Chapter 11 – Bored

"Lost her again?" Akane glared at Ukyo. "Hm. Maybe you need like a tracking device or something. Hey, I know a guy who could cast a spell for you at very reasonable-"

"Thanks!" Akane interrupted hurriedly, "Ukyo, for the offer, but I don't think that's going to be necessary." Kagome always did come home again after all…but Akane was just curious as to where she'd disappearing to for the past week. Since the fiasco with the weasel demon (which had, incidentally turned out to be three weasel demons) Kagome had begun to act more and more like her old self. She'd finally started looking healthy again too, putting on the weight she'd lost in exchange for the dark circles around her eyes.

But Kagome had also started getting careless about her secrets. After the awesome display of power Kagome had showed while destroying the weasels, Akane knew for certain that she wasn't jumping to conclusions at all. Something incredible had indeed happened to her cousin. She even believed that Kagome's full story was just within her grasp – if only she could piece together all those annoying little clues that danced around the edges of her mind.

Though she was glad to see Kagome back on her feet, this was still frustrating to say the least.

#

A beautiful young woman sat on a weathered tree stump, with a pensive expression on her face. She was all alone apart from the small kitten playing in the grass at her feet, and of course, the two month old baby in her lap. Absently she tickled her daughter, wondering when her husband would be back, and if he would have any good news for her this time.

Before she could pursue her thoughts any further, a cracking in the forest undergrowth alerted her to a possible threat - or at the very least an unwelcome intruder on her musings. Quickly she was on her feet, with her Hirakotsu in the air, and baby safely tucked behind an unconcerned cat demon. Unconcerned…that was odd. Maybe the intruder was no threat at all.

Half-heartedly she lowered her weapon by the slightest inch. She looked from her companions to the general direction from which the intruder was coming, watching apprehensively. She heard an indistinct grumbling, and then, quite suddenly saw a man about a year or so older than her, fall through the trees to land unceremoniously at her feet.

Sango laughed outright at her husbands not-so-grand entrance.

"Sango!" Miroku called happily, seemingly not worried by his visit with the ground. "How I've missed your beautiful face!"

"Sure it was just my face you missed, monk?" She teased. She ignored Miroku's responding song and dance, and instead exchanged her Hirakotsu for her gurgling baby girl - making sure to put the tiniest amount of extra sway into her hips as she did so.

As Miroku's wife, she was allowed to act flirtatiously, she reasoned.

"Look who missed her father," Sango cooed, handing over the baby to the (now sitting) monk. She settled down next to Miroku and their child. She gave him a few moments to reacquaint himself, before asking the question that was weighing heavily on both their minds.

"So. Where's InuYasha?"

"I…I still don't know."

#

Kagome meandered down the alleyways of Tokyo's more…unsavoury areas, just itching for a fight. Since the weasel demons, she'd managed to find and purify two rabbit demons, three stork demons and a particularly nasty lizard demon. She'd been quite proud of herself for that last one, and she suspected even InuYasha would've been impressed with the way she'd handled herself during that battle.

Maybe not Ranma though, who was still sulking over the fact that she'd been the one to take out all three of the weasel demons, in his place. Kagome smirked at the memory.

Weasel demons weren't strong. InuYasha would have easily dispatched of them, and then afterwards swung his sword over his shoulder with a customary 'keh' and a 'that wasn't worth my time.' However the demons were quick and sly, and as Ranma's strengths lay in those same categories, he and his opponents were quite evenly matched. Ranma would twist, jump, slide, kick and punch, but never gain the advantage. So, it had been a good thing she'd tagged along. Her arrows had ripped through the overgrown rodents and left nothing behind.

It had also been to Kagome great pleasure, to discover during that fight, that it wasn't the arrows – it was the power she put into them. Which therefore explained the magic show during gym. Hadn't she been wishing then for her sacred arrows?

She turned the corner into another secluded, dank and filthy street, sighing heavily when she found nothing. Hitching herself up onto a nearby dumpster, she sung to herself, wondering what to do next.

She kicked and swung her legs of the edge of her seat, looking for all intents and purposes, like a young and innocent girl who was waiting for daddy to come and pick her up. Except for the bow and arrows slung over her shoulder, which quite easily dispelled the illusion.

However, the young man who had begun to walk towards her, failed to notice her weapons – and if he had, thought nothing of them anyway. As his footsteps echoed off the concreted walls and down the alley, Kagome whipped her head up to identify the source of the sound. Then she did something the man was not expecting.

She grinned devilishly – like InuYasha did as he threw himself into battle.

"Hey, darling, what're you doing here all alone?"

Kagome shrugged. "Looking for something," she answered quite simply.

"Oh, I see. Well why don't I help you with that?"

"If you wouldn't mind," she goaded, forgetting that her newest adversary was human, therefore harder to defeat with her miko powers. And she certainly couldn't kill a human.

Smiling genially, he led her further down the street, where the surrounding buildings were windowless and concrete, she couldn't see the road and on top of all that was a dead end.

She was so busy plotting various strategies, she didn't notice his hands flying towards her, till they had her pinned against the nearest wall. His hot breath blew over her face as she squirmed in his grip – her weapons digging uncomfortably into her back.

She drew her knees up sharply, sinking them into his stomach – and watched with some satisfaction as he staggered back, wheezing. She dropped her quiver and took her bow in hand, spinning it in a move she'd often seen on TV and had perfected during her travels. Keeping the bow she now wielded like a staff between her and her assailant, she waited for him to come at her again.

As if her bow was a bright red flag, and the man a bull, he charged her. And just as deftly as a real matador she stepped to the side at the last moment, making sure to deliver another blow to his stomach with her weapon as she did so. The effect of that was to send him tumbling head first into the cement behind her – as well as snapping her bow in half. But that craved adrenaline was pumping through her system, and so she hardly cared.

Groaning, the man pulled himself to his feet. "You stupid bitch," he spat. There was a small cut above his left eyebrow now, from which blood streamed. Kagome stared at it in horror, now realising her potentially fatal mistake.

She was up against a larger, stronger human. She couldn't kill him, purify him – and her only weapon was broken now, thanks to her carelessness.

She turned heel, and tried to run, but her attacker wrapped his arms her waist, tackling her to the ground. She thrust her elbow in his general direction, hoping it would make contact with a nose – but nothing happened. She struggled and wriggled, doing everything she could to get herself free, but he'd worked his way on top of her, crushing her with his weight, and he had her arms pinned above her head.

Kagome drew in a breath and screamed, and screamed and screamed.

And someone had been listening, because at that moment a blur of red flashed into sight, and hurtled into her assailant. For one wild moment, she thought that InuYasha had come for her.

But it wasn't him.

"Kagome?"

"Akane?" said Kagome breathlessly.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I'm sorry! I thought I could take him, but he's human!"

"What are you on about?" Akane shook her head in confusion. "Wait, you mean to say, you were looking for a fight?"

Kagome berated herself. Of all the things to let slip…she just had to say the thing that would get her into the most trouble. "Uh, I wouldn't say that, but…"

"Ooh," Akane growled, "Kagome Higurashi, you are coming home this instant!"

"Okay, okay!" Kagome said, holding up her hands in a gesture of peace.

#

Akane slammed her hand through a cinderblock, shattering it with ease.

"I said I was sorry," Kagome offered.

Smash, went another brick.

It had been three days since Ranma had rescued her. In those three days, neither he, or Akane had let Kagome out of sight. Akane was still mad at her, to the point where Kagome was almost begging for Ranma to come play guard instead, because time spent with Akane, was just plain awkward now. And on top of that, she was feeling extremely restless.

Akane glared at her. "Stop fidgeting." She ordered.

"I'm not."

"Yes you are. What's wrong with you? First all you do is sit and mope – not moving for hours, then suddenly you can't stay still!"

"Sorry?" Kagome ventured.

School was torturously boring as well. Kagome would sit in her seat staring out the window at the blue skies, and wonder – would she be able to get away with fake illnesses here? Probably not. The people at this school were all extremely nosey.

"Back to moping are we?"

Kagome started. Akane was kneeling on the floor in front of her, leaning her crossed arms on Kagome's desk.

"No. I'm just thinking. What are you doing on the floor Akane?" It might have been English class (which was practically a free period thanks to Miss Hinako's childish tendencies) but still, it wasn't like Akane to take advantage of that.

"It's lunch dummy."

"Oh." Now, that made more sense.

"Here." Akane placed a small lunchbox on the desk.

"Thanks but I've got one."

Akane sighed. "No you don't. This is your one, but you forgot it this morning."

"Oh." The classroom door slammed open then, making most students jump. Kuno strode in, looking bruised and battered – and filthy as well.

"Great," Kagome muttered.

"Didn't you send him on some quest last week?"

"He wasn't supposed to come back!"

"Someone's been spending to much time with Nabiki," Akane muttered back.

"I don't spend any time wi- Kuno!" Kagome put on her best happy face. "Did you find the things I asked for?"

Kuno fell to his knees before her. "Forgive me sweet maiden for I have failed you. I bring to you only the Cowrie Shell and the Jewelled Sprig!" He held out these items for everyone to see. "I searched high and low, yet the other treasures elude me!"

Akane rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, you're still missing, the Stone Bowl of Buddha, the Robe of the Fire Rat, oh and the Jewel from the Dragon's neck. Why does that sound so familiar?" she asked dryly.

Kagome giggled nervously. "Kuno!" she snapped, dragging the attention away from her self. "I am pleased with you so far. Now go and find me the other objects, okay?"

Kuno sighed. "Yes my love! I shall not fail you this time!" He ran out the door, and Kagome fell forward onto her desk, sighing with relief.

"You made him chase after mythical objects from a fairytale?"

"Yes." Kagome looked up. "But I just don't have the heart to tell him that these are fakes," she said, tapping the branch against the desk. "Plastic," she sighed.

"You were hoping for the real thing? I'm fairly sure they don't actually exist…and if they did, Kuno would probably kill himself trying anyway."

Ranma snorted from where he sat, behind Kagome. "Yeah right. You have met the guy right? He doesn't know when to stay down, and believe me, I've tried."

Akane just rolled her eyes.

AN - I'm so sorry! It's been ages hasn't it? I been having major writers block on this one (again!) - I just don't really feel like writing about a depressed Kagome anymore. Its just starting to grate on me; I wan't her to STOP acting so STUPID already! AARGH! Sorry. -.-"

Oh, and also, I skipped over the fight scene with the weseals, because it turns out I SUCK at writing action. Its all fine and dandy in my head (the graphics are amazing in there) but then on page.....grah.

Anyway, thank-you to the many reviewers, I just hope I havn't turned you off this story for good with this latest attempt.