InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Show Me How It Ends ❯ Bad Things ( Chapter 4 )

I'm not sure why, but FF.net keeps cutting off my stories and I have to keep re-uploading 'em. Its kinda pissing me off, so I'm sorry if one day you go to read this and its cut off, I promise I didn't just stop there. N.E.wayz, here's Chapter 5, read, review, and enjoy.

The deni pie

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Chapter IV - B a d T h i n g s

You're like me
We're both alone
What's the problem
I don't know
We're the same height
The same eyes
But you can't borrow my clothes all the time
Bad things
Dead things
Sad things have to happen
Sometimes
I let the snow
Melt in my mouth
Until my head hurts
Until I'm out
Makes me laugh a bit
Makes me cry
Same way you confuse me all the time
Bad things
Dead things
Sad things have to happen

Sometimes…..

'Dead Things' - Emiliana Torrini

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Liar! Her mouth was full of nothing but lies! InuYasha growled sniffing urgently around the well. He snarled, his claws digging into the offending well. The little witch! A certain scent wafted through his nostrils sending doubt through his mind. InuYasha leaned forward further into the well using his knees to keep him from falling in completely. Perhaps she hadn't completely lied to him, then. Her scent went straight down the well, but it also spread into the forest with the familiar smell of wolf. He had always detested that odor. A rumble began to emit through his chest, his eyes scanning the forest that hid her trail. He'd teach her to lie to him. He thought angrily leaping into a tree ready to take off and hunt the young miko down.

'Osuwari! And don't you dare follow me!'

Damn. InuYasha hesitated, pondering the vitality of her previous declaration. Was she really willing to fight with him over that issue? He cursed sitting down on the cradling branch. Even dead the mangy wolf still couldn't take a hint and let Kagome go. A dull vibration resided in his throat ready to emit as his thoughts turned to a rather upsetting subject. Many others had suffered at the hands of Naraku. Sango's brother, Sango's village, Miroku and his family, the entire wolf tribe, and possibly hundreds of other victims he didn't even know about. Yet did anyone see Kagome running off declaring life debt to any of them? …Yes……oh, wait, no, cross that, definitely not. What made the wolf cur's case any different? Had Kagome retained feelings for him that she hadn't let on?

InuYasha frowned crossing his arms over his chest in consideration. He had always measured Kouga to be a threat, but Kami help him if he'd ever admit it out loud. Kouga had status, and was generally accepted by the youkai population. He could possibly provide for her in ways that InuYasha could not. On the other hand, Kagome did come from 500 years in the future, no one in the Sengoku Jidai could possibly provide for her in the ways that she was used to. The thought gave him somewhat of a cold comfort, although he himself also resided in that certain category of the providably impaired.

Thinking of the future brought him to the matter of where his own was headed. Well, their own, anyway. If Kagome held feelings for the wolf prince, then why did she stay with him and the others? Was it because of her obligation to complete the shikon no tama, since she was in part responsible for it breaking in the first place? If so then what would happen now that her debt was paid? Would she go back to her own era? If that's what she intended to do then why did she go with the other wolf? So many questions swam through InuYasha's mind he wasn't sure which to deal with first. He looked off into whatever part of the horizon the forest allowed him to see. What was she doing right now? InuYasha scowled gripping the branch he sat on harder. Well he was just going to find out.

'If Kikyo was put to rest do you think I wouldn't let you bury her?!'

The hanyou paused in mid lunge still grasping the tree limb. He stopped, slowly settling himself back into his previous position. Maybe he should leave her be…for now. He would find her tomorrow. InuYasha thought with an air of finality. "I'll just find her tomorrow, didn't want to listen to her mouth anyway…" he grumbled huffily. The words could come from his mind, the words could come from his mouth, but nothing would subdue the unease in his chest.

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"..Ginta?"

"…..Daijoubu, Ginta?"

His incessant and total lack of response was beginning to get to her. Kagome sat on her feet watching his profile carefully. He didn't seem to hear anything she was saying. Her arm reached out, her hand hovering over his shoulder, so close but so hesitant to make contact. Setting her face in determination her hand descended onto his shoulder.

"Ginta-"

Kagome was cut off by the wolf's sudden jerk to his feet. She looked up at him in surprise watching his body tense in restrained fury. An erratic looking pivot sent his back to her and Kagome watched as Ginta made his way towards the mountain caves in the direction Hakkaku had taken. The call to ask where exactly he was going hung on her lips but refused to pass them. She bit back her comment on his curious behavior and remained where she was. Her attention turned toward the horizon watching the last rays of sunlight begin to give way to the night. She cringed seeing what remained of the burial fire caught in the winds' current and fade into the discolored sky. 'Those are Kouga's ashes….' She thought observing the fine black cinders in awe doing their own morbid ballet with the breeze. It was strange, she had expected a strong discomfort to come over her at being left with the remains of the man that had loved her so. But no such feelings came, oddly enough she felt serene and at ease. Almost as though Kouga himself was telling her it would be okay, maybe even giving her his own form of forgiveness. Kagome closed her eyes calmly letting the wind play with her hair. When she opened them the sky seemed dimmer than it had been, and the air was growing cold. Kagome bit her lip nervously wondering if she should head for the caves as well or if Ginta would bother to come and get her.

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The sound of thumping footsteps alerted him to his friend's aggravated approach. As they grew closure so the thumping grew louder.

"Hakkaku!"

The said youkai didn't stop his spelunking deeper into the darkening caves. "hm?" He responded distractedly.

Ginta caught up with him grabbing the other wolf's arm, trying his best to contain the violence in his grasp. "Th-That ceremony, it……it wasn't right!" He struggled for the words to describe the awkward feelings of having done something wrong, as though something wasn't quite right and now everything was out of place.

"It was all we could perform with the time we had, Ginta." Hakkaku replied firmly.

"Hakkaku it was wrong! And you know it!"

Hakkaku abruptly turned to Ginta his teeth gritting in the darkness. "I didn't hear you stepping up!"

"We've never done such an inappropriate burial for any other of our clan yet this is what we give Kouga!?"

"What do you want from me, Ginta?! I did what I could, we couldn't wait for nightfall-"

"So we had to do it out in broad day light where any scavenger can see and pick at his ashes later?! Not only that, now no other tribes even know of his passing! So good job Hakkaku, his memory leaves with us!" His voice gradually grew louder and the anger he tried so hard to contain steadily spilt into his rant.

"We couldn't wait for nightfall" Hakkaku continued "-oh wait, no, correction.I couldn't wait for nightfall because I need all the strength I can get for the journey I'll be going on tomorrow! That's right Ginta! While you stay in your little bubble of bliss and ignorance, I have to search for another clan so Kouga's name won't be forgotten! Summer's here and no doubt most tribes will be splitting to go hunt to feed the spring pups! But you didn't think about that did you?! So you can go ahead and live in your little world where everything is perfect, where the sun never sets, the winter never comes, and Kouga isn't dead. But for the rest of us I have to do what he never got to."

Ginta stood there taken back. His eyes wide and his fingers twitching. Had his friend really changed so much in so little time? Ginta's eyes narrowed his body going as taunt as a bow string. "BASTARD!" He screamed lunging at Hakkaku.

Hakkaku could do nothing, Ginta's sudden attack too unexpected, as his body was slammed into the cold stone ground behind him. He grunted upon impact quickly regaining his senses to fight back at the raging youkai on top of him.

They grunted, snarled, bit, clawed, and bled as they wrestled each other for dominance. The two tumbled through the caves not caring where they ended up just as long as one bled more than the other. It was almost like old times when they playfully wrestled each other to chase away the boredom, only now the playful wrestling became vicious and brutal.

Normally Ginta and Hakkaku were equal matches for each other, but now Ginta's rage maddened him, handicapping his usually calculated attacks and battle sense. He bit and struck like a temperamental child having a fit. As they toppled through the cave eventually Hakkaku was able to gain the upper hand and pin a snarling Ginta to ground. He panted straddling the other's lower back forcefully digging his elbow into Ginta's back the other arm slung across the back of the other wolf's neck keeping him down. Hakkaku tried to gain control of himself as Ginta seemed to have lost his. The other youkai struggled violently foaming at the mouth desperately snapping at him like a wild thing.

Hakkaku growled grabbing Ginta by the back of the head and slamming his face in to the cold stone. Exhausted, he slowly rose to his feet stumbling a bit and spitting bloody saliva on the ground away from them. On leg swung away from the subdued youkai and Hakkaku stepped away. Ginta coughed on choking blood before mimicking Hakkaku and spitting it out. He rose on the palm of his hand the other darting up in an attempt to repress the rapidly escalating pain in his forehead and nose. Blood gushed from his swelling nostrils like a grotesque Greek fountain. It was no doubt broken, Hakkaku thought watching the other youkai gently pet the searing body part trying to control the throbbing ache.

"I'm leaving in the morning, I'll check the caves and then you and Nee-san can come in. After I leave stay with her until I come back. Hopefully we'll have a new tribe to come back to." Hakkaku tried to work the cold indifference into this voice but it came out sounding defeated and regretful.

Ginta glared up at him with uncontained malice out of the corner of his eyes from his hunched position on the ground. "I'm not your bitch." He hissed spitefully before rudely spitting more blood onto the floor by Hakkaku's feet.

Hakkaku sighed turning back into the caves and limping his way back to his task.

With that said and done Ginta turned his attention back to his own problems. He was covered in scratches and bruises, but worst off were his forehead and nose. His hand not occupied with cradling his gushing nostrils rose to his forehead touching his fingers to it tenderly. With a violent hiss of pain the offending hand was immediately extracted and sent to aid the other in catching the red liquid oozing from his nose. He went to hold his head back hesitating as an aiding memory came to him.

---flashback---

Blood dripped all the way from where the cause of it happened to hopefully the end of it was to be. A chibi Ginta raced cupping his small hands over his nose trying unsuccessfully to retain the pouring liquid. He skidded to a halt when he reached a small stream. Falling to his knees the little wolf hurriedly forced his head under water cringing as the icy current assaulted his injured cartilage. He hadn't been in the position for long before he felt a slender but firm hand grab the back of his head and pull him up. His lip was instantly bit to retain the cry of pain as his swelling nose was abruptly extracted from the numbing effects of the water. He tried his best to turn his head only to be greeted by a pair of eyes the same color as the stream.

"What are you doing?" The eyes asked with a mixture of austerity and gentleness.

The hand released his head but the fingers stayed threaded through his short two toned locks. Ginta drew back enough to see the full length of his mother, Niroki, staring down at him. Her thick white hair was pulled from her face in a loose ponytail while two black locks fell to brush against her high cheek bones. Her brows knit in concern her face coming closer to his to inspect him.

"I smelt the blood and came to find you. What happened?" She asked with the same amount of firmness but Ginta could still see the maternal concern behind her almond shaped eyes.

"We were wrestling outside the den but there were too many of us and I got kicked off the mountain." His little boy voice explained his hands still holding his nose.

His mother frowned seemingly unsatisfied with his explanation. "Who kicked you off?"

"Kouga, but it was an accident."

She nodded her fingers tensing in his hair in contemplation. It was the alpha male's son so she couldn't really do anything serious about it, plus it was just pup play so in itself it was nothing major. "What were you doing out of the den?" The firmness in her voice promising punishment if it was an answer she didn't approve of.

Ginta nervously looked around taking on the appearance of twitching that he usually wore. "The den was stuffy, and we started daring each other to go out, the ones that didn't leave were made fun of."

His mother's frown deepened and Ginta panicked for an explanation that would appease her.

"They started making fun of me! Th-they called me a female, Okaa-san! I had to leave or get teased by everyone else! And I'm not a female! I'm a male and I'm gonna be a strong warrior some day just like 'Tou-san was!" He exclaimed looking pleadingly up at her as he clutched his mother's gray fur wrap skirt.

Niroki observed her son with her calculating gaze contemplating whether his justification was acceptable or not. She sighed approving of it letting her fingers run through hair that imitated her own. There was nothing she could do really. Males would be males and it was a 'get pressured into running with the pack or go against it and get teased and alienated' society. She supposed she should be somewhat proud, in an odd way. Her son was young and obviously afraid of leaving the den without any sort of supervision, but he had faced his fear and done it anyway. Though she doubted he would ever be a great warrior, not like his father had been, Ginta had always been a rather fearful cub, and he was more than likely to be the same way when he reached adulthood. Her attention turned away from her son now thinking of her mate and his father. A scowl smeared over her face as her reflection stare up at her from its place in the stream. The damned Gokurakuchou had been evil bastards, using the lowest war trick of killing off females and cubs to stop their enemy from repopulating. Her mate, Jakobi, had fought with the rest when trying to save the nursery den. She had been the lucky few who got out, and with her pup no less. It had truly been a miracle, but kami takes a penance for every miracle he gives. Jakobi never returned, there weren't even enough remains of him to hold a proper burial ceremony. Now the tribe was left with fewer females, it was now a more or less 5 males to 1 female ratio. If more females weren't born this spring it looked as though the clan may have to resort to polygamy to repopulate. Niroki tensed, she had hoped it would never come to that. She had seen a few tribes that had been reduced too that and it was a miserable sight. She wanted her son to have a mate of his very own and not have to suffer the heart break of having to share. A yelp of pain brought her out of her reverie

Niroki turned to look down at the small cub whose hair she had been gripping too tightly. Her eyes spoke of apologies and she relaxed her fingers to once again gently run through his short locks. Her thighs were beginning to feel wet and she frowned looking down at her now red stained fur wrap. Ginta held his hands closer to his nose obviously struggling to contain the blood still running down his upper lip.

A sigh broke the calm silence that had cascaded over the air. Niroki released him long enough to rip a piece of cloth from the bottom of her shirt. She dipped half of the long strip in the water leaving the other half dry to wipe away the diluted blood. Ginta reached a little arm out, the other still protectively guarding his nose, taking away the cloth and covering his pouring nostrils with it. He slowly tilted his head back so the rest of the blood would no longer run down the bottom half of his face.

"What're you doing?! Don't do that!" Niroki snapped once again taking her son's head in her hand to tilt his head back down.

Ginta looked at her in surprise. "Hakkaku's mother told me that's what you do when you have a bloody nose-"

"Hakkaku's mother is an air headed fool, and you can tell her I said that." She interrupted, saying the last part as more of an afterthought. Seeing his eyes widen at her callousness softened her tone a little. "If you tilt you head back you end up swallowing your own blood and could possibly choke. Either way, it only leads to a mess I'll be cleaning up anyway. You don't want to stop the blood from flowing, tilt your head forward and blow if you can, old dried blood may be blocking the flow and you'll end up swallowing the rest." She instructed.

The little wolf did as he was told, drooping his head forward to let his pouring nose stain the grass. He took a breath and blew out as hard as he could. And surprisingly it worked, within a minute or two his nose no longer oozed the thick red liquid, granted it was a little stuffy and crusty; but that could be taken care of. His mother took the rag from him, re-dipping the damp half and bringing it up to wipe the crusted red stains from his nose, lips, and chin. Soon Ginta was clean again and Niroki softly scrubbed the reddened water away with the drier half of the cloth.

After that was done she drew back taking his chin in her hands, turning his head this way and that to inspect her work. It obviously met her approval because with a curt nod she stood expecting her son to automatically imitate her. As always, he did. The youngster rose to his feet catching up with his mother that had paused to wait for him. He quickly caught up reaching up to grasp her clawed hand in his smaller one.

"I'm not going to say 'don't leave the den again without my permission.' Because I know you'll be talked into doing it again anyway. But next time you wrestle or someone kicks you, sink your claws into his foot or some other appendage. That way if you go down you're damn well taking him with you."

"Hai!"

---end flash back---

Ginta hesitated, his head in mid tilt before bending over the ground and dropping his head, letting the blood pour to the floor. 'Mom knows best...' He thought letting the wave of nostalgia pass over him. And sure enough, the growing stains on the ground went stagnant with the halting flow of blood. With that, he blew a little afterwards bringing his arm up to his face to use it as a makeshift tissue.

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Completely useless. That's exactly what he was. InuYasha for all his faults at least remembered, and was quite punctual at that, to pick her up. This sorry excuse for a youkai however…..that was a completely different story. Kagome paused her deadly thoughts long enough to let out a delicate sneeze. Once that interruption was over she allowed her teeth to continue chattering and her arms to continue rubbing her arms up and down to ward off the growing goose bumps. 'baka Ginta!' Kagome glowered trying to focus on anything else other than the cold. Why did her dress have to have such small straps? She'd do anything for a nice winter coat right about now. How was she supposed to know mountainous areas got particularly cold at night?

It wasn't the first time nor would it be the last time that she would wish back her long flowing hair. At least it would have kept her back warm. What were they doing in there?! The only thing keeping Kagome from running in there was her respect for other people's privacy…….that and she didn't think she could take the awkwardness if she were to walk in on Ginta and Hakkaku fighting, particularly if the subject of argument involved her. 'Ok, that's it! I don't care if they're doing it like crazy in there, if he's not out here within the next five minutes I'm going in whether they're ready for me or not!' She thought somewhat surprised at the unaccustomed raunchiness of her thoughts. 'ew…..they aren't really………..are they? They do hold each other an awful lot…. Kagome stop it! Just start counting!'

She shook her head free of the turn her thoughts had taken. Her eyes narrowed counting down 60 seconds with each minute in her head. Her attention stayed on her task only occasionally looking up at the cave's entrance. 'Ok Ginta, you better get your furry butt out here in 10, 9, 8, 7-'

"Are you still out here?"

Her gaze flickered up just in time to see Ginta cock his head at her curiously. 'Am-am I still out here!?' She thought staring up at him as if he were the one who had lost his mind.

"Nee-san it's getting cold, the mountains have caves for a reason, ya know." He explained to her as if she were two.

Kagome glared at him jumping to her feet. "I know! I'm not stupid!" She growled stomping past him knocking his shoulder as she went.

"Ite! I didn't say you were!" The wolf easily caught up with her rubbing his shoulder pitifully.

The angry girl paid no attention to his pathetic explanations leaving her original plan of ignoring him to death only to spare him a glare that promised things of badness. Ginta simply gave her his own weary glances as if waiting for her to pounce on him at any moment. Suddenly she came to a complete stop crossing her arms and tapping her heeled foot impatiently, it would have made a rather annoying ticking sound had it not met with soft grass and dirt. Ginta just stopped with her, staring at her and waiting for her to do something. Kagome rolled her eyes irritably at the clueless expression he was giving her.

"Well?!" She snapped.

"Well what?" He asked innocently.

Kagome grumbled bringing a hand up to rub her temples. She had been waiting outside for an hour and a half in the dark, in the cold, in the very open field where any youkai could just swoop in on her, just so he could get whatever it was that was frustrating him off his chest. And for what? Absolutely. Nothing. Kagome brought her hand up and slapped the hard rock of the mountain cliffs.

"This, Ginta! I can't climb this! Now just take me to where we're staying." Now it was her who was talking to him as if he were a two year old, retarded, foreigner who didn't speak Japanese.

"Oh. Ok, we're staying in that cave up there." He said appearing not to notice her condescending tone.

She followed his pointing finger up to a light that was radiating from a slab of plateau jutting out of the side of the cliff, which she could only guess led to the cave in question. With a quick nod of approval she walked behind him forcibly jumping onto his back. Ginta let out a yip at the unexpected attack.

"Baka! I need you to carry me up there, I can't do it myself." She scolded.

The youkai swallowed and nodded in understanding. He crouched to gain leverage before springing up the side of the mountain. Kagome gasped gripping his torso tighter with her legs. Her eyes clenched shut and her teeth gritted together 'dontlookdowndontlookdowndontlookdowndontlookdowndontlookdown'< /i> She chanted in her head. But of course as all the cartoons around the world have repeatedly demonstrated, this method never works and never keeps the character from looking down even though he knows he's going to fall when he does. Kagome cold no longer contain herself and squinted one eye barely open, her iris peering down to take a peek at what lay below. No matter how many times she had ridden on InuYasha's back, no matter how high he had flown before, nothing really prepared her for the sight that lay below while her body jarred with every leap off the cliff Ginta used for momentum.

The said wolf let out a strangled sound as the arms around his shoulders rose to his neck and clutched him in a breath taking grip. He coughed, his eyes bulging at the feeling of every blood cell in his body taking a u-turn and rushing to his head. "N-nee-san (wheeze) loosen your grip, please." He managed to choke out.

"Are you kidding?! Do you have any idea how high up we are?! You can't fly can you?! Oh kami you can't fly! So basically we die-or rather I die if you fall?!" Kagome hyperventilated.

"We both will if you don't stop strangling me!" He wheezed.

She nodded, more to calm herself than to agree with Ginta. True to her word she loosened her grip and snaked her hands through his arms to reach up on the other side and clutch his shoulders. Her cheek crushed itself against his back and her eyes resumed their position of a bracing clench.

'I don't wanna die!'

"Nee-san?"

'I know, I know, all guardians of the shikon no tama should face their fate with honor but for kami's sake I'm only 17! I'm still a minor, isn't there a rule against minors facing their fate with honor before they're legal?'

"Nee-san."

'This new life can't be so miserable. I mean I'm sure I can make due with Ginta who may possibly be the only person I'll be seeing for the rest of my life. But hey, at least I'll be able to say 'the rest of my life'.'

"Nee-san!"

"Huh?" Kagome cracked her eyes open to find herself staring at what appeared to be orange stone.

"We're here. You can let go now." Ginta said releasing her legs.

"Oh." She replied dumbly letting him go sliding down the back of his body to plop onto her rear. Kagome looked around, a fire was set and going in the middle of the floor reflecting off the stone walls, the cave was thankfully wide and extended far into the darkness where the fire's light couldn't reach it. "It's warm in here…" Yet another scholarly statement of the obvious.

"Hai, the fire's been burning for a while. You should have told me you were planning on staying out there or I would have called you in."

The roller coaster of emotions and urges she was feeling was amazing. One minute she had to call upon all of her miko powers of peace and love for all just to keep from slapping his fangs out, the next she was trying to ride out the adrenaline rush while being thankful that Ginta at least got the place ready for her, and another minute later she was back to the calling of the miko code of peace and love for all creatures to keep from tearing his sorry youkai hide apart piece by piece. It was fascinating, really. She settled for the nice compromise of dazedly slumping to the floor. She closed her eyes trying again to ride the emotional roller coaster before opening them again. It was then that she noticed the fire light flickering off something large and sort of yellow looking that was laying beside a pile of sticks and logs.

"Is that my back pack?"

Ginta looked up from his task of fueling their small bon fire. His gaze shifted to where she was staring. "Oh, hai. I brought it up a few minutes before I came and got you. I was going to ask what you were doing out there sooner but you seemed to be concentrating on something so I left you alone for a little longer." He explained going back to shifting the logs around in the pit.

Her mouth dropped and she stared at him as though he had just admitted to having a secret love affair with Shippou. 'I was concentrating on counting out how long it would take you to get your useless hide out there! I swear I-No Kagome, peace and love for all, peace and love for all.' Her eyes glared daggers at his oblivious side but decided to leave him be. For now anyway. She groaned as her still tensed muscles urged her not to move. She steadily crawled over to sit opposite of Ginta by the fire. Her hands again snaked up her arms to rub the fading goose bumps away. "So what's going on?"

"Hm?" Ginta asked turning his attention to her.

"What's going to happen? To you, to me, to Hakkaku, to all of us. Where is Hakkaku anyway?"

Ginta gave a little shrug. "Hakkaku's going out tomorrow. He has to leave as soon as he can to catch the tribes before they leave for their hunting season. We're supposed to stay here until he returns."

Kagome watched the scowl take over Ginta's impish face at the mention of Hakkaku. She brushed it off to save for another day. "So how long will that take?"

"I'm not sure. He should be back around winter, I guess."

"Why winter?"

"He doesn't really have any other choice, tribe or no. If he doesn't find one with an alpha male he can take then he has to come back or he'll freeze with no shelter for the winter. If he does find a pack and manages to become the new leader then he'll come back so we won't freeze."

"Why would we freeze? We're not preparing for winter or something?"

"No, we'll gather the food and fix the cave up, but trust me, it's much easier to survive the winter in a pack than it is alone."

"Oh, I suppose you're right. But where's Hakkaku now? He didn't leave already, did he?"

"Iie, he's checking the caves for any youkai that decided to move in while we were gone."

"Are there a lot of caves?"

"This mountain held an entire tribe of wolf youkai, so there had better be."

Kagome nodded feeling a little dumb. Well that certainly made sense. No more questions came to her and she settled herself in the silence that swept over the cave. The tension around Ginta lessened a little; but she couldn't help but feel that he forced himself to act normal around her. Which would make sense, he was practically being forced to watch over her and stay with her regardless of his own less than loving feelings towards her. 'How heroic, he's sacrificing his own feelings for the better good…' Kagome thought bitterly. In all actuality she knew she had no right to be bitter about him forcing himself to be civil towards her. Even she didn't forgive herself, so how could she expect Ginta to do so. 'I hate myself for this and I only knew Kouga for two years, Ginta knew him his entire life, imagine all the things he must feel now. Roles reversed I'd rather freeze outside than be in the same room with the person that had a hand in killing my best friend.'

For the sake of thought Kagome tried to picture how exactly she would feel had the wolf had a hand in Sango, Miroku, Shippo, or even InuYasha's death. A sick feeling sloshed in her stomach. She really had no idea how he was restraining himself from taking his anger out on her or at least cutting off any biting remarks she'd certainly be making in his position. Thinking about it again brought back the same feelings of self disgust and guilt she'd been feeling since it had happened. 'And it's only been two days…..' She thought mournfully. Time was said to heal all wounds, and time was said to fly when one was having fun. Well, she was miserable managing the wounds that time would probably take forever to heal. Kagome suddenly missed being outside, feeling angry, climbing the cliff and feeling scared. It was better than being calm and feeling wretched. When you're calm it gives your thoughts space to run through your mind. And right now she didn't want her thoughts to wander to wounds that were still too tender to pick at.

Her attention was taken away to a dull pain in her tail bone. Kagome grimaced looking down at whatever was abusing her sensitive backside. Unfortunately she saw nothing but cold stone ground. Cold, stone, ground, of course, what did she expect? A cave made of pillows and cotton candy? She frowned rubbing her sore body part. Why couldn't another shikon no tama magically appear so she could actually wish for a cave made of pillows and cotton candy. It solved both the discomfort and the hunger problem. Her gaze flickered over to the log pile. 'You've gotta make do with what you've got.' She decided.

Her tailbone sang gratefully as she got up making her way over to the pile and dragging a rather heavy log from it back to her sitting spot. 'See, Kagome? You can be innovative!' She thought appraisingly. This wouldn't be so bad….

"Were you ever actually planning on becoming Kouga's mate?"

Or it would be horrible, either way. Kagome blanched, had she been chewing or swallowing anything she would have choked and been thankful for it. "Where did that come from?" How could he expect her to answer a question like that? It was like an attack coming out of the clear blue nothing!

Ginta shrugged looking nonchalantly into the fire. "I was just thinking about it. I mean, Hakkaku and I always cheered Kouga on. We always thought he had a winning chance. You two were a good match. The tribe respected and generally liked you, Kouga…..well we all know what Kouga felt. But what about you? What would you have done after Naraku, had……it not turned out the way it did." Ginta stopped himself from saying 'had Kouga not been killed.'

Well she couldn't say she didn't have it coming. InuYasha accused her of wanting to run away with the wolf prince all the time, something similar was bound to come up with Ginta or Hakkaku too. She let out a defeated breath resting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. "I'm not sure what I would have done…."

"So you would have gone with InuYasha." The vindication she had expected to be in his voice was strangely absent from that comment.

Kagome thought about it, her eyes widening a fraction at coming to the conclusion that oddly enough, she truly didn't know what would have happened at the end of their journey. Had it not turned out the way it did, of course. "I-I really don't know. I remember thinking the same thing before the whole final battle, ya know? But every time I did, I didn't really see it in the Sengoku Jidai at all. I always saw my future going home, back to my own time. I had usually been able to see being with InuYasha, but….its just so complicated. I doubt he'll ever be able to really let go of his feelings for Kikyou, and that already complicates things enough and then you add him living 500 years in the past into the mix and…………..it just seems really stressful. I love the Sengoku Jidai, don't get me wrong, I do. Its so much simpler here, if I were here I'd probably already qualify as a genius with schooling I took in my time! And it's definitely more refreshing, it doesn't have all the buildings and pollution my time has. It's hard enough finding a normal tree there, here forests are a dime a dozen!" Kagome laughed a bit then became calm and serene, her eyes seemed to fade, like she were remembering something wonderful. "But home, some people say home is where the heart is. And my heart will always be with my family, and they're in the future. I love the Sengoku Jidai, but I will always belong in my own time, with my own family and my own…..my own reality! These two places are just so different. My era, even with all the buildings, pollution, and lack of trees, it's what I grew up with, it's all I knew. I guess I always saw myself returning, no matter what happened between me and InuYasha,……or between me and Kouga for that matter."

Ginta paused, letting all she had said sink in. It did answer his question and then it didn't. She never said directly whether Kouga was even in running for her, but she had said that no matter who was in the running, that home would always come first. And she would have eventually returned. So what exactly did that mean? He did his best to shake off the confusion the torrent of questions was causing him. "If your home means that much to you then why are you still here?"

Kagome was silent for what seemed like forever before responding. "I owe something to Kouga. He,…he gave so much, and looking back on it I don't think I really gave enough back. Kind of like a life debt thing. If went home I wouldn't be happy. I wouldn't be happy with Kouga's blood lying on my heart. I thought that maybe if I did what you said and did this, that I'd be able to wipe it clean. That my stomach wouldn't decay with guilt and self loathing every time I'm reminded of what happened."

The silence that once possessed the room invaded it again. Ginta sat there, he had always held respect for the girl across from him. She always felt honor bound to anyone in need of help. Whether it be saving Kouga from dying after almost killing InuYasha or keeping him from being eaten by a Gokurakuchou, she never turned away from her obligations. He didn't hate her. Not really.

"Did you know if you hold your head down when you have a bloody nose that it'll make it stop faster?"

Kagome looked up from her lost position in her thoughts not commenting on the second out of the blue comment Ginta decided to make. "Really? I thought you were supposed to hold your head back."

"No, that only makes you swallow and choke on your own blood."

"Oh. Ew."

"Yeah." He nodded in agreement returning to staring at the fire. Silence only swallowed the room for a little while before spitting it back out again.

"Did I ever tell you about my cat?" This time it was Kagome with the totally random statement.

The wolf turned to her and shook his head. "No, didn't even know you had one."

"Yep, his name's Buyo. He's huge."

"Hai, cat's can get pretty big if you exercise them right."

Kagome stared at him for a minute not really understanding where he was going with that comment before realizing it was him that didn't understand. "Oh, no, no exercise, he's just fat."

"Why would you want a fat cat?"

"He was already fat when I got him. I got him when I was eight and haven't stopped feeding him since."

"I don't think that's healthy."

"That's what Okaa-san said, but he doesn't seem to mind. He's as big as a bowling ball now." She caught his confused stare. "Yeah, you wouldn't know what a bowling ball is, ummmm ok lets see….he's as big as……..he's as big as that really big rock over there."

Ginta followed her pointing hand to see a random rock that lay among other smaller rocks and pebbles. It was indeed the size of what would later be known as a bowling ball. "Why would you let your cat get that big?"

"I guess it's similar being addicted to drugs. I fed him a lot once and when I don't feed him the same amount it's like he goes through withdrawal. He gets really irritable and will start tearing at everything, like my ankles for instance, and then he'll get really hyper and just dart around the house for absolutely no reason. But when he gets fed he's back to being his sweet cuddly self."

"I still don't think your cat's very healthy."

"Well he's lived for nine years, and since cats age nine times faster than humans that would make him 81. So at least I've been doing something right."

Ginta nodded not really knowing how to respond to that. He reached out grabbing a random stick and began lazily poking at the fire. He rested his free elbow on his knees and his chin in his hand imitating Kagome's own posture.

"I've thought about it."

His gaze flickered up to her face.

" 'bout what?"

Kagome looked away her hand coming up to cover her face as if she were gossiping at a slumber party.

He couldn't hear a thing even with his youkai hearing but her mumbling gibberish. "What?"

"I said I've thought about what it would be like to be with Kouga." She said quickly slurring her speech, wondering if he even understood her rapid talk at all. At the sound of nothing she hesitantly turned only to be met by two black pupils and two grey irises all rolled up into two tiny dots in a sea of white. She recoiled in fright almost falling off the log at finding Ginta directly in her face and half on top of her at that. So he had apparently heard her loud and clear. She doubted even Kouga himself could've gotten that close to her that fast. "What's the matter with you!?" She tried her best to scold him but it only came out as a high pitched squeak.

"You've thought of being with him? How did you think of being him? Did you think of being with him as in mating? What did you picture he'd be like? I've known him for a long time I might be able to help you out! How much did you think of him? What did you think about exactly?!"

With each blurred question he seemed to come closer and closer to her face forcing her to lean back further and further causing the discomfort in her spine to obviously rise higher and higher. She was immediately reminded of the time she had admitted to Eri and Yuka that Hojou was handsome. They had been on her faster than starving hyenas in an all you can eat steak buffet. "Get away from me, you psycho!" She exclaimed huffily placing a hand on his chest to push him off her. Unfortunately he would only be moved so far. He fell back to his kneeling position which Kagome noted was directly between her legs, his hands positioned on the log on either side of her ready to shove himself in her face again if she spilled another juicy detail. She watched him uneasily as he stared up at her, eyes wide in uncontainable anticipation, like a fat kid at the opening of a new candy shop.

"Well?" He asked, Kagome could practically see his entire body vibrating in suspense.

"I'm not saying a word if you're going to pounce on me at the first syllable that comes out of my mouth." She warned.

"I promise, I promise, now continue!" He whined shaking the log impatiently.

Kagome glowered at him when her body shook back and forth with her trembling seat. "It's probably not what you think it is anyway-"

"I don't care!!" He urged, once again shaking her abused log.

"Stop that!" She scolded slapping at his hand. The hands left the log only to come to her dress and begin tugging there.

"Tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me tell me!" He repeated anxiously.

She groaned rubbing her temples. This was such a mistake. She pushed at his shoulders urging him out of her 'Kagome Bubble of Personal Space'. "Fine, but don't be disappointed if it's not what you think it is."

He scooted back as far as he could without being burned by the fire at his back. "I won't I promise!" He exclaimed looking at her for all the world like a child about to be told what his parents got him for Christmas.

Kagome rolled her eyes but couldn't be angry at the face he was presenting her. "What do you want to know?"

She didn't really expect the list to come at her again. "How did you think of being him? Did you think of being with him as in mating? What did you picture he'd be like? How much did you think of him? What did you think about exactly?!"

Her mouth opened to answer the first question but closed not knowing exactly how to answer it. What could she say? She shook her head and continued to the next question finding it just as bad as the first. He didn't really expect her to answer that did he?! The third question she couldn't answer without the second. The fourth was a possibility, and she may be able to do the fifth. She tried to start but everything she came up with just didn't sound right and then she was back to the problem of not knowing how to start. It was no surprise that the only answer she was able to surmise was "Kouga…….was very handsome."

Ginta stared at her, just looking at her as if his brain simply couldn't process her response. "That's it?! That doesn't answer a thing!"

Kagome turned her eyes to the ground shyly. "I don't really know how to answer you." When she said she had thought about what being with Kouga would be like she honestly didn't think her thoughts were as bad as whatever Ginta was making them out to be. But now that he was asking the questions she was beginning to second guess herself.

He sent her a half lidded annoyed look. "Okay, how's this, we'll go slowly. How did you think of being with him?" He did as he promised and asked her slowly, as if she were slow or a child incapable of understanding such a complicated question.

Kagome ignored his tone and continued to gaze at the floor unable to meet his eyes. "Too broad a question." She rejected.

The wolf growled resisting the urge to bounce impatiently. "Fine." His mood shifted and his eyes began to twinkle with mischief as he remembered the other questions. "SOoooo,…….did you ever think of mating with him?"

The suggestive look he gave her left her with the conclusion that the term 'mating' could only mean one thing. She desperately fought the blush staining her cheeks, obviously it was a loosing battle so she retreated to the safe haven of simply turning away hoping her hair would hide her. She seriously didn't think she had thought about that! But of course she could remember a few times in the past, during the night when she couldn't sleep and her thoughts wandered to the wolf prince, that had left her embarrassed, beat red, and fighting off the storm of giggles that would most certainly wake an irritated hanyou as well as everyone else. Really, she was a teenager and only human, it was all those stupid hormones' fault and the bad example Miroku was setting for her hadn't helped any.

Ginta read her like an open book with related pictures and footnotes. His face lit up like a Christmas tree ready to have a short circuit. "I knew it! You have, haven't you!?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"I'm a teenager! I have hormones that I can't control! I'm allowed to think about that stuff every once in a while! It's not illegal!" She snapped at him.

He continued, not really paying attention to her outburst. "What did you imagine him to be like? Did you get excited? Did you think he was better than InuYasha? Did you think about…..you know…….girth?"

With each passing question Kagome became redder and more mortified. Finally when she couldn't take it anymore she covered her face with her hands snapping her head away from him. "GODS GINTA! SHUT UP!" She shouted.

"Nee-san, you telling me about it would probably be much more innocent than what I'm thinking." He added mischievously.

He was in her face again and his eyes were twinkling at her in a way that made her feel as though she were in a micro wave set in the savannah. It was then that she noticed something she hadn't thought about before. "I never knew your eyes were grey."

"Huh?" He looked at her a bit startled by the drastic change in subject. Now it was Kagome's turn to get in his face.

"Hai, your irises are so small they always just looked like little black dots. I never even knew you had an iris. Huh, and they're grey too." She was more or less talking to herself not really watching his reaction as she came closer to him squinting her eyes to make out the exact shade of grey. "Did you know the color of your eyes?" She supposed it was a rather dumb question but he may not have known. She doubted he had been exposed to many mirrors, and water wasn't a very good substitute, plus it wasn't likely that anyone else really bothered to get this close to Ginta to do something as menial as examine his eye color.

Even though she thought it, she was rather surprised so see him shake his head confirming her suspicions.

"Iie, I always figured they were black."

"Yeah me too." She said absentmindedly distracted by her task of still trying to place the exact shade.

"They're really grey?"

"Mm hm."

"Like yours?"

"Mom no, not really, yours are darker."

"Oh." He had to admit that he wasn't quite comfortable with her close proximity. Granted, he had been closer before, such as after the battle with Renkotsu and Ginkotsu they had all but slept on top of each other, much like a normal tribe. But this time was different, Kouga and Hakkaku were not here, and he had never been alone with her before. He was distracted from her thoughts when she decided to continue.

"Ah! I've got it! They're the color of wet stone!" Kagome clapped her hands in victory. She wasn't sure which category of grey 'wet stone' went under, but it was a shade none the less. Again she was obviously talking more to herself then addressing Ginta she noticed, drawing her attention to his confused look. Bringing her hand behind her head she laughed sheepishly. "I thought you'd want to know what they looked like."

"..well, I did. Wet stone, huh?"

"Yep."

"What's wet?"

Their heads jerked to the side towards the cave entrance at the new voice. There Hakkaku stood walking towards them, his arms carrying a small extra bundle of fire wood.

"Nothing." Kagome answered. "I thought you went to check the caves?"

Hakkaku dropped the kindle with the rest before walking over to the fire sitting opposite of Kagome and Ginta. "I did, there's a back exit down there" He hooked his thumb behind him indicating the direction. "So I went and got some more fire wood before the summer rains got to 'em first. Then I just went around here."

Kagome didn't know how to reply so she settled for nodding not as Ginta walked back over to his seat away from her. They all sat there for a while and it wasn't really what she had anticipated hanging out with Hakkaku and Ginta to be like. For one she had expected them to be chatting away, not suffering the uncomfortable silence that seemed to radiate between the two youkai, second……….well there wasn't really a second, the situation just wasn't what she had anticipated. 'Well what did you want, Kagome? A nice little slumber party? Their friend just died, baka!' Kagome flinched at her mental scolding. It was true though, she couldn't really expect it to be a nice little get together with the stench of death wafting above their heads, now could she?

She shifted uneasily, could it get any more tense in here? Her eyes flickered between Hakkaku and Ginta taking note of the steady glares they sent each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. 'How mature….' She thought sarcastically. It reminded her of the times her and Souta fought when she was younger. 'I guess, Ginta did take out that frustration after all…'

Ok, that was it, she couldn't stand it anymore. She was not going to go through this for the rest of her time spent with them! It was time to invoke her miko powers of conversation. "So Hakkaku, how long have you had your hair in a Mohawk like that?" Add that was the fruit born from 12 long, hard, years of 8 hour school days, five days a week.

The wolf's head turned to her at the odd question, he raised a hand to touch his gravity defying spikes. "Ummmm, since I came into adulthood, I guess…."

"Oh, how nice. I really like it. It gives you a bad boy ….kinda ….look….." Kagome laughed nervously. 'We are now revoking the miko powers of conversation.' She let out a defeated breath slumping over her knees. Maybe the silence would get comfortable after a little while.

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'Kagome….'

'mmm…'

'Kagome……'

'mmmmm hmm…?'

'Wake up Kagome…'

'No..'

'Why?'

'I can't breath.'

'Yes you can. Try.'

'……….I'm afraid.'

'It will be ok. I will not let anything hurt you.'

'O-Okay.'

Kagome hesitantly opened her eyes only to have them flooded with something icy cold. She jolted back turning her head this way and that trying to get her bearings. She opened her mouth to scream, to her horror nothing emitted from her but bubbles of precious air. 'I can't breath!' She shouted grasping at her throat.

'Ssshh, yes you can. Just take it in.'

Every survival instinct in her body screamed at her not to listen to the voice but her lungs' screams were heard even louder. Kagome opened her mouth as wide as her jaw would allow before gasping for air. To her surprise, the voice was right, she could breath. She quickly began to suck in as much oxygen as she could before releasing it.

'Better?'

Kagome nodded.

'Good.'

Now that she was sure she could survive her atmosphere, Kagome took the time to look around her and find out exactly where she was. 'Oh sweet Kami, I'm under water. Why am I under water?' She exclaimed breathlessly scanning the marine surroundings. It was a vast waste land of light and deep blue water.

'Where else would you be?' The voice asked curiously.

'I-I don't know…' For the life of her she couldn't remember why she had thought anything was wrong. She had always lived and breathed under water, she had always had long green fins in place of legs, she had always had fan like fins for ears, this was all completely normal. So why did something nag at the back of her mind that it wasn't?

'Daijoubu, Kagome?'

The mermaid miko turned her focus to who had spoken to her. It seemed to be an older mermaid, her waist tapered into a long, elegant, obsidian fin, the same color of her fan like ears. She had long white hair that floated around her like oil and black bangs that cascaded away from her eyes. Large shining black eyes stared wondrously at her, there were no irises or whites in her eyes, just large black globes observing her. She felt that she knew the woman but couldn't quite place her. 'Hai, Daijoubu.'

The mermaid didn't seem convinced. With a swish of her fin she drew closer to Kagome, staring into her face she softly tucked a piece of onyx colored hair behind Kagome's ear. 'You ache.'

'Hai.'

'Dou shite?'

'I…I don't know.' Kagome bowed her head, what was wrong with her? Something was nagging at her, something told her that she did ache, but what? And why?

'Because of me?' Another voice spoke. This one was different, it was gruff and more masculine. Kagome raised her head and in the woman's place was a merman. He had the same strange eyes as the woman but he was different. Flowing black locks that imitated her own her gathered in a ponytail. A brown bandana wound its way around his head suffocating his black bangs. His skin was a mocha color that encased the muscles in his arms and chest.

'I know you…' And she did. She knew him but couldn't place him. His name was on the tip of her tongue but refused to slide off.

His tanned clawed hand rose to brush her cheek. 'Do I hurt you?'

She stared at him, desperately digging through her memory. It was as if she remembered nothing before opening her eyes here. Everything in the past was just a vague blurry fog. 'Iie, not you. Something about you……I'm not sure.'

'Gomen nasai. I never meant to cause you pain.' He said seriously, taking his hand back.

Her arms darted out to gather the retreated appendage. She held his hand in hers looking into his eyes anxiously. 'Iie! Its not you! You are wonderful!'

He smiled at her and right before her eyes his black locks turned into a silvery white, his tan skin dropped a shade or two, and furry ears appeared atop his head the same color as his hair. 'Keh! So you've forgotten me already!' The new man spat at her jerking his hand away.

Kagome gazed at him pleadingly. 'I haven't, I promise. I'd never want to hurt you. But I need to do this, I need to make the hurting stop. And you can't do that for me.' She said silently begging him to understand.

He merely let out another 'keh!' before rudely turning his head away from her.

'I'm sorry.' She whispered, but she doubted that he even heard her as the amorphous body once again began to change. This time it grew thinner and a little paler, short white hair with a black streak running through it grew out of the skull.

'I don't hate you.'

'Huh?' Kagome's head snapped up to look at her new visitor.

'I don't hate you, not really.'

'….thank you. I don't hate you either.'

'Everything's falling apart.' He looked so miserable. It was a misery that seemed familiar to her.

'Hai, I noticed.'

'It wasn't supposed to be this way.'

'I don't think it was.'

'Everyone's leaving.'

'Hai, it seems like it doesn't it?' It wasn't really a question.

'You're not leaving.'

'Iie, I can't.'

'Why?'

'I….I don't know. Something bad happened, didn't it?'

The new form said nothing.

'I feel lost. I feel as though I lost control over my life.' She didn't know why she felt these things or where they came from, but it was the only way to describe them.

'Hai, I feel alone. I've never been alone before.'

'I'm not leaving.'

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Kagome jerked up from her sleep. Leaving! She had to leave! Now! That was possibly the strangest dream she ever had! And all the water didn't help her nearly exploding bladder. She cringed squeezing her thighs together. Gods, she was going to burst! She rapidly kicked the wolf skin covers off her body and began crawling over to the form sleeping on his side in the nest across from her. She winced and bit her lip every time she moved, trying to go as fast as she could without leaking down her legs. 'Thank sweet Kami!' She thought graciously upon reaching her destination. Her hand reached flattening itself against his back.

"Ginta." Kagome whispered.

Nothing.

"Pssst. Hey, Ginta."

After another full response of nothing she clutched the wolf's shoulder shaking him as softly as her hurry would allow her.

"Giiinnttaaaaaaaaa, get up." She hissed. This time she got an answer.

"Mmm? Wha?goway?" He mumbled.

Kagome growled shaking him with less of her reserved gentleness. "C'mon, I've gotta go!" She whined her hands fisting in her pajamas near her groin.

"So go." He replied tiredly giving her a sluggish swat when she began to shake him vigorously.

"I can't go alone, baka yaro!" She gritted between her teeth. "Ginta seriously, I have to go to the bathroom!"

"wha?" He grumbled incoherently still not facing her.

Kagome growled. This was so embarrassing! Normally she would've just taken Shippou with her, but her little fox was sent to a neighboring village for safety before the battle with Naraku. "Ginta I'm not kidding! I'll burst, I swear I will!" She could see the string of drool webbing out of the youkai's mouth when he actually had to move to swat her away this time.

"C'mon, Nee-san. I'll take you."

She looked up to see a groggy Hakkaku walking towards her. She could have kissed him right then for how grateful she was. Springing up she made a run for the entrance of the cave, eagerly awaiting him.

Hakkaku still trying to wipe the sleep from his eyes looked down just in time to see Ginta spare him a withering glare out of the corner of his eye. The other wolf glared back before hurrying to the frantic girl.

The said girl now took the time to actually peer down the cliff. She began to sweat, she couldn't do that again! Last time she had almost been jostled out of her two front teeth. Oh Kami she could cry right about now. She glanced up distraughtly at Hakkaku, her eyes watering at the impossibility. "I can't go down, Hakkaku. I'll jostle too much!" Her gaze took a momentary path down her attire, thankful that she had packed her baby doll pajamas. At least then she wouldn't have to worry about peeing her pants.

Hakkaku's fatigued mind tried its best to analyze the situation. He looked down the cliff. Yes she would definitely be jostled. "Do you think you can..ano…..just..you know……'go' off of here?"

The tortured miko turned white with revulsion. "NO! That's disgusting!"

The youkai rolled the problem around in his mind. There really was no other way around it. "Then you'll just have to hold it tight until we reach the bottom."

Kagome whimpered fidgeting around already trying to contain the weakening damn inside her. "Mou! Fine! Just, please! Go gently!" She begged stepping over and allowing him to lift her into his arms.

"I'll try my best."

His best wasn't anywhere near good enough. Kagome thought crying and squeaking each time he landed on the side of the cliff to slow them down. The worst was when he finally landed on the ground. She cried "Oh Gods I gotta GO!" hunching over when he set her down.

Hakkaku gave her his best sympathy look while watching her limp next to him towards the woods. "Ok I'll wait here and you can just…..go…over there. I'll keep watch." He instructed when they got there pointing to a closely knit set of trees.

Kagome nodded hurrying over to the spot as fast as her dying bladder could handle.

--------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------

Heaven. It was absolute heaven! The now relieved miko sighed, stepping out of the nearby brook. She had completely forgotten the issue of toilet paper and was forced to wash in a brook. Of all the commodities she had to bring Kagome had forgotten toilet paper. 'Not like it would have lasted forever anyway..' She quickly righted herself adjusting her knee length nightgown. Walking back to the original spot she couldn't help feel a little guilty at taking so long. She hoped Hakkaku hadn't worried and taken off to find her.

Of course not. How could he ever find the time to do that when he was sleeping! Kagome scowled down at the dozing wolf. She could have been eaten and he wouldn't have been awake to do a thing about it! Suddenly a naughty smile splayed itself across her lips at the diabolical plan formulating itself in her mind. Creeping behind the tree Hakkaku had fallen asleep against she drew her hands to her mouth and let out a blood curdling screech, "OH KAMI, THE GOKURAKUCHOU ARE GOING TO EAT ME! HELP!!!"

That definitely woke him up. Hakkaku gasped in fright loosing footing and falling to the floor. An insane giggling tore him from his terror. His head snapped up to see Kagome holding her side giggling insanely. He glowered at realizing her prank before snaking his hand out to clasp her ankle yanking it out from underneath her.

Kagome paused her laughter to let out an 'OOMF!' upon impact. A few more giggles died on her lips as she crawled away from him standing up. Hakkaku followed her lead rising from the ground and dusting himself off. He snorted and began walking back to the mountains without her.

She smiled impishly at his immaturity quickly catching up to him. "Why are you mad when I was the one that could have been eaten while you were sleeping?"

Hakkaku sent a lazy glare in her direction. "Were you?"

"No, but I could have been. Besides, weren't you supposed to 'keep watch.'" She imitated his own masculine voice.

His grudge deflated somewhat at the realization that she was right. They continued most of the way in a comfortable silence before it was interrupted.

"Are you and Ginta okay?"

He wasn't that surprised that she was aware of the problems between him and Ginta. She always had a great sense of empathy. He sighed shrugging his shoulders. "I'm not sure. Kouga's death has been hard on all of us and, I dunno, everything's just breaking up."

"What happened?"

"It was partly my fault. I didn't handle his burial ceremony appropriately, and I knew I it. I guess I was angry, at Kouga…. for leaving. And I was angry at Ginta for making me handle all of it by myself. I don't think he's really accepted the fact that Kouga's gone and that's probably going to hurt him later."

"Maybe he's just not ready."

"No one was ready for this. It's not like we asked for this. I miss the old days. We didn't have to be brave, or strong then. We had Kouga to lead us and do all that."

"You guys were brave and strong back then." Kagome reassured.

Hakkaku glanced at her giving her a knowing smile. "I know what we were. We're followers, Nee-san, not leaders. We weren't brought up that way. Besides, being a coward wasn't so bad, it definitely raised your life expectancy." He laughed off the last part.

"You guys weren't cowards. You were very loyal to Kouga and I'm sure it meant a lot to him." She smiled tapping her head against his shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Arigato. I want things to go back to the way there were. Ginta and I never fought like this before. We had our wrestling matches but we never could remember what we were fighting about in the first place. Now there are grudges, and we're changing, I know we are. We used to be each other's support in backing Kouga, now that we have nothing to back up we're falling apart."

"Things will be right again, someday. Bad days can't last forever."

"Hai." Hakkaku replied, grateful for the comfort.

The rest of the walk was continued in peace. Each had there own thoughts and problems to contend with as they re-climbed and re-entered the cave. Ginta still slept and Hakkaku went back to his own nest to re-enter lost dreams. Kagome nuzzled her body back into her pelt covers but the yumminess of sleep eluded her. Her dream kept coming back to her now that it wasn't bringing with it the urge to pee.

'Things will be right again, someday. Bad days can't last forever.'

She just wished those words had the same consoling affect on her as they had Hakkaku.

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Yay! Chap:4's all done! Sorry it's late but at least its kinda long! Plus it's not completely angsty this time. I decided to put a little bit of Ginta's past(i.e. his mom and dad) into it. And for all of those who didn't get the whole dream mermaid thing, the original mermaid(the one with the white and black hair) was Ginta's mom(I just had to put her in again^^) Kay, that's all I have to say, look out for Ch:5!

C h a p t e r V - D o l l h o u s e

- He watched his friend walk away but wasn't greeted with the fear and loneliness he had expected to engulf him. He felt rather a Pandora 's Box of responsibility and confusion when looking at the woman child next to him. But like the myth he experienced hope. Things would be right again. Someday.