InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Transformations ❯ Fabric-Maker ( Chapter 39 )

By the time he was within the range of her scent - which, he noticed, was just about everywhere in a full mile radius - he felt the forest calm, becoming quiet again. The fight was already over.

The only thing that relaxed him was the knowledge that she wasn't dead - though, it seemed, she'd been badly hurt. But she was alive, and that's what counted.

***

"Thank you," she mumbled, relaxing completely in his grip. She hardly felt the wind against her; by now she only wanted to sleep. Inuyasha always did have a calming feel about him, if only while she was on his back. And, now that she thought about it, this was the first time she'd ridden on him since she became a hanyou. Or, rather, since her father unlocked her demon blood.

She was asleep before she could even finish the thought.

***

She smiled. Naraku didn't win, after all. She was sure, when he finally knocked her out from frustration, that he was going to kill all three of them, and then he was going to kill Kagome and Inuyasha. She was so sure that he was going to win, though her mind prayed against it. But they'd escaped.

And with the aid of Kagura, no less. Kagura, who seemed to hate everyone.

They were going to make it.

***

In that case, he thought, shutting the door behind him, I shall just have to try harder. She will regret disobeying me.

Kagura was laughing at him as he unleashed his vehemence.

Thirty Nine

Kagome smiled when she opened her eyes and saw her friends around her. They were all fine, and what was left of her pack were healed as well. She felt wonderful, like she was floating on air. She sat up, eyes picking out Sango and Miroku, sitting side by side, perfectly fine, and smiling back at her.

"We were beginning to wonder when you would wake up," she heard Inuyasha say from her left. She turned her smile on him, not even noticing that his voice was echoing.

"Did you miss me?" she asked, moving towards him to cuddle in his arms.

"I'd have to say yes, even though you didn't leave."

She yawned and lifted her head. "Is everyone okay?"

"We're fine," Sango said, and held out her hand. "This belongs to you."

It was the jewel, fully put together and shining a near white shade when she touched it. "How did you get this from Naraku?" she asked.

"It was easy, once he died," Inuyasha said.

"Died?" she asked, startled. When did that happen?

"You've been asleep for some time, Kagome," Miroku explained. "We finished him off quickly, actually."

"He was still injured, you see," Sango went on. "We killed him easily."

"See?" Miroku added, lifting his hand. There was no glove, no prayer beads, no hole. "I'm not cursed."

"Everything's perfect," Inuyasha was saying, his breath tickling her ear. "Kagome, Kagome. . ."

~*~ Inuyasha ~*~

"Kagome? Kagome," he urged the sleeping form. If she slept much longer it would be hell getting her schedule back on track. "Kagome. . ."

"Let her sleep," Gar said, nearly healed now that his body was cleaned of the mist. [DL: Ahhh!! I forgot what it's called!!!! *Runs around like a chicken with its head cut off*] Every now and again he was lick one of his cuts, his saliva acting like a dogs' and disinfecting it.

"She needs to get up," Inuyasha countered. At his knees, Kagome stirred, eyebrows drawn together like she was having a wonderful dream and didn't want to get up. "That's it, Kagome," he said, nudging her. "Time to get up." She'd only been sleeping for two hours, but she was fully healed by now, and he knew out of experience how quickly her energy recharged. In fact, he lost the fight with a blush at the memory.

She moaned and turned over, stretching out on her stomach. She couldn't have made it any clearer that she wanted to stay asleep.

"Come on," he repeated, a hand shaking her back. "We have things to do, so get up."

"I don't wanna!" she replied, into the dirt.

"Well fine," Inuyasha told her, then lifted her in his arms. The moment he got back he'd taken off his fire rat haori and put it on her, tucking it into the sash at her waist. At least, he called it a sash. Just now he stood and began trekking.

As soon as he was sure she was fine, he'd left, only to be spotted by Sesshomaru, who had information about Sango, Miroku and Kirara. Inuyasha had gone after that, running for the village where the three of them were being treated, Sesshomaru taking the simpler way and flying on his demon. With the both of them they could take all three in one trip, although if need be Inuyasha could just as easily take them by himself. They brought them to Kaede's for better treatment, seeing as how the people in the other village were wary and mistrustful of them.

That along had taken an hour. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru had filled each other in about what happened, and then Sesshomaru had left. But the entire time, Inuyasha was sure that something was bothering Sesshomarr, since his elder brother seemed tense. Nonetheless he'd brushed it off and returned to the cave, to make sure Kagome would sleep peacefully.

Everyone seemed so much more at ease now that Kagome was back, albeit sleeping, but unharmed for the most part - at least now she was - and she was sleeping easily. And with Miroku, Sango and Kirara back and being treated, they didn't have to worry. Now the only problem was getting Kagome clothes - yet again.

Inuyasha's clothes were enchanted in a way - beyond being mostly unbreakable, they also mended themselves when need be. He'd had to explain that one when Kagome noticed they were in one piece after being shredded during one of their first exploits. It came quite in handy at times.

However, Kagome's clothes didn't fair so well, being made in her time and badly at that. It kept fraying at the ends and at certain parts threads were uplifted, and have been since she got them. It was sad that in five hundred years fabric makers only get worse. Granted, some of the patterns they had were amazing and made you wonder how they did it, but the overall quality wasn't worth it.

Halfway to his destination Kagome finally gave up on sleeping and hopped out of his arms, stretching her muscles. She yawned as she did so, and then smiled at him. She opened her mouth to say something then closed it, her eyes growing panicked. "Oh, no - Sango, Mirok -"

"They're fine," he interrupted. At her questioning look he went on. "Sesshomaru found them, and now they're at Keade's being treated."

"Treated?" she said, looking scared. "What happened to them?!" But she already knew - Naraku had told her. He'd questioned them, but they didn't tell him what he wanted to know, and in return he hurt them. "Naraku, that bastard," she said, her voice almost a snarl.

"Another time," Inuyasha told her, with a surprising amount of patience. Yep, they were trading traits. Kagome's rage, her resilience; Inuyasha's patience and clear thinking. Only he didn't notice they were becoming one another.

"Another time," she repeated, whispering. She nodded. "Alright then, where are we going?"

"Someplace I know," Inuyasha told her, with some amount of mystery.

She raised a brow at him, but allowed him to lead her as they continued their trek. After a while she grew impatient and suggested they run instead. Grinning, Inuyasha agreed, and didn't waste a moment as he ran. Kagome yelled at him for starting so soon, and caught up, but only after a moment. He was faster than she remembered. She smirked. It was still nothing.

She beat him, true enough, but she had a harder time than she ever had before. When he told her to stop she landed neatly, hardly bending to absorb the impact. He landed beside her and gestured in front of them; they made it to his destination in record time.

So where are we? she thought, eying the two-story hut in front of her.

"A fabric-makers'," he told her, having heard her thoughts.

Kagome looked down at herself. She was wearing Inuyasha's red haori, and beneath that she remembered how torn up her clothes were. "So we've come here so you can get me new clothes?"

"Enchanted clothes," Inuyasha corrected. "This is where my father got mine."

"Yeah, I was wondering about that," she said. "Did you wear that your whole life?"

"Yes," he replied without hesitation.

"What did it do, grow with you?"

"Yes," he said, again without pausing.

Kagome blinked. That was a bit surprising. Sure, she knew his fire rat clothes mended itself, but growing with him? That was a bit farfetched. "So your clothes are enchanted so they'll grow with you and fix itself?" she asked, needing to be sure.

"Well, yeah," he said. "That surprises you?"

"Uh. . .a little," she admitted.

He shrugged. "Let's go. I don't exactly know who lives here, but mother told me where to go if I ever wanted new clothes."

"Okay," she said, at a loss for what else to say. They entered after he knocked and no one answered. Inuyasha went first, looking around inside before drawing her in.

"I don't get it; mother told me there would always be someone living here. Do you feel anything?"

She nodded. "There is someone here, yes, but I can't tell where. There might be more than one."

She heard whispering then, and Inuyasha must've heard it, too. They both turned right, trying to see in the near darkness. They should have a fire, Kagome thought irrationally. Then she saw something like eyes, pure yellow, in the darkness. Far back, in the corner. It spoke.

"Why are you here?"

Kagome sighed. It wasn't threatening. If anything, it was testing them.

"My mate needs new clothing," Inuyasha said, meeting those eyes straight on.

"Who are you?" This time Kagome noticed the echo, as though more than one person were speaking.

"My name is Inuyasha. Some seventy years ago my father came to you with a request." Kagome was surprised at Inuyasha now. He was handling this like a diplomat. Polite yet vague, his voice letting on a type of secret, to give whoever-was-out-there an idea of what he meant.

She saw the eyes grow bigger as it understood. The eyes shut and then there was a spark to her left, in the center of the room. A fire lit and grew large, nearly reaching the roof and lighting everything. When she looked again towards the yellow eyes, she saw nothing.

Inuyasha's head was tilted back, looking up. She noticed this with more surprise and lifted her chin, shock rendering her silent as she saw what it was.

It was a spider demon, It had a female body up until its waist, and then it grew eight spider legs and a spider's body. It wasn't on the ceiling, but more in the upper corner. And it had four arms. Nonetheless it was clothed, with long hair in a tight braid. And it was green. Every bit, even its hair.

Its clothes as well were green, and in several shades of it. As she watched, it climbed down the wall and over to them, examining them with those unnerving yellow eyes. Its lips moved, like it was speaking to itself, and then she realized it was. In a language entirely its own, it was speaking to itself.

"Fire rat fur," it said, lifting its eyes towards Inuyasha. "Self-mending, aging. . .Ahh, yes, I remember that day. What do you need?"

Inuyasha gestured Kagome. "Kagome," he said, "let her see your clothes."

Still slightly freaked out by those eyes, Kagome nodded, taking off the haori and giving it back to Inuyasha. The spider demon circled her and continued speaking to itself. As it did so, Kagome noticed its hair reached the floor and, when up straight, it was her height. She didn't want to think about how tall it would be if it straightened its legs.

"What are these?" it asked, touching her boots. For the first time Kagome noticed there were still in one piece.

"Combat boots," Kagome said, and the thing laughed. "What do we call you?" she asked.

"Hime," the spider said as it turned and went to a sliding door.

"Princess?" Kagome asked. That was an odd name, but at least now she knew for sure it was a woman.

"Yes," Hime said back, and withdrew holding golden fabric. She held it up. "Do you like this color?"

"A little," Kagome said, distractedly.

Hime nodded and put it back. She stepped aside and gestured the room. "Pick which fabrics you like."

Kagome's brows drew together. "How do we repay you?"

Hime laughed again. "You do not need to. I make fabric every day, in hundreds of colors. As long as you like your clothes, I am repaid tenfold for my work."

Kagome glanced over at Inuyasha, who looked rather pleased with that statement. "Who else have you made clothing for?" he asked.

"Everyone that comes by. I am not very good with names, but I recognize my work."

Inuyasha nodded and urged Kagome forward. "Pick out what you like," he said.

Those eyes still struck something in Kagome, but she found she could override that to search through the cloth. She was surprised and awed by what she saw, though. The moment she entered the room she understood why this house had two levels. Just a few feet back there was the beginning to the second level, both of them overrun with colors. Pale, bright, shining, sparkling, mixed colors, patterns and designs, in every shade of each color you could ever imagine. She almost didn't believe it.

"I can make something for you now," Hime suggested, "until you decide upon what you would like."

"Yes," Kagome said, distracted. She was surprised when she felt something wrap around her and then lift her, and almost attacked.

She was in spider thread, in the air, and looking down she could see the concentration in Hime's face. She was controlling the thread through her fingertips, seemingly measuring. After a moment she smiled and let Kagome down, and began weaving. All four of her arms moved, her fingers controlling the thread with ease as she worked out a kimono. Once finished, which took just minutes, her top right hand began glowing. She pressed her palm into the cloth and color began spreading through it, the color matching Kagome's eyes with golden trim to match Inuyasha's. She handed it over to Kagome with a satisfied smile.

Silent with awe, Kagome felt it, noticing how nice it felt against her hands. She turned it over, and shock held her still. On the back there was a large full moon, with a white dog and a blue wolf, sleeping curled up with one another. Unable to say anything, she lifted her gaze to Hime in question, just as Inuyasha came up to see it as well.

"I can see who you are," Hime explained. "Just as easily as I can see what types of demons you are. Do you like it?"

Kagome tried to speak and found she couldn't.

"We love it," Inuyasha assured Hime, looking over the image again.

Hime nodded and opened another door, to the left of the entrance. [DL: Meaning if you enter the hut and look left, you'll see the door she just opened.] "You can change in there, in private."

An amused smile quirked Kagome's lip. A dressing room, she thought, entering. It was easier than she would have liked to get out of her shredded clothes; in fact, most of it fell apart as she took it off. Unsure of what to do she placed them in a pile, along with her boots.

When she left the room, she could swear she was goddess by the look on Inuyasha's face. He'd finally put on his haori again, and he was in stunned silence by the way the kimono looked on her. It only made Kagome love the outfit more.

"I think it's time to look at those fabrics," she told Hime, loving the power she had over Inuyasha and forever grateful to Hime for creating the kimono for her. She was smiling as she entered the huge room again and looked over everything. She could feel Inuyasha's lust for her, and knew that later tonight she'd have fun teasing him.

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You guys should praising me right about now. Two updates, two days, then two more updates. How d'you like me now? Y'all hated me before, because of my endings. I'll bet you're loving me now, aren't ya?

Ha ha ha ha haaaa haaaaa!!! I just keep toying with you guys, don't I?

Hime I just created. I never expected to put her in, and as such, I have no picture of her. I do, however, have one of Yeako. Her descriptions' a bit different from the picture, but I'm sure you can overlook that. Oh, yeah - another note.

After the end of chapter 38, I'll have you know that the fire grew out of control, and I'm pretty badly burned from it. On top of that, it singed off my stitches. Ya know, the one to my katana wound from so many chapters ago? Yeah, well, that's why I'm covered in band-aids, stitches and in a wheelchair. For now I'll just sit here and let myself heal.

Man, what I wouldn't give to have Kagome's ability to heal right about now. . .Lucky bitch. Heh, literally. Man, the idea of being a demon like Kagome. . .although I'd personally prefer wings above a tail. Which is kinda funny, cause in another story I'm working on - an original - I'm a half cat demon, tail and nails. But my icon fits me.

It's a kitty me, chibi version. I'm tiger striped with blue hair, black streaks, and red eyes. AND I have golden wings. Small buggers, but that fits with the chibi-ness.

See ya!