InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mind Reader ❯ Missions and Toads ( Chapter 10 )

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Mind Reader

Chapter 7: Missions and Toads

The trip back to the village was quiet. No one was in the mood for talking anymore. Even Miroku was subdued, he didn't try to grope Sango once. Their biggest enemy, Naraku, was now possible teamed up with Akki. When they entered the village Shippo came flying into Kagome's arms.

"Kagome! You're back already? So did you guys take care of Akki? That was pretty fast."

Kagome looked at the happy kitsune, she really didn't want to break the news to him that Akki was very much alive. Before she could say anything Kaede came walking out of her hut with Rin in tow. When Rin saw Sesshoumaru she ran to greet him.

"You guys are just in time for supper," Kaede began, but then saw the expressions on everyone's faces. "Kagome, what is wrong?"

"We were too late. When we got to the clearing Akki was gone." Kagome answered, her eyes downcast.

"That is terrible news. But something else is amiss. Akki is not the only problem, is he?" Kaede wisely asked.

Inuyasha answered her, his eyes blazing with anger. "Naraku, that evil bastard's scent was all over the clearing."

Kaede's eyes widened a little, but in truth she wasn't as surprised as she should have been. "Yes, I see. Naraku knows of Akki's strength so it would make sense that he would go after Akki."

"But did Naraku and Akki team up, or did Naraku use a shikon shard to control Akki?" pondered Miroku.

"Does it matter?" Inuyasha angrily replied. "Naraku and Akki are together, that's all that really matters."

"Maybe," Miroku thoughtfully said, "but it could possibly matter."

"Which way would be worse?" inquired Kagome.

"I don't know. I want to say Akki in control of himself would be worse. But if Naraku has control of him than whatever Naraku wants done Akki can do."

Sango had been listening on the sidelines, but she decided to step forward at this point. "We don't know for sure if they are together. Granted, there is a 1% chance that they in fact aren't together, but still. We don't know what kind of condition Akki is in. We don't know Naraku's plan for Akki. We know nothing. So why don't we stop worrying about all the `what ifs' and come up with a plan of action?"

Inuyasha looked like he was about to explode at Sango, but Sesshoumaru quickly intervened. "She is right little brother. Before you yell out in anger listen to what she said. We know nothing of the situation."

"So what? We find them, we fight, and we finally kill them both!"

"How? Do you have any idea how to take on both Naraku and Akki? You can't even fight them one at a time. Before you go running off to your death think about who you are going to go up against. This is not the time for brash action." Sesshoumaru coolly replied.

"Then what's your great idea?" Inuyasha sneered.

Sango spoke up. "Reconnaissance."

Inuyasha looked confused at this foreign word, so Sango patiently explained. "We send out 2, at most 3, people to gather information. We get as much info as possible on Naraku and Akki and then we formulate a plan of attack."

"That's stupid. We should just go fight them head on."

"Inuyasha, it works. My village did it every now and then when we came across a demon we couldn't easily slay. And whenever we did gather info that demon soon fell. We would discover its weakness."

"That could work, except for one thing. How do you plan on getting close enough to them without being killed?" Miroku said, bringing up the one flaw in Sango's plan.

Sango looked stumped at this. "I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead."

"And who would go?"

"I don't know, ok Miroku? At least I thought of something."

"I'm definitely going."

Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha before speaking. "I think that would be unwise."

At this Inuyasha finally exploded. "And why the hell would it be? This is my battle. I'm gonna fight Naraku!"

At this Sesshoumaru smirked. "That's precisely what I mean. You want to fight Naraku. This mission is not to fight. This is to gather information."

"He's right Inuyasha," Sango piped up. "In fact if anything we will be running from any possible fights. It will be crucial to remain safe and hidden. And to do that we have to be stealthy. And you are sadly not a very stealthy person."

"I can too be stealthy!"

"Can you be quiet?" inquired Sango.

"Of course!"

Sesshoumaru smirked as he thought of a mean and evil idea. He looked away from Inuyasha and started talking. "I could kill Inuyasha so easily. He has no style while fighting. He's slow, clumsy, and stupid. He is no threat to me."

"You bastard!" exploded Inuyasha, "why don't you say that to my face!"

Sesshoumaru turned back to face Inuyasha. "See? You can't be quiet. You can't control your emotions. If you went you would wind up getting everyone with you killed."

Inuyasha looked like he was about to jump Sesshoumaru, so Kagome quickly intervened. She placed a hand on the steaming hanyou's arm and calmly spoke. "Inuyasha, this kind of mission is not for you. You are a warrior. A fighter. Your strength is not gathering information. Wouldn't you rather have Sesshoumaru go gather info? Think about it, there will be no fighting, so why would a fighter go?" Kagome glanced at Sesshoumaru from the corner of her eye and let a small smirk cross her face.

~ You are so dead wench. I could kill you right now you know. How dare you imply Inuyasha's a better fighter than me. ~

Kagome grinned at the pissed off demon lord, but then turned her attention back to Inuyasha. "So what do you say?"

"Feh, I guess you're right. I should let my weaker," here Inuyasha stressed the word weaker, "brother go instead of me."

"Right…weaker…oookay," snickered Miroku, hiding his face in his sleeve to control his laughing. When he recovered he turned serious, well somewhat serious, again. "And who will be accompanying this weaker brother of Inuyasha?"

"She will," Sesshoumaru promptly replied, pointing a long finger at Kagome.

"Oh…heh…heh…come now, you don't mean that." Kagome nervously stuttered out.

"Oh yes I do."

"Why?"

"Because."

~ And your mind reading ability may come in handy as well. ~

Kagome crossed her arms and stuck out her lower lip. "Hmph, fine."

"NO! She is not going with you!" Inuyasha growled, glaring at his brother.

Miroku patted Inuyasha and moved to stand beside Kagome. "It's ok Inuyasha, I'll go with them and make sure he doesn't try anything."

At this Kagome ran and hid behind the closest person, who happened to be Sesshoumaru. "NO! No, anything but that. I'll go with Sesshoumaru alone before you come with us!"

Sesshoumaru glanced down at the cowering girl.

~ Hmm, maybe I should insist on the monk coming with us. ~

Kagome glared up at the demon lord. "Don't you dare," she gritted out between her teeth.

Sango walked up and stood by Kagome. "No Miroku, you are definitely not one for stealth."

"Why not?"

"Let's just say you have certain…habits that tend to come out at the least opportune moments."

Miroku's face fell at this. "Oh fine," he replied petulantly, kicking his foot in the ground.

"Alright, I'll go with them," Sango said, grinning at Kagome. "The two of us ought to be able to keep the great lord Sesshoumaru under control."

~ Damn women. ~

Kagome smiled sweetly at Sesshoumaru before returning Sango's grin. "The it's settled, tomorrow me, Sango, and Sesshoumaru leave to gather info!"

~ Swell, I can't wait. ~

As the group turned to walk back to Kaede's hut Rin finally spoke up. "Sesshoumaru? Where's Jaken?"

Sesshoumaru looked surprised at this question, but then he began walking towards some bushes. Everyone followed him and when he stopped Kagome peeked her head around him. What she saw made her laugh out loud. Jaken, being the pathetic little green toad that he was, was sitting on the ground with his head in his hands. When he heard Kagome's laugh he whipped his head around and stared in shock at Sesshoumaru. He quickly stood up and bowed down to his lord.

"My lord Sesshoumaru! I knew you would come back. That's why I, as your faithful servant, was waiting here for you to come back for me."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at his bumbling servant. "You were waiting in these bushes since last night?"

"Yes my lord. You told Jaken to go back to the bushes. So I went back. I didn't move once."

~ Pathetic. ~

Sesshoumaru turned on his heel and walked away from Jaken. Jaken looked surprised when his lord didn't say anything in return, no praise, no thanks, nothing. He took a small step forward but then stopped. Kagome felt pity for the toad so she stepped forward.

"I'll bring you some food later if you would like."

"Get away from me you stupid human! I would never take anything from your pathetic race!" Jaken spat. The next thing he new he was against a tree with one very pissed off hanyou's claws digging into his neck.

"Don't you ever speak to Kagome like that again! I won't be so nice next time and your head will be rolling on the ground."

"Inuyasha, release him," demanded Sesshoumaru. "I have something for him to do."

Inuyasha reluctantly released Jaken and stepped back to join Kagome. Sesshoumaru took his place and glared at his servant. "Jaken, go back to my castle and secure the grounds."

Jaken looked fearfully up at Sesshoumaru. "My lord, you're sending Jaken away from your side?"

"It would seem so."

"No! Anything but that! We have never been separated since I vowed to serve you hundreds of years ago."

~ And what a miserable existence that has been for me. ~

Kagome snickered at Sesshoumaru's thoughts, but quickly grew surprised at Jaken's next words. She decided that Jaken did in fact have a death wish.

"It's that stupid human girl you brought back from the dead! You should have left her dead! She has turned you against your loyal Jaken. My lord, get rid of her. Humans are useless." This time Jaken was pinned to the tree by Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru calmly held the struggling toad with one hand. "If you would like to live to see tomorrow than I suggest you don't speak anymore. Go to my castle and wait for me to return." He dropped Jaken, and with one look back Jaken scurried away. Sesshoumaru turned on his heel. "Come Rin." Rin quickly followed the demon lord and together they walked back to the village.

"Well that was interesting," remarked Miroku.

"Yeah, that's one way of putting it," replied Sango. "Well shall we head back now Kagome?"

"Sure." Together Sango and Kagome walked back to Kaede's hut.

"Hey! Wait for me!" squealed Shippo, taking off after the girls.

Inuyasha turned to Miroku, fear clearly etched on his face. "Uh, Miroku?"

Miroku looked at the hanyou, taken aback for a moment when he saw the fear on Inuyasha's face. "What's wrong Inuyasha?"

"Kagome didn't happen to say she was taking Shippo, did she?"

Realization suddenly dawned on Miroku as his face grew to mirror Inuyasha's. "Oh hell no."

"Yeah, that's what I thought," replied Inuyasha.

"Shippo is gonna be us for many days…without Kagome…"

Inuyasha could only dumbly nod in agreement with the monk. Then together they both fell to their knees in pain. Inuyasha rocked back on forth on his knees as he wailed. "Why do you hate me Kagome? Why must you do this to me? Why Shippo? Why must it be…Shippo?"

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Poor Jaken, actually not poor Jaken. I really despise that toad. So I got him out of my story as soon as possible. I love controlling the fates of these characters! Please review!