~Freak Attraction~

Chapter 9: Performances and Interludes

There weren't many quiet spots in Tokyo anymore. What with the foreigners and carriages and noisy shop-keepers, Grandpa Higurashi had few places of respite left to him outside of the shrine grounds. But even an old man needed a little socializing every now and then, and lucky for him the other old men in town had carved out their own niche in the winding back-streets of the bustling city. Every few days the elderly gentlemen would gather on the wood benches outside a run-down fish stand, sipping sake and sharing tales that stunk more than the tuna hanging on hooks behind them.

"It's gone up to twenty people I tell you, and like as not there're bound to be more missing what don't have family to report they've gone in the first place, if you catch my meaning."

"You're full of it Hiroshi; twenty people can't have disappeared over night! Where're you getting this information? Been speaking to the foreigners again, have you? Remember, you don't speak Dutch or English. You barely speak Japanese!"

The old men's hoarse laughter filled the street, the fish-seller behind them smirking amusedly as well.

"I'm telling you lot, it's true!" Hiroshi cried, tapping his cane onto the loose cobblestones of the street to get their attention again, "My grandson's training with the police, and he's heard tell of complaints from across the city over people what went out one night and never came back."

Daisuke, who'd been harping on old Hiroshi before, simply scoffed, but Yosuke beside him piped up, his voice garbled by a lack of teeth "Me son's been travelling Japan, training see, and he's heard of other cities what's lost groups of people like this."

The group on the bench sobered, knowing Yosuke to be an honest old man, but Daisuke was still unimpressed. "It's all hear-say I tell you – none of you chaps know a single one of these supposed 'missing people'. It's a stunt by the government to cause commotion and get us all riled up!"

"My granddaughter…."

The three arguing old men turned suddenly at the gruff voice of Grandpa Higurashi, who'd been listening to the conversation with a heavy heart and couldn't bear to keep silent longer. "My dear little granddaughter Kagome disappeared like that and has been missing for over a month. So watch your mouth Daisuke, before you stick your foot in it again."

The other men shared matching looks of surprise at the Shrine-keeper's harsh tone. He was always good for stories and well-loved despite his eccentricities, but to hear him sound so serious was something they weren't used to. Cautiously, Daisuke spoke up "Your granddaughter disappeared before this supposed 'group of twenty' did. Besides…" he trailed off, glancing around at the other men who were peering on with interest. He cleared his throat, then boldly said "… wasn't she a runaway?"

Grandpa Higurashi stood up so fast that the others reached out to catch his inevitable fall – but he didn't so much as wobble. There was fire burning in his eyes as he stood proud, if not a little hunched over, and said in no uncertain terms "My granddaughter would never run away from anything."

The soft click of a latch filled the otherwise empty air of the circus grounds. It was just the time of early morning when birds would be out to greet the sun and search for food, but there were no birds around "The Spider's Web". Holding the ring of keys tightly in her grasp to keep them from jangling, Sango stuffed the now unneeded keys in her sash, helping Kagome to swing the gate of the birdcage open as silently as possible. The circus workers were all asleep, but neither girl wanted to risk testing the supernatural hearing of their captors by being careless.

The cage door swung open just enough for Kagome to slip through, wincing slightly as she stepped down onto her swollen ankle. As soon as Sango had guided the door back into place, Kagome was on her in a tight hug, whispering a heartfelt 'thank you' into the demon-tamer's ear. Sango smiled and patted the younger girl's head, whispering back in amusement "you say that every day".

"And I'll keep on saying it, as long as you and the others are willing to do this. You don't know what this means to me." Releasing the woman she'd known for only a short week, Kagome smiled and held out her hand expectantly. Grinning at her friend's impatience, Sango pulled a shining gold pocket-watch from the folds of her circus coat and placed it in Kagome's palm. "Remember, when both hands –"

"-Are on the six, then my time is up" Kagome finished with a smile, tucking the watch into her blouse. "Don't worry, I always make it back on time."

Sango's gaze turned to concern as she said softly "Just be careful. You're taking more and more risks each time you go, and it's only a matter of time before the Ringmaster finds out."

Whatever response Sango was expecting to see, she was unprepared for the look of defeated serenity that stole over Kagome's features as she replied "Oh Sango… I think he already knows." With shuffling steps Kagome hurried off among the tents, heading to the crates and stands stacked up at the back of the circus compound, leaving a grim-faced Sango to stand guard outside her empty bird-cage.

Kagome caught sight of Shippo's bushy tail as she went, sending him a silent thank you for his surveillance. She made a note to thank Miroku later as well, knowing he was back amongst the worker's tents, ready to cause a distraction if any demon decided to be up and about in the middle of what was their nighttime.

The frosty grass was quickly numbing her feet, but she pressed on, letting the cold distract her from the sharp pain that shot up from her ankle with every step she took. Sango would chide her later for walking so quickly on an injury that was trying to heal, but she really had no choice. She had a mere half an hour before she needed to be back in her birdcage, and would only get another two hours of sleep before Kagura came to start her daily training. The demon-woman was hard-nosed and worked Kagome until she could no longer stand, but all the same, Kagome was grateful that her training was with the wind-demon and not Naraku. The man in the baboon-pelt had not come to harass her for a few days now, and she dreaded the next time he would stop by to check on her progress.

He'd only taunted her with his spider webs so far, not trying as much as he had that first night, but Kagome dreaded that each encounter would bring him closer and closer to a breaking point.

The sound of snarling met Kagome's ears, and all thoughts of Naraku and Kagura vanished as she rounded the corner and stepped out before The Dog-Man's cage. He was already watching her, crouched low and defensively, his lengthened fangs bared and red eyes blazing. Smiling sadly, she took a step forward, and his growling increased in response.

"Hi Inuyasha… did you get any sleep?"

He didn't answer. She hadn't expected him to.

"Me neither" she whispered, taking another step towards him, "It's hard to sleep when you're surrounded by demons who want you dead… but… I guess you already know that."

His snarling had stopped as he saw her limping gait. She obviously posed no immediate threat, but he maintained a steady growl nonetheless.

"I thought I could picture before what it must have been like for you to live in a cage for years, only ever leaving to be forced to fight for your life." She shivered in the thin workers coat draped over her shoulders. It stunk of rot and blood and things she didn't want to imagine, but it was her only guard against the morning chill of winter. They'd taken her outer kimono away. "I never could have imagined this… even now, I'm only getting a taste. How did you do it? How did you survive?"

She met his red eyes without shame, searching deep within them to try and find him; to find her half-demon friend who said the wrong things, who never slowed down, who carried her on his back and let her use him as a pillow each night.

"You know, the demons aren't the only things keeping me up" she said, forcing a grin. She still hadn't found him in those eyes of fire and ice. "It may be a little silly, but it's hard to sleep without you next to me. I… I miss you." There was nothing: no look of surprise, no blushing cheeks, no sputtering at her frankness. He really didn't know who she was.

She took another step forward, and they both tensed. This was as far as she'd gotten yesterday, before her nerve ran out and she froze, talking and keeping her distance before it was time to leave. But that was yesterday – today she was determined to take another step. "I performed again last night." Her foot inched forward, shuffling in the dirt as if afraid to admit it was actually moving. "They threw knives this time, not just rocks. My barrier held up well though! Not a single one hit me. It's a good thing you had me practice so much… back on the road."

He wasn't listening; his eyes were trained on her shuffling foot. She noticed and took a bold step forward, and his red and blue eyes shot to her face. "You should have seen it Inuyasha" she said with a soft smile, "remember the crater I made of that stump? That was nothing compared to the hole I put in the arena last night. You would have been so proud." She had done it – she'd taken another step, and he hadn't gone ballistic. She knew better than to think he trusted her, but it was heartening to know he'd allow the proximity. The circus demons who tended to him didn't dare get this close.

She paused in her one-sided conversation to just watch him, noticing his muscles tensing and claws flexing against the metal floor of the cage. She could feel the ticking of the pocket-watch against her chest, and knew she only had a few more minutes to spend with him.

"I have something for you" she said fervently, reaching into her blouse and producing a long red ribbon. "Shippo found your coat out in the trash, and your leather shirt… and this." She wrapped the ribbon around her hand, her hair ribbon, memories of the morning he'd taken it rushing back to her. "Even though you took it for stupid reasons" she said lightly, her lips tugging up in amusement "I don't mind you keeping it. It's yours now." He was watching in avid interest, his inhuman gaze flickering from her face to the new object in her hands.

Kagome bit her lip as she realized her one extra step today wouldn't be enough. This was probably a really foolish idea – she hadn't even told Shippo about it – but there was no backing out. She was desperate to have him back, and willing to try anything.

Her feet moved suddenly, taking multiple steps without warning, and the caged demon resumed his snarling as he watched her advance. Before she could come to her senses she was right next to the bars, close enough to feel the fiery heat of his aura and see the flakes of dried blood on his hands and face. She'd heard enough gossip about what he did in the ring nowadays to know it wasn't his blood; the demons he fought now never got close enough to see his blood.

Kagome longed to reach out to him, and in her longing brought her hands to grasp the bars before her. He lunged, she jumped – but he glanced off the protective barrier and shuffled back on his hands and feet to glare at her. "It's alright" she whispered, more for herself than for him; her heart was still racing. "I won't hurt you. I could never hurt you."

Letting the ribbon fall from around her hand, she held it up gingerly, dangling it from two fingers as if that would offer any protection. She held it up to the bars for him to see, but he only snarled again and crouched lower, ready to lash out at any moment. Kagome pursed her lips, rallying her courage. She knew what she had to do, and she was willing to do it; she just worried what her friends or the Ringmaster might do if she came to perform that night with a missing hand. But if there was any chance her actions might spark something, any chance at all that it might help bring her half-demon back….

As slowly as possible, Kagome reached between the bars, lowering the ribbon onto the iron floor as it pooled like blood against the metal.

There was a flash of silver, and he struck.

The gasp that tore from Kagome's throat was more from shock than from pain – he had moved too fast for there to be any pain – but her breath kept coming in gasps as her world refocused and she looked down to see Inuyasha's fangs biting firmly into her hand. Her world stopped, her breath caught, and even the ticking of the pocket-watch against her chest seemed to have stilled.

It took her a moment, but finally she noticed he hadn't moved either.

She could feel his fangs piercing her skin, but the pressure around her hand neither lessened nor grew worse. His breath was hot against her icy fingers, and in the quiet that had descended over them, she could hear him taking long, deep breaths. She knew better than to move, but she couldn't help the shiver of excitement that ran through her as she realized 'he's sniffing me!' She watched his nostrils flare as he took in the scent of the palm in his mouth and the ribbon brushing his cheek; he even went so far as to dab at the wound he had made with his tongue, tasting her blood, but not in a hungry or animalistic way. Kagome held her breath as she waited to see his reaction, and she didn't fight the smile that came over her face as she watched the blue of his irises flicker gold.

"Oh Inuyasha… I knew you were in there… I just knew it!" His bite lessened slightly, but he didn't drop her hand. His red eyes lifted to meet her stormy ones, and though the gold had vanished, there was something so much more… human in his gaze now. Despite the red and blue and violet stripes across his cheeks, the look he gave her was so imploring that she didn't bother to move her hand away even though she could have. With that one look, she understood: he was lost within himself, and her scent, her proximity, was the only thing keeping him anchored.

A sudden and strong tick against her breast brought her back to reality, and the realization that her time with him was over gave her the incentive to take back her hand. He let her go without protest, but she made sure to drop the ribbon in front of him, easily within his reach. Her heart soared to see him stretch out his dangerous claws to snag the ribbon, pulling it away in a possessive grip. She backed away slowly, unwilling to turn away from him just yet. It only got harder as with every step she took she could almost see the haze of his transformation taking over and his humanity fading. "I'll see you tomorrow Inuyasha…" she whispered, wishing she had the courage to say the words she really wanted to, and ducked around the crates to go back to her cage.

"No good, try again."

Kagome dabbed at her sweaty forehead with a dirty sleave, her bangs plastering to her skin as she stood to face Kagura once more. The wind-demon raised her fan, and Kagome barely had time to lift her hands before her face as a barrage of rocks flew at her. The burst of spiritual power she created was not as strong as it had been that morning and only managed to pulverize the first wave of projectiles. She missed the ones coming up behind, and was knocked off her feet.

From her spot on the ground, Kagome closed her eyes against the sun directly above her. Its rays did little to counter the crisp, dry air of the mountains and Kagura's manipulated wind, and she could feel her sweat chilling against her skin. She heard Kagura's frustrated sigh, and her anger flared. 'What's she sighing for?' Kagome growled in her head, 'She's not the one getting beat up!'

"Do it again."

Barely managing to lift her head, Kagome shot the woman a glare, and Kagura glared right back. "Do you think this is a game little girl? You're back in the ring tonight, and believe me, you'll be fighting off more than stones this time."

Leaning up on her elbows, Kagome said in a hoarse voice "I won't be able to fight anything if I can't move. Please… just let me take a break."

"Not until you prove to me you can do this." Kagura's cold tones couldn't cover the determination in her eyes, and not for the first time Kagome wondered why this woman seemed so set on her improvement. "Wouldn't you rather see me dead?" Kagome said sourly as she rose onto shaking feet. Her bandaged, swollen ankle protested under the pressure.

"You're no good to me dead."

With that she sent another fast-flying volley of rocks at the girl, who disintegrated them all in a wave of pink energy. As the dust cleared, Kagome stood firm in her defensive stance, panting and waiting for the next attack. However, Kagura lowered her fan, snapping it shut and tapping it against her shoulder thoughtfully. "I suppose that's good enough for today. Sleep while you can, if you can. I'll be back when it's time for you to go on – you know the drill."

Kagome nodded tiredly as Kagura led her back to her birdcage, not bothering to put up a fight as she climbed up and into the wrought-iron structure. She was getting used to being fatigued and in pain. Neither said a word as they both saw a fluffly tuft of brown slip into the cage as well before the door closed and the lock clicked ominously. A curtain-like covering had been placed over the cage, much like the red silk that used to hang over Inuyasha's cage back when they had first met, and Kagura let the flap of cloth fall into place as she left to work on her own routine.

Despite the sun high overhead, the black curtain over the cage shut out all light and sound from the outside world – but that was alright with Kagome. Turning back to face the darkness, she said happily in a hushed voice "Hiya Shippo."

A burst of blue flame rose up the roof of the cage, hovering far enough down not to singe the fabric cover, and Shippo jumped onto Kagome's shoulder to rub affectionately against her cheek. "Hi Kagome! How was your training?"

"Torture, as usual." She said with a huff, plopping down to the floor of the cage and leaning back against the bars. They bit into her back sharply, but she was too worn out to care. "I'm getting stronger I guess, but I don't know how much longer my body can take this! I don't think my ankle will ever be the same…."

Shippo gave her his biggest, saddest eyes, his little lip quivering as he said "I'm sorry Kagome… I wish I could get you out of here myself, but I… I'm not strong enough I guess."

Kagome looked down at him affectionately, her weary arms pulling him into a tight hug against her neck as she said softly "Don't worry – you're being a big help to me just by keeping me company like this! It's more than enough. Besides, you know I can't leave without Inuyasha."

"Yeah, I know" Shippo said sadly. He was quiet for a moment, then said in a shaky voice "What're we gonna do, Kagome? How are we gonna help him? He… he's like a whole other person now! It's like… it's like Inuyasha doesn't even exist anymore!"

Kagome's arms tightened around the kit, but her voice was steady as she said "I know it seems like that Shippo, but believe me, he's in there. We'll get him back." Shippo nodded against her, and with a smile she leaned her head over the top of his auburn hair. The warmth from the fox-fire was making her drowsy, and she was more than ready to catch whatever sleep she could before they threw her into the circus tent.

Just as she was dozing off though, she felt Shippo stiffen, and heard his nose lightly sniffing the air. "Kagome" he whispered, his normally light voice heavy with worry, "your hand… it's bleeding."

Kagome didn't bother moving or opening her eyes as she responded sleepily "It's alright, it doesn't hurt – just a slight ache. I've already changed the bandages."

But Shippo wasn't satisfied. "What happened? Did you get hurt practicing with Kagura? Did someone else do this?"

She hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to reveal the secret of the morning's encounter, but decided that if anyone deserved to know it was Shippo. "I… visited Inuyasha earlier. You know that."

Shippo's gasp made her wince, and as he said indignantly "He hurt you?" Kagome was quick to respond "If he had really wanted to hurt me, I wouldn't have a hand right now. He stopped himself Shippo… He chose not to hurt me."

The little fox calmed immediately, and Kagome let herself settle further against the bars as Shippo made himself comfortable again. Despite the haze of sleep over her mind, Kagome could hear Shippo whispering in wonder to himself "He stopped… he stopped" and happily let those words carry her away into dreams of a dog-eared boy with eyes like the sun.

It was only a few hours before Kagome was roused from a deep sleep by Shippo's insistent tugging. Her mind was cloudy and her body lethargic, but she got his message – Kagura was coming. Kagome fought against her fatigue, knowing that in only a few minutes she'd be forced to perform. She hadn't been tired like this since her first night in the cage; and this time she'd slept so soundly that not even the chanting song had entered her dreams. She was grateful, but couldn't help worrying that her sleepy mood would put her in serious danger; nodding off for even a second during a 'performance' could mean a knife through her heart. Cringing at what she was about to do, Kagome kicked the heel of her injured foot sharply against the cage-floor – that woke her with a start.

It was just in time too, as Kagura pulled back the cover to unlock the cage-door and let Shippo out. Kagome was about to follow but found Kagura's arm blocking her path.

"They want you in the cage tonight." She said simply, closing the lock and putting the cover back in place.

Despite her unease, Kagome grew hopeful at the prospect of giving her injured foot a rest. It was no accident that Naraku had broken her ankle; it was a precaution to keep her from running. He knew she wouldn't run away from the circus – they had Inuyasha to ensure that – instead it was to keep her from escaping during acts. She'd tried to dodge the rocks and other projectiles at first during training, but quickly found running on a broken ankle was all but impossible. She had passed out the first time she'd attempted it.

The only way to handle her handicapped condition was to stand and fight, and that was just what Naraku wanted. It was defend or die, and Kagome had quickly risen to the challenge. She could produce a barrier at will now, strong enough she discovered to repel even the knives the demons threw at her the night before. She could also produce powerful blasts of spiritual power, but still couldn't control the surge well enough to truly weaponize it. The technique worked well for spectacle's sake, but she caused more collateral damage than anything. With more practice she would likely gain control of it soon, but there was something else holding her back. She could feel her spiritual energy tugging at the confines of her body, wanting to be set free to its fullest, but she could never let herself use that power to the extent that it wished to be used. Naraku's threat of what that power might do to Inuyasha was still clear in her mind, and she wouldn't risk his safety just to give herself an easier time in the ring.

There was a jolt to the cage and Kagome's thoughts cut off as she found herself swaying as the floor beneath her moved. She grabbed the bars behind her for support, slowly sinking to her knees as the cage swung. She closed her eyes, trying to center herself and stave off a nauseous feeling growing in her stomach. Heavy breathing and grunting outside of the covered cage caught her attention, and she managed to crack open an eye to peer through the slit in the cloth. She caught a glimpse of a massive thigh, the sickly purple of its skin informing her that an oni was carrying her cage. Swallowing her nervousness, Kagome slumped back against the bars and closed her eyes, concentrating on the feel of her powers to drown out the swinging and spinning world around her.

The relative silence that had filled the compound exploded into a cacophony of noise as they entered the circus tent. She strained to hear the announcer Gatenmaru over the yells of the spectators, hoping for any sort of hint about what she would be facing tonight, but it was no use. She couldn't make out one sound from another, and it wasn't as though she could prepare at this point anyways.

The swaying steps of the giant oni suddenly stopped and the cage hit the ground with a jolt, throwing Kagome to the floor. The cover was torn away and Kagome hid her eyes behind dirty sleeves as the blinding lights of the arena burst over her.

Blinking to refocus her vision, Kagome looked about to see the grounds inside the ring were deserted. The oni was gone, and a disquieting hush had fallen over the crowd, as if they were waiting for something she couldn't see. She held her breath, willing herself to be calm. She had survived so far; she would make it through tonight, and by morning this would just be another experience to tell to Inuyasha. At the thought of those demon eyes and the lost look Inuyasha had given her earlier that day, Kagome felt determination welling in her. She needed to see him again. These demons wouldn't keep her from him. Ignoring the silence of the crowd and pushing through the pain in her foot, Kagome stood in her cage, lifting her chin with courage as she'd seen Inuyasha do when he'd faced the centipede.

Murmuring rippled through the crowd, and suddenly Kagome heard a new sound – the harsh beating of wings in the air. A wailing shriek filled the silence, and Kagome jerked her head upwards to see a red-eyed crow diving for her cage. It swerved at the last second and began circling, snapping its long beak at the girl huddled inside. Latching its talons onto the iron rails, it stuck a beak lined with jagged teeth far inside in an attempt to reach the young human girl. Kagome fell against the far side of the cage, just out of range of the deadly bill, but a stabbing pain near her shoulder had her falling forward. She turned to see another crow reaching its head through the bars, and she ducked just in time to avoid being pecked by both at once. One crow managed to tear a piece of her circus coat, the fabric shredding in its jaws, and Kagome swallowed hard at the thought of what those teeth would do to her skin.

The demon crowd erupted into life again as several more bird-shrieks filled the arena, and at least a dozen crows swooped in upon the cage. Kagome reacted instinctively, her powerful burst of spiritual energy blasting a hole in the roof of her enclosure. A few of the birds fell in a smoking heap to the ground, but the others saw their opening and took it. She gasped as they dived collectively for the hole in the cage, and she threw her hands above her, creating a barrier just in time.

The swarm of demon crows were repelled by the barrier but otherwise unharmed, as they once again circled the girl in the broken cage, constantly pecking at and weakening her shield. Kagome felt the barrier shudder with each hit and knew she couldn't keep it stable for much longer. Her spiritual powers would have been enough to finish the demons, but they were everywhere at once. She couldn't hit one without also leaving more holes through which they could attack.

The barrier pulsed as another crow hit it, and Kagome realized she would just have to take her chances. Just as one of the crows passed in front of her she let her barrier drop and aimed her spiritual energy for the demon, blowing it clear across the arena and into the crowd. Talons scraped across her back and with a hissing breath she turned to blast the crow behind her, barely clipping its wing with the poorly aimed shot.

She restored her barrier, but it wasn't holding like it had before, and the crows were getting their beaks and talons through before the purifying energy became too much to handle. Kagome was at a loss, her breath coming in quick, short gasps as her energy failed her. Despair began to creep into her heart as she considered her imminent failure. Would she die here, torn to pieces in the center of the arena? Would Inuyasha ever know what had happened to her? Would he even be able to care?

As her thoughts turned dark, strains of a familiar song began playing in her ears, and in response she felt frustrated tears stinging her eyes.

"Kagome, Kagome… you are no more than a bird in a cage"

She wouldn't let them win. She wouldn't die in this place, with that song in her head and that man in the baboon-pelt gloating over her dead body. Growling in irritation, Kagome dropped her barrier again, letting loose bursts of power at anything that moved. She hit a few of the carrion-crows, but there were too many for her to make a dent, and they were getting wise to her actions.

"Crane and a turtle, gonna slip and fall"

The demon crows were clustering now in their flight, and though they made a larger target, they still moved quicker than Kagome and evaded her shots of spiritual energy with ease. They stayed behind her, pecking at her scratched and bleeding back and quickly flying away before she could turn around.

"Who's behind you now, are they big or small?"

That last line echoed in her mind as she readied her spiritual powers again, and this time she paused at the feel of something. At first the sensation was unfocused, but she realized what she was feeling: demonic auras. She could feel the auras of the crows; and suddenly, she could see them. Every dive, every evasion, every move they made was clear in her mind's eye. She could see them behind her, and knew where they were coming from and where they were going to. Her lip quirked in a smirk, sweat trickling down her face as she concentrated on the auras of the crows. She could do this – she could beat them. She would survive.

Kagome saw the crows gathering again to attack; if she turned fast enough, they would not be able to dodge. Seeing them right where she wanted, Kagome turned, her spiritual energy ready to fire, and aimed ahead to where she knew the crows would be. She didn't bother to look; her eyes would only betray her at this point. The shrieks of the carrion-crows built in a crescendo before fizzling into nothing as the pink light washed over them, their ashes exploding in the air around the cage.

Kagome fell to her knees, deaf to the angry shouts of the disappointed spectators, her eyes glued to the cage. It was… intact. There were holes of varying shapes and sizes punched through the wrought-iron from her other attacks, but in the place where her final shot had fired, the bars were untouched. Her mind reeled seeing the dusty remains of the crows beside the cage, but there was no other evidence of the blast. 'What did I do?' she asked herself over and over; the answers evaded her, but she felt in her bones that she would need those answers later on.

As her adrenaline faded, her wounds made themselves known, the scratches and jabs from the birds stinging in the dry air of the tent. Her back throbbed with the depth of some of the marks, and her head throbbed along with it. Her breaths were shallow, her lungs aching from the strain of her fight, and suddenly the fatigue caught up with her. The bars before her were swimming, growing fuzzy, and suddenly they were flying away as her head fell back against the bars and her world went black.

"I told you Miroku, stay out until I'm finished! Honestly, the girl is in enough pain – she shouldn't have to deal with your perverted ways on top of everything else!"

"I merely came to check on her! Can't I at least offer my well-wishes?"

"Not until she's dressed! Now GET OUT!"

The voices of her circus friends rang loudly in her wakening ears and Kagome cringed at the noise, but a smile quirked her lip regardless. To come back from black nothingness to concerned and friendly voices was a welcome thing, and she couldn't even find it in herself to be mad at Miroku's peeping. She knew his concern was real, even if he did use it to his advantage.

Her smile turned into a hiss though as something cold was applied to her bare back and a stinging sensation ran up her spine. She heard Sango's gasp at her reaction, and suddenly the demon-tamer was before her, peering into her bleary eyes with concern.

"Kagome! You're awake! We were so worried about you…."

Kagome smiled, lifting her face off the sleeping mat she'd been placed on and saying tiredly "I'm alright… I beat them, didn't I?"

Sango's smile was less sure as she responded "Yes, you did, but you lost a lot of blood in the fight, and I wasn't sure if you were going to make it." She brushed a hand carefully over Kagome's head, and the younger girl's smile saddened at the motherly gesture. She'd been avoiding thoughts of her family since her arrival, choosing to focus all her energy on saving her half-demon friend. Now though, tired and injured and finally experiencing real care, Kagome couldn't help wishing she were back in her mother's embrace.

Wishing to share her appreciation with Sango, Kagome tried to raise herself up, but a sharp stab of pain left her gasping and falling back onto the stiff bed. Sango rushed back to her side, clicking her tongue disapprovingly and asserting "You need to stay lying down for a while still. I'm almost done bandaging your cuts, but it'll be a while before they stop bleeding. Some are pretty deep. You're lucky the Ringmaster needs you to perform again, otherwise he would let you die like he lets the demons."

Kagome shuddered, not at all from the pain as she asked tentatively "Has he… has he been here?"

"No, thankfully" Sango replied with relief "but he had Kohaku bring you to us after your performance. With all the blood you were covered in, I'd guess he didn't trust any demons to handle you."

"I wish I knew what he needed me for so badly… he sure has gone to a lot of trouble…" Kagome mused.

"I wouldn't worry about it" Sango said quickly, resuming her bandaging, "Whatever it is, it's nothing good. Better to enjoy what little freedom you have while you can, and cross that bridge when you get to it. And don't rush your recovery – as long as these wounds need care, he'll let you stay with us."

Kagome smiled gratefully, feeling secure for the first time since Inuyasha's transformation. She was quiet as Sango applied medicinal ointments to the gashes, only wincing slightly as the older girl helped her sit up to wrap the bandages across her back. In the silence that filled the small tent, Kagome found her mind filling quickly with thoughts and questions, though she hesitated to bring them up. She knew how her friend would react, but she couldn't rest until she had tried.

As the demon-tamer finished the bandages and helped her back onto her stomach, Kagome spoke up. "Sango? What… what time is it?"

Sango paused at the odd question, but reached into her shirt to glance at the pocket-watch she kept hidden away. She had told Kagome early on that it had been a gift from her father – something he had received from a foreign client – and at the sad look accompanying the story, the schoolgirl had not questioned further. She had made sure to handle the watch carefully every time it was leant to her, and even now felt somewhat guilty for asking Sango to pull out such a keep-sake on silly request.

"It's around three in the morning" she responded casually, though her fingers carefully tucked the watch back under her clothing, "You've been out for several hours – the show's been over for a while now." For a moment she seemed to think nothing of the question as she tidied her medical supplies, but then her eyes widened and she turned to look at Kagome suspiciously. "Why?"

At Kagome's sheepish gaze, Sango sighed. "Kagome, no. I know what you're thinking, and the answer is definitely no. Do you have any idea how dangerous that would be right now? You may have been able to get close to Inuyasha before, but right now… right now you're like a walking meal for demons like him! One sniff of all that blood, and he'd probably break through that barrier himself to have a good meal!"

Kagome ducked her head, and Sango's attitude softened at the young girl's apparent distress. Walking back to Kagome's side, she once again placed her hand on the schoolgirl's head, gently brushing her hair. "I understand what you're feeling; I've wanted so many times to just go find Kohaku, slip away into the woods and never look back, but… there's a time and a place for everything. That's what Miroku always says, and as much as I hate to admit it, he's right." Kagome giggled softly, and Sango smiled to see her friend's mood brightening. Her voice was gentle as she continued "I know it'll be hard, but give it a few days. He'll still be here, and you'll be in better shape to help him. We're all doing our best to help you two, and we'll keep helping you until we're all free. After all… you've already broken out once."

Kagome turned her head slightly to give Sango a watery smile, and with a soft gaze Sango whispered "I have faith in you" before getting up and slipping outside, giving Kagome time to rest in peace.

But resting was the last thing on Kagome's mind – she'd been resting too long already. There were still a few hours before the time she usually went to see Inuyasha, and she knew that Sango and the others would be returning here to sleep shortly. Glancing about her, she noticed that the flap of their tent was clearly in her line of view – if she was lucky, she'd be able to see the light change outside, alerting her of when morning arrived. From Sango's words, she guessed the group wouldn't bother waking up before it was time to rehearse and would be fast asleep throughout the night, which she planned to use to her advantage. She hoped that Kagura would give her a break as well, which would only lengthen her window of opportunity.

Laying prone on the thin bed under the small tent, Kagome let her eyes drift closed and her aura expand as she felt around for Inuyasha's presence. She sensed him suddenly, and smiled to know he wasn't too far away. From the lack of interfering auras, it seemed they were both separated from the demon workers, which would make her plans much easier.

Her conscious nagged at her for lying to Sango, but she didn't know what else to do. Her friend was right – there was a time and place for everything. What her friend didn't understand was that the time was now, the place at Inuyasha's cage. She was confident her blood wouldn't set him off – it hadn't the day before – and she feared that waiting for too long would only make his condition worse. His demon blood wasn't fading as she had at one point hoped it would; it only seemed to take stronger hold the longer he was left to himself, and she wouldn't allow for that. If her being beside him gave him relief from his demonic-self for even a few moments, then those were precious moments she would gladly give him.

And if Kagome were being perfectly honest with herself, it wasn't just for his sake. He was her life-line in this circus as much as she was his, and with all that she had just been through, she needed him more than ever. She wished he could talk to her, sit with her; even yelling at her would be welcome at this point, but for now she'd be happy just to be by his side.

*Author's Note:

I wanted to add more to this part, but this seemed like a good place to pause (whether you agree or not :P I needed to do it for the sake of the next chapter)

Sorry this chapter took me forever - it was difficult because it's a slower chapter, plot-wise, but the slight pause in the action will make more sense when the next chapter comes out. We're getting close to the finish line with this, and a lot is going to happen in just a short amount of time. SO hold tight for the impending finish, and hold out hope for me that I finish it by the end of the year like I planned. :3