InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Hanyou no kokoro no naka de; Within the Heart of the Half-Demon ❯ A Chronicle of Strange Encounters Part 1 ( Chapter 17 )

Disclaimer: Hahaha I don't own Inuyasha. Hahaha. I forgot the disclaimer last chapter. Hahaha

 

A/N: Sorry for the extreme delay in updating!! School and work have been crazy busy and I've hardly had the time to write. I promise to keep updating as fast as I can, but I can't guarantee how often that will be. Sorry! Pray my life slows down. I'm going to go crazy like this!! Anyway, on with the story.

 

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Hanyou no kokoro no naka de; Within the Heart of the Half-Demon

 

Chapter 17

 

A Chronicle of Strange Encounters Part I

 

 

 

Kagome held tight to Inuyasha's shoulders as he ran through the forest. They were on the opposite side of the palace gates than they had entered on, giving them quite the journey back. It had been such a long night, and poor Kagome was so worn out. Holding on to the devilishly fast hanyou was beginning to become difficult. Her tired hands gripped as tight as they could to his sleeves.

 

“Inuyasha?” she whispered tiredly.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Are we nearly there?”

 

He chuckled. “Why? You're not falling asleep on me back there, are ya?”

 

She yawned. “Yeah…I haven't slept in two days…what did you expect?? I'm only human you know!”

 

“We're getting closer. I can smell them. Just a few more minutes.”

 

“We have to hurry—People will be coming after us soon now---now that we've been caught.”

 

“Don't worry. We won't be caught again until after the Shikon Jewel is found and safe. Preferably after the curse is broken.” Though she couldn't see him, he smiled. “Sango! Miroku!! Oi!!”

 

Kagome lifted her head up off Inuyasha's shoulder as he came to a quick stop. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara were all sitting lazily against a tree. From the look on their surprised faces, it appeared they had all been sleeping. Miroku sat up and rubbed his eyes. Sango stretched, Shippo didn't move a muscle.

 

“How did it go?” Sango asked, standing up and yawning.

 

Kagome slid off Inuyasha's back. “Fine.”

 

“Didn't get caught or anything, did you??”

 

“Ha!” Inuyasha spat out. “Of course not!! Do you seriously think we couldn't make it secretly? It was amazing!”

 

“Here, Sango-chan,” Kagome said quietly, handing her the cloth she had brought back for her.

 

“Arigatou.”

 

Miroku stood up and stretched. “Anyway, I suppose we should set out to find Naraku.”

 

“Um—speaking of Naraku…” Kagome said, holding up a hand to stop the monk. “He was there. In the castle with my father.”

 

“What??”

 

Inuyasha nodded.

 

“Did he see you?” Miroku asked.

 

“I said we didn't get caught, didn't I!?!” Inuyasha retorted.

 

“Actually—” Kagome interrupted. “Naraku did see us.”

 

“What did he do?”

 

Kagome thought for a second. “Well…it's weird, but he didn't do anything. I mean. If he did anything he saved us from getting in trouble with my father.”

 

“Did your father see you two?” Miroku asked.

 

Inuyasha sighed in defeat.

 

“Yeah. My dad saw Inuyasha.” In my bed…not good.

 

“Wonderful,” Sango said, “And Naraku saved you from trouble??”

 

“Yeah,” Kagome replied with a nod. “Almost as if he wanted us to get away.”

 

Miroku leaned against a tree. “He has a plan. I don't know what it is, but he's got one. That guys is too smart and has lived too long to just be doing things at the spur of the moment. If he really wanted you and Inuyasha to escape then…he wants you out here away from the kingdom.” He thought for a moment. “Perhaps it would be safer for you, Kagome-sama, if you stayed—”

 

“No! I refuse to hide out in the castle while you guys are out here trying to break the curse!! I have to stay with you!” she cried. “It's my fault, so let me at least help break this stupid curse!!”

 

“You'd be safer, Kago…” Sango began.

 

“I don't want to be safer. I want to find the jewel and have everyone live! I will not sit by and watch!” The slightly spoiled/ordering princess side of Kagome was beginning to show.

 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at the fact that she was nearly throwing a fit about getting her way. It is about the curse, though. I guess she deserves a little break. But she sure as hell ain't gonna be ordering me around.

 

Seeing that they would probably never convince her to go home, they switched their focus to finding Naraku and saving the jewel. They all knew their time was limited.

 

“If we want to catch Naraku,” Miroku began again. “We must do it off guard. He obviously knows we're out here; we'll never be able to attack him straight on. If he is still the “Great Youkai” and he has the jewel, then he will be super powerful. We hardly have a chance that way.”

 

“There's only four of us,” Sango said. “And this forest is huge! We don't even know for sure that he's out here.”

 

“He will be eventually, and we have to be more prepared than he is.”

 

They all thought in silence for a moment. Kagome yawned again, sitting down against a tree. She was just too tired to think.

 

“Here's an idea!” Sango piped. “If we split up then we can cover twice as much territory. It worked when we were looking for Inuyasha. Perhaps we'll find Naraku faster in two groups. Inuyasha's strong, we don't have to worry about him.”

 

“But what about whoever doesn't come with me??”

 

“Well, Houshi-sama and I are both pretty strong. Together we'll be alright” Sango looked back at Miroku as if waiting for assertion. He smiled and nodded.

 

“We'll be fine. If you take the princess then you can protect her. We'll be just about equal power-wise.”

 

“Keh!” Inuyasha huffed. “You might be strong for humans, but there ain't no way we'd be almost equal. Don't even start thinkin' I'm only as strong as two humans!”

 

Miroku and Sango chuckled. “Sorry, there, Inuyasha,” the monk apologized. “Either way, Sango and I will be alright.”

 

“So what happens when one of us finds the monkey?” Inuyasha the pessimist asked. “And what about those two miniature youkai there?” he pointed at Kirara and the sleeping Shippo.

 

Kirara hissed.

 

“Well, they could—” Sango thought for a second. “They could be messengers or something.”

 

“Huh??”

 

“You know, like fly back and forth between the groups. We can stay in contact that way. Sound good?”

 

“Wonderful idea, Sango!” Miroku praised.

 

“You've got all the answers don't ya?”

 

“Should we set off, then?” Miroku asked, picking Shippo up off the ground. The kit raised his head and blinked a few times.

 

“Ohayo, Shippo-chan!” Sango said, smiling.

 

Shippo groaned and gave Sango an eyes-half-way-open smile.

 

Inuyasha rested his hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt. “Yeah. Let's go.” He turned around to where Kagome had sat down earlier. “Come on, Kago--”

 

His look seemed to soften as his gaze fell on her. She had fallen fast asleep lying against the tree trunk, her bag of supplies still in her arms. Somehow the scene caught his breath in his chest, freezing him in his spot for a short moment. She had never looked…quite so peaceful before and it caught him by surprise.

 

“Poor girl,” Miroku said softly, stepping up next to Inuyasha. “She hasn't slept in nearly two whole days.”

 

“Yeah! Well, neither have I and I'm still on my feet!!” Inuyasha retorted, almost rudely.

 

“But you are a hanyou. And your used to a lack of sleep, no? Kagome-sama has never been so physically stressed in her life, nor gone so long without sleep. It would probably be in her best interest to let her sleep a few hours before going on your way.”

 

“Are you crazy!?! We can't waste that kinda time! We gotta look for that stupid jewel!!”

 

Sango stepped in. “Just a few hours, Inuyasha. You might want to get some sleep yourself. Houshi-sama and I will go on and look for Naraku. You wait here with the princess until she is rested. She'll be no benefit to you otherwise.”

 

“I hardly think she'll be a benefit to me at all…” Inuyasha mumbled.

 

“Go ahead and get some sleep,” Miroku continued. “Sango and I will go on.”

 

“Yeah,” Shippo piped. “Kirara and I will go and look, too! You don't have to worry!”

 

“Keh!” Inuyasha scoffed, plopping down against a tree. “Do whatever you want. Fine. I'll wait here for a little while.”

 

Miroku smiled. “Good.”

 

He and Sango began walking away, beginning their search for the jewel and Naraku.

 

“You ready, Kirara?” Shippo asked.

 

Kirara meowed, transforming into her larger form. Shippo leaped lightly onto her back.

 

“Watch over Kagome-sama carefully, Inuyasha,” the kit ordered.

 

Inuyasha, leaning against the tree with his eyes closed, didn't reply at all.

 

Kirara lifted off the ground and flew up, disappearing above the trees, leaving the hanyou and the princess alone in the forest.

 

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

“You think they'll be okay?”

 

“For the thousandth time, Sango, they'll be fine.”

 

“Inuyasha won't ditch her, you don't think?”

 

“He's a scoundrel, but he's no monster. He couldn't leave any girl alone to die, let alone the princess.”

 

Sango sighed, still overly concerned for her friend.

 

“Why don't you quit worrying about Kagome and keep a little bit more focused on the task at hand? If anything happens, Shippo and Kirara will let us know.”

 

Sango looked up and him and nodded, not seeming fully convinced. Miroku smiled.

 

“You're really loyal to that girl, ya know.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Kagome-sama. Most of her maid-servants I bet aren't half as loyal as you.”

 

“I'm not her maid-servant. I'm her friend. I stay with her because I want to.”

 

“See? Loyal.”

 

“You make it sound like a bad thing. She's the princess…its kind of natural to be protective of her. She's almost like a little sister to me.”

 

“I don't mean it's bad.” The monk paused for a moment. “I actually think it's kinda cute.”

 

*snap* “CUTE!?!?!” Sango lifted her Hiraikotsu from her back and slug it full force at Miroku's head. He quickly dodged the unexpected attack, gulping and thanking God that he was still living.

 

“Hold on there, Sango! I didn't mean that in a bad way!!”

 

“Then what…”

 

“I was trying to compliment you! Geez!”

 

Sango's hand suddenly gripped tight to the handle of her boomerang. She sensed something nearby and it made her uneasy. Miroku noticed her tightened posture, and he looked around. Without saying a word, he knew something was wrong. They never saw him approach; he was only suddenly standing before them. It was a man. He had long black hair and was wearing the armor of a soldier.

 

Strange attire, Miroku thought, seeing as how there is no war going on anywhere in this region.

 

“You, sir!” the monk called to the stranger. “Identify yourself.”

 

The strange man smirked as he took a few steps closer to them. He lifted his chin up only slightly, seeming a bit proud to be looking so raggedy. His armor wasn't much to speak of; could have been used in three or four wars by the looks of it.

 

“My name is Onigumo.”

 

X-X-X-X-X-X-X

 

Inuyasha opened his eyes. Kagome still lay sleeping against a tree in front of him. The forest was silent. The hanyou stood up and stretched, looking up at the sky through the trees. Judging by the sun, nearly two hours had past since he had dozed off. Was I that tired? He sleepily rubbed his eye and yawned. Two hours should be enough sleep, right? How much does a human need, anyway?

 

“Yo, Kagome!” he said loudly, nudging her in the side with his foot. “Get up, we gotta start lookin' now. You've slept plenty long.”

 

Kagome groaned as her body curled over to one side as he moved his foot. “Leave me alone,” she mumbled.

 

“Come on, Kagome! Get up!”

 

She slowly lifted her eyes to meet his, glaring at him evilly.

 

“We've got to go find the monkey, remember? You know, Naraku? The Shikon no Tama? Any a that ringin' a bell?”

 

She looked around. “Where're Miroku and Sango?”

 

“They already left. I've been waiting for you to wake up for two hours. So hurry up, already. It's time we get movin' too.”

 

“I only slept two hours??” Kagome said, despair leaking from her voice.

 

“Yeah. How many do you usually sleep?”

 

“Like—eight!”

 

“Geez, that's a waste of a good six hours.”

 

“I can't function without sleep!”

 

“You're mouth sure seems to be workin' okay!”

 

Kagome stood up, “You're such a jerk.” She stretched and let out a heavy sigh. “But I suppose I have no choice but to get up.” She picked up her bag. “Where are we off to?”

 

Inuyasha fell silent for a moment, crossing his arms and raising his head into the air. “The scent of that monkey is around here somewhere. It's far off, but I can smell it. If we follow that smell, it's bound to lead us right to him.”

 

“Well, point the way.”

 

Inuyasha gave the princess a strange look before he started walking in the way his nose was pointing. Kagome watched him as he seemed very intent on smelling the air. His eyes were closed, and Kagome figured that he could smell the trees in front of him because he was doing an awfully good job at avoiding them. She almost wanted to laugh at him-how much he looked like a dog sniffing around like that, but she did her best to keep silent.

 

Inuyasha tried his best to keep his focus on Naraku's scent, but it was certainly not the only one in the whole forest. So many scents seemed to be getting in his way. It was nothing new, he had smelled them all before, but it hindered his ability to focus on one that was so far away. Kagome sighed, and suddenly Inuyasha noticed a new smell he had never paid any mind to before. It was hard for him to put his finger on, but it wasn't long before he realized the scent—was Kagome.

 

“I see the hanyou has finally picked up a lady friend,” came an unexpected strange voice that snapped Inuyasha back into the real world. “It's a shame to waste such good looks on a half-breed like you, though. Oh! And a human girl, nonetheless. You sure have class, boy, I'll give you that.”

 

Kagome glanced up at Inuyasha who sneered. In front of them stood a youkai with long black hair back in a pony tail and brown fur covering his body. The princess was slightly flattered that this stranger had called her pretty, but from Inuyasha's reaction, she figured that he was probably not an ally.

 

“What are you doing here, you stupid wolf!”

 

“I just came by to see you were doing, Inuyasha. You should learn to control that temper. It's not nice to shout like that in front of a lady.”

 

“What do you mean how I was doing!? You idiot, you couldn't care less. I know that!”

 

“Well, word is the Shikon no Tama has been stolen from within the kingdom.”

 

“Yeah. So?”

 

“Well, I thought you might care at least a little,” The wolf youkai lowered his voice. “Seeing as how your curse is inside of it.”

 

Inuyasha's eyes grew wide. His heart skipped several beats. He thought he would die. “How—How do you know about that!”

 

The wolf smirked. “I guess your little secret isn't so safe with someone you really shouldn't be trusting. Who do you think spilled the beans?”

 

“You get your ugly face out of my sight right now or I'll…”

 

“Hush hush!” he interrupted, putting a hand up. “The lady doesn't need to hear what dirty things you have to say!”

 

“Don't listen to him, Kagome. Run away!”

 

Kagome, holding tight to her things looked up at Inuyasha, a bit of fear flickering in her eyes, and then at the wolf.

 

“Kagome?” he began walking toward her. “That's such a lovely name.”

 

Inuyasha jumped between them and swung a fist at his face. The wolf jumped back, Inuyasha's knuckles barely grazing his cheek. Kagome gasped slightly at the sudden action.

 

“Stay away from her, Koga! Next time you'll be missing half of that repulsive face of yours.”

 

“So where you off to, Inuyasha?' Koga asked casually.

 

“Wha--!?! Nowhere! It's none of your business!”

 

“The full moon's coming around sometime soon, isn't it? I think I wanna stick around for that.”

 

“Do it. Go ahead, you'll be dead when the night's over.”

 

“Such harsh threats, hanyou.”

 

Inuyasha pulled out his sword. “I'm serious, wolf! Get outta here!”

 

“Tsk tsk tsk, boy. Always lookin' for a fight.”

 

Inuyasha growled.

 

“Well, alright. I suppose I don't want to die just yet, I didn't come here to fight anyhow.” Koga turned his back to them as Inuyasha lowered his sword. “You better be careful, young miss,” he said to Kagome, “watch your back or Inuyasha just might hack you to pieces.” With a laugh, he sped off.

 

Inuyasha's grip tightened around the hilt of Tetsusaiga. “That—bastard—”

 

Kagome, still in total confusion, put a hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright, Inuyasha?”

 

He rolled his shoulder, shoving her hand off as he walked away. “Keh! I'm fine!” He let a few more seconds pass before he said, “Hey, Kagome.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“If that wolf ever comes back around here, I want you to stay away from him, okay?”

 

“Um…okay,” replied, obediently and innocently. “How come? He didn't seem all that harmful to m—”

 

“Just do it!” he snapped. “He's killed a lot of people, okay.” More than I have… “Just stay away from him. I'll make sure he keeps his dirty hands off of you.”

 

Kagome just nodded, but inwardly she was beaming with happiness. I knew he wasn't as bad as he seemed. Thank you, Inuyasha.

 

Without saying another word, he continued walking in the way of Naraku's scent. Stupid me… he thought. If I hadn't of got so distracted by Kagome's scent I would have smelled that stinky wolf coming from a mile away. He focused again on Naraku's scent, but no matter how much he tried…

 

Kagome's kept getting in the way.

 

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A/N: I suppose my next update might take just as long as this one did. Sorry bout that, but I can't help it! *pleads for forgiveness* So, I hope yall liked it. Please review! Till next time, Jaa!