InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Just to Be With You ❯ Trials Along the Way ( Chapter 6 )

Just settling things: Neither I, nor my kitten sisters own any of the characters used in this work. We just needed something to pass the time.

Oneesan Neko (Mrou)

Just to Be With You

 

Chapter 6: Trials Along the Way

 

The next day they rose at dawn, Inu-Yasha went to begin his tour of the village. Walking through the town he spoke with the villagers, examined their stalls and homes, and finally, went to speak to the demon headman of this particular village.

 

“I am please with the status of your town, Hashi.”

 

“Thank you my prince,” the demon bowed his head humbly.

 

“Thank you for your hospitality towards me, it will be remembered.” Inu-Yasha nodded gravely, trying not to give in to the impulse to snicker like fool.

 

“Thank you my prince,” the demon once more bowed his head.

 

“I will be leaving on the `morrow, but I must request that you keep my presence hear quiet.”

“Of course, my prince.”

 

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“Kagome? Sango? Miroku? Shippo? I'm back.”

 

Shippo came dashing down the hall, followed at a more sedate pace by the rest of the group.

 

“Inu-Yasha! This place is so cool! What are we doing next?”

 

“Keh, Calm down pup. Next we are going to go pick up the clothes for Kagome and me, and then I need to write up a report, because Sesshomaru will want to see that, even if he doesn't want to see me. Tomorrow we will pick up the rest of the stuff I ordered, and then we will continue on our way.”

 

“Okay! Let's go!” Shippo was practically jumping in place from excitement.

 

Inu-Yasha snorted, “One second pup, you may be ready to go, but are you sure everyone else is?”

 

“We are indeed ready Inu-Yasha,” Miroku spoke.

 

“Hn, Okay then. Kagome, walk to my left and slightly behind. Sango Miroku, line up behind Kagome, and one of you keep a hand on the pup.” Inu-Yasha turned and headed for the door.

One by one the rest of the group fell into line behind him, with Shippo hanging on Sango's shoulder.

 

Once out of their house, Inu-Yasha lead the group back into the market place, and to the shop of the clothier to whom he had spoken the day before. Once inside, the same older demon from the day before ran out to speak to them.

 

“Lord Inu-Yasha!” he called, “Just in time! The clothing you requested has been finished.”

 

“Prompt as always Hishii,” Inu-Yasha said, “May I examine the clothes?”

 

“Of course, of course, my Lord,” Hishii exclaimed, pulling several paper wrapped parcels from the shelves behind him. “Here, you see. One set of formal court robes, in red, with the mark of your Lord Father's house on the outermost layer. And for the Lady, a gi and hakama in the red and white of a priestess, one yukata, in the finest of cottons with embroidery appropriate to her station, and a full set of travel kimono, from the bottommost hakama to the outermost furisode. I hope it pleases you.”

 

Inu-Yasha looked at the robes. His robes were, as stated red, with the mon in a rich black.

Kagome's yukata was done in the palest of yellows, with a delicate embroidery of bamboo, and the travel robes were done in shades of red, going from a white with pink embroidery top and white hakama, and getting successively darker until the outermost layer was a rich, true red.

 

“Thank you Hishii, I am most pleased. Re-wrap them please.” Inu-Yasha pulled the two small pouches and the delicate fox tails from his sleeve. Laying the tails on the counter, he counted out fifty wolf teeth from one pouch, then reached into the other and pulled out 8 silver coins. Pushing them across the counter, he gestured behind him.

 

“Miroku, take the packages.”

 

Miroku bowed slightly and walked up to take the packages from the shopkeeper. Then he turned and followed Sango out the door.

 

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Once the group arrived at Inu-Yasha's mother's residence, Inu-Yasha took the packages from Miroku. Sorting through them, he pulled out the white gi and red hakama, and handed them to Kagome.

 

“Girl, go change. Hishii was very thorough, while the yukata is cotton and the travel robes are true silk, this set is made of demon fur, not as strong as my fire rat, but better armor than any human cloth.”

 

Kagome nodded, took the package and walked into the other room. Sango followed behind her, ready to assist if need be.

 

Once Kagome and Sango had left, Inu-Yasha headed back towards what had been, in his mother's day, a storage room, hoping to find a few true packs for their belongings, as opposed to the oiled silk bundles they had been using. Once there, he was delighted to discover that nothing had been obviously moved. Walking towards a large trunk in the back left corner, he opened it and pulled out two large travel packs, two smaller packs, and five water skins. Taking his finds out into the main room with him, he found that Kagome and Sango were also done. Checking out the fit of the robe, he nodded, “Keh, excellent. It doesn't bind or constrict when you move?”

 

Kagome smiled, “No.”

 

“Okay. You still need tori, and zori, but we can get those pre-made. We'll pick them up tomorrow, when we get the slippers for my formal robes and your bracer.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“I found some real packs for us, and some water skins. While normally I'd say Kagome and I take the larger ones, in our current situation they'll have to go with Miroku and Sango. Kagome and I will each carry a water skin, flint and tinder, and a small portion of food, Sango and Miroku will carry the rest of our clothes, flint and tinder, a water skin and the greater portion of whatever food we bring with us. Do we need more food?”

 

“We could use more rice, the village didn't have much to spare.”

 

“Miroku and I will go pick some up. The three of you, pack the bags with whatever you have, and whatever is good in kitchen stores. The kitchen should have been restocked recently, this house is supposed to be kept ready for whoever has need.”

 

“Understood.”

 

“Keh, whatever.”

 

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When Inu-Yasha and Miroku came back with the rice and rice flour they had gathered, they found the girls talking as they finished loading the food they had selected into the packs, arguing good naturedly over how best to weight them. Inu-Yasha cleared his throat, causing Kagome to look up.

 

“You're back, and just when we were ready for the rice too.” Kagome stood and walked over to them.

 

“Keh, it's not like it was that hard a task. So, here you go,” He motioned to Miroku to hand over the rice.

 

“Thank you Inu-Yasha,” Sango said.

 

“Whatever. Just finish packing and we'll all go to sleep. I want to be off by noon tomorrow.”

 

“Okay.”

 

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The next morning they once again rose early, dressing quickly for the day and eating a quick breakfast of rice gruel. By the time the sun rose above the trees they were shouldering their packs and heading into the market place. Stopping first at the leather workers, they collected Inu-Yasha's slippers and Kagome's bracer, and then continued onto a store that sold woven tori for Kagome, then on to the carpenters for the wooden zori for dress. By the time they were finished the sun was near cresting, and Inu-Yasha was eager to be on the road.

 

So quietly and quickly they headed out of town, towards the next stop on their journey.

 

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After two hours on the road, once Inu-Yasha was convinced they were sufficiently distant from any towns, they stopped for lunch. They ate quickly, then as they continued down the road Inu-Yasha explained the plan.

 

“We will travel through the night tonight, then we should reach the next town when the sun is just over the trees tomorrow. During that day I will conduct my inspection, and we will leave the next morning, travel for two more days, stop at one last town and then we should be at the palace. Once there we will have to speak to Sesshomaru, who will hopefully be in a tolerant mood.”

 

“Tolerant?”

 

“Good is too much to hope for.”