Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Real Roses Have Thorns ❯ Sticky Situations ( Chapter 6 )

(AT: Alrighty guys and gals, I wrote this thing almost two months ago! Really, you can ask my editor! But my computer got the flu, and I, being my computer illiterate self, was unable to cure it...sorry it took me so long... ;_;)

Angeltiger: Yay an update!

Inuyasha: Hurrah...

Angeltiger: Must you be so negative? It get's old.

Inuyasha: Must you be so naive? *nods to Sabriel* She's been glancing back and forth from that knife to you for the past hour.

Angeltiger: What? *glances at Sabriel* Sabby?

Sabriel: *innocent eyes* What's unca Yasha talkin about Angi?

Angeltiger: *coos* Awww. Inuyasha! *smacks him across the head* Don't soil her perfectly innocent mind!

Inuyasha: *rubs head* Ow...*looks at audience* You guys could help me out a bit here!

Disclaimer:

Angeltiger: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. If I did, ya'll would never see Sess or Kurama/Youko on the screen cuz I would have them all to myself, therefore they'd never have time to be on TV. When I get them! Yup, that's exactly what I'm gonna do...since none of you are nice enough to help me out with my donation. *glances at empty top hat* You guys are so mean! *pouts*

Real Roses Have Thorns

Ch 6: Sticky Situations

Kagome had given up on trying to run away. Every time she got twenty feet away, Youko would just nab her and drag her back.

"You wait until Inuyasha comes!" She yelled from her perch on his shoulder, beating her tiny fists ineffectivly aginst his back.

"I told you I won't hurt you. I only want the shards of the Shikon jewel." he replied, shifing her weight to his side and tucking her under his arm. "Now stop struggling."

"Then at least let me walk!"

He shook his head slowly, "I don't feel like chasing after you again." Though they both knew it was not hard to catch up with her.

Her face hardened into a scowl, "I won't run away!" She nodded to the groups of villagers, pointing and staring at them. She could practically feel thier wispers of negativity seeping through her bones. Oh how she loathed gossip. "This is slighly undignified..."

With a small smirk, he set her to her feet. He held his had out to her, silently ordering her to take it. If she were anyone else, or even the Kagome an hour ago, she would have simply melted. But now, this ticked off miko gripped his hand tightly, digging her nails in his palm.

"You do know that doesn't hurt, right?"

"Doesn't mean I won't try."

"Hn."

Another twenty mintues passed by in a similar fashion: Kagome gets free, she runs off, gets dragged back and thrown across Youko's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. They come to a truce, giving her another chance to capture his hand in another death-lock, then start the cycle all over again. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Not that she could get that far anyways...

All this, and still no outraged arrival of Inuyasha. Kagome was starting to become worried for her friends' safety, then slowly discouraged. Her mind took the last image she had of him and ran with it. What if they got attacked again? Or what if they couldn't find her? Or worse, what if they didn't want to...

Gradually, her hand slackend in Youko's mauled one, until he was the one that had to grip hers, just to keep it from dropping. He took in her faraway form, as if she was there, but not quite.

"Kagome?"

Upon hearing her name, she snapped out of her stupor. Her eyes trailed up to meet his gold, and her temper flared.

"What?"

If he was shocked, his features didn't show any trace. "Are there any shards near?"

Kagome huffed, "Like I'd tell you."

Youko was unaffected, "You will if you want to see your friends."

Growling impressivly for a human, she closed her eyes, semi-concentrating on any nearby shards.

"You do know it's not your place to collect these shards?"

"Oh? And who's job is it?"

She blushed a bit, "Mine..."

"Oh really?" He stood directly in front of her and leaned down, face a few inches from hers. Upon feeling warm breath on her lids, Kagome slowly opened her eyes. "Why?"

She was caught in those damn eyes. She guessed what they said was true, sometimes the harshest battles aren't won with weapons. She was now a true beliver, since even though she hated his guts, she found she couldn't lie to his eyes. Damn contortionist.

"I'm the one that broke it."

One of his perfectly silver eyebrows raised slighly, "You?"

She nodd]

He nodded, taking her elbow and leading her down the path. "And what do you plan on doing with it when it's complete?"

The question hit home, however unintentional. "I...I don't really know..."

Youko remaned silent, though his grip on her arm lightened. His inelectivity to speak was grating on the few nerves that had survived the past hour and a half, and her spunk was beginning to return to her. "And what do you plan on doing with it?"

He gave her a small smirk, "Absolutly nothing."

Kagome tripped and fell on her rear, "What?"

He sighed and picked her up, placing her on his shoulder again, completly ignoring her protests. "I told you before, it's one of my hobbies. I won't do anything but put it with my other valuables."

"You would have a jewel that powerful collecting dust in a box, and not paying it another glance?"

"Exactly."

"That's dangerous," she chastised through clenched teeth. "Every demon that seeks the jewel will come after you to get it."

He stopped for a second, turning his head around and eyeing her suspiciously. The wind blew around the two of them, tossing thier hair. "You're serious?"

Kagome nodded, slightly captivated in the moment. "Yes, that's why we've been trying to collect the jewel shards. If they were to fall into the wrong hands..."

"Then someone could use thier power for thier own disgusting affections."

"Uhhh, yeah."

"Really now..."

Youko set her down gently, then turned on his heel and started back along the path, and to the village that was visible not too far away.

Kagome stood still, torn. Should she risk gettting lost to find Inuyasha and the others by running away again? It looked like the fox wouldn't stop her this time. Or should she stick with him and at least know she was semi-safe? The jewel shards that tickled on the edge of her senses and glowed brigtly in his pocked made her mind up for her. The scales were tipped with the fox.

"Youko, wait!"

The tall kizune stopped in his tracks, turning only his head to stare at her, "What?"

"Where...are you going?"

He turned fully, staring at her from the distance his long legs had taken him. "To find the shards of the Shikon Jewel." He tilted his head to the side, giving her a look that said, "Der, ya stoopid".

"But, didn't you hear what I just said?" She ran up to his side, nearly tripping over the sray leaves and bramble of Fall. He reached out and grabbed her by her waist, pulling her back up.

"I did. But once I've started, I can't just stop."

For a brief moment, Kagome's mind sent her the image of a Pringle's commercial. But she shook it away, "But what about-"

"If you want the jewel so badly as to risk your human life over it...here" He reached inside his front pocket, pulling out a vial of five jewel shards.

She tossed her head to the side, "What's this?"

He looked at her skeptically, "I thought you could identify Shikon shards."

Kagome tried to hide the irritated tick in her eye, but failed. "No duh! I meant 'why are you giving them to me?'"

He smiled slightly, amused with her little outburst. It wasn't everyday a female could have an intelligent conversation with him, let alone yell at him. Enough being said that she was a human. He liked this little Kagome, she had guts.

"I'm addicted to the hunt, Kagome, I can't just stop a search once I start it."

"Oh, but-"

"But, I will give my shards to you since you seem to be the safest hands."

Kagome stayed fish-faced for a moment, mind completly blank.When she finally snapped to it, she realzied they had just entered the village. Funny, she didn't remember her feet asking permission to move. Stupid feet, betrayers...all two of them.

"Why would you just give me the shards?" she asked, faintly aware that he still had his arm gripped around her waist. "I mean, Youko was it?, why wouldn't you just make a deal with some demon. At least then it would be profitable."

He grinned, loving to hear his name come out of her mouth. "Would you rather me not give them to you?"

"No! I just-"

"Then don't give me ideas."

She smiled a bit, making him catch his breath slightly, though she failed to notice. "Thank you."

"No need. The faster I get the jewel shards, the faster I can move on."

She nodded, sighing as her eyes spotted a bench close ahead. Her feet decided to kick in at that point, protesting thier abuse and her very existance. Damn feet, do they have to be so much trouble? And if she didn't exist, wouldn't they cease to exist? Too much thinking, here comes the migrane. Yup, definatly need to sit down now.

He caught her soft sigh wih his delicate hearing and followed her gaze. "Would you like to rest?" He had fogotten that humans tired more easily. That or he never really knew, or cared.

She looked up hopefully, her eyes widening. Inuyasha had run her harder than this, alot harder. And he always truned her down when she or the others asked for a break.Oh yeah, she could get used to this. "Do you mind?"

Youko ignored all the whispers the villagers were sharing about them, whispers that he could hear clearly, but knew Kagome would be oblivious, and smiled. "Of course not. I'll even join you."

She giggled at the inner joke. Like he would have given her the choice. "Thanks!" she chirped, plopping on the bench and lying back with a dramatic sigh. Was it her imagination, or did her feet sigh too? Oh well, at least they finally shut up. "You have no idea how nice it is to be able to rest when you want."

"That bad, huh?"

"Inuyasha runs us ragged."

He took his spot at her side, looking her over carfully. "Then why are you with him?"

Once again, the question unintenionaly hit home. This guy could be a major leaguer someday. But for now, she bit on the tip of her thumbnail, deep in thought. "I...don't know. I guess it's because he was my first friend when I came here, to these lands I mean." She added hastely.

He smiled inwordly, making a mental note that Inuyasha was just a friend. "You don't need a friend like that."

Red flashed through Kaogme's brown eyes, and she turned her fire directly on him. "Oh? And should I prefer a friend to kidnap me and use me as his ticket to sooth his addictive urge of thievery?"

"Yes."

The fire jumped to new life before dulling to a shimmer. She turned her head to face straight, instead of to his side. "Whatever...jerk."

Yup, it ws official. This girl was feisty, and definatly the first to ever defy and argue with him. He liked it. A wicked smile came across his features. He would make this woman his, if only until the jewel was complete. Even if it killed him...which it quite possibly could.

He opened his mouth to tell her, but stopped when he heard the slithering. The slithering of something big. Kagome's thoughts waivered when she heared the rustling of silver hair, and her eyes noticed the feverent twitching of his ears.

Oh yeah, she recognized that twitch. That was the "I know something's coming, but I'm not gonna tell ya cuz you'll get scared" twitch. Inuyasha used that often, along with Shippo. Heck, she'd even seen Buyo use a form of it when Souta would sneak around the corner to pounce on him. Hmm, must be universal.

"What is it, Youko?"

"We've got company." He stood gracefully, standing between her and the allyway he was intently staring at, and the area his ears dubbed their full attention to.

"Any chance it's good?" she asked, placing her hands on his right shoulder and peeping around his arm.

"Doubt it."

She nodded. She hadn't really been serious, but she felt she had to ask anyways. Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a familiar warm tingle at the edge of her senses. She let go of his haori and took off to the right, making him grab at her and miss.

"Kagome! What are you doing?"

She came to a stop before a man with a bow and a quarrel full of arrows tied to his horse's saddle. "Excuse me, sir? Do you mind if I borrow those?" she pointed to the bundle, giving him her best puppy eyes.

"Of course not! I can't just be givin those away! Be gone with ye, girl."

"But I-"

"No, now go run along w-" The man paled in front of her, all the color draining from his face so fast that she swore he looked ready to keel over. He carefully reached a trembling hand to the bow and quiver full of arrows. "I mean, of course you can. Excuse my rudness, but I must go."

A few seconds later he hopped on his horse and took off, flying like the demons from hell were at his heels. Wait a minute, speaking of demons from hell...

She turned her head around slowly, catching a Youko pull his fangs back in his mouth and grin down at her. She slapped her hand on her forehead, why was it her luck that she could never travel with sane demons? She was beginning to wonder if they even existed. And if they did, couldn't they pay her a visit? If only to reasure her own sanity.

Shaking her head silently, she nudged him in the ribs and ran ahead, shaking his image out of her mind and concentrating on the warm purple glow.

"What's all this about?" Youko asked, catching up to her with ease. Her cheery smile was gone, only to be replaced by bold determination.

"I sense jewel shards."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Kukukukuku..." Naraku purred, rolling the wooden doll over and over in his clawed hands. "So, you thought you could get to the girl first, did you Koenma? You thought you could get her out of my reach by holding her in the one place I'm unable to get to? But even now, you're future won't be safe forever. I'll get there soon enough."

He scowled, tightening the single black hair wrapped aroundn the spheric head. "I told you I would find out. You sent you're employers to that school to retrieve her, and have her seal the well. But I have other plans."

Kagura stopped in front of the door, hesitating to enter when she heard her master talking to himself...again... Was that even healthy?

"I need that well, it is the doorway to my escape. And I need that girl, for she is my key. I will not allow you to ruin my plans."

"Practicing your speech? I take it you haven't talked to the prince of the spirit world yet."

Naraku lazily glanced up, his incarnation held her fan in front of her face, so he couldn't tell if she was sneering at him, the way the faint creases in the corners of her eyes were hinting.

"Not quite, Kagura." He shifted position, balancing the demon puppet on the window sill. "What took you? I sent for you twenty minutes ago."

Kagura's eyes narrowed and she snapped her fan back in place, deciding to ignore his question. "Where is Kanna?"

"Excuse me?"

"Kanna left, without me. What are you having her do?"

Naraku's eyes hardened, "I sent her on an errand. There is a certain fox and miko that needed tending, and Kanna just happened to be available."

"That Kagome and her kit?"

"No," he flicked imaginary lint off his shoulder, "that miko is with Youko Kurama."

Kagura's heart raced, "She's with the bandit? And you sent Kanna to fight them all alone?!"

"No, I've sent one of my puppets to accompany her,"

She tensed, knowing how reliable those were. No matter how hard she tried to keep her sister in the castle, it seemed Naraku would always send her out when she wasn't looking. She hated risking Kanna's life when she could be in her place. "Why did you not send me?"

Naraku's features relaxed to a grin, albiet a smidge twisted. "I have another job for you."

Kagura's eyes raised, and she flipped her fan open again, "What is it?"

"You are to distract Inuyasha and his blind followers."

She blinked, "I thought you sent Kanna to them."

"I sent Kanna to the fox and the miko. You are to distract Inuyasha, so that she has enough time to steal the soul of the fox, and take the girl."

The plan began to make sense. "So, you want me to play with the dog, while Kanna kidnaps you're latest intrest?"

"Exactly."

"So why do you want the fox's soul? Why not just leave him?"

Naraku stood, black wavy hair cascading down his back, "He is one of Koenma's employers."

"In this time period?"

"Yes, but if I can get rid of him here-"

"Then he won't be alive to mess with you in the future."

"Correct." He tossed her an erie purple shard, flicking his wrist in a lazy snap. She caught the tainted shard easily, looking up with slight confusion.

"That should prove enough bait for Inuyasha. And if need be, send word for Kikyo. Just remember, the longer you keep him away, the more time Kanna has to work. But if you let him get to her while her hands are full with the fox..."

"I understand." She bowed slightly, giving Naraku a murderous look from behind her fan.

"Good," he waved his hand in dismissal, turning back to face the window, "now get out."

Kagura snarled inwardly, clamping her fan shut and storming out. Naraku ignored her and glared at the moon, just now visible through the sun's dying rays. He let out a small, dark chuckle, twirling another strand of hair around the doll.

"Soon, my little miko. Soon I will have you in my hands..."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Angeltiger: *shudders* I hope he don't get anywhere near 'Gome!

Kagome: You're the writer!

Angeltiger: Oh yeah...but Sabby's been suggesting some ideas.

Sabriel: *whispers*

Angeltiger: Mm hmm, hey! *perks* That's a great one!

Kagome: *pales* What?

Angeltiger: Nothing! *waves to the audience* Thanks for reading. And if you liked this chapter, send pixie stix!

Sabriel: *jumps up and down* Boxes and boxes!

Kagome: *groans* No, not another sugar high...

Inuyasha: Angel + Pixie Stix = Crazy chapter.

Angeltiger: Their called 'bs' chapters. Like the one in chapter three...or was it two...

Kagome: Three I think.

Angeltiger: Anyways, with the ant and Inuyasha with his hair "don't".

Inuyasha: *grumbles*

Yusuke: *grumbles*

Sabby: Teehee! That one was funny!

Angeltiger: Anyways, if I get enough Pixie Stix, I might be sugar-fillled enough to come up with another bs chapter.

Inuyasha: I can hardly wait.

Yusuke: Me niether.