InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Okaeri Nasai, Welcome Home ❯ Rocket ( Chapter 10 )

Wow! Chapter Ten already! This is the longest any of my fics has ever been! Kakkoii!

 

And now, for all you wonderful people out there who are still reading . . .

 

::crazy-colored lights come on over stage, authoress jumps out::

 

It's time for ::music:: Naze Nani Okaeri Nasai!! (The How and Why of Okaeri Nasai) And for this chapter, I think I'll focus on how I got started writing Okaeri Nasai!

 

It was a dark and stormy night . . . hey. . . who switched my scripts?!

 

Akkiko: Heh-heh. . . ::sneaks away::

 

::twitch:: Okay, it was actually a bright, semi-sunny day in winter of 2003 (it may have been November or December—I can remember snow on the ground, although living in Edmonton, that isn't saying much). Meg had downloaded the second Inu-yasha movie onto her computer and invited me (being the insane otaku I am, as well as her best friend) to come and watch (Akkiko was grounded, or working. . .something like that). And, as sometimes happens to us authoresses, I got hit by the inspiration fairy with a mallet (and I have the bump to prove it—the pain I go through to keep you people entertained -.-;;). Anyways, the idea was: what if Meg, Akkiko and I travelled to Japan, trading places with Eri, Arimi and Yuka in an exchange program? Push fate a little further by falling down the well and eventually finding out we were siblings with the Inu-yasha characters. That was basically it. I was psyched by the idea, and so was Meg, as was Akkiko, when she finally got around to watching the movie.

 

So, the first thing to hammer out was whose siblings we were going to be. Akkiko was automatically going to be Miroku's little sister, partially because Meg had nicknamed her `Mrs. Happy Hands' (don't ask—I'm just friends with them, I don't explain them). Meg was originally going to be Sango's little sister, but she pointed out that she didn't want to fight her sister over Miroku. If it had ended up that Meg was Sango's sister, I have no idea who that would leave me with. For a while I was thinking of being Kaede's sister—luckily Meg shifted to being Shippo's sister (which works, because Shippo seems to require a sisterly protector, plus Meg can be juvenile—when she wants to be). Besides, I couldn't stand the thought of being in any way related to Kikyo ::shudder::

 

It was so much fun coming up with scenes for upcoming chapters—pretty much every time we got together, Akkiko or Meg would bring up “the story where we're related to the Inu-yasha characters . . .” and we would relate what we were doing at the time to a scene later used in the story. For example: when I poke Meg with the chopsticks in Chapter 2—that actually happened. True, it didn't happen at school, but at her house—some chopsticks were lying around (why there were chopsticks in her computer room, you figure out) and the rest is history. The “spider scenes” also wrote themselves—Meg really is that freaked out around spiders (once she called me because there was a spider in her bathroom and she was scared to go in there—I had to remind her she had two bathrooms in her house because she was too freaked to kill the darn thing!) Another scene that was written early on was when we meet Sesshomaru and Rin in this chapter.

 

So, after compiling a special file for all the little scenes floating around in Zero-space, I was almost ready to begin writing. The last thing to do was our “makeovers”. Even though I'm using our original names, the characters in the story wouldn't really look like us; I called up Meg and Akkiko on the phone and let them “redesign” themselves the way they wanted to be portrayed. I'm still having issues with Meg's attitude—she wanted it to be like Urd from “Oh my Goddess!” It's hard for me to write her lines sometimes, but I get help from her—and Akkiko. Both of them still send me scenes that I use—The “Surprise my Ass” scene of Chapter 9 is courtesy of Meg, and it started innocently enough: as a topic for an e-mail. I'm serious! “Topic: Surprise my Ass . . . okay that sounds really wrong” In that same e-mail was the scene. I forget what I wanted to surprise her with, but that's kinda besides the point, neh?

 

Finally, there was the issue about coming up with a name. As stated above, for a long time it was merely “the story where we're related to the Inu-yasha characters”. Then Meg, being the wonderful friend she is, sent me a site for anime words. Part of the list I copied included “Okaeri nasai—welcome home” I thought it was perfect, and, as you can see, it stuck. Kinda makes me feel sentimental ::reminisce, reminisce::

 

Akkiko: Will you get on with it, woman!! You left it in a cliffhanger last time, and you've been yakking for a page now!!

 

Kat: I'm sorry! I'm just helping people better understand the way my mind works!

 

Akkiko: Help them understand later!!! Write!!

 

Kat: Please pardon her. And pardon me. And now—on with the fic.

 

Okaeri Nasai

 

Chapter Ten—Rocket

 

At the other end of the clearing stood a man, clothed in a white baboon pelt. Naraku. The enemy of everyone in the clearing, though Meg, Akkiko and Kat had never seen his face.

 

“Naraku!” Inu-yasha snarled.

 

“Inu-yasha. So good to see you again,” the hanyou said conversationally. “I see you've found yourself a new girlfriend. My, my. Kikyo will be devastated.”

 

“How dare you use her name?” Inu-yasha growled, jumping to his feet and grabbing Tetsusaiga.

 

“Now, now. I'm not here to battle you. I prefer to wait until the odds are more in my favour.”

 

“Even more reason to attack you now,” Miroku said quietly, his face calm, though his eyes blazed.

 

“I merely came to see the new trash you've picked up,” Naraku continued, ignoring the monk. He turned his face to look at Meg, Kat and Akkiko in turn. “It's strange, I sense that they are human, but they look like demons. . .” He laughed. “Perhaps they can't make up their minds what to be.”

 

“Shut it, freak,” Meg snapped. “At least we don't go around wearing monkey suits—literally.”

 

“That's what I was thinking,” Kat said. “The second I saw him, the thought that was going through my head was: `Their enemy is a monkey?'”

 

Naraku dispelled an aura of anger and impatience. “Little whores,” he seethed. “Let us see what powers you have—I am curious as to whether those foolish Fire Sisters were merely weaker than what they boasted, or if you truly are worthy opponents.”

 

“Oh, so now we need your seal of approval?” Akkiko asked scornfully. “Get lost!” She sprinted at him, summoning her swords as she ran.

 

Naraku leapt out of her path, and landed. He moved again quickly as Meg shot three arrows consecutively at his feet. Kat followed quickly after her friend, getting a good shot as his pelt in, ripping a portion of it. Naraku retreated to the open area around the well. He was panting, and very, very surprised. These girls, they were strong . . . He, Naraku, who had beaten the Inu-tachi on many occasions—was surprised.

 

He was distracted as a shadow passed over him. He looked up and dodged quickly

 

“Dammit!” Kat said. “I missed again.” She had summoned her wings and her spear head was buried in the ground where Naraku had been moments before.

 

“Hah!” Kat turned to see Naraku dodge Meg's attack from the kumo. Meg's brow was furrowed in concentration. “Stop running away, you coward!” she called as the hanyou ran to the other side of the clearing. “Akkiko—now!”

 

Naraku turned to his right as Akkiko ran up and—slice—the baboon pelt fell away from his face.

 

The three girls stopped their attacks and stared. The rest of the gang ran up behind them, wondering why they had stopped.

 

Then Kat started singing. “Dude, looks like a lady. . .” Akkiko started laughing uncontrollably.

 

Inu-yasha blinked and turned to Kagome. “I don't get it.”

 

Kagome coughed. “I think they're making fun of Naraku because he looks. . .ah. . .feminine.”

 

Sango cocked her head. “Now that you mention it. . .”

 

“Disturbing, and yet true,” Miroku commented.

 

While Akkiko continued to laugh and Kat attempted to hold her own laughter in (doing quite a good job of it, although failing to keep a straight face), Meg walked up to Naraku, who was totally oblivious.

 

"So—this is what you look like? No wonder you have the monkey suit. You're a bad imitation of a drag queen if you ask me. I mean, REALLY!" Meg, apparently unaware of the danger she was putting herself in, tugged off the rest of his baboon pelt. "Let's start with this HAIR! Couldn't you wash it once a year or so? And maybe get it cut? The long, shaggy look takes away from whatever 'evil aura' you're supposed to have. Another thing, who told you blue eyeliner was your color?! You're WAY too pale to be wearing that sort of shade. And it brings out the redness in you eyes, which makes you look sickly, if you didn't before." Naraku stood stock-still, shocked. The kitsune girl, still unaware, was poking and prodding at the half-demon and babbling away. "Not to mention your choice of cloak is all wrong. Fur is so out this season, and Baboon was never stylish in the first place! You need a serious makeover, hon."

 

Inu-yasha stared. “What. . .is she doing?”

 

Kat coughed. “Meg kinda has an insatiable fashion instinct—you should have seen her when a girl wore red pleather pants and a violet shirt to school.” She shuddered, unbidden memories returning. “That poor girl is probably still in counselling.” She turned her attention back to her friend and enemy. “Hmm . . . Something about this scene just isn't right.”

 

“Yea, I know,” Akkiko said, scratching her head. “Something about Naraku's demonic form. . . Miroku, what's his true form again?”

 

Miroku looked over at them. “Oh, it is that of a spider.”

 

Meg stopped listing off ways for Naraku to improve himself as she heard Miroku. For a moment, she just stood there, eyes wide.

 

Kat snickered; Akkiko sighed. “I think she's gone into shock.”

 

Meg turned away from Naraku, blinking. Then her face scrunched up and she took a breath.

 

“Incoming,” Kat and Akkiko said dully.

 

“EEEEEEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” Meg screamed, reaching behind herself and bringing out her trusty frying pan. She brought it down of Naraku's head, and proceeded to repeat the process. “Evil—spider—DIEE!!!”

 

The group looked on, now even more stunned than when she had given Naraku the strip down. She was beating him with a cooking utensil.

 

This did not bode well. For them, at any rate.

 

When Naraku came out of shock (how could she be so bold?!), he growled. Reaching into the sleeve of his baboon pelt, he grabbed something, and -SMACK!- hit Meg right between the eyes with two fingers. She stumbled back, overbalanced by the blow and her frying pan; Naraku flew off, carried by a puff of bluish smoke.

 

Inu-yasha growled and put a hand on the Tetsusaiga. “Let's get him—” he started, and was just taking a step, when. . .

 

“OSUWARI!!”

 

“What the -BEEP- are you doing, wench?” Inu-yasha screeched, jumping up and spitting out some dirt and grass. Kagome frowned at him.

 

“We have to check on Meg first!” she said, and trotted over to where Akkiko, Miroku, Shippo and Kat were already huddled.

 

“This ofuda,” Miroku was saying, “it's similar to the ones you carry, Kat.”

 

“So what if it is?” Meg said, mouth slightly muffled by the paper. “Get it off my face!”

 

“Not yet,” Kat said. “Removing it could set it off, you know, like a bomb.”

 

“Bomb?” Akkiko blinked, and then grabbed Miroku and Shippo by the scruffs of the neck, pulling them away a safe distance. “Let's leave it to the expert.”

 

Kat glared. “Thanks for the vote of encouragement.” She turned back to Meg, studying the kanji on the ofuda. “This is terrible handwriting, not to mention an older form of Japanese, but I think it says . . .”

 

“Get on with it!” Meg said, impatient. “What does it say?”

 

“I believe it says, `rocket'.”

 

Silence.

 

Kagome broke it, speaking matter-of-factly. “They don't really have rockets here in the feudal era—Naraku wouldn't know about them.”

 

“Ah,” Akkiko put in. “But don't they have fire works? And don't fireworks have . . . gunpowder . . . in . . . them . . . ?”

 

Another silence. Suddenly there was a crackle of electricity as the ofuda began glowing; a circle grew around Meg, and anything within two meters of her. In this case: Kat.

 

“Oh, SHI—” Both girl's cries were cut off as the circle `exploded', and they were carried up, up, up into the air, almost out of sight.

 

Of course, what goes up . . .

 

. . . Must come down!

 

---

 

Sesshomaru, lord of the western lands, was walking quietly along a dirt road. On either side of him were several feet of grass leading into trees, so that the early morning sun lit his way—not that it would be any different if it were dark.

 

His servant, the toad-like demon Jaken, was as always a few feet behind him. Always the coward, ready to jump behind his master should there be danger, even though he held the Staff of Skulls.

 

A little further away was the human girl Rin, whom he had resurrected and who now followed him everywhere, only the gods knew why. She was humming a little tune which reached his ears clearly, and stopped every few paces to gather flowers. Still a child, though her eyes were so grown up.

 

Yes, just another quiet day.

 

“KYAAAAAA!!” Two voices shrieked in unison. The noisy pair was silenced, however, when they hit the ground.

 

Well, sort of.

 

Sesshomaru found himself suddenly knocked down by—a girl?—who came out of no-where—from above him.

 

“Meelord—” Jaken barely had time to give an outraged squawk when he experienced the same thing.

 

Kat groaned and noticed that the ground beneath her was disturbingly warm, and hard, and . . . It had a heartbeat.

 

“Oh my God, I'm so sorry!” Kat screamed, mentally kicking herself as she helped up whoever it was she had landed on. After doing so, she found herself looking at a fine kimono over a well-muscled chest, overtop of which was an odd metal device that looked like a hunting trap. Her eyes travelled upward.

 

She felt a blush settle on her cheeks. She, Katherine Marina Muller, who detested that horrible cliché `a silly schoolgirl with a crush' . . . had a crush. On a guy from another time. Who she had just landed on. And despite his recent meeting with the dirt, he still looked (to quote Meg) hot.

 

She took a few steps back from the man—who was obviously demon; nothing else could have silver hair, golden eyes, markings on his face, pointed ears, a furry boa that could have been a tail, and a distinct holier-than-thou attitude permeating around him. She could feel her face turning even hotter, as she mumbled more apologies.

 

Sesshomaru, in the meantime, was feeling slightly confused, though he did not show it. Where the hell had this girl come from? And what was she? She looked human, save for her eyes and pointed ears, but her scent was—human? Demon? A little of both? Or neither?

 

“It's . . . fluffy.” Kat's ears pricked and she shot a look at Meg, who seemed to be on top of a little toad-man-thing, whose eyes were currently X's. Meg pointed to the demon's tail.

 

“The thing looped on his shoulder . . . it's fluffy,” she said again, matter-of-factly.

 

“MEG!! That's rude!” Kat said, fuming even more. Meg looked at her friend closely. Kat was red in the face, and steadily refusing to look into the demon's eyes (even though he was staring at her, confusion only slightly reflected in his gaze).

 

Meg grinned wickedly. Katherine Muller had fallen for a guy (or on him, however you wanted to put it. . .). What a story.

 

She blinked just then and looked down. “Hmm . . . I'm on a toad. Interesting . . .”

 

“Excuse me, miss, but why are you on Jaken-sama?” Meg looked over to see a little girl with long dark hair, dressed in an orange and white-patterned kimono.

 

“I'm on . . . Jaken-sama,” Meg said, “because he was in the way when I landed on him.”

 

“O-oh,” the little girl grinned. “Jaken-sama always gets in the way. I'm Rin!”

 

“Hi Rin, I'm Meg,” Meg smiled. “Hey, you see that girl over there?” She pointed at Kat.

 

“The bright red one talking with Sesshomaru-sama?”

 

`Oh, so that's his name,' Meg thought. `Mental note . . .' “Yeah, the, er, bright red one. Can you tell her something please?” Meg tried not to laugh as Rin nodded, still smiling.

 

Kat felt someone tug at her shirt. Looking down, she saw a little girl about eight or nine.

 

`Uh-oh,' she thought. She didn't exactly get along with kids that well. “Um . . . hi?”

 

“Hello!” The girl said, chipper. “My name is Rin!”

 

“Oh . . . Hi, there, Rin. I'm Kat.” Kat bent down so she was at eyelevel.

 

“The lady over there on Jaken says that you're blushing 'cause you're in love with Sesshomaru-sama!”

 

Kat's eyes bugged out; her face went ten shades redder, and steam came out of her ears. Looking beyond Rin, a vein pulsing in her temple, she glared at Meg, who simply grinned at her and waved back.

 

Kat let loose a sigh of irritation, clutching at a rock that was lying on the road, close at hand.

 

-CLONK!- Meg's head tipped back as the rock hit her square in the face. She grinned at Kat, sweatdropping a little, a bandage on her nose.

 

“I guess this means you don't appreciate my insight,” Meg said, still smiling.

 

“Gee, ya think?” Kat said hotly, and started to walk away.

 

Rin tugged on her sleeve again. “Well, are you? Are you in love with Sesshomaru-sama?”

 

“Rin,” said a much, much deeper voice. “Silence.”

 

Kat nearly jumped when a hand was set on her shoulder. She turned to see the silver-haired youkai staring at her, mouth set in what could have been a smile . . . except that it wasn't.

 

Kat felt her blush rise up again. `Damn, I must look like a frickin' lobster!!' she thought. `Damn it! No, wait—damn him! Wait . . . ah, screw it, damn Meg for bringing it up!!'

 

“FLUFFY!!” Sesshomaru was almost bowled over when a certain hyper-active kitsune came out of nowhere and jumped on him—or, to be more specific, on his tail. “Fluffy!!” Meg squealed again, stroking the tail with both her hands. Sesshomaru was now on his back, the breath knocked out of him.

 

Kat and Rin blinked at Meg. Meg glared at Kat. “I'm buying you some time, you idiot! RUN—wait, no that's not right—FLY!”

 

Realization dawned on Kat, and she turned. “Thanks, Meg!” she called over her shoulder, and reached down her shirt. Bringing out her feather, she threw it out.

 

“Sinthos!” A minute later, she was flying away on the morning thermals.

 

“Go girl!” Meg called, and then something fastened on her shirt front, lifting her into the air. “Oops.” She smiled winningly at Sesshomaru, who had regained consciousness and wasn't looking too happy.

 

He looked off in the direction Kat was taking. “Who was that?” he asked.

 

Meg blinked, and smiled nastily. “Oh, the chick with wings? How much is it worth to ya?”

 

Sesshomaru stared. “I'm not interested in your foolishness, vixen,” he snapped.

 

“Fine by me,” Meg said innocently. “Kitsune bi!!” She shot her fox-fire at Sesshomaru, who growled and dropped Meg so he could shield his eyes.

 

Once his grip was off her shirt, Meg grabbed the scrunchie at the end of her braid and threw it into the air. It turned into the kumo, and rose into the air.

 

“By the way,” Meg called down. “Her name is Kat.” And with that, she flew off.

 

---

 

Kat and Meg made their way back to the group after finding each other in the forest. Naruku, of course, was long gone, putting most of the party in a bad mood. Meg's insane annoying song voice didn't help.

 

“Ka-at's in lo-ove, Ka-at's in lo-ove!” she sang, skipping—SKIPPING, fer goddsakes!—over to the group.

 

Of course, everyone had to be instantly interested. ::cough cough::

 

Inu-yasha's reaction: So what?

 

Kagome's reaction: Oh, that's so sweet!

 

Miroku's reaction: Let me guess: it isn't me.

 

Akkiko's reaction: Aw! Our little baby's ALL grown up!

 

Sango's reaction: . . . (stunned silence)

 

Kat glowered. “Shut up, Meg.”

 

Meg continued grinning. “Aw, is the little schoolgirl embarrassed?”

 

“Meg . . . .” Although Kat's expression could melt steel at that point, Meg still wasn't running.

 

Akkiko joined in. “So who is it? Some hunk from a nearby village? Did you guys land by a pool and catch him taking a bath? Is he a hunter? Did he almost shoot you?”

 

“Actually, it's a demon!” Meg said.

 

“Ooh, really?” Akkiko said, both of them acting like prissy bathroom-gossip-girls.

 

“So what's his name, Kat?” Akkiko called gleefully.

 

Kat flushed even further. “I don't know, and I do not care.”

 

Meg giggled. “His name's Sesshomaru!”

 

“WHAT?!” Meg suddenly found herself staring into Inu-yasha's less-than-cheerful eyes.

 

“What's the problem?” she snapped. “D'you know him? What, does he owe you money?”

 

“Sesshomaru is Inu-yasha's half-brother,” Kagome put in, eyes wide. “He kind of wants to . . . kill Inu-yasha for the Tetsusaiga.”

 

“Maybe . . . it's a different Sesshomaru?” Meg said awkwardly. “This is what he looked like—” She put a leaf on her head and did a flip in mid-air. -poof- In a burst of smoke, a replica of Sesshomaru now stood in Meg's place. Shippo clapped.

 

“Way to go, Sis!” he said. “You can shapeshift!”

 

“Hey, Meg,” Akkiko snickered. “Your tail's showing.”

 

---

 

The rest of the day and that night passed with little incident; plans were made to set off on another excursion for jewel shards. Kagome said that she could faintly feel something coming from the south.

 

“Then that's the direction we'll head in,” Miroku said.

 

“Woot! Finally, some real action!” Akkiko said, thrusting a fist into the air.

 

“Fighting off fire demons, snake demons and some guy in a monkey suit isn't `action' enough for you?” Kat said dully by the fire.

 

Akkiko grinned wickedly. “What's the matter, Kat-chan? Missing your Sesshomaru?”

 

Kat face went livid. “I'm going to kill you,” she said in a deadly quiet voice. She picked up a sizable piece of wood and started chasing Akkiko around the clearing.

 

“I—do not—have a crush—on him!” Every pause was attributed to when Kat brought the piece of wood down—usually hitting the forest floor.

 

“Then why are you getting so worked up?!” Akkiko squawked.

 

---

 

The next morning, Kat stumbled out of Kaede's hut, yawning. Everyone else was awake.

 

“Well, if it isn't the bluebird of happiness,” Meg said playfully. “Good morning, Sunshine.”

 

“Have a nice sleep?” Kagome called.

 

“Yeah,” Kat answered, stretching with a smile. Akkiko grinned maliciously—she can never let these things go.

 

“Have any dreams about you-know-who?”

 

Kat snapped around to glare are her friend. “No, I did not!”

 

“Did not what?”

 

“Dream about Sesshomaru!”

 

“Who said I was talking about Sesshomaru?”

 

Kat stopped, and went completely red.

 

Meg and Akkiko burst into laughter. “You did! You did!”

 

“Oh my God—your face—”

 

“Can't—breathe—”

 

As if on cue, the two of them started singing. “You think he's gor-geous—you want to kiss him—you want to hug him! You want to love him—you want to hug him—you want to smooch him—AUGH!!!”

 

Kat, her eyes shadowed with rage, had raised a hand to her necklace and had drawn her spear. She now lunged at the two girls with it.

 

“DIIIIIIE!!”

 

Inu-yasha looked up from breakfast and simply said, “Run, Akkiko, run.”

 

“I AM RUNNING!!” she shrieked over her shoulder.

 

“Miroku—can't you open your wind tunnel or something??” Meg cried.

 

Miroku smiled, sweatdropping a little. “Sorry, but. . .I don't think that even my kazaana could hold her fury right now.”

 

“COWARD!!”

 

---

 

When they finally got Kat calmed down, and finally got on their way, the sun was high in the sky and fast burning off the mist that lay in the forests. It was almost noon when Kagome stopped on the path, already miles from the village.

 

“I. . .sense a jewel shard,” she said. “And. . .It's coming straight at us.”

 

“Another of Naraku's minions, no doubt,” Miroku said, gripping his staff.

 

“I hope it doesn't pop out from the ground again,” Kat said. “That was a little too creepy last time.”

 

“I'll go take a look,” Meg said, throwing her scrunchie into the air and landing on her kumo. “Be right back!”

 

“Meg!” Kagome called up to her. “It's coming from over there!” She pointed in the direction that they had been heading—south.

 

“Right!” Meg winked, giving off a mock-salute, and was gone. Several minutes passed; everyone was on guard, waiting for the familiar rumblings of a huge demon racing towards them.

 

“Inu-kun,” Akkiko hissed. “You do have all your strength back, right?”

 

Inu-yasha scowled. “Yes.”

 

Akkiko grinned. “Good—I would hate to have to save your ass again—”

 

“Shut up, wench.”

 

Akkiko raised an eyebrow. “Wanker.”

 

Inu-yasha gaped at her. “Wh-what did you call me?”

 

“A wanker.”

 

“Don't take it personally,” Kat said, “for Akkiko, it's a term of affection.”

 

“For Inu-yasha, `wench' is a term of affection,” Kagome murmured, not bothering to mention that Inu-yasha probably didn't understand the British term. . .but he'd know it was an insult, at the very least.

 

“YOU SHUT UP!!” Inu-yasha yelled at her. “And YOU—he rounded on Akkiko who merely grinned. “You—”

 

“Heads up, lovebirds!” Suddenly Meg landed between the quarrelling hanyous. “It's coming.”

 

“What is `it'?” Sango said, suited up and readying Hiraikotsu.

 

“I'm not sure,” Meg said. “But it has spikes . . . lots of spikes.”

 

“What do you m-mean sp-spi-kes?” Kagome started to stutter as the ground shook, jarring her teeth. “Kya!!”

 

The ground looked to see some sort of cross between a lizard and a porcupine rushing at them; its face and legs were reptilian, but it had huge spikes all over it back so that it looked similar to come prehistoric dinosaur. Worse yet—

 

“AUGH!!” Akkiko yelped as she dodged away from two spikes that lodged themselves in the dirt where she had been standing.

 

—it could shoot its spikes.

 

“Kagome—look out!” Meg called, as the strange demon let loose another spike.

 

Kagome drew an arrow and shot it—it went through the spike and it disintegrated.

 

“Hiraikotsu!” Sango yelled, and let loose her weapon. It sliced through the air, and looked like it was about to cut right through the creature's body, when the demon flattened itself to the earth, and the giant boomerang merely went through the numerous spikes on its back.

 

“It's fast,” Miroku said. “Should I use the kazaana?”

 

“No—not yet,” Kagome called. “It still has a jewel shard.” She concentrated on the demon, searching frantically for a sign of the tiny sliver—there! “It's in the middle of the back, buried between the spikes!”

 

“I'll get it!” Kat said, and drew her feather. “Sinthos!” Immediately she was in the air—only the demon could shoot its spikes up as well.

 

“Kya!” Kat screamed as one spike skimmed her arm, drawing blood. That hurt—but she still plunged towards the lethal back, aiming for a clear patch where the shard must be—

 

“Kat—watch it!”

 

“I've almost got it!” Drawing her spear once again, Kat nose-dived and thrust the tip of it into the demons back as another, smaller spike zipped past her cheek, creating another would.

 

A splinter of shine popped out of the demon's back and fell to the forest floor. Akkiko, with her amazing speed, had it before the demon had time to roar.

 

“Inu-yasha—finish it off!” Kat called.

 

“Then get out of there, you idiot!” Inu-yasha retorted, Tetsusaiga at the ready.

 

Kat flew up, when—“KAT!!” Meg and Akkiko called at the same time. She turned . . . only to have another spike hit her in the abdomen.

 

Luckily, it was one of the dulled spikes that had been clipped by Hiraikotsu. So it wasn't sharp, and it didn't go straight through her—it just knocked the wind out of her and hurt like hell.

 

Oh yes, and it propelled her about a mile east.

 

---

 

When Kat came to, she was looking up at sky, framed by trees. Her fuzzy brain went over the last things she remembered, and she was shocked that she didn't hurt—anywhere. She had learned from Inu-yasha that youkai and hanyou healed fast, but she was neither, so why—

 

She sat up, and looked to her left.

 

Sesshomaru was sitting on a rock, right there. His sword, the Tensaiga, was across his legs.

 

“Ah . . .” Kat felt herself go red again. “K-konnichiwa.”

 

Sesshomaru stood, sheathing his sword. He turned his gaze back to Kat, who scrambled to get up. “What are you?”

 

Kat almost fell over. “Ex-excuse me?”

 

“I cannot comprehend your scent.”

 

“I . . .” Kat gulped; Kagome had explained last night that Sesshomaru hated humans. “I'm human.”

 

“You lie. I could kill you for that alone.”

 

Stay calm, stay calm—you have to find a way to distract him, and wait for the others to come and rescue you—how the hell do I get myself into these situations?? Kat thought frantically.

 

“H-however, I'm also, uh, demon . . . sort-of.” She was babbling by this time, but it was buying her time, because Sesshomaru looked . . . calm?

 

He's the quiet type, just like me—no matter how hard he tries to hide his emotions, I can see through him, because I always hide mine! Kat gulped, and continued, “I mean, it's because of the bond I have with my friends, that's really the only reason I have any powers at all . . .”

 

Sesshomaru said nothing; he was getting bored. His hand twitched slightly—Kat gulped; was he reaching for his sword? The one that would actually cut her down—Tokijin?

 

Her mind clicked; she knew exactly how to stun him—something no one else would dare to try, but that she could do, being so close. After all, when else would she be presented with such an appealing opportunity? She sighed as she pulled Sesshomaru down so his face was level with hers.

 

“Meg must be rubbing off on me.”

 

With that, she kissed him hard on the mouth.

 

Suddenly she heard a voice behind her: “Kat, what the hell are you doing?”

 

Kat let go of Sesshomaru's kimono and spun around. There was Akkiko, blinking at her. Behind her were Meg and the Inu-yasha gang, all staring in shocked silence.

 

Kat looked at Akkiko, then at Sesshomaru, then back again. Damn, I didn't think they'd get here this fast, she thought. “Um . . . yeah . . . . a-heh-heh . . .” Kat's face went red as she scratched the back of her head.

 

Meg walked up next to Akkiko. The two girls looked at each other for a moment, and grinned.

 

“Woot!” Meg said, and they started doing a little dance.

 

“Go Kat! Go Kat! It's your birthday!”

 

“Something tells me that was Kat's very first kiss!” Kagome said, going all bubbly.

 

“Something tells me that was Sesshomaru's first kiss, too,” Inu-yasha said from a safe distance; his poor half-brother was still standing there, stunned expression on his face.

 

“Shut up,” Kat said to Meg and Akkiko, still blushing. They, however, continued singing. “I SAID SHUT UP!!” she screeched, pulling a mallet seemingly from no where and whacking them both on the head with it. She then ran off into the forest.

 

Sesshomaru blinked, coming to his senses, and found himself . . . almost pleased . . . by her actions. Though they were still an act of extreme insubordination. He was a full demon, by rights, and she had just . . . his thoughts were cut off when Meg strode
straight up to him, grabbed the front of Sesshomaru's kimono and dragged him down two inches to her face.

“Okay,” she started. “Did you happen to see the blushing human-chick—thing!!—that just ran off?”

 

Sesshomaru nodded slowly, not quite sure what this bitch was going on about.

 

“Well, she happens to fancy you, and I know you fancy her—don't try to deny it, you big old fluffball, you.” She patted his cheek.

 

Sesshomaru stared. Who were these girls, who baffled him so? But before he could actually say something coherent Meg continued.

 

“Here's the deal: you're going to go find her and talk to her, and so help me—say the right thing or I don't care if you are a youkai, I can still strangle you with your own tail.”

 

“In other words,” Akkiko said, popping up between Meg and the disturbed youkai, “You break her heart, I break your head.”

 

“And I'll help,” Sango added, holding Hiraikotsu threateningly.

 

Sesshomaru sweatdropped at the onslaught of the three women.

 

Miroku observed from a safe distance. “You kind of have to feel sorry for the guy,” he said, sipping tea.

 

Inu-yasha also took a sip from his cup, sneaking a peek. “You have to admire them though,” he muttered. “They're the only three wenches who would ever dare to speak to Sesshomaru like that.”

 

---

 

Kat stopped running when she was two clearings over; panting, she tried to calm down. WHAT THE HELL HAD SHE BEEN THINKING?!!

 

Enter the shoulder devil and the shoulder angel.

 

Devil Akkiko looked down at herself. “Okay, why do I have a pitchfork . . . and why is Kat so big?”

 

Angel Meg readjusted her halo. “We're Kat's way of personifying the voices in her head—you know, her conscience. You're her bad side, I'm her good side.”

 

Devil Akkiko and Kat both looked at Angel Meg, then at each other, and laughed.

 

“You—my good side?” Kat panted. “Oh, please.”

 

Angel Meg fumed. “Ahem—anyways, you're asking yourself `why did I kiss Sesshomaru?' It's obvious—you're a young girl, just beginning to recognize the opposite sex, and so—”

 

“Erm,” Devil Akkiko spoke up, leafing through a thick volume of “Kat's Previous Thoughts”. “Actually, she was trying to keep herself alive.”

 

Angel Meg shook her head. “No, she just wanted to suck face with Sesshomaru.”

 

Kat and Devil Akkiko looked at her, horrified.

 

“I thought I was supposed to be the devil,” Devil Akkiko said.

 

“Okay, that's it—both of you, scram!” Kat said hotly, batting both of them so that they turned into smoke.

 

“Oh, my—talking to ourselves, are we?”

 

Kat snapped to attention, her senses pricked. Who . . .

 

“Over here,” said the voice again. Kat whipped around and saw a tiger, lounging in a tree.

 

She blinked at it. Tigers weren't supposed to be in Japan . . .

 

The big cat jumped to the ground and started coming at her, slowly. Kat shifted into a fight position and summoned her spear, just in case.

 

The tiger chuckled, and as it moved, it transformed. “Silly, silly kitten; put that thing away, it won't be any use to you.” Within a few steps, an elderly man stood before Kat. He smiled at the stunned expression on her face. “Now, now, don't look so surprised. You should have expected that Naraku would send someone of greater talents than the Fire Sisters after the three of you. After all, you three are sisters in your own rights, and far too difficult for a measly group of fire-demons to reckon with.”

 

Sisters? Kat frowned. Her, Meg and Akkiko. Why wouldn't Naraku think they were sisters? They had shown up at the same time, and they drew power from each other.

 

“So . . . what's your little trick?” Kat asked boldly.

 

The man's grin widened. “My name is Koroshiya the Beast-Tamer.”

 

“Beast-Tamer? I don't like what that implies about me.” Kat frowned.

 

“I carry that title not only because I can control even the most savage of beasts—” Koroshiya withdrew a sphere from his robes; it appeared to be a globe. “—it is also because I can bring out the beast in most people.” The globe began to glow—red, blue and green blended and swirled until one color was indistinguishable from the other and the entire sphere turned black. “So, child, what is your name?”

 

“K-K-Kat,” she answered, mouth moving on its own.

 

Koroshiya's eyes sparkled with humour. “Kat? Kat?! How perfect—I'll turn you then—” He thrust the orb towards her. “—into a little pussy cat!” A shine of black lightening issued from the orb, going in all direction until it concentrated at one target: Kat.

 

She dropped her spear as the lightening hit her, searing her skin and causing her to cry out—then it seemed like her skin was shrinking, shrinking until it was all stretched and—

 

The pain stopped. Kat plopped to the floor, feeling her clothes slip off of her. She shook her head and looked up—and suddenly the world was a much bigger place than she remembered.

 

But then again, the world must seem a whole lot bigger to a cat.

 

And she was, indeed, a cat, with auburn fur—the same color as her hair—with a silver-white patch on her chest in the shape of her ankh pendant.

 

Koroshiya smiled and walked up to her. “One target, hit and complete.” He grabbed the scruff of her neck. “Now to take you to Lord Naraku, after I get those other two girls of course. And don't worry—I'll make sure not to turn either of them into a mouse.”

 

Kat snarled and swiped her claws at him, trying to curse but succeeding only in hissing. Koroshiya did not stop smiling; suddenly she felt very scared.

 

Without warning he threw her at a tree on the other side of the clearing; Kat hit the tree and fell to the ground, stunned. Koroshiya laughed.

 

“I can tame any beast,” he said. “Especially a weak little kitten like yourself.” He looked down at her clothes and reached for a flint he had in his robes; she wouldn't need those anymore—but something caught his eye. He leaned down and saw a ring. It had slipped off Kat's finger when she had been transformed.

 

“This—” his eyes widened. The ring contained a shard of the Shikon no Tama! He was most blessed on this day! Lord Naraku would reward him for this. He touched the ring—

 

A vision appeared before his eyes of a young woman in a black kimono, holding a glass orb writhing with smoke, with golden hair and dark blue eyes that seethed with fury.

 

Kameko Haru looked into the eyes of Koroshiya. “This object is not yours to take,” she said. “It protects the ones I have presented them to. You will not touch them again.”

 

Koroshiya ignored the compelling voice—the temptation of a jewel shard was too great—and touched the ring. And then he screamed as it glowed hot.

 

And then he disintegrated into a bubbling pool of acid, right beside the ring, which cooled once again to hard silver.

 

# # #

 

Well, that's it for now!! Holy crap, this was a long chapter.

 

Semi-cliffy, gomen nasai. And a happy Halloween to all you people out there!

 

Special thanks to Meg for the line “Say the right thing or I don't care if you are a youkai, I can still strangle you with your own tail.” LOL, that was perfect. Also HUGE thanks to Meg, for being a wonderful, amazing Beta and making this chapter all pretty and shiny ^^ (and also for basically rewriting Sesshomaru's lines—he was the hardest to write in-character)

 

Until next time ::bows:: Don't forget to review and all that jazz!

 

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Inu-yasha or its affiliated characters. No, I am not going to blackmail Rumiko Takahashi into given me rights to said characters. I will continue with my non-profit career of spreading humour/angst/romance in the world. I also do not own ANYTHING by Aerosmith (who sing the song “Dude, Looks like a Lady”) or “Miss Congeniality” (the “You think I'm Gorgeous” song)—except the DVD, which is freakin' hilarious.

 

BETA Special:

 

::is watching Inuyasha and BETA-ing at the same time::

 

Iyo ::sigh:: I'm so tired . . . so very . . . tired . . . hahaha!

 

“I can't believe I'm doing this . . . I'll just have to leave my textbooks behind!”

 

That's a Kat line . . . anyway, onto the BETA stuff. Any spelling errors remaining are mine, and ooh . . . Miroku. . .::forgets what she was writing::

 

KAT: ::smack::

 

Kyaa! That hurt T.T Sorry . . . look! Sesshoumaru in black leather!

 

KAT: Where? ::turns, and stops:: Meg . . .

 

Gotta run!