InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Deep Waters ❯ Ch.13 ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter 13

 

As Kagome had predicted they reached Osaka in the early hours of the morning. The sun had yet to rise and the moon and stars were just beginning to fade into nothingness until the next night. Kagome could barely keep awake, countless times she had nearly drifted to sleep while she was walking. Her eyes were heavy and her legs were like Jell-O, she was thoroughly tired and not without reason. The few nights on the ship were restless; she was still a little uncomfortable with sleeping on the water and the night before had not been pleasant. Rocks had embedded themselves into her arms and legs, while her back was sore and scratched. Her head had a shallow scrape on the side from trying to sleep on a rock; it hadn't worked out well.

 

She stumbled down the dirt pathway onto a gravel one, she could not deny that her heart did skipped a beat as she realized that roads became more and more paved the closer they came to a large town. It was Osaka; she was almost home. Shippo would have to leave soon, too soon. She had become quite attached to the young kitsune in the short time they had spent together and she really wished she could take him home. Tears brimmed her eyes as she remembered the truth, she couldn't, it would only be harder on the young man to see what was happening.

 

“What's the matter Kagome?” He asked innocently.

 

“Shippo,” She said with a sad smile, “Remember how I said I couldn't keep you, well it's almost time for us to say goodbye, and I'm sad because of that.” She explained.

 

“Bu-But, I was such a good boy! I thought you would want me to stay if I was super good!” He cried as tears fell down his cheeks nonstop.

 

“I know Shippo, but I can't. Please don't make this harder than it already is.” She pleaded.

 

“I'm sorry Kagome.” He said coming up to her. He enwrapped his short arms around her torso in a small hug. She comfortingly returned the gesture, pulling him up tight to her.

 

“Don't be Shippo, it's all my fault.” She said before tears started to roll down her cheeks. “I don't want you to go.” Was all she said before she untangled herself from him and began to walk to Osaka. “It will be easier this way.” She mumbled to herself, unaware that Shippo could hear it clearly with his inhuman hearing. He nodded and began to run after her. She wouldn't get rid of him that easy.

 

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Inuyasha's ship sat secretly in the corner of a cove in Osaka, waiting for nightfall before they struck. The crew was preparing themselves anyway they could think of, sharpening their swords, sleeping, eating, or in Inuyasha's case, drinking. The crew was unnerved, this was their first raid without Sango and Miroku, and the captain was acting very strange. It was different and breaking such a common tradition, it was terrifying for the crew, not knowing what would happen. Two of them would be elected to fill the empty spaces of the now imprisoned first and second mate.

 

Inuyasha sat slouched in the dining hall as he brought up the large jug of ale to his mouth and took a large swing. He shuddered as the cool liquid burned its way down his throat and the bitter taste remained on his lips and in his mouth. He was being a bad captain; he knew that, yet he couldn't seem to escape the slump he found himself in. He slammed his jug down, ordering another large pitcher of ale. A few seconds later Myoga strode out of the kitchen without the ale earning shocked looks from the few sober pirates in the room and a glare from Inuyasha. “Ol' maaaan, wha' do ya think yer dooooooin' without my ale!” He screamed at the elderly man.

 

“Captain!” He said sternly. “Come with me to the kitchen right now!”

 

“Whoo, are ye to be boooooosin' me 'round?” He asked in his drunken stupor earning a chuckle from his crew. “Ain't I the capptain?” He said standing up.

 

“Yes, captain, you are, and you are making a fool of yourself in front of your crew. Have you no self respect?” The shorter man grabbed Inuyasha's arm and began to drag him to the kitchen. “We are going to get ya sobered up, then I'm gonna talk some sense into ya. You got that?”

 

Inuyasha didn't reply he was too busy grumbling and cussing at the fatter man. When he saw his cook's angry glare that could nearly match his own he began to stutter out. “Y-ya, y-yup, I gotchya!” He said triumphantly.

 

“Good, come on.” Myoga said pulling him through the swinging, wood doors. Once they were securely in the kitchen Myoga plopped the drunken man onto a stool before grabbing a glass of water to help chase the alcohol out of his system. He handed it to him abruptly, then left to go around cooking. About ten minutes later he glanced over at Inuyasha and saw that he was passed out on the counter. When he woke up, Myoga hoped dearly, that he would be sobered up and ready for a serious talking to.

 

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Kagome and Shippo spent more than a good half of the day searching through Osaka for a good suitor in silence. Kagome was exhausted by the middle of the afternoon, not having drunk or ate anything since the previous day and had been walking nonstop. It seemed no one wanted a dirty fox youkai, it seemed all the rage in Osaka were proper young boys. The ones that had agreed to keep Shippo were most definitely untrustworthy; one even had the nerve to say in the interview that he would keep Shippo if she slept with him. Like she was some common whore! She had left that interview right then, but not before a hard slap on the cheek to the man who dare say that.

 

Finally Kagome just fell down on the ground on the side of the road from exhaustion. Soon Shippo followed and met her on the dirt floor. “Kagome, I don't think anybody wants me.” He said disappointed.

 

“No Shippo! Don't say that! These people are all big jerks who are idiots! Only an idiot wouldn't want you!” She said defensively. She stared at the road full of wagons and carts passing by as her eyes went out of focus.

 

“Does that mean you're an idiot?” He asked innocently.

 

She contemplated her response, she had already tried to explain that her fiancé wouldn't agree to keep him and Shippo just didn't seem to accept that answer. “No Shippo, I want you to stay with me, but I am an idiot.” She tried to blink back tears as she thought of where Inuyasha might be. “Listen, it's getting late and I don't think we'll find somebody suitable here, I'll take you to Shizuoka then I'm sure there will be somebody willing to take you in.”

 

She gathered him up in her arms and squeezed him tightly, burying her head into his flaming orange hair. A man cleared his throat in front of them. “Ahem, I happened to overhear your conversation, are you two heading for Shizuoka? If you are, I happen to be heading there tonight, I could give you a ride.” He offered as Kagome looked up at him like he was a saint.

 

“I'm sorry, we don't have any money though.” Kagome told him as her heart fell down to the pit of her stomach; her chances of getting to Shizuoka were being demolished in front of her eyes.

 

“That's alright. It's usually only me and my transportation here.” He said patting an ox on the head. For the first time Kagome really looked at the man, he was sort of odd looking. He was very short, even to her, he was balding but what remained of his silvery hair was pulled into a tight ponytail on the top of his head. His eyes were huge and seemed to bulge out of his head and he had large talons meaning he must have been a demon. He stood beside a large cart being pulled by a brown three-eyed ox, also a demon, Kagome assumed. “The more the merrier.”

 

“Why thank you, what is your name sir?” She asked politely. She knew she should be a little more suspicious of this strange demon but couldn't find herself to be worried. If she could survive with a crew of demon pirates, then what was one old man who was giving her a ride?

 

“Call me Toutousai.” He said with a slight wave of the hand.

 

“I'm Shippo, this is my friend Kagome!” Shippo said happily. “Thank you very much Toutousai!”

 

“Yeah, it's no problem. Meet me here at nine o'clock tonight, that's when we're leaving.” He said. “Now I'm gonna go check out the sights of Osaka, see you in,” he looked up at the sky, “six hours.” Before strolling off, cart in tow.

 

“He was odd.” Shippo said once he was out of hearing. Kagome just nodded her head unbelieving.

 

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Sango had woken up hours after they had been imprisoned, at first she was confused as to where she was and why she was on Miroku's lap, but soon she remembered everything that happened. She quickly shook Miroku, waking him up. “Miroku, I'm scared.” She admitted honestly.

 

“Me too. But Inuyasha doesn't want us dead. That must mean he will free us at the next port.” He said trying to comfort the distressed woman.

 

“Miroku,” she said leaning towards him. “Make me forget. Please?” She begged pathetically. “I need you,”

 

He was sorely tempted, too tempted considering the circumstances. “Sango, you know I love you right?” He asked.

 

“Yes,” She answered without the slightest hint of a blush.

 

“Then you know I can't.” He replied earnestly. “You don't want me to do this out of love, you want me to do this so you'll forget what's happening, and I won't take your body for that.”

 

“But you'll take it for any other reason!” She snapped before turning and facing the wall.

 

That one stung, a lot more than it should have. “I'm sorry.” He said before leaning onto the iron wall and closed his eyes for a short nap.

 

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“Inuyasha!” Myoga bellowed once Inuyasha had woken up from his drunken slumber. It was now late in the evening and if their captain did not sober up immediately the crew would be forced to leave without him. “What do you think you're doing?! You are a captain of a powerful group of men, and you're not taking the proper precautions with them! You know very well that by letting them run wild like you are doing right now will only lead to your demise! You are taking this Kagome matter to hard, you weren't even this pathetic with Kikyou!” He said, his face beginning to seep red. “Not only are you disrespecting yourself in this manner, you locked up the only two people I admire on this ship because they tried to talk some sense into you!”

 

“Shut up, old man. You don't know what it's like. Leave me alone.” He replied calmly before storming out the door, slamming it in his wake. “Men!” He hollered. “Prepare the rowboats, we're leavin' now! Get the prisoners out now! Nobody touches `em, they're to be released on shore!” When he saw that nobody was really paying attention to their fuming captain he yelled, “Get yer asses moving right now!” He smirked triumphantly as everyone in range began to scramble around trying to complete his orders without feeling the sharp pain of his wrath.

 

A/N: I am so sorry for the delay in updates! I was on vacation for like two weeks and I had no way to post or write so I'm really sorry about that, I hope you enjoy this chapter.