InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Desert Rose ❯ Beyond the sands ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Sorry for forgetting in earlier chapters.

 

Heh, here I am again. Sorry for not updating as fast as I had for the second chapter. AP testing, you know.

 

Chapter Three: Beyond the Sands

 

`No, I don't want to go to school…' Kagome thought as she tossed in her bed. Opening her eyes to the bright light that filled her room, and looking around with a confused look, she was brought back to earth when she remembered the things that happened the previous day. Frustrated that this new reality was not a dream, she was startled when a voice called to her.

 

“Sleep well?” He called.

 

Turning her head to face him ,where he sat on his bed across the room, she answered, “Good morning, Inuyasha.”

 

“Answer the question.” He ordered, the agitation apparent in his voice.

 

She glared at him. “Touchy, touchy. Yeah, I slept well. Thank you for asking.” She replied sarcastically. `Good, that proves she wasn't disturbed.'

 

Remembering what he wanted to ask he said, “What are you planning to do now?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“I found you in the middle of nowhere. Where are you from? Did you cross the border?”

 

“Uh…I don't really remember, the heat of the desert and all…” There was no way he would actually believe that she was from another dimension.

 

He gave her a skeptical stare. Something about her half-hearted answer didn't feel right. Suspicious, he wondered if she were from enemy territory.

 

“I really don't know what I will do. I don't know this place. And I have nowhere to go.”

 

“You could stay here at Checkpoint. I'm sure you will fine near the oasis.”

 

“Y-your leaving me here? With that Hiroshi guy throwing weird looks at me? YOU BIG JERK! How can you leave a defenseless girl that has no idea where she is, or what she'll do, in the middle of nowhere all alone?”

 

“Kami, SHUT UP!” He yelled, his ears flat against his head. “I never said I'm going to leave you here! I was giving you the choice of coming with me or staying here! Let me finish a sentence before you jump to conclusions, wench! And next time, don't yell so loud!”

 

“Oh.” She said, momentarily ignoring his last statement as her rage decreased. She rubbed her hands together, not sure how to ask him this. “Um, uh, can I come with you? I don't really want to stay here with that guy.”

 

He quietly stared at here for a moment before nodding. She seemed to like his answer because she gave him a big smile. “Are you sure that you can go through another day in the scorching sun?”

 

“Do we have to ride that camel again?”

 

He chuckled, “No.”

 

She tilted her head to the side. “You'll see,” he said, “and take those clothes off.”

 

He saw her stare at him with wide eyes, before he suddenly felt the soft cushion of a pillow hit him in the face, making his head snap backwards on collision. Instantly he brought his head back to its standard position before she threw the pillow at him and glared at her.

 

“Pervert, I can't believe you-”

 

“I didn't say get naked, stupid! I got you some clothes yesterday and maybe you would like to try them on unless you prefer sweating to death in that outfit!”

 

She still gave him a cold stare. “Whatever, I'm going to gather some things. Stay here until I get back.” He rose from his sitting position on the bed and moved toward the door.

 

“And why should I take your orders?” she called.

 

“Do you want to go downstairs and see Hiroshi?” He paused before the door and said without turning to face her, “The bundle by my bed. It's yours.” He pushed the door open and left without another word.

 

She glared at the door for a few minutes, expecting him to return and insult her. Soon she kicked off her blankets and moved toward the bundle of fabric that Inuyasha had bluntly indicated before slamming the door behind him.

 

Lifting the bundle, she watched as the white material unfolded itself as she lifted it. She placed the clothing on Inuyasha's messy, unmade bed and moved to the balcony, looking to make sure no one could see her change. After checking the door to make sure no one was coming, she moved to the bad and began changing.

 

“Hiroshi, I'm leaving the camel in your care.” Inuyasha said as he came downstairs to notice that Hiroshi was already sitting at his desk. Hiroshi nodded, not wanting to get on

the hanyou's bad side for he was already flashing him warning looks. He took in a relieved breath once Inuyasha stepped out and closed the door behind him.

 

Inuyasha moved through the now alive town. Checkpoint was bustling with merchants and solders getting prepared in case an invasion came through the border. Buying an extra water bottle from one of the merchants, Inuyasha made his way to the oasis to fill the bottles, murmurs of how the solders missed being near womankind reaching his ears. He smirked, glad the Kagome was hidden in her room and that Hiroshi was smart enough to keep the news of her presence to himself. His smirk disappeared. He would have to get Kagome out of here before anyone else learned of her presence.

 

As he made his way back toward Hiroshi's place, some of the more informed solders saluted or bowed to him showing respect for their general. Inuyasha just nodded, finishing his scavenging for supplies, placing the supplies in a bag and heading to the room where Kagome was waiting in. Climbing the stairs and opening the door, his eyes widened at the image that awaited him there.

 

Her back was to him, but he could see the white material supported the curves he didn't know she had. The white short-sleeve dress ended a little below her knees and had slits on each side of the dress from the hips to the hem of her skirt. The cut part of each side of the dress revealed her long legs. `What else was hidden under that getup?' He asked himself. She turned showing the front part of the dress. Her pale skin, in contrast to the white material, looked slightly darker. He noticed that she had used the blue ribbon from her original clothing as a sash around her waist.

 

She noticed his stare and blushed. The clothes were loose and she felt exposed in them. Nevertheless, they were much more comfortable than her school uniform which was now folded inside her backpack.

 

“Ready to leave?”

 

She stared at him. `What? No complement or opinion?'

 

“Hey, how do I look?”

 

“Keh, you look fine.” He wouldn't admit it, but she looked amazing as far as he was concerned.

 

She gave him a hurt look. He ignored it before going to the bed next to her and picked up the Tetsaiga.

 

“Shall we?” he asked handing her the water bottle that he bought for her and she placed it in her backpack. Swinging her backpack over her shoulder, she looked up at him indicating she was ready to go when he was.

 

“It's not that far this time.” He said pulling the white cloth from his hip pocket and wrapping it around his face, leaving one eye uncovered.

 

“Your not taking anything other than water?” He lifted the bag in his hand to her eye level, showing her the food, water and blanket inside. Tying the bag around his waist with a white sash he muttered a quick “Come here.”

 

When she didn't move, he sighed in annoyance. In a flash he reached out, grabbing her wrist and lifting her and throwing her over his shoulder.

 

“Whoa! What are you doing?” she demanded trying to keep her backpack from falling off her shoulder. Her question was left unanswered as Inuyasha ignored her cries to let he go and headed toward the balcony. She was about to ask him what he was doing when he suddenly leapt over the edge of the balcony. Kagome screeched as they hovered in the air for a moment before being pulled to the earth by gravity. He landed safely on his feet and removed her from his shoulder. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she stumbled to keep her balance, dizzy and still shocked from the sudden jump off the balcony.

 

“What was the big idea, hauling me over your shoulder? Have you never heard of a front door?”

 

“Keh” He didn't want to let the other men in the town see her. For some reason, he didn't like the idea of the other men staring lustfully at her. He couldn't name where the sudden protectiveness came from but he followed his instincts.

 

“Are we taking horses?”

 

He smirked at her question. “Want to go for a piggy back ride?”

 

He knelt before her and she gave him a look that said “Your kidding, right?” She signed and climbed on his back. He hooked his arms under her knees and she, in turn, encircled her arms around his neck. Rising from his kneeling position, Inuyasha made sure Kagome was secure before walking off. “Hold on,” was his only warning before he ran off into the desert with such an inhuman speed that Kagome hid her face into his back to avoid the dust hitting her face.

 

The ride through the desert on Inuyasha's back was much more pleasant that of the camel. There was no uncomfortable saddle that bucked against her hips every time Inuyasha took a step.

 

“If you could fun this fast, why did take a camel?” She asked.

 

“I was planning to go further than where I found you. I can only run for so long.”

 

“Oh. Hey, what's your favorite color?”

 

“Red.” he said between pants.

 

“Okay, how old are you?”

 

“Eighteen in human years.”

 

“What do you do for fun?”

 

“What's with the annoying questions?”

 

“I just wanted to get to know you better.”

 

“Keh”

 

“What does `Keh' mean?”

 

He growled. Silencing her questions. He stopped for a moment, sniffing the air.

 

“What is it?” he heard he ask over his shoulder.

 

“I think a storm may be forming. Don't worry about it.” He added when he heard her worried sigh. His stomach growled, demanding food. Kneeling, he let Kagome on her feet before rising and untying the bag from his waist. Pulling out an apple, Inuyasha slashed it in half with a clawed hand and offered Kagome a piece. She took the apple from him wondering why she hadn't seen his claws before and pondering more how an apple could grow in the desert. She decided to ponder the thought later, sinking her teeth into the apple.

 

Inuyasha removed the water bottle from the bag and nearly chugged all of it in his thirst. Kagome watched him in surprise. Wasn't he going to save the water? She handed her water bottle to him after she took a few sips. He looked at the offering before refusing to take it. Shaking her head, she insisted, saying that he needed it more than she did because he was sweating more than she. The stubborn young man refused again. She let the argument drop.

 

“Now, it's my turn to ask questions.”

 

“Huh?” She tilted her head to the side of his back. They had returned to their original state: Inuyasha still running as Kagome held onto him. “You asked me questions, now, it's my turn.” He stated.

 

“How old are you?”

 

“Sixteen.”

 

“Where are you REALY from?”

 

“You really won't believe me.”

 

He smirked. “Try me.”

 

“I came here from another world after I yanked the Tetsusaiga from the ground.”

 

He stopped running. For a moment, she thought he was actually contemplating what she said could've been t rue. Every hope she had was shattered when he threw his head back, laughing hectically. “That's the biggest and most far fetched lie I've ever heard!”

 

She sighed. `Typical, I new he wouldn't believe me.' Her grip on his shoulders tightened as he ran forward.

 

()()()()()()()()()

 

Utter silence. The kind of silence that brings about fear: fear; that if something should break that silence, utter chaos would take its place. The castle hidden in the black sands of the Eastern Region was in resonance with darkness. Entering the bastion, the stillness of sounds and silence filled the unlit, dark passageways where the only the sound of screeching in one's ears could be heard along with the faint echo of feet walking across marble and wooden floors.

 

The owner of the stepping noise, reaching his destination in the castle kneeled next to the sliding doors and waited for his order.

 

“Enter.”

 

Rising to his feet, the man entered the dark audience chamber. “I have come as you wished.”

 

A hiss and a swishing sound proved to the man that his master's presence was there. The man looked into the darkness, not seeing the countenance of the being that was covered in shadows.

 

“Well,” the voice had a hissing malevolence, “Hiten, I trust everything has gone as planned.”

 

Hiten looked in the direction of the voice. “Yes, the bait has been set.”

 

“Good. Everything is in motion. Once the actions are complete, I will have my desire and you shall have your wish.”

 

“Master,” Hiten was cut off.

 

“Don't be deceived. He is still very powerful. We cannot challenge their land in our current state no matter how our military out powers theirs.”

 

Hiten remained silent. “Remember, Hiten. Once, one loses to their heart, their vulnerability shall be their undoing.”

 

The hiss in the voice stopped and the presence vanished.

 

()()()()()()()()()

 

Inuyasha was loosing his potency. Even one with his power couldn't go this long in the scorching sun. In spite of this, he drew hidden strength form the fact that he was almost at his objective.

 

The site of tents came to appear the distance and the smell of sweating men practicing for war filled his nose. “Hey, Kagome. I see Base-point.” No answer. He looked over his shoulder. The girl had fallen asleep from exhaustion. She looked content in her restful state. Deciding not to rouse her, he turned his attention to the small figures in the distance that were now becoming larger and larger as he dashed toward his goal.