can't do anything?
I can do plenty!
Such as...?
...Well, I...hmm.
Then there's my answer.
Well, shit, you act like I'm gonna be around you forever!
How long till you turn eighteen?
(mumbles)...Five months...
I thought as much. If you go off by yourself, sooner or later, people will notice, and they'll start asking you all kinds of questions, until you're right back in Kamikaze's house for the remainder of your seventeenth year.
(silence)
So really, you don't have much of a choice in the matter, hmm?
When you put it like that, I guess you're right...
Listen, don't worry about the job thing, alright? I was just kidding anyway. I'm sure Tsubaki will help us out on the money front.
Okay. ...(chuckles) You do know I wasn't worried to begin with, though, right?
(smiles) I figured as much.
Needless to say, Kagome never did go to sleep, out of pure curiosity. What would a dark miko's home look like? Black, perhaps? Maybe a few splashes of purple for effect? Strangely enough, the small house—or rather, large hut—that Inuyasha stopped a few yards away from was neither of those. It was just a normal looking log hut.
...This is it?
Yep. Why? Not up to par with your usual standard?
That's...not it. It just seems so...I don't know, Feudal Era-type.
That's about how long she's been here.
Wow. So...she's an old lady?
GUESS AGAIN, DEARIE!
Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin—and off Inuyasha's back—when the woman just popped out of her door like one of those inflatable arm-waving dolls at a car dealership.
(startled) WH)AT THE HELL?!
(cackles evilly) I am Tsubaki, the great priestess of darkness, and I knew that you would be here before you even knocked upon my door! Bwah-ha-ha-ha!
To be brutally honest, Kagome was scared out of her wits. But Inuyasha didn't seem fazed in the least. In fact, he chuckled, shaking his head.
You mean you saw us coming from the widow's peak.
Tsubaki blinked at him, then grinned.
Yeah, I did. You got me! (laughs)
Don't I always? (rolls eyes)
Well, come in, come in! I can tell you've had a very long journey, what with the whole (whispers) police business.
Kagome stared at her, then at Inuyasha, who beamed, going in the house after her. How did she know about that? Kagome ran in after them.
(hisses in Inuyasha's ear) You told her?!
(whispers back) How much of an idiot are you? I told you I hadn't had contact with her in a while; she probably already knew about it. She is a dark priestess, after all.
(Startles Kagome) Yes, I am! And my powers are beyond your human comprehension!
Okay...that was going to freak Kagome out. With a tired sigh, Kagome sat at the small table, as did Tsubaki and Inuyasha, Tsubaki wearing a large grin. For a dark priestess, Kagome noted, she sure did smile a lot.
So...Inuyasha. This is your girlfriend, no?
(both redden) NO!
Oh? (blinks) Usually, I'm on the mark with these relationship guesses—I mean, predictions. Hehe. Then this is a friend.
Not r—
Of course she is! (Waves him off merrily) A friend of a friend is she, and thus a friend to a friend is...me!
(Kagome, confused) ...Huh?
(Inuyasha waves it off) Don't ask.
Now, then. Onto this...(whispers) police business. You know I simply adore them, Inuyasha, but I just can't seem to bear their presence for too long, you understand.
(anime-sweatdrops) Yeah...
So! Should they happen to discover these whereabouts, I'm afraid I would have to either ask you to leave...or participate in a little experiment of mine. It's nothing terribly large, just a bit of invisibility potion here, disappearing powder there, you know...the usual.
If you don't mind me saying, you sound like more of a witch than a priestess to me.
(gasps dramatically) WITCH?! Oh, no, no, no, my darling child! You see, I am no witch. (chuckles condescendingly) We dark priestesses were around way before this whole witch business began. You see, we began the "witch" notion. We were the ones making all sorts of potions and such, then all the way to the west, those Puricans or whatever they're called, began copying us and thinking their obviously powerless human women were "dark priestesses". But you see, dearest Kagome, they did not understand our language then, and did not try to, so the word "witch" was formed. Understand that they were jealous of our powers, and so commenced stoning rituals and "witch hunts". I suppose it caught on here, because the (whispers) police have a bit of (whispers) business with me.
Kagome sat, stunned. She didn't fully understand all that Tsubaki had just said, but she definitely understood that last sentence—Tsubaki was a felon.
Uh...okay...?
So then, you agree to do my experiments! (laughs) Oh, how lovely! Now, then! Inuyasha, where is Kouga, I wonder? Krone has missed him so. (turns to Kagome) Krone is my cat, you understand. His name is short for "kuroneko", but I figured everyone's calling their black cat that, so I changed it up a bit. I'm innovative, you see. (winks)
(Inuyasha shakes his head with a laugh) Kouga's gone away for a bit. He's got some police business as well.
(nods gravely) Ah...well. No one likes (whispers) police business, do they?
(Kagome asks) You have a cat?
Oh, of course, dear! You see, there's this book I've been reading. I had it translated from English to this fine language of ours, and it intrigued me so! It talked of "familiars", which are animals in which our powers manifest. So I figured I should find myself a familiar, and what do you know? Then came Krone!
(flatly) She didn't find Krone, she stole Krone.
An egregious lie!
(flatly) She stole Krone from the zoo. He's not a cat. He's a panther cub.
(Kagome gapes) You have a panther in your house?!
(pouts innocently) He's just a little bitty one, nothing more...and besides, tattletale...(glares at Inuyasha) I've made it so that he remains a cub, but gets just as strong as an adult panther! That way, he stays small and unsuspicious to the naked eye—namely the (whispers) police, as well as cuddly and furry for me!
Wow. Is that why the police are after you?
It's only one of the reasons, dear. You see, I have reason to believe that the (whispers) police are direct descendants of those Putirans. They're jealous of my powers as well! Thus, they very much want to see me locked up in one of their prisons, so they can harness my power for themselves! Oh, they're such envious pigs!
(flatly) That's not why they're after her.
(huffs) Inuyasha!
They're after her because she has a two mile long police record.
He speaks untruth, Kagome!
Kagome wanted to laugh at their antics, but she was feeling much too sleepy. She stifled a yawn, startled when Tsubaki gasped.
Oh! How inconceivably rude of me! Here I am, beguiling you with stories of my many adventurous capers, and you're sleepy! Well, let me just concoct you a bit of tea to help you sleep.
(yawns) I'm not sleepy...
Nonsense, dear, of course you are. I'd like to chat with my old friend anyway, so you just let old Krone make you a spot of tea! (claps hands)
A young, black cub strode into the room, stopped at Kagome's feet, and continued into the kitchen. Kagome blinked. Apparently, she was supposed to follow him. So she did, and left Inuyasha and Tsubaki to talk about whatever she was talking about.
Black Ice: Wow, this chapter was particularly long, huh?
Blood Rain: Personally, I liked it, even though I didn't type it.