InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Woodin Cylinders And Red Herrings ❯ Kagome’s Bad Day ( Chapter 1 )

This takes place shortly after Kagome gets back with the gang after the first Kouga incident, but I think I expressed that pretty well in the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha or any characters there in.

Kagome's Bad Day

Kagome held her nearly demolish alarm clock in one hand. How had they both gotten out of that with out apologizing? Sure InuYasha had apologized for breaking her clock but that had nothing to do with the fight. `I guess it was progress, he did actually apologize.'

She decided to be happy with that. InuYasha probably wouldn't want to bring it up again anyway…all's well that ends well, right?

She tossed the alarm clock back into her backpack and shouldered it. Today was going to be another long day of walking.

*

They were lost. There was no getting around that fact. Oh sure, InuYasha and the other animal based youkia in the group had information on the surrounding area. They could even backtrack till they knew where the hell they were. But the truth was that they didn't know now. This didn't worry the youkia much because of what they could sense about the place. The humans how ever were another story.

Miroku and Sango and Kagome were somewhat jumpy. The woods were creepy, deep and musty. There was a swamp not too far away from the road on one side and it seemed to try to cross the road intermittently to get at the relatively dry land on the other side. They really wanted to be in the next town before night fell.

They had stopped for lunch, mulling over the fact that no one could fathom when the next town might pop up as they ate. The silence was oppressive, and obviously wanted to remain unbroken and the little band had no wish to raise the ire of the swamp, woods, or silence.

In the end Kagome was packing up her bag as quietly as she could when suddenly she screeched and stood faster that previously thought possible for humans.

"AAAAAAAAEEEEEEE! Something crawled up my skirt!" she answered their shocked and, in InuYasha case pained, looks. She began to dance from one foot to the other and shake her skirt in the hopes that it would fall out without stinging or biting her.

"OW!" she stopped moving and clapped her hands over her rear, so much for that hope, "OWWWW!" she immediately released her rear. Damn thing bit her again! And harder!

Immediately after she released it the insect dropped halfway to the ground and flew off into the distance and disappeared. Not that anyone watched it that long. They all turned back to Kagome soon after it had taken flight.

"It was just a bug Kagome." Sango said helpfully.

Kagome frowned at her. "YOU try having that thing crawl up your skirt and bite you on the…" Kagome stopped, blushed and crouched down to continue packing.

"Ow." She flinched at the twinge she felt in the vicinity of the bite.

"If it would put you mind to rest I could always have a look at the bite." Miroku offered calmly.

That innocent offer was rewarded with dirty looks from Kagome and Sango, and a murderous one from InuYasha. "Or, perhaps InuYasha would prefer to assist you?"

InuYasha's look turned inward before quickly looking away, grumbling and no doubt blushing. At least he wasn't looking a Miroku like he wanted to rip his eyes out to prevent his "helping" Kagome.

"I'll have a look Houshi-sama." Sango said flatly.

Kagome smiled as her friend approached her, then she scowled at the males. "Turn around, and NO peeking!"

The men turned around obediently. "It's just a bug bite" InuYasha mumbled.

"It was a large, unidentified bug InuYasha," Miroku responded. "We should be careful in this instance."

"Feh" InuYasha huffed. But his ears swiveled around to the girls when he heard the pack being riffled through and the first aid box being opened.

"All this fuss over a bug bite?" he called over his shoulder, careful not to turn around. Though he really wanted to check out the wound himself. Probably get a "SIT!" for his concern.

"Kagome has a large welt and a small chunk of skin missing, she is bleeding slightly but there is no sign of poison." Sango spoke loudly so that the boys could hear her. "I just want to be sure that it doesn't' get infected. You may turn around now." She finished putting the first aid box back in the pack.

They continued on through the woods. Eventually the road turned from the swamp and toward higher ground. A village was caught on the wind shortly after, and the groups pace quickened with enthusiasm.

They were given rooms at the local inn where they heard an interesting rumor about a creature that had suddenly gained power and began making their lives miserable.

The next morning Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kirara stood dumbfounded in a semi circle around a very deeply asleep InuYasha.

"Do you think that we should wake him?" Sango asked tentatively.

"He never sleeps like this. Maybe we should let him rest?" Kagome put forward.

Miroku was silent. This wasn't natural for InuYasha. Maybe the forest was more stressful then he realized for the hanyou. Still there was something odd in the air; InuYashas youki seemed… not as thick as it should be. Perhaps rest would be best.

"GET UP ITS TIME TO GET OUT OF THIS FOREST!!" Shippo yelled in InuYasha's ear.

`Or not.' Miroku sighed.

InuYasha jumped to his feet hand on his sword. "WHAT THE HELL?" he bellowed.

Shippo dodged behind Kagome and whimpered.

"It's past mid morning InuYasha," Kagome said quietly. "Are you Ok?"

InuYasha blinked several times and looked out the window. Sure enough, the sun was quiet high in the sky already. "Uh, yeah, lets… get going then." He turned slowly to the group.

They all shrugged and headed out.

*

InuYasha yawned. Again. "This is were they said we would find it."

"The creature that acquired sudden power lives here?" Kagome squeaked.

The cottage was in the middle of the deep dark woods. Moss covered everything and slime covered that. The only way to know that it was a house was by the vague shape it managed to keep in the gloom.

"Should we knock, or yell it out?" Miroku asked.

"I don't sense a jewel shard." Kagome said.

"Then lets leave." InuYasha yawned. "I'm tired of solving peoples problems for them."

"InuYasha! That's mean, we told them we would try." Kagome turned on him. "Maybe we could just ask the creature to stop eating their food all up."

Everyone gave Kagome an incredulous look. "It could happen." She said meekly.

As they stood there blinking at Kagome, the door to the big house opened and a huge large ogre ran out waving a wooden cylinder with wax covering both ends.

"I will have ultimate power over her!" He shouted and hit Kagome square across the hips, throwing her against a tree and knocked her out.

"Stay away from her!" InuYasha drew his sword and ran at the ogre.

The ogre stared wide eyed and hesitated just a moment too long. "Your youki…" was all it got out before InuYasha cut him in half.

The group ran over to Kagome, except Miroku.

"Are you Ok?" Shippo asked the slowly reviving Kagome.

"Yes," she said tentatively, "I'm Ow!" she put a had to the back of her head. "OW!" she jumped into a knelling position as her other hand flew to her rear. "OWWW." She groaned as the first hand wrapped around her lower abdomen, where she was hit. "Ugh." She moaned wrapping the second hand higher on her stomach.

"Are you Ok Kagome?" Miroku walked up holding the cylinder.

Kagome looked up at InuYasha. "I want out of these woods." Was all she said.

They agreed. Fleeing as fast as the youkia could go. It wasn't the battle, or the injures. It was the atmosphere, the constant icky feeling and agitation, as well as the fact that Kagome could barley put a foot right in this horrid place and that everything seemed to only go for her.

*

Once they had reached the edge of the forest they paused for breath. Well InuYasha did, he was still worn out for some reason.

"I think it was that forest." InuYasha panted, "Something was wrong with it."

"I'll agree with that," Sango said thoughtfully, "but none of us were effected the way you were. Maybe you should rest for a while."

InuYasha glared at her.

"I picked this off of the ogre before we left." Miroku interrupted, holding up the cylinder. "It is the weapon that ogre used on Kagome. I have never seen this wood before, and it appears to be hollow. Before he hit Kagome with it, it held a powerful magic charge. Now there is only a residue."

"Maybe the magic died with the ogre." InuYasha spat. He was still upset at how the ogre had gotten the jump on him and hurt Kagome.

"Perhaps." Miroku shook the cylinder. " There appears to be something inside. Shall we see what it is?" The group nodded and waited while Miroku peeled off the wax at one end revealing a wooden cap. Pulling that off he looked inside, feeling for magic. There was none. Not even the residue that covered the cylinder. He upended the container and a parchment scroll slid into his other hand. It had a red ribbon keeping it closed.

Miroku untied the ribbon, releasing the scroll. He opened it and blinked.

"What?" the group asked.

Miroku stared at the finally drawn and meticulously placed … wedges? What the hell kind of language is that?

"Miroku," InuYasha said warningly, "What does it say?"

"I-I don't know, I have never seen this language before." He stammered.

The group ran behind him, except for Kagome who was siting on the ground with a frightened look.

"What the hell is this?" InuYasha yelled. Then he calmed down and turned away. "What does it matter, it's dead anyway. Lets get moving, the next town is just up head."

"Um, guys?" Kagome looked up. "I can't feel my legs… and they won't move."

This got everyone's attention.

"What do you mean?" InuYasha asked squatting next to her.

"Are you hurt Kagome?" Sango knelt on her other side.

"I'm fine," She shook her head, "I just can't move my legs."

"Let's get her to the next village." Miroku was tying the ribbon around the scroll again. "This is likely to be related either to the cylinder or the bug bite."

The company walked slowly to the village. InuYasha carried Kagome on his back, though he kept a tighter grip than usual on her legs, seeking the comfort of heat and pulse that proved they were still alive.

Upon entering the village Miroku realized that he had visited this place before. In fact he was good friends with the innkeeper here, and they easily secured rooms and a meal.

"I know of a man," The innkeeper told Miroku, "That is said to have traveled Far and wide in his youth, leaving even Japan far behind him in his journeys. He may be able to tell you something about that scroll. He lives a few days travel to the north"

Miroku thanked him for his information and returned to his friends.

"Are you comfortable Kagome?" Sango asked. Kagome was leaning against her pack with her legs straight out in front of her.

"I … think so." Kagome answered weakly. The local healer had never heard the description of the bug Kagome had been bitten by, but didn't believe her condition to have been caused by the bite. It didn't offer her much comfort.

"InuYasha, what are you doing?" Sango asked suspiciously.

Quickly InuYasha removed his hand from where it had been absently stroking Kagome's leg. "I … I uh," he withdrew to the other side of the room with a, "Keh, I was just making sure her leg was still getting blood."

"Why InuYasha," Miroku chose this moment to speak up, "if you are uncomfortable with such tasks I would be willing to take them up for you."

"Touch her and die, Monk." The sentiment seemed to be echoed three times with small variation.

Miroku sighed, "However I did find a possible lead on translating the foreign scroll. My friend has recommended that we seek out a man in a village in the north."

*

A/N: This is a real mystery, but most of the suspect won't make appearances. So, What's happening to Kagome, why and who did it? If you guess any one of these correctly I will give you an honorable mention in the epilogue with what chapter you guessed by.