InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Better Things than You ❯ Stripping Down, Shaping up ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. He is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions.

 

A/N: As Beatrix B. noted, this is a dud chapter, but some of you might be quasi-happy with the ending. I really wanted to have already posted this, and be posting chapter 12 tonight, but it's a no go. Anyway, I'm getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow, and that could be a really good thing for you guys, or it could be bad. We'll see how I do with the meds/pain.

 

Thanks to everyone to reviewed! Yous guys are my shining stars! Lol.

 

Chapter 11

 

Sango observed Kagome at little longer, becoming more and more frustrated as she saw how the dress restrained her movement and kept her from actually improving.

 

Something had to be done and Sango's mind was quickly coming up with a plan.

 

A small group of children were running around not far from where Kagome was attempting to train.

 

They were covered in dripping mud.

 

They looked like dirty little swamp demons.

 

They were perfect.

 

Kagome had paused and was holding her side. Her face was red and her breathing uneven. Now was as good a time as any. Using her fingers, Sango make a loud whistle, getting the girls' attention. Sango motioned to them with her hand, while at the same time tilting her head toward Kagome.

 

Like any good warriors, they could read the signs their commander gave them. Fluidly they formed a V as the ran their way toward Kagome, moving with stealth and evil children smirks plastered on their soiled little faces.

 

Kagome never saw the attack coming.

 

Sango watched with pride as her tiny trainees made quick work of her protégé. The leader of the V called out Kagome's name in a cheery child's way just before swinging her arms around Kagome's waist and giving the stunned miko a powerful hug. The others followed suit and in spite of Kagome's shrieks and pleading the dress was covered in mud in the blink of an eye.

 

Just as quickly as they had come, the swamp monsters vanished leaving a bewildered Kagome in their wake.

 

For a second, Kagome stood, frozen as they left her: head bowed a bit, back every so slightly hunched, and arms held out near her sides but away from her body.

 

Then she moved, straightening her head and back in an attempt to regain the sense of poise so in demand by London socialites. Slowly, she brought her muddied hands to her face, and for a moment Sango thought the poor girl was going to start shrieking again.

 

But Kagome surprised the Amazon. Flinging her hands downward, she tossed off the mud as best she could from her hands. Her eyes searched for Sango and when she found her, Kagome began to make her way over to the warrior, her head held high.

 

“Sango, I am so sorry, but I have no idea where those kids came from—they, they attacked me!” Kagome whined, but somehow retain a mite of dignity in Sango's eyes. “I know the dress is ruined, and I tried—”

 

Sango reached out a hand to Kagome's shoulder, smiling down at the younger woman. “You'd be surprised at how mud can be cleaned.”

 

“But,” Kagome sputtered. “What am I supposed to wear? You'd surely have to…to soak…the dress,” she murmured the last few words as the realization dawned on her to answer her own question.

 

“Don't worry Kagome, I have some things you could borrow.” Sango flashed her a smirk, which—had they ever met—she would have thought her friend had picked up from Inuyasha.

 

“But Miroku—”

 

“Won't be hurt if he's hit upside the head one more time.”

 

Without waiting for Kagome's protest, Sango took of in the direction of her hut. “Hurry up!” She called back over her shoulder.

 

Kagome took in her muddy gown once more. Did she really have much of a choice? Hitching up the dirty skirts, she followed after Sango as fast as her legs could take her.

 

XXXXXXXXXXX

 

Inuyasha cleared the path before him using his claws. Glancing back over his shoulder he saw Kouga and his men staggering along some distance behind him. The hanyou could barely keep the growl concealed in his throat.

 

Leaping up into the trees yet again, he thought back over his last visit to Kouga's camp.

 

He had only just lit the candle lantern in his tent when there had been a rustling outside and moments later, Kouga appeared.

 

Even Inuyasha noticed the man looked worried as he fiddled with his jacket, but he paid it no mind as he went about packing new supplies and glancing over the notes he had made on the jungle. He was getting close, he could feel it.

 

He smiled for a moment at the thought only to grimace. He had picked up Kagome's scent more than once. He knew she was safe, and as much as he longed to see her again, knowing that he would soon made him incredibly nervous. Would she welcome him or reject him? No matter what it took to find her, he knew he deserved the latter.

 

Kouga caught him completely off guard the moment the adventurer finally stopped playing with his coat buttons and spoke. “Takahashi, when you go out again, I and some of my men will be joining you.”

 

Inuyasha froze at his words. All he could do was stare at Kouga.

 

“I regret my lack of interest in the Higurashis. I want to aid you in any way I can.”

 

Inuyasha could only nod. Before being washed up at the man's feet, he had only heard of Lord Greenswitch though rumor and innuendo. He was greedy, self-centered, and a narcissistic bastard if one was ever born. There was no doubt in Inuyasha's mind: Kouga wanted something.

 

Kouga was turning to leave, taking Inuyasha's blank stare as acceptance. “What do you really want, Kouga?”

 

Taken aback, Lord Greenswitch halted mid-step. He looked panic for a moment, but then a cocky grin covered up the indecision. “Now why would you say a thing like that? Call me when you are ready to depart.”

 

Quickly as he came, he was gone into the night. In his wake, Kouga left Inuyasha with a gnawing feeling of imbalance.

 

Leaping to another, higher tree branch Inuyasha nearly lost his balance at the shock of what he was taking in. Not far—less than a mile away—was a compound. It was a massive patch of land, cleared of foliage and littered with huts and watchtowers. An equally large fence surrounded the entire lot, protecting its inhabitants with its heights and outer shell of camouflage. If he had been any lower to the ground, it would have been completely disguise from his view. Without even trying to take in the scent of the place, Inuyasha knew it was what he had been searching for.

 

Without waiting an instant, he jumped out the tree, plummeting down to the ground to land just before Kouga and his party.

 

“Well?” Kouga looked bored.

 

“It's that way,” Inuyasha mimed Kouga's bored tone, motioning with a clawed hand.

 

“What's that way?”

 

“You'll see,” Inuyasha called as he began to jog, clearing a path though the forest as he went.

 

Rolling his eyes, Kouga signaled for his men to follow and they began to trot in the passageway Inuyasha was carving out thought the foliage.

 

XXXXXXXXXXXX

 

“Who do they think they are?” Koharu hissed as she looked down at the group of men moving quickly across the forest floor far below from her perch.

 

“Amateurs, obviously,” Kagura sighed. She picked at something under her nails and looked uninterested.

 

“How far should we let them get?”

 

Kagura rolled her eyes and growled. “I don't know, a little farther. Hell, even if they somehow charged into the middle of the damned village its not like they'd live very long.”

 

Koharu nodded. The older woman was right.

 

Kagura watched their progress a little longer then signaled to Koharu as she jumped out of the tree and after the group of intruders.

 

XXXXXXXXXX

 

Kagome blushed as she stepped outside. She felt utterly naked and more than a little shamed at the clothes Sango had gotten—more like forced—her to wear. She was covered even less now that she no longer wore her bandages from the wounds the snake demon had given her. Luck was on her side in that Miroku was still passed out, but he would have to wake up sooner or later.

 

“Lets try this now,” Sango said, pushing a bow and quiver of arrows into Kagome's hands.

 

Kagome looked quizzically down at the weapons in her hands.

 

“I'll show you,” Sango offered as she took the things back from Kagome and made her way to where targets had been set up. She strung up an arrow with practiced hands even though her weapon of choice was her boomerang.

 

“See, fit the arrow like this, then pull it back…and release.” The arrow flew to the target with ease, striking its center with a thud. “Now you,” Sango thrust the bow and arrows back at her friend.

 

Kagome knitted her brow. She had to do this, she had to at least try. For so long she had been hiding from people and new things, taking the well-beaten path. That certainly hadn't worked for her; she had followed all the unspoken, hidden rules of London society and she had still lost that which she held most dear.

 

Accepting the weapons from Sango, she tried to repeat the Amazon's actions, but still needed some aid all the same. Even with Sango's help she faltered several times and had difficulty pulling the string back far at all, but at last she managed to send the arrow on its way. The arrow still only made it half way to the target, crash landing with several bounces, but it gave Kagome a since of satisfaction all the same.

 

Sango nodded her approval, “Try another.” Kagome notched up another arrow, and with a little more ease this time managed to launch ever so slightly farther.

 

They continued to practice until Kagome's arms were exhausted and the arrows had begun to land closer and closer to her feet.

 

“That's enough for today,” Sango commanded as she took the bow and arrows away from her weary friend. She led Kagome to one of the village's wells and hoisted up a bucket of water. Using a dipper, she ladled out some for Kagome to drink.

 

Offering her thanks, Kagome swallowed the contents in a few swift, un-lady-like gulps. “All this practicing has made my manner's worse than Inuyasha's,” she laughed without thinking about her words.

 

Sango's ears perked up at the sound of the unfamiliar name. “Inuyasha?”

 

Kagome couldn't help but blush at the mere mention of his name. “I—he was—”

 

Unfortunately, Sango's curiosity had been perked. “Someone special to you? In London?”

 

Kagome could only nod, her head hanging in her sadness. Sango quickly picked up her young friend's change in mood. Great, the guy probably passed on, and now I'm rubbing salt in her wounds! “Was he your husband, Kagome? I'm so sorry!”

 

She made to hug the girl, but Kagome stopped her with and cheerless smile. “Inuyasha never died, if that's what you think.” Sighing she slumped against the well. Sango took a seat next to her, offering a sympathetic ear. Thinking about the woman next to her and the lack of men in the village around her made Kagome feel silly as she whined about a lost love.

 

When Kagome didn't immediately explain, Sango prodded her, “Go on.”

 

“Inuyasha was my fiancée and Miroku's best friend. I suppose he was like my best friend too. We were supposed to be married, Inuyasha and I, but he,” she swallowed hard, “he didn't want me.”

 

Sango scrunched her brow. “Didn't want you?”

 

“He wanted another woman,” Kagome stated flatly. She was silent for a moment then glanced up to see Sango's concerned face. She clearly wanted to ask what Kagome had meant, but had the manners not to.

 

What does it matter now? Kagome mentally sighed.

 

“There was another girl named Kikyou. She had always wanted Inuyasha, and he had always seemed to ignore her flirtations. But then one day, after he had been betrothed to me, he left me for her.” Kagome worried the low cut fringe of her skirt.

 

“So…why do you care?”

 

Kagome felt her face crumple and her mind numb. Why did she care? Suddenly she found herself smiling. “I—I don't know. It shouldn't matter, but it does. I was silly and I loved him,” Kagome wiped away a tear in spite of her smile. “I was just a silly little gir—”

 

They were interrupted by a group of men being shoved into the village.

 

XXXXXXXXX

 

Inuyasha smelled the attackers moments before they appeared. He had not time to warn Kouga or even prepare himself for a fight.

 

All the hanyou had to time to do was suck in a quick breath before he was knocked to the ground. A woman, seemingly plummeting from the sky, dropped down onto his back and pressed him to the forest floor.

 

He heard the struggles of Kouga and his men, their cries before they were silenced. He tried to push the woman off him, but somehow she weighted him down. Switching over to plan b, he attempted to roll, but she also thwarted that endeavor, keeping him locked to the ground.

 

His captor purred something sweetly, but Inuyasha could not make out the words.

 

Too cocky for her own good, Inuyasha mused. He waited, listening to the scuffle Kouga was putting up, and judging from the slight shift on his back, the girl was watching too.

 

As soon as he felt her weight relax, Inuyasha drove his weight onto his side, moving quickly to his feet. He heard but did not see the girl who had had him pinned tumble to the ground.

 

“Not so mighty now?” Inuyasha growled. He was as mad as himself as he was at the woman before him; he should have seen this coming.

 

The girl spat at his feet then charged him, waving a small blade. She was clearly inexperienced, displaying her emotions for all to see. She was letting her anger cloud her judgment, and Inuyasha easily dodged her attack.

 

He spun back behind her as her momentum carried her past him and seized her up by what he now recognized as the tiniest outfit he had ever seen on a woman…even when he went out with Miroku. At the same time, he managed to free her weapon from her grip, letting it fall to the ground.

 

Her tiny form struggled as she tried to free herself, swinging like a cat held by its scruff.

 

She was tiny, with muscles that might have been useless in a hand-to-hand fight, but were perhaps very useful when she still had her blade with her.

 

He was trying to avoid staring at her barely-clad form when he felt something cool press against his neck. Without moving, he knew it was a sword just has he knew he had been caught. Not waiting to be told, he let the girl fall. She landed on her feet with ease, glaring at Inuyasha all the while, and scampered off to the fallen Kouga and his men.

 

Feeling a pressure from the blade, Inuyasha sensed the woman wanted him to move. Letting her lead by her motions with her weapon, Inuyasha soon found himself standing at the entrance to the compound from which he had seen from the trees.

 

XXXXXXXXXXX

 

Kagome nearly choked when she saw Inuyasha stumble into the village with a knife to his throat. She would have recognized his long white hair anywhere so it was easy to pick him out from across the way.

 

She pushed herself up off the ground and took one faltering step then another. Kagome froze when Inuyasha finally picked her out, his jaw dropping and a look of awe covering his features at the mere sight of her.

 

He stopped and his captor behind him, but the woman's blade still remained at his throat.

 

Kagome blushed under his sharp scrutiny and though she felt a little woozy, it was Inuyasha whose eyes lolled back into his head and it was the hanyou who crumpled to the ground in a faint.

 

XXXXXXXXXX

 

A/N: As much as I like turning out fast chapters, I feel like they're dead to emotion. I need to work on that.

Once again, I am getting my wisdom teeth out tomorrow, and though I'm hoping it will mean some time where I can just write, I don't know how capable I'll be. I've been waiting a really long time to write the next chapter, so I want to see it done as much as you do. Wish me luck!