InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mind Reader ❯ A Most Thrilling Journey ( Chapter 30 )

Mind Reader

 

Chapter 27: A Most Thrilling Journey

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Kaede finished her examination of the pregnant woman. “Where are you saying you're having pains?”

 

“I can barely move because my lower back is killing me. My first child was not nearly this bad. Do you have any herbs that can ease my pain?” asked the lady.

 

Kaede mentally went over her supply of herbs. “Actually, I believe you might be in luck. I think I picked some of the herbs you need just last week. Let my run back to my hut and find them.”

 

“I thank you Lady Kaede. You truly are too kind.”

 

Kaede waved her off. “Don't be silly. I am only doing my job as a healer. I shall be back shortly and with luck I'll have those herbs.”

 

Kaede stood up and left the villager's hut. She was almost positive she had the herbs she needed. In fact she was pretty sure those where the herbs she had been grinding when Inuyasha had been driving her insane with his pacing back when he was waiting for Miroku to show up. That seemed so long ago, back before who they knew who Akki was. But it was in truth only seven days ago. Only a week. She was rather surprised how fast everything had been happening. Who would have thought that Inuyasha would become allies with both Sesshoumaru and Kouga in a mere seven days?

 

As Kaede neared her hut something felt off to her. Normally coming to her hut from this direction she would have seen the roof by now. And why was it so dusty where her hut should stand? Beginning to get a queasy feeling in her gut she sped up. When she rounded the last corner shielding her from her hut her hands went straight to her mouth. And she screamed.

 

Shippo looked up from where he was rummaging through the remains in hopes of finding some unscathed chocolate. He saw Kaede, her face completely white, screaming her head off. “Uh oh,” he whispered, quickly jumping off of her hut's remains. This definitely wasn't good.

 

Kaede, completely lost in the shock of finding her hut destroyed, charged down the stunned kitsune and picked him up by his shirt. Now normally Kaede wouldn't have had a chance to catch Shippo. But Shippo was also in shock at having an old lady charge him. “Who did it?” she screamed. “Who knocked down my hut? I bet it was Inuyasha! He was always complaining about how my hut smelled! I'm going to kill him! KILL HIM!”

 

What Kaede wasn't aware of was the fact that with every word she said she shook Shippo. And that spit kept flying out of her mouth and showering the poor kid. And if she did notice she probably wouldn't have cared.

 

“K…K…K…Ka…Ka…KAEDE!” Shippo finally managed to scream. He was sure if she kept it up he would get a concussion. “S…S…S…STOP…S….Sh…Sha…SHAKI NG…. M…M…Mmmmmm…ME!” He was beginning to see stars. One looking surprisingly like the chocolate called `Hershey Kisses' he so loved.

 

Kaede ignored Shippo until the kitsune started mumbling about `Hershey Kisses'. She slowly realized that she was knocking the kid's brain around so much he was beginning to hallucinate. She dropped him so fast it looked like his touch burned her hands.

 

“Oomph!” grunted Shippo when he hit the ground and bounced. His head slowly cleared and he was sad to see the Hershey Kisses vanishing into thin air. And here he had thought he had finally found some chocolate he could eat. “Where did my chocolate go?” he asked sadly.

 

Kaede stared at the kitsune; her bottom lip quivering in barely suppressed rage. Her home had been destroyed and all he was whining about was lost chocolate. “Who…did…this?” she grounded out between clenched teeth. Oh what she would give for Kagome's mind reading ability right about now.

 

Shippo, realizing Kaede was speaking to him, or rather demanding answers, stopped lamenting about his lost chocolate. “Did you say something Kaede?”

 

Kaede grumbled something incoherently and took several deep, calming breaths to prevent herself from wringing Shippo's neck. “I said. Who. Did. This?” she asked in a murderous voice.

 

`Drat,' thought Shippo. `I really do not want to answer that.' Shippo chewed his bottom lip nervously. “Um, would you believe me if I told you everyone was standing around outside and it just randomly fell?”

 

Kaede narrowed her eye at the kitsune. “No.”

 

“Oh, because that's what happened. You know what? I smell. I'm going to go take a bath. Bye!” With a jaunty wave Shippo ran off.

 

Kaede glared daggers at the fleeing kitsune. “You can't escape your fate Shippo!” she yelled after him. “You may as well accept the fact that you stayed behind for a reason! And that reason was to tell me!”

 

Shippo, sure that he was a safe distance away, turned around. “Like I had a choice!” he shot back. “They all ran off like a horde of demons were chasing them!”

 

“See? They left you! So no reason to defend them! So accept your fate and tell me!”

 

“Sorry Kaede. But I fear their wrath much more than I fear you,” responded Shippo truthfully.

 

“But you have to accept your fate!” shouted Kaede.

 

“Maybe not,” shouted Shippo in return. “But I can prolong my lifespan! And if I told you they would kill me! So sorry for your lost. I'm off to bathe now.”

 

“Dratted kids,” grumbled Kaede. “Now where do they expect me to sleep? And store my herbs?”

 

“Um, Ms. Kaede?” came a tentative voice from behind the steaming woman.

 

Kaede spun around. “What?” she asked crossly in no mood to help anyone.

 

Rin stared up at her with wide eyes. “I'm sorry about your home. But Sesshoumaru told me to give you Kirara.” Rin held up the injured feline in her two small hands.

 

Kaede took Kirara with gentle hands. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Did Sesshoumaru tell you anything else?”

 

Rin appeared to be in deep thought. “Actually, he did say something very quietly. But I'm not sure if Rin was supposed to hear it.”

 

Kaede jumped on that opening. “But if Rin heard it that means Rin was supposed to hear it. So what did he say?”

 

“Um, well I don't really understand it. But he said something about shoddy construction. Ms. Kaede, what does shoddy mean?”

 

However, Kaede was no longer listening to the young girl. “He did it,” she mumbled to herself. “Of all people it was him. I thought for sure it would have been Inuyasha.”

 

Rin, sensing that Kaede was about to explode, stepped back.

 

Kaede balled her hands into angry fists. Rin ran. Kaede raised one angry fist into the air and shook it. “Sesshoumaru!” she screamed. “Get back here! That fluffy boa thing is mine! You here! MINE!”

 

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Sesshoumaru cringed slightly and put one hand protectively over his fluffy boa thing. He just had the strangest desire to protect it from an unseen foe. He immediately wished he had left his boa unprotected.

 

“Aww, isn't that cute,” cooed Inuyasha. “My dear big brother is petting his weird fluffy thing. You know, you don't look quite so dangerous when you're petting it. You may want to refrain from petting it when you're around Naraku. It may ruin your image a bit. Just a hint of advice.”

 

“And the last I checked I didn't need advice from a fool who can't even admit that tetsusaiga is a weapon,” growled Sesshoumaru.

 

“It's not!” insisted Inuyasha. “You're just embarrassed to admit that your younger, hanyou, brother doesn't fight with a weapon and you do!”

 

“Eh? What's this about fighting with weapons?” asked Kouga. “Did I miss something?”

 

“No,” said Sesshoumaru quickly.

 

“Yes,” said Inuyasha just as quickly.

 

The two brothers glared at each other.

 

“Tell me!” demanded Kouga. “I want to know!”

 

“Oh, just that Sesshoumaru is a coward.”

 

“Inuyasha is a hardheaded idiot.”

 

The two brothers glared at each other again.

 

“Ok, Sesshoumaru, I already knew that,” said Kouga. “And Inuyasha? You're full of shit. Sesshoumaru isn't a coward.”

 

“And you seem to worship the very ground Sesshoumaru walks on. Do you think he's a god or something? I mean what exactly do you see in him?” asked Inuyasha. “He pets his fluffy thing for crying out loud!”

 

But I think his fluffy thing is cool! Beats my tail at least.

 

Kagome, who had been conversing quietly with Sango, laughed under her breath. It seemed everyone wanted a fluffy boa like Sesshoumaru's. She doubted the demon lord realized he was making a fashion statement. And if he did know he wouldn't care. Sesshoumaru was just that kind of person.

 

“I do not pet it!” defended Sesshoumaru. “I was merely protecting it.”

 

Damn, what made me say that? Stupid stupid stupid.

 

Inuyasha looked around him. He saw nothing that looked even remotely dangerous. “Protecting it, eh? From what may I ask? Is you fan Kouga going to come and steal it?”

 

Hmm, wonder if I could?

 

He wouldn't dare.

 

“It actually is rather soft. It makes a nice pillow,” said Miroku from his position thrown over Sesshoumaru's shoulder. He had woken up barely a minute ago.

 

“Great, now he'll have two fans,” complained Inuyasha.

 

“If you're up then you can walk,” said Sesshoumaru immediately dropping the monk on the ground.

 

Ow. He's going to wind up knocking me out again. Ooh, but then I can rest on his fluffy thing again. Hmm…

 

“Miroku,” said Kagome with a grin on her face, “we're all leaving.”

 

Miroku looked up to see the three guys ahead of him and Kagome and Sango was staring at him. He hurriedly stood and got dizzy for doing so. He took a few hazardous steps before Sango reached out and gave him a helping hand.

 

“You're hopeless, you know that?” she said. “I mean I told you to shut up and you kept on talking. Do you want to die for some strange reason?”

 

No way! There are too many things I want to do with Sango. And many positions I want to try. I can't die yet!

 

Kagome felt herself vomit in her mouth and she dashed off before she could accidentally overhear some of Miroku's other `plans' for him and Sango. She silently prayed for one of the guys to think of something and drown out Miroku.

 

I don't want to have sex with Sesshoumaru! I merely like his boa thing! How the hell does that lead to sex?

 

Kagome squealed softly and abruptly stopped walking. She cursed her weakened control of her mind. The guys weren't safe either! And she really didn't care to find out how their conversation led to Kouga and Sesshoumaru having sex. She really never wanted to find out that one.

 

Miroku and Sango caught up to her.

 

Ooh! Hot springs! That would be fun. Wonder if we could find some rope…

 

Kagome quickly spun around and ran up to the three guys. Maybe she could distract them and change their thoughts. They would be a lot easier to divert than Miroku.

 

Kagome would be…

 

“I don't want to have sex!” shouted Kagome. At the looks she received from everyone she realized what she had just blurted out. “Oh…eheh…I mean I don't want to…um…”

 

“Have sex with Kouga?” suggested Inuyasha.

 

“AHH!” screamed Kagome. “Why is everyone talking about SEX?”

 

“Who's talking about sex?” asked Miroku.

 

I want to talk to them! Well…only if it's Kagome or Sango.

 

Sango elbowed Miroku sharply in the side. “And why do you want to know so bad?” she asked dangerously.

 

“Oh, why so I can avoid their dirty conversation of course!” amended Miroku immediately.

 

“Yes, I thought so,” said Sango.

 

“And what was that supposed to mean Inuyasha?” asked Kouga. “Why wouldn't Kagome want to…”

 

“INUYASHA!” yelled Kagome suddenly. She was happy when Kouga was subdued before he could continue his thought.

 

Inuyasha stared at Kagome. “What's wrong with you? Does talking about se…”

 

“SIT!”

 

Sesshoumaru stared at Kagome. “Are you really that immature? After all, it's just s…”

 

“BEG!”

 

Happy with the three subdued guys Kagome hit Miroku with her bow and grabbed Sango's hand. “Let's go before they recover!”

 

“I'm with you,” said Sango. She and Kagome ran off.

 

Kouga, Inuyasha, and Sesshoumaru all rested their chins on their hands. Miroku rolled over on his back.

 

“You know, both of you are stupid,” commented Kouga. “You would think that after both of you witnessed me being subdued you would be logical enough to keep your mouth's shut. But no, both of you talk. And surprise, both of you get subdued. I guess the idiocy runs in the family.”

 

“I still think she overreacted,” grumbled Inuyasha.

 

“You always think that,” said Sesshoumaru.

 

“That shouldn't surprise you. He is Inuyasha after all,” piped up Miroku.

 

Inuyasha glared at the monk. “Why are you here anyways? I thought Sesshoumaru was going to kill you.”

 

“What? What did I miss this time?” asked Kouga.

 

“I was never going to kill him,” said Sesshoumaru.

 

“Even after he accused you of hitting on Rin?” asked Inuyasha in surprise. He was positive that would have been Miroku's death warrant.

 

“He did what?” shouted Kouga. “I thought Sesshoumaru thought of Rin as a daughter. Shit, that's some sick stuff Sesshoumaru.”

 

“I do think of her as a daughter!” replied Sesshoumaru vehemently.

 

“Then why…”

 

“Because Miroku doesn't know when to shut up,” said Inuyasha. “You've been with us long enough to realize that. But anyways, you were making an awful lot of racket to not be killing him.”

 

Sesshoumaru let out a deep sigh. “I didn't trust myself to not kill him. What you heard was me throwing stuff around. His cries of pain only happened when he got in the way of something I threw.”

 

“Got in the way my ass,” grumbled Miroku. “You were looking directly at me whenever you `accidentally' hit me.”

 

“That's nice,” replied Sesshoumaru in a voice that clearly said, `yeah, what did you expect?'

 

“Waaaiit a minute,” said Inuyasha. “So you were actually just having a temper tantrum? And throwing stuff around? And I'm guessing into walls?”

 

At this comment Sesshoumaru looked a little sheepish. “I suppose I did throw some stuff rather hard into the walls.”

 

“You threw me once,” remarked Miroku sulkily.

 

“I thought you were a bag,” defended Sesshoumaru.

 

“A bag? How could you possibly think I was bag?”

 

“I thought someone had a purple bag.”

 

“You're a very poor liar, you know that?” said Miroku.

 

“So you threw things into the walls. And when the hut fell you blamed it on shoddy construction?” asked Kouga trying to make sense of the situation.

 

“Perhaps,” said Sesshoumaru noncommittally.

 

“Haha!” cheered Inuyasha. “Kaede is going to kill you when she finds out! You're dead!”

 

“If any of you breathe a single word about this to that old hag I will castrate you all,” threatened Sesshoumaru dangerously. His eyes narrowed at all of them and he was silently pleased when they all gulped nervously, Miroku hardest of all. He dared any of them to challenge him.

 

“Well, that was a thrilling conversation,” chirped Miroku brightly. He stood to his feet and leaned on his staff. “And now rather than stay in the presence of three males, I am going to go after Kagome and Sango.” With a nod to the two demons and single hanyou he walked haphazardly around the woods. His head and body truly had taken too much of a beating earlier with both Kagura and Sesshoumaru. And he was hallucinating.

 

Miroku saw a tree in the distance that appeared to look like Sango. To him anyways. With a shout of `Sango!' he sped up even though he still took just as many steps sideways as he took forwards. In fact the tree that supposedly looked like Sango probably changed multiple times as well.

 

The three other guys stood up and watched the stumbling monk in amusement. None of them made the point of letting the monk know he was chasing after a tree.

 

Miroku couldn't understand why Sango kept changing positions on him. `Ah,' he thought, `she must be playing hard to get! I'll have to make her pay when I catch up to her!' He grinned lecherously. The grin widened when he got closer to Sango. “Come here my naughty girl!” he said joyfully, his arms outstretched in a welcoming hug.

 

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow when Miroku called out to a tree. His other eyebrow rose to meet the first one when Miroku proceeded to walk right into the tree.

 

As Miroku slid to the ground in unconscious bliss both Inuyasha and Kouga roared in laughter. Sesshoumaru didn't join in on the laughter even though he really wanted to. But he still had his pride and ego to uphold. Something both his half brother and the wolf knew nothing about. Walking up to the monk he threw him ungratefully over his shoulder with the armor. He was nice enough to make sure the monk didn't land to hard on the spikes. He was heartless sure, but not that heartless. The monk was sure to have some bruises where the spikes did lay but that was better than having him laying on his fluffy again. He didn't want any monk drool on it. That would be too dreadful to imagine.

 

“Shut up,” he demanded when neither Inuyasha nor Kouga made any signs of stopping their laughter any time soon. “The noise is most unpleasant to my ears.”

 

This only made Inuyasha and Kouga laugh harder.

 

“His poor…ears!” laughed Kouga. “Poor precious pointy ears!”

 

“My poor sensitive brother,” added Inuyasha, clutching his sides in pain. “You think all the walking and sweat is bad for him as well?”

 

“He's probably crying in agony on the inside!” replied Kouga. “The dirt sticking to his body is probably most unpleasant to his skin!”

 

All Inuyasha managed to gasp out in response was “Most…unpleasant…” and then a rock, or rather boulder, fell on him from out of the sky.

 

Kouga shut up immediately. All he saw from the hanyou was a head, two hands, and two legs. He heard a slight groan from the crushed hanyou. For a second he thought about rolling the boulder off. That thought didn't last long. Mainly for the reason that he also become squished between the ground and a boulder.

 

Sesshoumaru wiped the dirt off his hands and walked off. He couldn't believe his good fortune. He had been ready to form his whip or just use his sword and smack both of them into silence. But out of the corner of his eye he saw two conveniently placed boulders. He had smirked at his good luck and used the boulders. And he got the utmost pleasure at hearing the groans coming from Inuyasha and the squeaks from Kouga. That had actually been rather fun.

 

Walking through the trees he followed the scent the two fleeing girls had left. With the exception of the devilish string of beads hanging around his neck his life had been a lot more interesting and amusing since he joined this ragtag group. But when he thought of why he had joined them and where they were now heading he quickly grew somber.

 

He could sense that the upcoming battle would be a turning point. For what side he couldn't side. If someone would die he also couldn't say. All he could feel was that this battle would change something. He just hoped it would be a change that benefited them.

 

Getting a firmer grip on the monk Sesshoumaru quickened his pace. He didn't think anything would happen on the trip to the demon exterminator's village. But he still didn't feel secure in leaving the girls alone for too long a time.

 

He silently berated himself. Since when did he care this deeply for humans? One of which gave him the cursed beads? He slowed down for an instant. Then growled and sped up even more. One part of him laughed at his weakness. But the other, and more important, part cheered him on. He was finally coming to terms with the fact that he cared for this mismatched group, especially the girls. He would die before he told any of them that but at least on the inside he realized that he did care. He smiled softly to himself and moved even faster.