InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Seal ❯ Getting your priorities straight ( Chapter 9 )

Aloha!! (Yes I know I don't speak Hawaiian)

Hallo, og god kveld!! ( I do on the other hand speak Norwegian)

Hey, I've been gone some time now. I did warn you that that might happen. Did you miss me?

Though my aunt and uncle did have a computer, their computer-table was HORRIBLE and if I'd used it it would have left me with the BIGGEST crick in the neck EVER!!! (You may call me selfish, but I semi-value my health.)

If that excuse doesn't work for you then:

MY RABBIT JUST GOT PUT TO SLEEP!!! LET ME MOURN IN PEACE!!!

…

…

Now this chapter I'm posting now may be a bit longer than normal, not much but a bit, but it's probably not my best work. Sorry, but some things just can't be helped. Some chapters right themselves, others you can just glare at and say: "Meh, to hell with this, it ain't gonna get better."

By the way, my internet conection has been REALLY CRAPPY this week that I've been back… I wonder why…?

^-^

Now on with the show!!!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in this story (if I did I'd be rich, filthy stinkin rich. I'd be off to the Bahamas and… and… and I better come back down to earth as they aren't mine) ; Inuyasha and co all belong to Miss Rumiko Takahashi. Just having plain fun writing about them. ;-P

(I really should change this disclaimer shouldn't I?)

The Seal

Part 9: Getting your priorities straight

The next morning Inuyasha awoke early, as was his custom. He'd slept well, especially considering his nightly excursion, and was feeling quite charitable towards his self-appointed charge. The wench had been too... upset... last night to handle a lecture, so reluctantly he had postponed it for today. And since he was in such a good mood he'd go easy on her.

Today was a brand new day. Today he would get to know the wench...

After he'd made sure she understood that the jewel was HIS, no matter who was in possession of it at the moment.

He felt she had at least raised a valid point last night, for a human; and due to his midnight revelation he'd decided to make a point of getting to know her. That's what friends did, wasn't it? And whether or not he'd intended it, they were becoming friends. Oh joy.

But he had started to like the idea of having a friend, having HER for a friend. She... she kind of grew on you, what with her crazy opinions, eccentric attitude, warm smiles... In the short time he'd known the bitch, known being a relative term since he'd been more occupied with either insulting or killing her than anything else, he'd come to appreciate her presence. Having someone around that actually didn't hate his 'filthy hanyou guts'; that understood him, never mind how; it... was a nice change compared to the usual disdainful sneers he got from the rest of the world.

So for once, he would show some interest in another...

...besides Kikyo, and hope that THIS TIME it turned out a little better. He didn't want to go through all that again. Not that Kikyo had ever truly stood up for him like she had, and she hadn't stood up to him either like the wench... Kagome did, and that had to be worth something. He just had to figure out whether it was a good or a bad thing, and he would find out THAT when he got to know her.

Cracking a yawn, revealing very pointy canine teeth, Inuyasha glanced about the room, mind still partly asleep, partly congratulating himself at how generous and forgiving he was.

There was the firepit, nice and warm, still smouldering.

There was the pot, from the smell of it still containing some leftovers from yesterdays meal.

There was Kaede, snoring quietly on her futon, big and wrinkly. He noted that she, unlike Kikyo, didn't smell too good, her scent a cacophony of different herbs that miko's use, resulting in a rather putrid smell that clogged up his nose if he lingered too long on the scent. Inuyasha still had some trouble connecting this old smelly hag with the tiny runt that had once been Kikyo's shadow. Maybe if she took a bath?

Moving on...

There was the open door, that let in the sunlight that had so rudely awoken him, which was kind of funny as he could have sworn he'd shut it last night.

There was the other bedding, empty, lacking a certain stubborn slip of a girl...

"..." Inuyasha stared disbelievingly at the empty futon. A futon that by all rights should contain *one* *sleeping* *miko*, yet said miko was NOT present.

"FUCK!!!"

***

That morning the villagers of a little rural village from the Sengoku time era, or those that were awake at such an early hour, were treated to a red blur racing through their village.

Those that weren't too startled would later tell their families, and the village miko when she came by, that they had heard the unidentified not-quite-flying-but-not-too-far-from-it object screaming in an enraged voice at the top of their lungs:

"I'M GOING TO FUCKING KILL HER!!!"

***

The forest was changed, full of life, like it had taken a hundredandeighty degree turn in the opposite direction.

Kagome marvelled at how different this scenario was in broad daylight compared to last night while picking her way through the seldom tread path.

Birds were everywhere chirping their little hearts out, flying to and throe, building nests, feeding their young… A fox's tail the only thing seen of the creature, curled around a tree-limb, the carnivore trying to act inconspicuous while sneaking in on its prey… Small squirrels and rabbits could be seen out and about, cautiously feeding while searching for predators, and obviously not a moment fooled by the small reddish fox…

Inuyasha's forest was drastically altered when the sun came out, banishing all darkness. From its previous subtle quiet, to busy, busy, busy.

Originally she hadn't meant to leave again. She'd gotten the point last night when Inuyasha had cornered her in the woods feeling probably both betrayed and abandoned, and justly so, though he could have handled it a smidgen better than he had. They had both said their piece in the matter… or more correctly screamed their hearts out at eachother, scaring the local life into silence, the forest-dwellers that is, as the villagers were blissfully unaware of their argument, not too much intelligent wording leaving either of their lips do to anger and other clouded emotions…

When she had awoken, she'd been in the hut wrapped in a blanket on her futon. Considering she'd been too out of it to move, and did not remember having done so, there was only *one* logical conclusion to draw: Inuyasha must have put her there. And for him to have put her there, he must have carried her… That thought alone was enough to bring forth a smile. He hadn't left her all alone in the forest…

The sun had just arisen, and since this was the feudal area glass-windows and curtains were not standard features in a hut. Thus, the streaming sunlight, filtering through the window bars of Kaedes hut, had awoken her.

All else were asleep, which was surprising as Kagome had expected to be awoken by an angry Inuyasha wanting to lecture her. She might be many things, but not naïve. If he hadn't lectured her last night, he sure as hell would do it NOW. On that particular quirk she had him pegged.

To be honest, it was the thought of said lecture that had made her sneak out. She was still tired, after all she'd only slept a few hours according to her calculations, and did not wish to spend her time wasting away what little reserves she had managed to scrape up during her meagre sleep on Inuyasha's long triad. Besides, what right did he have to lecture her anyway, her conscience soothed her while she snuck out.

She had started, unconsciously, to take a early morning stroll. Having seen little of the village before, her curiosity had piqued. Here was the village that she had stayed at when Kikyo lived, and she could finally see it with her own eyes.

This was the forth day that she had been here, and she still hadn't seen much of it, firstly because she'd been a bit preoccupied by a murderess centipede trailing her, then villagers had crowded round her, praying to her and blocking her view, and lately she had been spending most of her attention on more important tasks such as getting to know Inuyasha and escaping home.

So much had changed… and yet so little. More huts had been built to accommodate the increasing population of the village. More land had been turned into rice-fields and other farmlands… And still the atmosphere was the same as fifty years ago. The farmers could be seen getting up, a few already working in the fields. Women cooking food, minding children, who at this point were still mostly asleep on their feet.

Nothing had changed. If she turned around it wouldn't be too hard to imagine a young Kaede skipping around a live Kikyo dressed in standard miko-clothing, Shikon no Tama around her neck.

It was the familiarity with everything that had made her flee into the bush, seeking refuge in Inuyasha's forest. This familiarity she could do without…

And that was why she was here. In the woods. Alone. Once again nearing the bone-eaters well. The cursed well that had trapped her in this forsaken time periode, and that she now desperately hoped would free her from her misery… if she decided to jump that is. Because she hadn't yet.

Back home she was safe. There were no monsters, youkai or miko's there, nor magical jewels and rebirth. No one knew that the 'Shikon no Tama' existed. Back there she was just plain old Kagome, a boring fifteen year old girl with raven locks and blue eyes, that obsessed with school and tried so hard not to stick out.

In this present time she had nothing. All future commodities were a long time from being invented. Back here there were monsters; youkai and 'evil' men seeking her jewel. Back here she was 'Kikyo reborn' not Kagome, forever hunted and never able to feel safe. Back here she would always be in danger, and her secret at risk. There was nothing here for her.

But… back here there was Inuyasha, and she had never forgotten him…

The forest was still gleaming with life. The birds still sang, the squirrels still played on the branches, and the rabbits had fled from the fox.

Nothing of that mattered to Kagome. Lost in thought, some happy, most dank and dreary concerning her lost sanity, her feet slowly turned around, destination lost, the well slowly fading away.

She didn't care at this point about fresh air and green leaves, nor pay attention to the singing birds and other forest noises.

It was a pity that she didn't. If she had she might have noticed that the birds had gone quiet. She might have become suspicious of the sudden lack of life or shadows crouched in bushes watching her.

Being as she was she didn't see any of the signs of impending danger to her precious freedom or her guardian-role as the jewel-keeper; she didn't see two big rugged ruffians, covered in scars as well as rags, creeping towards her; she was much too busy falling unconscious.

-

Praeceps:

Yeay!! A cliffhanger!!

Not very much happened in this chapter, but since the two darlings had a fight in the two previous chapters, that's okay.

I did try outweigh the boring parts with a little humor (Note: MY humor), and a smidgen of revelations, but you know, you can't have it All…

I do NOT need to be informed by anyone that I know very little about that era in Japan, so information sent my way would be graciously accepted, but I don't want to get flamers for making a mistake or two, keep that in mind.

I can't wait for the following chapters however, because this is when we'll be more seriously trailing off the original plot-line. I just can't wait!! ;-D

And yes I DO know that I write slow, I like it that way, I've never been fond of stories that go zoom, zoom, zoom, so don't expect that from me. I'll keep you hanging on Kagome and any other mysteries / details about the story. (I find enraging you readers a much better stress release than making Kagome smack someone. *wink* Just kiddin!!)

There WILL be more action, I'm just not sure who or why, and most importantly HOW, because with the details I'M NOT TELLING you (heh heh), it makes fights and stuff a bit tricky at times. (Well, that and the fact that fighting really isn't my forte!!) I'm infuriating ain't I?!! *wink*

Oh! And any spelling mistakes can be blamed on incompetent English teachers, and/or my spell-check program, because I, myself, am PERFECT!!! ;-P (and when I say perfect, I MEAN perfect. My daddy said so ;-)

If you have any questions about the story that you find unclear, I will do my best to answer them, as long as I deem them of no harm to my present plot-line. I really appreciate all your ramblings (not in anyway meant as insulting, just clearing that up), and might use some for inspiration if permitted, but for now I have my own agenda.

Thanks to all you reviewers, I'll do my best not to disappoint you all.

^-^

Well that was all, for today at least, toodles!! ;-D