Chapter Thirteen: Mystery of the New Moon

The bell rang.

Kagome rushed and grabbed her bag, rushing for the door, hoping against all hope that no one would remember it was her turn to help them clean up. She was abruptly halted by one of her friends.

'Hold it!' said her friend. 'Get back here! You're on cleaning duty!'

Well so much for that idea. How to get out of this? 'I know, but I've got to meet someone.' she said 'I promise I'll make it up to you.'

'Don't tell me you're going to see your boyfriend.' said her friend.

'She wouldn't would she?' said another.

'I told you before,' said Kagome 'I do not have a boyfriend. Goodbye. I'll make it up to you.' And she walked to the door and opened it.

At that moment, who should appear but Hojo. Kagome bumped straight into him and out of his arms fell a knee brace thingy. Kagome stepped back a pace as it clattered to the ground. 'Uh…'

'It hits all the pressure points.' said Hojo 'Can't hurt to try it.'

'Uh, I don't know what to say.' said Kagome.

'You gotta give him points for being persistant.' said one of Kagome's friends.

'He might have better luck with flowers.' said another.

'I know sitting bothers you, but do you think you could make it through a movie?' asked Hojo 'It's just two hours.'

'Huddle!' cried one of her friends. With that they dragged Kagome into a circle.

'Wait a sec, did he just ask me out on a date?' asked Kagome.

'That's what it looked like to me.' said a friend.

'Why don't you go?' asked another.

'You'd be the envy of all the girls.' said the third 'Especially considering it's your first date.'

'Uh…' began Kagome.

'Get real?' said one of her more recent friends 'You mean you've never ever been on a date before?'

'Of course I have… not.' said Kagome.
She made her way up to Hojo. 'The movies huh? I guess we could go together.'

'Hey that's great!' said Hojo 'See you saturday. I'll swing by your place at half past six.'

Half past?! The past was the problem! What if she didn't get back in time! She was going on her very first date!

Later that day as she brought her backpack she approached Inuyasha. 'Inuyasha, what are the chances of us getting back by saturday?'

'Fair to moderate if we're lucky.' said Inuyasha 'When exactly was this saturday of yours again?'

'I should have known.' said Kagome, before she was dropped into the well.

A few hours later as the boat made its way downstream Kagome admired the woods passing on either side of her. The birds were singing, the sun was shining and the wind was brisk. She shielded her eyes and found a smile coming to her lips.

'Wow…' she said. 'This is awesome! Look a fish!'

'Would you mind focusing a little?' asked Inuyasha 'We're not here to look at the scenery.'

'Aye, aye, mon capitan. On the lookout for shards of the Shikon Jewel.' said Kagome.

Shippo, meanwhile, was leaning over the edge of the boat having just puked his guts out. Inuyasha looked at him in irritation. 'Shippo, if you don't shape up I'll have to throw you overboard.'

'I'm not trying to get sick…' said Shippo.

'Lay off him.' said Kagome 'It's not his fault he's sick.'

'Yeah, whatever.' said Inuyasha 'Just snap to it alright.'

Then Kagome saw something approaching them. Long threads of silk were stretched across the river. 'What is it?'

'Spiderwebs.' said Inuyasha.

'Those are spiderwebs?' asked Kagome as they approached. 'Are you sure?'

Inuyasha drew out his sword and sliced through them with one swift stroke. Grabbing a bit of the silk he looked over it carefully. Myoga the flea made his way up to Inuyasha's shoulder. 'What manner of silk is it, Master Inuyasha?'

'Nothing to be concerned about.' mused Inuyasha.

Then Kagome let out a cry. 'Up there!'

Inuyasha looked up to see a lone peasant girl fleeing to the edge of the cliff. Spiderlike creatures were following her and she cried out as she slipped off the edge of the cliff and fell. Inuyasha surged forward and caught her before she hit the rocks.

'Looks like some kind of demon.' mused Inuyasha.

'My thanks,' said the girl 'you saved me from certain death.' Then she noticed his ears. 'Demon! Unhand me!' And she hit him.

Inuyasha tossed her into the river without a word.

'Ah! Please! Save me! I'm drowning!'

'Oh I wouldn't want to touch you.' said Inuyasha 'After all you seemed so opposed to the idea a moment ago.'

'Sit!' snapped Kagome, before fishing the girl out of the water.

An hour later, after Inuyasha had started the fire, Kagome began tending to the girls wounds. She sprayed one of those weird antibiotics things on a cut the girl had while Inuyasha observed with disinterest.

'Think of this as preserved herbs for ailments.' said Kagome. 'Do you mind me asking what was after you just now?'

'A demon known as a spiderhead.' said the girl. 'The mountains have been plagued by their evil presence since springtime. Several villages have already been attacked. Spiderheads trap humans in their webs, paralyze them and devour them alive. They're terrifying demons.'

'You can say that again.' said Kagome. 'Hey Inuyasha, we have to do something to help!'

'Any sign of the sacred jewel fragments?' asked Inuyasha.

'Not yet.' said Kagome. 'I didn't pick up anything from the spiderhead just now.'

'Then this doesn't sound like my problem.' mused Inuyasha.

'We can't just walk away!' said Kagome 'There's a demon on the loose!'

'I'm sure there are plenty of wolves on the loose hunting rabbits,' said Inuyasha 'that doesn't mean I have to exterminate the whole species.'

'No one is suggesting you do.' said Kagome.

'I'm leaving.' said the girl. 'Being obliged to a demon does not sit well we me.'

'Feigning some measure of gratitude might sit better with us, though.' said Shippo.

'Insolent beast!' cried the girl.

'Are you seriously accusing another person of ingratitude, Shippo?' asked Inuyasha.

'Thank you,' said the girl 'for reminding me why I detest demons.' And she began to scale up the a vine on the side of a cliff. The vine promptly broke and she fell down and landed with a crash.

Kagome paused. 'How about displaying some of that old fashioned chivalry?'

'What the hell is chivalry?' asked Inuyasha.

Later that day the sun began to sink in the horizon as they came to the gates of a shrine. There was a formidable wall around it, and the gate was very tall. Kagome looked at in in awe. 'That must be the temple! See, that wasn't so bad, was it?'

Inuyasha, who had been carrying the stupid girl the whole way upstairs, disagreed, but he knew better than to argue with her. Just beyond the gates they were met by an old bald headed man in a green robe. He had sad eyes.

'You have returned,' he said 'are you injured Nazuna?'

Nazuna leaped off Inuyasha's back and threw herself at the man's feet. 'Oh master!'

'I feared that a spiderhead may have attacked you.' said the priest.

'It spied me while I attended to the grave sites.' said Nazuna 'I had no choice but to rely on these demons to bring me home. I'm sorry master.'

'Demons?' asked Inuyasha 'Shippo didn't do anything.'

'All demons are not created equal, you know.' said Shippo.

'You can say that again.' said Inuyasha.

'I don't suppose they are.' said the priest.

'Don't worry.' said Inuyasha 'We're leaving anyway.'

'Wait friends,' said the priest 'you must stay the night at the temple.'

'No master!' said Nazuna.

'Go,' said the priest 'prepare a meal for your kind guests.'

'Yes master.' said Nazuna and she walked off, shoulders slumped.

'I beg you to forgive Nazuna for her rudeness.' said the priest 'her parents were killed by a spiderhead and she has harbored an understandable fear of demons since then. I have attempted to quell her fears, but to no avail.'

'So,' said Kagome 'we probably won't run into one of those spiderheads on our way through the mountains will we?'

'As the number of men dying in wars increases so do the number of spiderheads.' said the priest. 'By leaps and bounds.'

'Leaps and-' Kagome tugged Inuyasha's robe. 'Say, how about we take him up on his offer?'

'We're on a quest.' said Inuyasha 'And I can kill those things easily.'

'Stay the night with us and rest with ease.' said the priest 'I have posted sutres outside the temple to ward off any demons from attacking us.'

'What do you say?' asked Kagome.

'I suppose there is no sense arguing.' muttered Inuyasha.

Dusk faded to night and they ate a dinner cooked by Nazuna together. It was very good, for feudal era food anyway. Unfortunately spices weren't nearly as common so it was somewhat plain. Kagome couldn't imagine living in a world without plentiful access to salt and pepper.

After they were done Shippo rested against the pack. 'Ah, what a delicious meal! Perhaps we should stay a few days and get to know Nazuna better.'

'Funny how a couple bowls of rice can change your tune about someone.' mused Kagome.

'I liked her from the start.' said Shippo. 'I merely thought she was lacking in manners.'

Kagome looked up to where Inuyasha was sitting by the window. His expression was mournful and serious as he looked up at the sky. 'Hey Inuyasha, why the long face?'

'It's nothing.' said Inuyasha.

Kagome peered in as the truth occured to her. 'Wait a second, I know what's going on here. You're afraid of spiders aren't you?'

Shippo immediately leaped forward and transformed into one. 'Wow, whose afraid of the big bad spider.'

'No.' said Inuyasha 'I was thinking about some of my old friends. They died tonight.'

'Oh.' said Kagome 'You mean the Band of Seven.'

'Yeah, that's them.' said Inuyasha 'Two of them died the previous day. The rest of them were beheaded in front of me while I was trapped in a binding circle. I would have been next.'

Kagome felt guilty. But at the same time she wanted to know more about these friends of his. Even so he didn't seem like he wanted to talk about it.

'How did you get away?' asked Shippo.

Inuyasha stood up and walked out.

'Inuyasha, where are you going?' asked Kagome.

'To get some fresh air.' said Inuyasha. 'I'm sleeping outside tonight.'

As soon as Inuyasha stepped outside he saw them. The spiderheads were in the trees and creeping over the gate before his eyes. Why hadn't he smelled them? Oh wait, he knew why.

Soon the monsters leaped over the wall and landed before them. Kagome let out a cry of dismay as they lumbered forward, humanoid monstrousities with the heads of spiders. They carried swords and wore the armor of samurai.

'Spiderheads!' cried Kagome.
Then came the spiderheads behind them, entering the room Inuyasha had just left. Kagome and Shippo fled out. 'Look out! They're behind us too!'

'Their numbers are great,' said Myoga 'but they are not a formidable enemy. Up for some after dinner excercise, master?'

Inuyasha drew his sword. 'I guess. So much for the old priests sutras.'

They came at him but he slashed out, cutting two of them in half with two swift strokes. Another had its head chopped off by a blow. Then more came and began to spit web at him. Inuyasha warded it off as best he could, but he could feel himself growing weaker with every moment.

'Inuyasha!' cried Kagome.

"Make a break!' said Inuyasha 'I'll be right behind you!'

'But we can't-' began Kagome.

'Do what I say!' roared Inuyasha 'I can handle these demons!'

More of them poured more webs at him and soon he was getting trapped. Then Shippo was there, sending waves of foxfire around them. The webs burned away and Inuyasha was free.

They fled. They fled quickly.

'Master no!' screamed Nazuma somewhere.

They fled into the woods, running and running. Inuyasha's legs could hardly move. He felt weak, and finally he had to stop and fall to his knees. The webbing was all over his hair and he tried to drag it off.

'We should be safe here.' said Kagome.

'Damn it.' said Inuyasha.

'What's with you?' asked Kagome. 'You're acting weirder than normal.'

'Leave me alone!' snapped Inuyasha.

'What has gotten into you?' asked Kagome as she hauled off the silk.

Then she saw him. His hair had gone completely black. His claws and fangs were gone. His ears were gone as well. 'Don't worry about me for now.' he said 'You should be more worried about yourselves.'

'Your hair has gone black.' said Kagome in awe.

'Yeah, obviously.' snapped Inuyasha as he sat down. 'If you think you can rely on me to save you this time you're gonna be disappointed.'

'What do you mean?' asked Shippo.

'Inuyasha…' said Kagome. 'Is that you?'

'No, I'm a talking puppet.' snapped Inuyasha 'Of course it's me!'

'His ears are gone.' said Shippo.

'You're not half demon anymore.' realized Kagome 'You're human. How about telling us what's going on?'

Myoga made his entrance. 'Half demons like my Lord Inuyasha are subject to certain times when they lose their supernatural powers as demons.'

'I don't really follow you.' said Kagome.

'From time to time half demons are rendered no stronger than yourself or any other mere mortal.' said Myoga 'For him the time must fall on the first night of the new cycle when the moon is dark.'

'Okay, now I get it.' said Kagome 'You mean at the start of each month when the moon is invisible, a night such as tonight.'

'Precisely.' said Myoga 'Why Master?! Why did you not inform us that your period of vulnerability was impending?!'

'Because I don't like you.' said Inuyasha.

'Have you not a whit of trust in me?' asked Myoga.

'Nope.' said Inuyasha.

'I suppose you don't have a whit of trust in me either then!' snapped Kagome 'If you'd told me you were losing your powers I never would have suggested we stay in the temple with Nazumi. So much for being able to lean on your close friends!'

'Oh shut up Kagome!' snapped Inuyasha 'You only have a problem with what I did because you want to feel righteous. Staying at the temple was the right call. I figured if we hung out in the temple until the night was over we'd be safe!

Too bad that stupid Priest couldn't do his damn job right.'

Kagome recoiled, obviously shocked. Then she looke downcast. 'Inuyasha, I hear what you're saying. I just wish you'd open up to me more as your friend.' And then she started crying.

'Uh, you don't get to cry.' said Inuyasha 'I'm the one who watched all his friends get beheaded on this night.'

'If it weren't for your pride we wouldn't be in this boat!' sobbed Kagome 'You're going to pay for this big time pal! Grab a brain would ya, you doughhead!'

'Oh shut up!' snapped Inuyasha 'Geez will you quit pretending as though the whole universe revolves around you?! It doesn't! Even Sesshomaru isn't this self centered!'

'I had a date tonight!' snapped Kagome.

'Oh so now the truth comes out.' said Inuyasha 'You aren't upset because I didn't trust you. You're upset because the quest for the sacred jewel shards inconvenienced you.'

'Well I-' began Kagome.

'The quest which is only necessary because you screwed everything up by breaking the sacred jewel.' said Inuyasha.

'Okay, but-' said Kagome.

'And speaking of which, Nazumi and the priest are probably dead.' said Inuyasha thoughtfully. 'Now I'm okay with that, being the resident psychopath. But since you're the big moral center of this group I kind of figured you'd care.'

Kagome paused. 'Um, oh damn. Uh, shouldn't we go back and rescue him?'

'Nah,' said Inuyasha 'I'm not doing anything this time. I'm going to wait until the sun rises and then I'm going to kill all the spiders.'

'Now that Inuyasha has been rendered a mere mortal,' said Shippo 'I'll have to take over protecting the others. I'll have to summon all my courage-'

'Excellent idea Shippo!' said Inuyasha, clapping him on the back. 'This is the moment when you step out of my shadow and prove yourself! Now go forth back to the temple and kill all those spider demons.'

'What?' said Shippo 'But-'

'No buts!' said Inuyasha 'Go forth brave hero and know that all our hopes go with you!'

'But I don't have any offensive powers!' said Shippo.

'Not my problem,' said Inuyasha 'go.'

'Now hang on.' said Kagome 'Shippo don't listen to Inuyasha. I want you to go back to the shrine and find out what's happened to Nazumi and the priest. If you can, free them and bring them back here.'

And then Nazumi wandered into the clearing.

'Wow, good job Shippo.' said Inuyasha 'You didn't even have to do anything.'

'Nazumi,' said Kagome 'you got away.'

Nazumi fell to her knees. 'Please, you must aid the priest.'

'You want us to go back?' asked Kagome.

'Your demon is strong.' said Nazumi. 'He can assist us.'

'I'm not going.' said Inuyasha.

'Your countenance seems altered.' said Nazumi 'Has your hair not changed?'

'You catch on quick.' said Inuyasha 'I've got none of my powers until tomorrow morning. So I'm gonna kick back, relax and wait till then. Then I'll going to kill every single spider head in this valley and save the Priest. Spider heads sometimes leave their prey to hang for a bit before they eat it so he might still be alive.'

Kagome let out a shriek.

'What now?' asked Shippo.

'My bag!' cried Kagome 'I forgot it!'

'So get a new one when you go back.' said Inuyasha.

'Thing is,' said Kagome 'the jewel shards are inside.'

'Oh that's sad.' said Inuyasha 'Guess I'll have to kill some spiderheads with the sacred jewel!'

'But we can't let them get it!' said Kagome 'You've seen what it does to demons! It could-'

'Kagome, I know you're new to all this but look at me.' said Inuyasha 'I am the son of one of the most powerful demons to ever live. Spider heads can be killed by ordinary humans if they are careful. Even if one of them gets the sacred jewel, I'll still kill it in one hit.

So, yeah, we're just waiting here.'

'But we have to save the priest!' said Kagome.

'No we don't.' said Inuyasha.

'Please!' cried Nazumi 'I beg you!'

'Beg all you want.' said Inuyasha 'The bottom line is that I can't kill all those spiderheads in my human form. I can either wait till tomorrow and maybe save the priest, or go now and get all of us killed for nothing.'

'Come on Nazumi.' said Kagome 'We'll get the priest without Inuyasha.'

'No you won't.' said Inuyasha.

'I'm going with or without you.' snapped Kagome 'You want to help, you can come-'

Inuyasha karate chopped her across the back of the neck and Kagome fell to the ground unconscious. 'Nope.' said Inuyasha 'We're not going through that again.'

'I'll go.' said Shippo.

Inuyasha looked up. 'You serious?'

'Yeah,' said Shippo 'I'm a full demon and a master of illusion. I mean, I've never done anything like this before, but I should be able to sneak in, get the shards, free the priest and get past all… those… weak… spiderheads…' He was shaking in fear.

Inuyasha put a hand on his head. 'Shippo, let me tell you something. Being brave isn't about not feeling fear. Fear is natural. It is about not letting that fear master you. Now go.'

'You want me to go?' asked Shippo.

'Yeah, why not.' said Inuyasha 'You are the most powerful person present at the moment. Just sneak in, get the priest and the jewel shards and get out. Don't start any fights.'

'Right!' said Shippo 'I won't let you down Inuyasha! The legendary warrior Shippo's story begins today!' And he rushed into the underbrush.

'…He's going to die.' said Myoga.

'Yup.' said Inuyasha.

Authors Note:

Okay so I only got half an episode done this chapter. I guess there was more content in this one than most episodes. This was actually a really good episode, but here we have another divergence point. Shippo was a potentially interesting character with some seriously cool moves who was utterly wasted in the story, never really amounting to anything but not funny comic relief.

So I figure I'll give him a day in the limelight.

On the bright side this chapter took less than six months to come out. So there is always that.