InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse ❯ A Hairy Situation ( Chapter 5 )

Disclaimer: Koga! How many times do I have to tell you…? Don't let the boys eat the plot bunnies! They'll choke on the punctuation, at the very least…

 

Still don't own any of the boys, girls, hags, hanyous, etc, nor the storyline I'm twisting! I may, however, have rights on the kick-ass sword…;-)

 

A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the holiday weekend on both sides of the 49th! Took a while to finish this chapter due to celebratory family get togethers, etc. Special bouquets of fireworks to my kind reviewers…I appreciate your time and thoughts!

 

 

The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse

Chapter Five: A Hairy Situation

 

Sengoku Jidai

 

Wordlessly, Kagome stooped to retrieve her gear. He watched as she pulled on her boots, and then used her obi to snug his haori more neatly about her small frame. She refused to meet his eyes, to even look at him, anger positively radiating off of her.

 

Then she noticed the empty scabbard.

 

“Dammit! Damn, damned, damnable…”

 

“Just call it, bitch.”

 

She stopped dead, staring at him. “Call it? Like a dog? Offense fully intended…”

 

Inuyasha scowled. “Keh, whatever. Point the open end of the scabbard at the river, and … call it.”

 

Disbelieving, and not half sure that the hanyou wasn't pulling her leg, Kagome did as she was told. In her best Imperial-Parade-Ground voice, she barked, “Fenikkusuken! Come!”…and nearly dropped the scabbard when it pulsed.

 

“What in the hell kind of lame-ass name is that?!”

 

“Yeah, well, I sure didn't name it…and I'm not even sure I can spell it, either. Fenikkusuken, come!” Kagome watched, dumbfounded, as a silver bolt shot up out of the river, then turned to streak towards her. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact, but then felt the blade enter the sheath gently and sleekly. She remembered to breathe, and looked down in amazement at the sword's hilt gleaming innocently in her hand.

 

“That, wench, is a true demon weapon. I want to know why it accepts you as master?”

 

She smirked at him. “I dunno. I must have a talent for it. What else can you think of in the near vicinity that is silver, demonic and obeys me?”

 

His face was a picture. She didn't even give him a chance to retort.

 

“Sit, asshole.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

He caught up with her as she was about to enter Kaede's hut. To say he was steamed would be a severe understatement. She, on the other hand, was completely unperturbed.

 

“What the hell did you do that for, bitch?!”

 

“You're annoying me, dog-boy.”

 

“Annoying…why you little…”

 

“Don't make me say `it' again, Inuyasha. Maybe I'll just spank you with my `lame-ass' sword; I wonder how far it could toss you if I was really pissed?” She grinned evilly, patting the hilt meaningfully, before disappearing inside the hut.

 

He paused briefly, then attempted to follow her. Instead, he got a face full of haori and a hard shove that sent him sprawling. He was dusting himself off and glaring daggers at a few gawking chickens when Kagome stormed back out. She was now wearing her trousers and own haori, her armour bundled neatly, her weapons in her hand. The look she gave him would have shriveled a lesser life form, as she swept past, dignity incarnate.

 

“Where do you think you're going, bitch?”

 

She didn't turn around, and took her time answering. “You know, I'm really getting tired of that word. I'm sure you've noticed I'm a human, and we humans have names. Save the endearment for whatever poor female inu-youkai finds herself stuck with you…”

 

He ground his teeth. “Kagome, where are you going?” he forced out, the underlying warning in his tone very clear.

 

“Home.”

 

“What? You can't just leave! What about the Jewel? What about…”

 

“Watch me. You want the Jewel so you can become a menace to society, you find it yourself, buddy. Me, I'm going home where there aren't any asshole hanyous, demonic caterpillars, killer birds or…dead babies. If I ever see you again, it'll be way too soon.” Kagome was halfway up the hillside when he finally spluttered into silence, reduced to glaring impotently at her back.

 

“Keh!” He whirled away, and stalked off, seething.

 

She really pisses you off, doesn't she?

Keh!

Don't ya just love her for it?

Keh!…I mean, uh, NO!

Uh-huh. She's gonna be a challenge...

Like I care! She can go rot…!

Ah, young love…

 

Kagome marched through the forest, straight towards the sentinel tree. Reaching the clearing, she circled it once, carefully observing the ground, then retraced her steps back towards the meadow, and the well. She sighed happily as she walked through the flowers, alive with bees and butterflies. It really was too beautiful; the air was so clean and the sunshine unfiltered by smog. It would be a perfect day, …except for the dead child this morning.

 

Her guard was down, and she paid for it in spades. She stumbled over the first black strand, glinting in the sunlight, when she was almost at the lip. The slight tremour she set off brought an immediate response.

 

“Well, hel-lo there, pretty girl. Are you here all alone? What beautiful hair you have…”

 

Kagome turned quickly, to see a strikingly pretty demoness, with short glossy hair, a pouty mouth, a shockingly brief dress and a sword---balancing expertly on the junction of several strands. The fair unknown posed there, bobbing gently and smiling maliciously while she watched Kagome's face intently. Kagome refused to be cowed by a snip in a trampy frock, even if she showed every sign of knowing that the pointy end of the sword was the sharp one.

 

“Who are you?” She dropped her bundle and drew her blade in one movement.

 

The demoness giggled, a merry trill that made Kagome's scalp prickle. “I'm Yura of the Hair, darling. Now, I don't have a lot of time to stand around and chat, so just hand the Jewel over and I'll kill you quickly instead of taking my time.”

 

If Kagome had fangs, she would have bared them at Yura. “Fancy yourself quite a bit, don't you? You may have noticed the fireworks earlier this morning. I don't have the Jewel, because it's now scattered over most of Japan. Maybe you could ask Inuyasha for help finding the shards of it, as he's quite keen to search them out…”

 

Yura giggled even harder. “Oh, you are too funny, darling. Inuyasha? I have far higher standards than that. I don't do dogs…but you do, perhaps?” She wrinkled her pert little nose as she sniffed delicately. “You have dog scent all over you, darling. Too bad. Your hair would have been a nice addition to my collection, but I can't have my nest smelling of wet dog.”

 

Kagome snarled, and was about to launch herself at Yura, when a deeper instinct made her dart sideways instead, dropping over the well's lip. Yura's blade flashed past her cheek, leaving a sear of pain that was extinguished by the shimmering blue glow…she thought she heard a squeal of outrage…

 

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Inuyasha hunched, grumbling to himself, in the branches of a tall oak overlooking the river.

 

Damn that wench! Who did she think she was, talking to him like that? `If I ever see you again, it'll be too soon!' he mimicked to himself. Grrr.

 

He was settling in for a good long bout of self-pity, when he noticed something pleasant tugging gently at the edge of his attention. Curious, he inhaled deeply. Kagome's scent. Of course, when she wore his haori, her scent would be all over it. Without realizing it, he relaxed, sighing. That's when another scent struck him; instantly he stiffened, his nose twitching.

 

Blood…fresh and lots of it, very near at hand. Kaede…

 

He found her, horribly wounded in the shoulder, crawling for cover, leaving a red trail behind her. She cried out in fear when he gently grasped her, covering her neck reflexively.

 

“It's me, old hag. Who've you pissed off now?”

 

“Inuyasha! A demon has possessed the villagers! Several of the men have been beheaded in the fields, and the others…! They attacked me while I was preparing the child's body for burial…Ye must find Kagome and protect her from this demon, and quickly!” A tree tottered and fell, apparently because it was tired of standing up. Then a second one laid down, too, narrowly missing a hut. He eyed them apprehensively, then made a decision.

 

“First, I'm gonna get you out of here. You're bleeding really badly…”

 

“Nay! Find Kagome, Inuyasha! It is your only chance to defeat this demon, because only she and I can see the strands of hair!”

 

Hair?

 

He picked up the protesting old miko and launched straight up, hoping to avoid whatever invisible web only she could see. He felt something tug at his shoulder, then fall away, then something else lanced across the top of his foot, leaving a searing pain behind. “Shit! Hang on, Kaede. We've got to get clear of this…” Damn, why couldn't he see anything?!

 

Inuyasha brought them down in a glade far from the village. Quickly he dug a shallow grave in the loam, and laid Kaede in it. Deep enough to contain her blood-scent and to keep her warm, but not so deep she'd suffocate, until he could return, hopefully with Kagome in tow. She'd come back to help Kaede, wouldn't she?

 

“Inuyasha! Ye won't forget about me, will ye?”

 

He spread a thick layer of leaves over her, and a pad of them under her head. “I'll try not to, old hag, but my memory isn't as good as it used to be…” He grinned at her expression, and briefly touched her wrinkled cheek. “I'll be back for ya; the bitch won't let me alone until I do.”

 

Kaede smiled, and closed her eyes. “Hurry, Inuyasha. Time is of the essence…”

 

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He kept running into unseen threads, tangling painfully around his hands and streaking his face with blood. Lucky I'm a fast healer… Finally, he just began chopping his hands in front of his face as he ran, sniffing for Kagome's scent. There! It was coming from the direction of the Bone Eaters Well…but there was a hint of fear, a faintly recognizable demon-stench, and…blood. Landing in the meadow, shielding his face with his sleeve as he moved edgewise towards the well, he smelled more demon, and then spotted the bundle of armour. This was not looking good.

 

He crouched, picking up her armour, and then looked over the side, into the dank depths. Inuyasha repressed a shudder. Utter darkness…made him think of his weakness, and he really didn't want to think about that right now. But if this was the portal to Kagome, then he was just going to have to…do it. Taking a quick look around, he stood up, and then jumped over the side into the sudden glow…

 

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Present day

 

Kagome couldn't believe it. “Hot damn! I'm home!” she whooped, as she looked up from the bottom of the well at the dark cobwebbed roof, not the blue sky. Happiness bubbled through her, as she braced herself for the climb out, since there weren't any helpful vines hanging around.

 

You should rig up a ladder for next time.

Next time? I'd rather walk over hot coals!

…I'll go get the fire stoked…

 

She scrambled up the stairs, and slid the door open with a bang. The familiar scene of the courtyard, her house, her ojii-chan sweeping...

 

The old man was taken completely by surprise when his heretofore missing granddaughter grabbed him around the middle, and hugged his ribs so hard, he thought she might have cracked something. When she pulled away from him, his haori was smeared with red.

 

“Kagome! What happened, child?”

“Long story, jiji-chan…is mom home? I need some stuff…” On cue, Mrs. Higurashi flew out of the house.

 

“Kagome, dear...! Oh, my heavens…!” She clapped a hand to her mouth, taking in her once-immaculate daughter's appearance, especially the blood trailing down her cheek from a deep slice. She knew enough about sword wounds to recognize one made by a particularly sharp example. Kagome pressed the back of her hand to her cheek, smiling sheepishly.

 

“It's not as bad as it looks, mom. Could you find me the medic kit from the storage shed? I have to go back, because I left right in the middle of something…is there anything to eat?”

 

“In the kitchen, dear….”

 

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Kagome snagged a couple of rice balls off the counter, before taking the stairs to her room two at a time. She dropped her katana on the bed, and stripped off everything she was wearing. The silver silk haori was a bit the worse for wear, as it was now dappled with bloodstains, sticky rice and sported a large dark patch from her wet bandage. She made a face, then dashed into the bathroom to throw it in a sink full of cold water. Sorry, your Imperial Highness. She pulled off Kaede's handiwork and threw it into the garbage, then stopped, staring at the wound just below her collar bone. It was almost…healed? Fresh pink skin filled in the hole, and it looked pretty good. Shrugging, she darted back into her room. She'd always been a fast healer, of a sort.

 

Scrambling through her closet, she pulled out her military kit bag and tore it open. Mopping at her cheek, she tugged on a black sports bra and shorts, then a black sleeveless tee. She pulled out her camouflage combat pants…and laughed out loud. Her mom had ironed them. Always look your best on the battlefield, dear. Zipping them up, she dug around for her combat boots and a pair of socks, streaking blood from her cheek wound up her arms as she impatiently wiped at the annoying trickling sensation. Snapping the final buckles on the boots, she started looking for her flak vest.

 

Damn.

You left it at the Academy...

Yeah, for the guest instructor. I'm supposed to pick it up next week…crap!

Well, how could you know you'd become a kick-ass demon slayer in the meantime?

 

Her armour was at the well on the other side. Hopefully it was still there, and she'd have time to grab it. Shoving the sword through a utility loop at her waist, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror as she turned to leave, and snickered at the image presented. Hell, all she needed was the headband and the big-ass gun, and she'd be good to go as Rambo at Hallowe'en!

 

Except this `first blood' was for real.

 

Clattering down the stairs, she met Ojii-chan in the doorway. His white eyebrows arched as he took in her bloodied visage, and then he silently gave her a handful of sutras. She grinned, and shoved them into her pocket, alongside the first-strike matches. Her mother, puffing slightly, arrived hauling the bright yellow medical duffle bag and a small bag of field rations. She touched Kagome's cheek, wide-eyed at the amount of blood smeared seemingly everywhere on her daughter's bare skin.

 

Kagome smiled. “It's okay, mom. I'll put a field dressing on it when I'm back on the other side. I'll tell you all about it when I come back, okay?” Turning towards the well enclosure, she abruptly yelled, and drew her blade as she pushed her mother behind her.

 

A red and silver blur shot over the two women, and resolved itself into one perplexed hanyou, holding her bundle in his hand. The scent of her blood hit him like a hammer blow. “Kagome! What the hell happened to you? Keh! I leave you alone for half an hour, wench, and you get yourself cut up!”

 

The wild-eyed girl, blood striping her cheek and arms, was crouched in attack stance, her blade pointing at his eye. Exhaling, she relaxed, and straightened up. “Hello, dog-boy.” An older dark-haired woman with wide eyes and a startled expression peered at him from behind Kagome's shoulder. Their scents were similar…the wench's mother? As he moved towards them, Kagome stepped aside and said, “Mom, this is Inuyasha. He's somebody I met on the other side. Inuyasha, this is my mom.”

 

She was now positively beaming at him. “Dear! Your friend has doggy ears!” Before he could react, she had reached up and was petting them very gently. Startled at her touch, he growled. Kagome knocked her mother's hand away.

 

“Careful…you don't pat a dog you don't know very well, mom. He might bite…”

 

“Oh, he doesn't look like the biting kind…are you hungry, dear?”

 

Bemused, he looked from one to the other, and finally nodded slowly. “Yeah, sure, uh...er…”

 

“Just call me okaa-san, dear! Everyone else does… I'll be right back with some rice balls…you did leave a few for the rest of us, didn't you Kagome?”

 

Kagome snorted, and put her sword away. As she did, Inuyasha grabbed her arm and turned her towards him.

 

“What?!” She tried to push him away, but he held her firmly, bringing up his other hand to gently trace the cut on her cheek with a claw. She flinched. He examined it carefully, amber eyes serious.

 

“What happened?”

 

“Yura happened. She only got in one shot, but it counted…”

 

He gripped her chin, tilting her face up slightly. “She'll answer to me for that.” Then he darted his face close to hers…and licked her. She squealed in outrage, and tried to bodily shove him away, but he held tight, digging in his claws slightly, until he had swept her cheek twice more with his tongue. He let her go, and stepped out of range of her fist, which she was balling with full intent.

 

“You…you licked me! What the hell were you thinking…?! Eeyew!! Dog germs...where's the disinfectant? You probably haven't had your shots…”

 

Inuyasha watched her splutter, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “What's your problem, bitch? Dog saliva is good for cleaning wounds and promoting healing…and mine is the best there is.”

 

She froze, and executed a full-body shudder, her face screwing up in utter distaste. “Please don't tell me you licked your balls first!!!”

 

He snickered, as several possible retorts raced through his mind. Finally, he just grinned evilly, and said, “I'll leave that up to your imagination…” He could tell she was seriously thinking of going for her sword, and moved in again, intending to grab her wrist, when a piece of paper slapped wetly against his cheek. Distracted, he pulled it off by a corner, and looked at it. A…sutra?

 

Kagome interposed herself between him and an angry old man, who was poised to throw another bit of paper at him. He grinned at the old priest, tossing the sutra back at him. “You ought to ask Kagome for some anti-demon strategies that work!” They were all interrupted by Mrs. Higurashi coming back out, followed by a young boy, who stopped, staring open-mouthed at Inuyasha.

 

“Wow, sis…way cool! Who's your friend? Are they shooting a movie around here?”

 

“Inuyasha, this is Sota, my younger brother. Sota, this is Inuyasha…thanks, mom. We'd better get going, Inuyasha.”

 

He indicated her armour. “You'll want to put that on. Yura's hair webs are everywhere... I think, since I can't see `em” She picked up her breastplate, and shrugged into it. However, with the extra layers of tee and bra, it wouldn't close properly. Sighing, she dropped it, but put on the arm-guards. He watched, wondering. “You're not wearing the body armour?”

 

“Nope. Won't fit, and I'm not stripping down in front of you. I'd rather take my chances with Yura...” She swung the bow and quiver to her shoulder, and pointed to the yellow duffle bag. “You can carry that for me. It's full of medical supplies for the injured…”

 

“You'll need it for Kaede. She's hurt fairly bad..”

 

“What?! Why didn't you say something! Let's go!” She grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the door. She turned to wave at her family. “I'll be back as soon as I can. Love you!”

 

They clattered down the stairs to the well. Kagome was about to swing her leg over, when she paused, and stepped back, staring into the depths.

 

“What's wrong, bitch? Too scared to go back in the dark?”

 

She favoured him with a withering look. “Not scared, asshole. I don't really want to go back there, but I have no choice. Kaede needs me, and it's the right thing to do, but I still would rather have a root canal without anesthetic...”

 

His eyes gleamed in the dim light. “Keh, I love you when you're being noble. It just gives me tingles all over…”

 

She shot him a glare that would have frozen at least one hell. “Yeah, well, you're not exactly one of the major attractions, either, dog-boy…” She turned back to the well, and resolutely hitched her leg over the side. Weight landed softly on her head and shoulders, and she looked back at him, startled. His haori…? He wrapped an arm around her waist, hefting the duffle bag in the other.

 

“It's woven of the fur of the fire-rat. It'll give you as much protection as that fancy armour. Don't worry, I'll hold you tight…” and he took her down into the shimmering blue with him.

 

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Sengoku Jidai

 

They stood at the bottom of the well for a moment, wrapped in his arms, staring at each other. Inuyasha tightened his grip on her, gathering himself for the spring upward, but Kagome stopped him, pointing up towards the opening. “Look…the hair is strung like a net over the mouth…”

 

He shook his head. “I can't see it, Kagome. Kaede told me you could, as can she. You'll have to point my claws in the right direction.”

 

She turned slightly in his grip, and pulled out her sword, holding it between them. “Can you use this…?”

 

“No. Once a demon blade accepts a master, only the owner's death can let it take another. You're looking pretty lively right now, so no hope for me there.” He grinned at her. She looked up at the deadly mesh again, pouting her bottom lip in thought. He rather liked that, but it took his brain in another direction altogether, one not conducive to them leaving the well to help Kaede.

 

Abruptly, she turned her back to him, and pointed the sword upright, steadying it with two hands. She looked over her shoulder at him. “Going up? I'll clear the way, since you'll have your hands full.” He took a firmer grip on her, bracing his fingers on her hipbones. He couldn't help noticing that his hands nearly spanned her small waist as he tensed for the leap.

 

Lifting her like a trophy, he thrust both of them upwards in a violent rush. Kagome whirled the blade overhand, and the hair fell away. They erupted into a silent meadow. No birds, no bees. Quite a few flowers had been beheaded by the gleaming strands. No sign of Yura.

 

“Where is she? She went to a lot of trouble to make that net…”

 

“Keh! She'll be along. She's kind of like a spider; touch a strand, and she comes to see what unfortunate victim she can torment next. C'mon. Let's go a-hunting; just keep swinging that sword in front of you, wench, and I'll follow right behind.”

 

They had made it to the edge of the drop-off down to the river, when they were rumbled. Inuyasha's ears picked up the sound of Yura's feet sliding along the strands, coming up fast behind them. He dove onto Kagome, knocking her out of the way of the blade that would have taken her between the shoulder blades. Well, probably not, since she was wearing his fire-rat fur, but it was an excuse to squish her up against him.

 

“Hel-lo, darling! I see you've brought a new friend for me to play with…oh, how disappointing…it's just you, Inuyasha. My, oh, my, just look at your hair! It has certainly grown since I last saw you…and the colour is just so lovely. I'll have to air it out before I add it to my collection, because I can't stand the smell of dog…” Yura's sword made a slash for Inuyasha's neck, but Kagome got there first and sent it spinning away. Yura giggled merrily. “Oh, I'm so glad you came back to play, darling! Let's play some more…”

 

Kagome suddenly felt hot wires burning into her wrists, and she found herself painfully strung up in an iron cross. Yura smiled brightly, and gestured; the sword swished through the air, chopping down on Kagome's arm, and stopped dead. The demoness furrowed her pretty brows. “That makes me cranky…”

 

“Leave the human alone, bitch. I'll take you on!” Inuyasha threw an `iron reaver' attack at Yura, but took the sword in the shoulder. Dipping his claws into his wound, he snarled and threw `blades of blood', which managed to cut Kagome down. She landed hard, but came up swinging her katana. Yura narrowed her eyes, and then smiled. This was going to be fun!

 

“I'd heard you were playing fetch with a human, Inuyasha, but I didn't know she was going to be this entertaining!”

 

Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome noticed a huge…hairball? It was hanging, suspended, from the branches of an enormous magnolia tree, and was decorated with white lumps that turned out to be…grinning skulls. She shuddered. That must be Yura's “collection”! Dashing to put her back against another tree, she sheathed her blade and then fumbled under the haori for her bow and arrows. Kagome looked carefully for an aiming point, and found a red skull about half-way up the hair mass. As she pulled back the bowstring, a yell, and a rush took her off her feet as an enormous tree limb crashed down where she had been standing a moment before. Inuyasha dropped her and turned…but then Kagome was looking at about a foot of blade protruding from his sternum. It slid out with a wet sucking noise, and wiped itself on his sleeve before speeding away.

 

Kagome grabbed his arms, horrified, but he just shook himself and grinned at her. “Keh, haven't even started yet…” and took off after Yura, roaring an attack, and managing to punch a hole right through her rather ample chest. The demoness laughed gaily.

 

“Is that the best you've got, Inuyasha? Mind you, I never pegged you for being a lech…now, your father, on the other hand…”

 

Kagome shut her ears, and focussed on the job at hand. She quickly aimed at the hairball, but held on a second longer until the arrowtip flamed white before releasing it. It struck the mass dead-centre, and a shimmering light rippled across the surface, before the bottom dropped out…and an absolute flood of skulls bounced and crashed down the slope to the river.

 

Yura was furious. “You horrid little bitch…! Just look at the mess you've made of my nest! It'll take me forever to make a new one…I guess your head will have to get me started…!” The sword zipped straight at Kagome's chest, but she trapped it with Inuyasha's sleeve. Wrapping the fabric around her fist, she grabbed the sword's hilt, and drove it halfway into the nearest tree, where it halted, quivering.

 

She frantically searched for the distinctive red skull, finally locating it partway down the slope. Wrapping the haori tightly around her, she slid down to her target, thankful she had on pants instead of an armoured skirt. She reached over her shoulder and grabbed an arrow. Above her head, the sword wrenched itself out of the tree, and orienting itself, dove straight down on her…just as the arrowtip flared and Kagome drove it into the skull.

 

She didn't see Yura's surprise as her body dissolved, leaving her dress behind, until it too, vanished into dust motes. She did, however, feel the dark power radiating from the skull as it crumbled, leaving behind…a comb? When she picked it up, a faint tingling sensation in her fingers alerted her that something was up. The comb changed from black to very light grey, the colour of old bones.

 

“Oi, that's a handy skill to have, wench. You can purify demons…guess my more charming half will have to watch his step.” Inuyasha grinned crookedly down at her from the lip of the ravine, and held out his hand. Clutching the comb, Kagome crawled up to him. He pulled her the rest of the way, until she was seated beside him. “That bone was soaked in evil enchantment, Kagome. It was used to comb the hair of the dead, to extract the power of their life force and twist it for evil. We should burn it as soon as possible.”

 

She nodded, then noticed that his white shirt was soaked in blood. How was he even still conscious? Quickly wrapping the red haori around him, she started for the well, and the yellow medical bag. He caught her wrist and pulled her down beside him. “Oi, wench, its okay. I heal differently from full humans…this is just a scratch.”

 

She could hardly meet his eyes. “You wouldn't have been injured if you hadn't given me your haori…it's my fault for not putting on my own armour…”

 

“You'd have lost your arm if you were only wearing your own stuff. Like I said, wench, this is only a scratch. C'mon, let's go dig up Kaede, and you can do your healer thing on her.” As he stood up, she ducked her head under his uninjured arm, and reaching around his waist, grabbed hold of his obi, obviously thinking he was going to need assistance walking. “I can manage, wench…”

 

“Yeah, well, how about you let me think I'm helping you, and we'll call it even for me using the `s' word on you this morning, okay?”

 

“Deal, wen---Kagome.”

 

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