Diary of a Self-Confessed Procastinator

Long no time no see...

2007-07-29T01:15:08Z

Yeah I know, where the heck have I been? It's been months!

Well to cut a long story short, I started a new job while deciding to keep parts of my old one and now I barely have time to sit down and do anything that isn't work related. I now work in the city and see much more of my friends then before which is great, but at the same time there goes free time. I really need to get back to my writing and I'll be easing into it again. Oh and hey new laptop means that I can take it with me and maybe do some writing on lunch breaks, train rides...ruin my eyes even more..... Its a Mac and from a life-time PC user I'm finding it a bit hard to adjust to, but its so purty.....

I've been re-reading my two fics - Lost Gods and Pursuit of Power and I'll be working on them again. So wish me luck! Hopefully will have something new soon.

~Lin

[Fanfic] Her Shadow (Inuyasha, Inuyasha/Kagome, #4)

2007-02-17T11:56:38Z

Title: Her Shadow
Authort: AngelineL
Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome
Fandom: Inuyasha
Wriiten for: 30_kisses

Theme: #4 Our Distance and That Person

Disclaimer: Does a few plushies and DVDs count as owning Inuyasha? Didn’t think so…

AN: My plan of attack for these 28 remaining themes will be a series of short, loosely connecting drabbles that can be read on their own or in the sequence that I write them. They will alternate between Inuyasha’s and Kagome’s POV with a few third pov in between. That's the plan at least!

I could feel his eyes on me, but not once have I caught him actually looking at me. I felt like I was forever chasing his gaze.

They were all telling me that he missed me, Shippou leaping onto my shoulder and whispering in my ear all of his misbehavior, Miroku with his sly winks and Sango’s blunt honesty. They all tell me that he pined for me. Yet somehow I found it hard to believe as I stood, listening to his rant.

“I told you already Inuyasha! I had to retake a test, which I wouldn’t have to do if you just let me study!” I knew my face was going red as I matched him, decibel for decibel.

“Study?! Why the hell do you have to study anyway? Don’t you know what’s important?” He glared down at me, his nose almost touching mine as his eyes burned with an intensity that I was all too familiar with.

“Important? Don’t you dare lecture me about importance! You have no idea what’s important to me! I need to study. I’ve told you this over and over. You just don’t listen you insensitive jerk!” I could feel the press of tears against my eyes but I refused to blink, refused to allow them to fall.

“You were the one who broke the damned jewel in the first place wench! You are the one who has no idea how important this is! If Kikyou…” He stopped abruptly, jerking backwards from me like he had been burned by his own words.

Her name, the one thing we tried so hard to avoid. That topic of conversation that was shrouded in silence and covert glances… Kikyou…

I couldn’t look him in the eye. I knew what he was about to say, knew it as well as the back of my hand. I didn’t need to hear it from his lips. Kikyou…

Staring at him now, seeing him with that startled, half-frightened expression on his face and knowing that I would never, in my entire life measure up to that person…that woman.

Abruptly turning away from Inuyasha, I mumbled an excuse before scrambling to get away. I heard him call out my name, but it only served to quicken my pace. He called out again, I broke into a run. All I knew was that I had to get away, couldn’t let him see.

Reaching the well, I finally slowed, my hand falling on the familiar rim, so worn and smooth beneath my touch. It was my anchor, my safety and all I could do was sink down to my knees, tears freely flowing. The torrent of emotion that I had been holding back suddenly seemed to burst free as I cried.

Why? Why did we have to fight so? Why did he refuse to understand? And why did Kikyou overshadow everything we do? The questions kept circling around in my mind and I could feel my nails biting into the wood.

A hand hovering over my shoulder…

I gasped, my hand tightening on the well, “Inuyasha…just…please…” The sentences were right there, on the tip of my tongue, but only incomprehensible snatches fell out. I could feel his hand, hanging tentatively there – in that space between he and I; that space, which seemed so inconsequential, yet so very large.

Who was I kidding? As his hand hovered just above my skin, I realized that what separated us was not mere millimeters but an entire epoch, a distance so great that numbers no longer existed to measure it. The most daunting part of that distance between us, was not even the years that stood between our eras, rather it all went back to that one person, that person we tried so hard not to talk about…

I could feel his hand withdrawing and I sat there, my entire being frozen. I was unable to even command my lips to move to call out his name. So I sat there, shivering in the bright sunlight.

“Baka.” He whispered. I stiffened as I felt his fingers lightly fall upon my shoulder, before trailing down the back of my arm. “Kagome no baka.”

I turned to fire out some angry retort but I stopped when I saw his eyes. Those golden-kissed eyes that spoke of infinite sorrow and regret held me fast and stole my voice. All I could do was look at him as he looked at me. I heard him say my name again.

His lips parted, the barest hint of deadly fang as he spoke, “Look, I…about the jewel and the school thing that you have…” His hand gripped my elbow tightly, “I…it’s…” He gulped.

This was hard for him. I knew what he was about to say and suddenly I realized something…I didn’t need to hear it.

“It’s okay Inuyasha.”

The death grip loosened on my elbow and I felt his fingers trailing down my arm, settling on my wrist. Valiantly, I wiped the tears from my face and I smiled at him. “It’s alright Inuyasha.”

Rough fingers slid onto my palm and I squeezed them as I stood up. His grip tightened and he lowered his head, hiding those eyes from my sight.

We walked, fingers loosely interlocked. Things weren’t as difficult as I thought they were – for the time being, we walked on the same ground, looked up at the same sky and as for Kikyou…

“Kagome, I’m sorry. You know how I can be sometimes.” Inuyasha mumbled, still refusing to meet my gaze.

“Yeah I know…Inuyasha no baka.” I smiled as he growled.

“Who are you calling a baka? You’re the baka!”

I laughed and loosened my hold on his hand, for a split second his grip tightened, momentarily reluctant to release me but with when I firmly tugged my hand free of his grasp he relinquished it and I turned to sprint back into the village.

As I ran I smiled. Kikyou and her shadow will always be there. I stole a glance over my shoulder at the hanyou growling and chasing me. Yes, Kikyou will never leave us, but I realized something important. Kikyou wasn’t necessarily standing between us.

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AN: I hope I didn’t make Kagome sound like some unbalanced nutcase with severe mood swings…hehehe….this was my take on the classic Inuyahsa/Kagome bickering and exactly what is going on inside Kagome’s head when she goes from screaming her head off to being nearly in tears. Hope I did okay

[Fanfic] Honmei Choco

2007-02-14T12:24:43Z

Title: Honmei Choco
Written for iyfic_contest
Theme: Week 86, Heart
Rating: PG
Pairings: Inuyasha/Kagome

In the spirit of the holiday.. oh and excuse any mistakes, its way past my bedtime...again...

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha –sigh- Though in the not so distant future when they can make clones out of templates, I might one day own an Inuyasha-clone. I’ll keep him next to my Ichigo-clone and they can compare swords….oh my….

Honmei Choco

Her lower lip felt sore. She wasn’t entirely sure why.

This trivial thought crossed Kagome’s mind briefly, interrupting her contemplation of the small packages sitting just inside her monstrosity of a bag. She really wasn’t sure whether or not she should go ahead with the small tradition or not.

Every year, faithfully, Higurashi Kagome would go out and buy bags and bags of giri choco. It was a small tradition of hers that stretched back as early as kindergarten and one that she had become well-known for amongst her peers. Every year, on the fourteenth of February, Kagome would go to school with dozens of little boxes filled with chocolate. Every year except for the last.

Last year, on February fourteen, Kagome had been ankle-deep in youkai gore, searching for a tiny shard instead of handing out the little decorative boxes to classmates. She had only realised her lapse when she had gone home the following week and actually glanced at a calendar.

Determined that she would not miss out on Valentine’s Day this year, Kagome had pulled aside her sometimes-companion, sometimes-verbal-sparring-partner and had warned him that she was planning on going home.

Inuyasha had flippantly dismissed her words and urged her to climb onto his back to chase after the fleeing youkai.

She tried again the following week, all she got was his typical “Keh.”

On February 10, Kagome had squared her shoulders and faced the silver-haired hanyou…

~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~

“Inuyasha, I’m going now.”

Amber-gold eyes pinned her to the spot, “What the fuck are you talking about wench? Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

Taking a bracing breath, Kagome tugged her bag more securely on her shoulders, “I told you Inuyasha, I’m going home for a few days. I told you this weeks ago.”

“Keh! Stop making shit up Kagome. You didn’t say anything about going home!” Crossing his arms huffily, Inuyasha faced her, mouth already falling into a hard line that she was all too familiar with.

Clearing his throat, Miroku looked up from his cup of tea, “Ah I do believe I have to interject at this point Inuyasha. Kagome-sama did indeed inform you, several times, that she was planning a more extended leave from her duties here with us.”

Inuyasha opened his mouth, ready to fire out a retort, but Sango also spoke up, “Yes, I recall this as well. You mentioned it just a couple of days ago, didn’t you Kagome-chan?”

Eyeing their silver-haired companion warily, Kagome cautiously nodded, “Inuyasha…”

He lowered his head, hiding his eyes from view, the ominous silence that hung over Inuyasha was nearly suffocating in its intensity.

Taking a deep breath, Kagome tried again, “It’s just for a few days Inuyasha…”

“Fine!” The word was sharp and biting as it cut through the silence of the forest. Glowering fiercely at her, Inuyasha lowered his arms before turning his back on her, “Just go already!”

“But Inuyasha…”

“I said go!!”

His roar had Kagome stumbling backwards, her eyes wide with anxiety as she stared at him, Briefly she contemplated just staying, but a memory tugged at the back of her mind and she merely shook her head, “I’ll be back in four days.”

~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~

Four days had gone past and Kagome stood in front of the well house, her pack at her feet and her lip sore from her worrying teeth.

As she handed out the giri choco that day to her classmates, Kagome had endured her friends’ teasing questions and jibes. Yuka had sly asked her if she had bought a special box of chocolates this year while Eri had mused if Kagome was going to give Hojou chocolates. It was Ayumi’s quiet pondering on what Kagome would get on White Day that had Kagome chewing on her lower lip. She had not stopped since then. Her lower lip was sore.

She was certain that Valentine’s Day was not a holiday that was celebrated in the Sengoku Jidai and she was positive that the era had never even heard of White Day. She was suddenly worried what her little gifts might mean to the people of the Sengoku Jidai. It was times like these that she was suddenly made so much more aware of the differences between her culture and Inuyasha’s.

“You’ve bought them already Nee-chan.”

Startled, Kagome slammed the lid of her pack closed before turning to look over her shoulder, “Souta! You’re back from school?”

Rolling his eyes, Souta tucked his skateboard under his arm, “Uh yeah, I’ve been home all this time Nee-chan – it’s nearly dinner time.”

Flushing, Kagome turned her gaze upwards towards the darkening skyline. “Right…dinner time…”

“Like I was saying,” Flashing her a mischievous grin, Souta leaned forward, “You’ve bought them already, just give them to him!”

Feeling herself blush even hotter, Kagome was actually thankful for the burgeoning darkness, “Umm…ah…they’re for Miroku and Shippou and…”

“Inu-nii-chan, riiiiiight?” His grin threatened to split his face wide open, “I’m sure he’ll love ‘em!” Peeking over her shoulder, the grin turned to a smirk, “Nice box by the way Nee-chan.”

Glancing down at her pack, Kagome saw that it was not fully closed and the box in question peeked out from under the others. Gulping, Kagome rushed to tighten the bag but Souta just laughed and ran into the house, yelling over his shoulder that she had to bring ‘Inu-nii-chan’ with her next time.

Groaning, Kagome hoisted the pack over her shoulder. No use delaying it now…

~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~~x~

Sango had managed to coax Inuyasha into the hut for dinner and they all sat around the fire, talking and laughing as Kagome recounted a funny story about her cat. Inuyasha however projected a volatile aura of pique as he sat just a little distant from them, his body half turned away from the school girl. Biting on her lip once more, Kagome’s glance kept sliding to her pack in the corner.

It was no use! She should just get it over and done with. Explain what it’s all about and done. She stood and pulled her bag closer to cooking pit in Kaede’s home, Kagome launched into a short explanation of Valentine’s Day.

Miroku blinked down at the small box in his hand, “So…it is a day for love?”

Kagome felt her cheeks heating up, “Umm, well you see…it is I suppose…”

“Yay! Kagome loves me!” Shippou launched himself into Kagome’s lap and cuddled against her middle.

“And me as well.” Miroku calmly stated, holding up his little box.

A growl from the corner of the hut drew everyone’s attention and Kagome flung her hands up in protest, “No!”

“No?” Miroku pouted at her. She didn’t worry so much about the perverted monk but when the little kitsune cub turned large, hurt-filled eyes towards her, she crumbled.

“That’s not what I meant! These chocolates are for friends... because a girl can have male friends, right?.” Oh Kami-sama she was rambling, “And it is a kind of love, just not…love-love…” and incoherent, apparently. Sighing, Kagome took a deep breath. “These chocolates are for friends and Valentine’s Day is for celebrating all kinds of relationships…I think…”

A small snicker escaped Sango and Kagome turned to glare at her. Sango held up her hands in apology, “So in the spirit of celebrating all kinds of relationships, I get shampoo?”

Kagome grinned at her, “Something like that.”

As Shippou happily ripped opened his box and began to devour his chocolates and Miroku started to ponder out loud on the ramifications of the holiday, Inuyasha stood and left the hut.

His face already smeared with the melted chocolate, Shippou turned large green eyes towards Kagome, “How come Inuyasha didn’t get any Kagome?”

Certain that her face had to be a permanent shade of beet-root red by now, Kagome stealthily grabbed the other box and tucked it into her pocket. Stammering some excuse and determined to avoid Miroku's knowing gaze, she stood and followed Inuyasha.

The stars were bright and shed enough light for her see her way in the inky blackness of the night. Kagome was often struck by how dark the Sengoku Jidai was in comparison to the never-ending brightness of modern day Tokyo.

Unfortunately, the stars were not so bright that Kagome could see the root that her foot was suddenly caught on. Cursing under her breath, she paused to tug her foot free. Caught unbalanced, Kagome tugged hard and sent herself tumbling down.

Only to be caught by a pair of strong, red-clad arms.

“Inuyasha…”

“Feh. Stupid wench. What do you think you’re doing out here in the dark?”

Peering at him through the shadows, Kagome’s hand tightened around the box, “I just wanted…”

“I don’t want them.”

Blinking, her fingers flexed around the box, “What?”

“Your box. I don’t want it.”

Shrouded by shadows, Kagome found it hard to get a good look at his face, but there was and odd crack to his voice that had her worried, “But Inuyasha, I don’t think you understand…”

“They’re for friends right?”

“What?” She blinked again, where was this going?

“That’s what you said. You said they’re for friends.”

“Yes…but Inuyasha…”

“I don’t want it, just give them to Shippou or something…”

That crack in his voice…Kagome’s fingers flexed again, before she tightened her grip and drew it out. Keeping her gaze focused on the box, she tried to explain, “Some chocolates are for friends Inuyasha. You have to give them. My dad…” She paused. “My dad once told me that just because someone didn’t look lonely, that they weren’t lonely. He said some people might think of holidays like Valentine’s Day and White Day as silly and unimportant, but what could be more important than making somebody feel like they matter.” Kagome’s finger traced an outline on the box as she continued, “Chocolates make people feel like they matter. Giving them doesn’t take much out of you, but it can mean so much to the person receiving them.”

She took a deep breath, before kneeling down on the grass and placing the small box by Inuyasha’s feet. She didn’t look at him as she got to her feet again. She turned and made her way back to the hut only pausing to look at him when she reached the doorway before disappearing inside.

Inuyasha stared after her, not wanting to acknowledge the small box on the ground. Though try as he might, his eyes simply could not be kept away.

The boxes that Kagome had given Miroku and Shippou had been simple red affairs, ordinary, box-shaped boxes, plain with nothing adorning them. Simple…

The tiny little thing that lay on the ground was red and had white ribbon on it. It was not box-shaped.

Picking it up gingerly, Inuyasha stared at it.

“Some chocolates are for friends…yes, yes, giri choco are for friends…”

This was different…

His mind flashing back on Kagome’s explanation, Inuyasha heard Sango’s quiet, almost whispered question...

“For friends? And the others Kagome? What are they called?”

“Honmei choco.”

Tugging on the ribbon, Inuyasha lifted the lid of the box and ate one of the chocolates inside. They were all shaped the same…all the same as the box…

He remembered arguing with Kagome about the shape once before. She had said what the shape was, he insisted that the real thing wasn’t at all shaped like that. She said it didn’t matter. He said it did – how can you call something a shape that it wasn’t? She told him to shut up. He called her stupid.

A heart. The box was shaped like Kagome’s kind of heart. The chocolates were all a bunch of little hearts.

Chewing thoughtfully, Inuyasha tucked the box into his haori, the box briefly bumping against the cool metal that already called his haori home.

“Feh. Stupid wench.”

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AN: I have Fruits Basket on DVD and my little seven-year-old niece insisted on watching them the other day. I sat there watching an episode of FB and when Tohru was oh so sweetly handing out Valentine’s Day chocolates this little idea assaulted me so I just had to write it. Just as a little cultural info: Valentine’s Day in Japan is celebrated a little differently – there the girls give boys chocolates, hehe a little flipped from my notion of Valentine’s. But the poor guilt-ridden boys can alleviate said guilt on White Day by giving chocolates to the girls – btw, the boys’ return gifts are always priced more expensively then the girls’… maybe because they know the girls will buy plenty for all their acquaintances while the men are likely to only reciprocate to the girl that they like? Girls = More Items Bought, Boys = Less Items, More Expensive. Hmmm….

[Fanfic] Lost Gods - Chapter Four

2007-02-11T10:56:57Z

Title: Lost Gods
Chapter Four - Portals of Discovery
Rating: M
Pairings: Inuyasha/Kagome
Summary: First day back at school and there are problems all around...

AN: This chapter is actually a little bit shorter then usual and my apologies in advance. I’ve had a very rough beginning to the New Year, which has been capped off with my bag being snatched from me – in broad daylight – with my iPod in it….my iPod which had all current episodes of Bleach and Ouran High School Host Club. God I’m tearing up again just thinking about it…Bleh... I wanted to send out a giant thank you to my beta Shaid for her ever wonderful job, even though she's going through a rough patch herself. Thank you hon!

Disclaimer: Well I’m still broke…actually even more bankrupt now that some teenage hooligans stole my last five bucks from me… so even if you wanted to sue me, you ain’t gettin’ nuthin’. Needless to say I do not own Inuyasha. But I do own a few plushies and the DVDs!

Lost Gods

Chapter Four – Portals of Discovery

Sunlight streamed in from her window, slowly coaxing her from her deep slumber. Kagome sighed and grabbed hold of the covers. It was just too early to get up and she was going to cherish every single second she was back in her comfortable bed.

Kagome tugged at the blankets but when they refused to budge, she groaned, “Buyo, get off.” Her hand groped further to get a better grip on the sheets. “Geez Buyo, when did you get so heavy…”

When he still, didn’t move, Kagome reluctantly opened her eyes, only to find herself staring at the, silver-haired hanyou perched at the foot of her bed. Wide-eyed, she clapped a hand to her mouth to stifle the instinctive scream that gathered at the back of her throat. “Inuyasha…what are you…”

Inuyasha slid off the bed to crouch at her bedside, his own amber eyes wide, “Nothing! I wasn’t…I was just…”

Gathering the bed covers around her, Kagome dragged one hand through her tangled mess of hair, “Inuyasha, I said three days! I said I’d be back in three days. Why can’t you wait for me just once?” Exasperated, she waited for his reply.

Inuyasha looked like a deer caught in headlights, large eyes blinking at her in mock innocence as he stammered at her.

The shock of seeing her dog-eared protector was starting to wear off and Kagome found the sleepy haze of sleep finally leaving her mind. With a small gasp, Kagome leaned forward, small hand reaching out to grab Inuyasha’s arm. “It’s not Shippou is it?”

“What? No the runt’s fine. I just…” Inuyasha’s gaze which had locked onto her hand when she touched him, slid to the side, refusing to look her in the eye.

The shrill ring of Kagome’s alarm clock cut him off and both of them jumped in surprise; Kagome fumbled to turn it off as Inuyasha started to growl at it. Clutching it to her chest, she finally turned the alarm off and with a sigh set it down.

“Inuyasha you can’t…”

“Kagome, I need…”

They both froze, Kagome’s hand still on her clock and Inuyasha staring intently at her.

“You first,” they both blurted out, avoiding each other’s gaze.

Inuyasha shook his head, holding her gaze until she sighed. “Inuyasha, you can’t be here right now.”

“I can’t? Why not?” Inuyasha’s eyes started to narrow and Kagome bit her lip.

“We just have a couple of guests in the house and it could be awkward.” Kagome found that her fingers were fiddling with the blanket and she had to force herself to stop. What was she so nervous about anyway?

“Guests?” She really didn’t think that Inuyasha’s eyes could get that squinty and still manage to see.

“Yeah, Grandpa’s friends and well…you know…” Kagome struggled to find words, Inuyasha, the rude and hanyou could be oddly sensitive at times. “It’s just not the best time for you to be here that’s all.”

Inuyasha stared at her for what felt like an eternity before he got up in one fluid motion. Without a word he turned to her window.

“Inuyasha, wait!” She hated the note of panic in her voice. Forcing herself to calm down, she took a deep breath. “What did you want to say?”

He shrugged, his voice neutral, “Nothing important.”

“But Inuyasha…” Kagome was half out of bed before his next words stopped her.

“Don’t worry about it Kagome,” Finally he turned and graced her with a rare smile, “It’s all under control. Two days left.” With a swish of curtains he was gone.

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Ow. He never knew that his tail could hurt. Shippou groaned, rolling over and snuggling deeper into the sleeping bag that Kagome left behind. In all of his young life, Shippou had not realised that it was possible for his body to ache as much as it did at that moment.

He could hear someone calling his name. Frowning, Shippou turned over once more in a vain attempt to block out the noise.

“Shippou-chan, its time for breakfast.” He could feel Sango’s hand on his shoulder, but he ignored it, choosing instead to squeeze his eyes tighter.

“Perhaps we should let him be Sango, he must be exhausted.”

Shippou turned his head away, trying to ignore Sango’s concerned mumbling. He was all ready to go back to sleep when a familiar hand grabbed hold of his already sore tail.

“Oi runt! What makes you think you can sleep in?”

Shippou barely registered the fact that someone was speaking to him before he found himself in an awkward position yet again. The instinctive urge to cry welled up in him and he opened his mouth to bellow, but before he could, a large, clawed hand loomed in sight.

“Oh no you don’t brat. I told you last night that you were coming with me.” Inuyasha glared down at him, amber eyes glinting in the sunlight streaming in from the opened doorway.

“Inuyasha! Is that really necessary?” Sango was on her feet, hands on her hips as she glowered at the hanyou.

Distressed, Shippou started to fight Inuyasha’s grasp. He was so sleepy! He still hurt from yesterday and there was no way that he was going to let Inuyasha drag him from his bed, promise or no promise. With that thought in mind Shippou wriggled harder, hardly hearing Inuyasha and Sango arguing.

“At least let him eat breakfast!” Sango wearily thrust forward a bowl of food, setting it down by Inuyasha’s feet, she started to fill another one. “Both of you can use some breakfast.”

The warm, spicy aroma of breakfast hit his nostrils hard and Shippou’s stomach rumbled, reminding him that he didn’t have any dinner the night before. Desperate to escape the evil hanyou, Shippou found his mouth in a most advantageous position…

Inuyasha’s roar filled the quiet village as Sango leapt to her feet and Miroku dove for his staff.

“You brat!” Incensed, Inuyasha flung Shippou from him, his hand clutching at his arm that Shippou had viciously bitten.

Sango leapt up to catch Shippou and he promptly wrapped his arms around her neck. In Kagome’s absence, his next best bet for survival was the steadfast demon slayer who promptly started yelling at Inuyasha. Burrowing deeper into her embrace, Shippou strained to get away from the wrath that was radiating from the hanyou.

“Fine! Be like that! I have no clue why I would bother with a weakling like you anyway!”

Stiffening, Shippou raised his face from Sango’s shoulder. Head turning, he watched as the hanyou stalked away and into the forest. He felt Sango’s comforting touch, but somehow her quiet murmurings did little to ease the ache in his the pit of his stomach.

Inuyasha was walking away from him – Shippou, the weakling…

Leaping from Sango’s grasp, Shippou cautiously sniffed at the ground, searching for that elusive thread that was Inuyasha’s scent.

“Shippou?”

Ignoring Sango, sniffed harder, but his mind was to befuddled to remember the lessons he was taught just the day before.

“Shippou, come have breakfast.”

Finally lifting his head, he offered her a wan smile, “That’s okay Sango, I’ll catch something else later.”

“But Shippou…”

Walking away from Sango and Miroku, Shippou headed into the forest.

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“Kagome! How are you? We heard about your toxoplasmosis, are you feeling better?”

Toxowhata? “Oh yes! Feeling much better!” Kagome plastered on a large grin, making a mental note to speak to her grandfather…again. “So did I miss much?”

Kagome fell into step with her friends as Yuka and Eri started to argue about the details of their upcoming exam. She stifled the urge to sigh as she listened to them talk about exams, boys and life in general. It was moments like these that she wondered what life would have been like for her had she not fallen into that well. Defiant golden eyes flashed by in her mind’s eye and she could feel a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She may miss the finer points of calculus and the details on exactly who won the latest reality TV show, but somehow she didn’t mind.

Kagome was so caught up in her musings that she was completely oblivious to her surroundings and she had utterly forgotten that in this particular hallway, there was one particular tile that tilted slightly upwards and the way Kagome’s luck was running lately…

“Ow!”

”Kagome!” Three alarmed voices called out her name and Kagome wished that the ground would swallow her up as she stared at the pair of shiny shoes mere centimetres from her nose.

“Higurashi-san, are you alright?”

Feeling as if someone had grabbed hold of her throat, Kagome slowly looked up into concerned green eyes. Through strangely constricted vocal chords, Kagome managed to choke her words out, “Yes, I’m just fine… Thank you.”

With a smirk on his lips and eyes twinkling with amusement, Taiki cleared his throat, “You are aware that you’re still face down on the ground right?”

Closing her eyes, Kagome tightened her grip on the strap of her book-bag, “Yes, quite aware.”

“Oh Kagome! That can’t be good for your osteogenesis imperfecta!” Ayumi exclaimed as she knelt beside her fallen friend.

Osteo… geny…impa-whata? Ah forget it… “I’m okay Ayumi.” Allowing her friend to help her up, Kagome reached for the books that had fallen out of her bag but stopped when male hands started to gather them up.

Clearing her throat, she braved another look at his face as he held out her books, “Thank you Ishimaru-san.”

He grinned at her, a genuine smile this time that had Kagome catching her breath as she stared unabashedly at him, “I told you before, it’s Taiki.”

“Taiki…” Kagome could feel the weight of her friends’ gazes as he walked away from them and predictably before she could even take a single step they rounded on her, eyes wide and hands on hips.

“How in the world do you know him Kagome?” Yuka glared at her and Kagome wasn’t sure whether or not she should start apologizing. “He’s been here less then a week!”

“More importantly, how does he know you?” Eri turned to watch Taiki stroll into a classroom before turning wondering eyes on Kagome, “He’s not…no…he couldn’t be!”

“What?” Kagome looked on in bewilderment as Eri and Yuka exchanged glances.

Yuka shook her head in dismay, “No he couldn’t possibly be…do you think so Eri?”

Ayumi sighed, “You’re not thinking that Ishimaru-kun could be…”

“How else would they know each other?” Eri demanded dramatically.

Convinced that the three of them had developed some sort of strange telepathy in her absence, Kagome started to back away. However before she could take more then a few steps from them, she found hands encircling her wrists and hauling her forward again. Dismayed, Kagome gulped as three accusing eyes turned on her.

“Kagome, you have to tell us right now!” Yuka commanded, glaring at her.

“Uh… sure…” Kagome resisted the urge to run away again.

Three voices blended together as they glared at her, “Is Ishimaru-kun your violent, possessive, two-timing boyfriend?!”

Kagome blinked. Her what? “Uh…”

“Oh my God! He is isn’t he? And here I thought he was so nice!” Eri clutched at her books as she stared at the classroom Taiki had gone in with a strangely fearful expression on her face.

“You never know Eri, never know.” Yuka nodded sagely, folding her arms in front of her chest.

“Guys! Oh no, no! You got it all wrong! Taiki’s not my boyfriend!” Kagome frantically waved her hands in front of her, as if she could stop the disaster that this conversation was turning into by physical force.

“Oh Kagome! You don’t have to hide it anymore!” Yuka draped her arms around Kagome’s shoulder, effectively pining her arms against he sides. “It’s all okay, this is actually a good thing!”

Eri rushed forward to hug Kagome as well, ignoring her squeak of protest, “That’s right! Now that we know, we can protect you!”

Kagome gulped as her two friends enveloped her in a bone-crushing hug, her protests dying on her lips as Ayumi ushered them into the classroom and into their seats. She barely had time to wonder if she was really speaking actual words or just ‘blah, blah, blah’ before their teacher sprung a test on them.

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A loud thrumming noise had settled in his ears as the muscles in his legs pushed and strained to propel him forward. Air had lodged somewhere deep in his chest and it hurt just to breathe.

Dry, brittle wooden fingers snatched up at him from the undergrowth of the forest, catching on his clothes and in his hair, impatiently he brushed them away as he ran.

Desperate.

He needed to catch him. Why was he so damned fast?

Wheezing now, he pushed, just a little harder, just a little faster…There! A flash of red, a streak of silver, a faint whiff of a scent long imprinted in his mind, just a little further…

He fell. Hard, the ground rushing to meet him as he cried out, hands flailing to cushion his fall. Gulping hard, Shippou sucked in air as his lungs fought to fill. Helpless tears began to fall and he rushed to wipe them away, dirtying his already grubby face.

“Baka.” The word rushed by in the wind, barely heard in the rumble of the forest. “Baka!” Shippou shouted this time, his voice high and shrill as he fought to restrain the flow of tears down his face.

“Oi! What the hell did I do now?!”

With a gasp, Shippou looked up into the flash of irritated eyes. “Inuyasha…”

Inuyasha scowled down at him, “You’ve been chasing me all morning runt, what the hell do you want?” Eyebrows furrowing even further in a frown, the half demon crossed his arm. “I didn’t tell you to follow me! You did this on your own!”

Sniffling, Shippou slowly straightened, tucking his tail firmly beneath him, his gaze falling to his folded hands. Almost afraid to meet the half-demon’s gaze, he kept his eyes firmly fixed downwards, “I know that…I was just…I don’t want anything Inuyasha.”

One dark eyebrow rose, “So why the hell have you been following me all this time?”

“I…I…” Weakling. “Inuyasha, I’m…” A weakling. “I was…” Shippou bit his lip. How could he possibly say it? He couldn’t.

With a huff, Inuyasha flopped down onto his haunches, “Fuck it Shippou, what’s with the act?” He peered at Shippou’s face, before pulling his sleeve up, thrusting his arm underneath the kitsune’s nose, “I didn’t even get a scratch okay?”

Blinking at the sudden proximity of a sinewy arm, Shippou’s gaze finally snapped up. “What?”

Twisting his arm backwards and forwards, Inuyasha held up his arm. “You didn’t even leave a scratch, not like your puny teeth can hurt me anyway, but just so that you know.” Pausing, the hanyou scratched the tip of his nose with a sharp claw. “It’s okay.”

Shippou looked up at Inuyasha as the hanyou looked away and the words that had lodged themselves in his throat suddenly wanted to burst out. “I’m sorry Inuyasha! I’m sorry!”

“Keh.” In one fluid motion, Inuyasha was back on his feet, “I told you it was okay brat.”

Inuyasha turned to walk away, but Shippou launched himself at the hanyou’s hakama. “Inuyasha! I…I need…”

Inuyasha stopped in mid-stride, his eyes hidden by silver bangs. “You did good Shippou.”

Tightening his hold on the scratchy red cloth, Shippou wondered if he had heard right, “Huh?”

“You kept up.”

Releasing Inuyasha’s pants, Shippou felt a grin tug at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah. I did, didn’t I?”

Inuyasha shrugged, “Feh, wasn’t bad, for someone with such a puny nose.”

Shippou’s mouth snapped shut on the insult he was about to hurl at the hanyou, instead he found his gaze dropping down to his feet. Clearing his throat, Shippou decided to make a confession, “I was talking about me you know.”

“Hmm?” Inuyasha started to walk again and Shippou found himself falling into step behind him.

“I was talking about me before, you know…the b-baka part.” Shippou gnawed on his lip again.

“Yeah, I know.”

Shippou sighed, then his spine stiffened, “What do you mean ‘you know’? You’re a baka too, baka!”

“Keh.”

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AN: Where oh where does Lin-chan keep coming up with these weird titles? Heh, I ain’t telling! This chapter’s title comes from James Joyce, an Irish novelist, which goes – “A man’s errors are his portals of discovery.”

This chapter has been mostly fluff, but we will be getting into the meat of the story soon – maybe as soon as… dare I say it? Next chapter! Hope you stick around!

Through Your Eyes (Inuyasha, Inuyasha/Kagome, #1)

2007-01-21T05:39:42Z

Title: Through Your Eyes
Author: AngelineL
Pairing: Inuyasha/Kagome
Fandom: Inuyasha
Theme: #1 Look over here for 30_kisses
Disclaimer: Sadly I own neither the anime/manga “Inuyasha”, nor the characters Inuyasha or Kagome – I just like to torment them…

“Damn it!”

“Inuyasha! Watch out!”

Her voice, crisp, sharp and a little panicked right now, cut through the din of the battle, making my head snap to follow her warning. I didn’t need her yelling out every single time. I have fought battles before without her there to warn me every single time the enemy took a swipe at me. I didn't need her yelling her little head off to win. I didn’t need her warnings, I didn't need…

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“This way? Are you sure Kagome?”

“Of course I’m sure!”

She sounded annoyed, the threat of “SIT” in her tone as her grip on my shoulder tightened.

I hated this. I hated the fact that I would never be able to tell that a shard was nearby if it wasn't for her. Wouldn't have a chance in hell of finding anything without her.

“Damn it! Which way Kagome?!”

“That way!” Griping her tighter, silently cursing that fact that she could see what I couldn't.

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“Aren't they beautiful? Inuyasha?”

“Don’t see what’s so great about them…” I didn't want to look, didn’t want to see the joy in her eyes as she gazed up at the clouds above us. I didn't deserve to enjoy her company.

“But Inuyasha, come here, can't you see it?” Her voice was bright and cheerful, steadfastly ignoring my ill temper. “Right there…” She blew her breath out in an irritated huff. “Come here!”

Warm fingers wormed their way through my tightly clenched fist, grabbing hold and tugging. I let myself tumble down, sprawled beside her in the fragrant grass. I lay there beside her as she pointed and exclaimed at the puffs of white in the sky. I wasn't looking at them, I was looking at…

“Look over here. Can you see it? Isn’t it beautiful?”

Dark eyes that glinted beneath silky strands of hair, a bright smile and a warm laugh... “Yeah… beautiful.”

“So you do see it? The fluffy white dog?”

Bolting upright, I glare down at her, “What?! What is it with you and dogs?”

“I like them.” Dark eyes and sooty lashes, “Don’t you?”

“Keh.”

She laughed, grass rustling beneath her as she moved. Sunshine and warmth, the rustling of the wind and her lips brushing against my cheek... and she was gone, running through the field, back to where the others sat, enjoying their lunch.

I looked up at the sky, eyes crossing as I stared at the clouds. Dogs huh?

Holidays over...

2006-12-27T11:33:31Z

Just got back from visiting my brother - I'm telling you now people, a 10 hour drive in the back seat of an overstuffed van is not the most fun thing in the world. Though I have to say it was much better then I thought it would be. My early Christmas presents of portable DVD players for my niece and nephew went down beautifully. With our folder of anime dvds we were set.

I splurged on a beautiful tea set (yes another one) that I very carefully guarded on the way home. I was pleasantly greeted by my babies, my puppies, who were very well looked after by my parents. There is something about having your dogs running up to you and jumping around like crazy that says to me that I am home.

I am going to crash into my bed now as I have work first thing in the morning - nothing says holidays and Christmas is over then going back to work eh?

[Fanfic] Lost Gods - Chapter Three

2006-12-10T23:09:14Z

Title: Lost Gods
Chapter Three - Dry Tears
Rating: M
Pairings: Inuyasha/Kagome
Summary: Kagome returns home and finds strangers in her home.

AN: Yeah I know, I know, what lame excuse has Lin come up with now? Honestly though, this was a serious setback this time. For those of you who visit my LJ you would already know. For you those who don’t, short story? My laptop crashed. Needless to say I hope you all forgive me. For those waiting on Pursuit - more on that at the end of the chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own the intellectual property that is Inuyasha. I stand to make absolutely no money from this particular work; heck, all my moolah just went into this baby I’m using to write this darn thing. So please don’t sue, you won’t get a cent anyway. Oh, I may own a character or two of my own creation. And this plot…I think…I hope…

Lost Gods

Chapter Three - Dry Tears

His nose twitched, feeling the instinctive jerk of his tail, he paused on his quest, “You know, I know you’re there.”

The grass rustled behind him and Shippou couldn’t help but frown as Inuyasha’s scarlet hakama came into view. Hunkering lower into the tall grass, Shippou kept his eyes trained on the rabbit in the distance.

When a moment passed with the hanyou remaining silent, Shippou raised his head and turned. “She sent you, didn’t she?”

Inuyasha let his breath out with an annoyed huff. “Feh. It doesn’t take a genius to see that you need help, kid.”

“I do not!” Shippou yelled, hands fisting as he glared at Inuyasha.

“Feh. There goes your big fat dinner, runt.”

“Wha…?!” Shippou spun around, spying the rabbit fleeing the quiet field. With a growl of frustration, his little legs bunching in preparation to leap, Shippou dashed further into the tall grass. He hadn’t gotten far before he felt the wholly uncomfortable, yet disturbingly familiar sensation of his tail being grabbed.

An upside down vantage was not Shippou’s favourite way of seeing the world and he expressed his disapproval with a well pitched growl and a barring of his little teeth.

“Settle down, there wasn’t any chance that you were gonna catch that rabbit. anyway.” Inuyasha smirked down at Shippou.

“What the hell do you know?!” Shippou spat, trying in vain to lash out at his captor. Raising his eyebrow at the profanity, Inuyasha shook the kitsune until his teeth rattled. Satisfied that Shippou was too dazed to run off immediately, Inuyasha set him down.

Shippou shook his head in vain, trying to clear his spinning vision. Still slightly dizzy, the kitsune boy looked up only to squeak in surprise. Inuyasha was hunkered down in front of him, their noses almost touching. Scooting backwards to escape the intense scrutiny, Shippou paused as another wave of disorientation hit him

“I know a lot more then you think, kid.” The serious tone of the hanyou’s voice made Shippou look up again, this time not flinching away from Inuyasha. “I was out on my own when I was a heck of a lot younger then you.” Straightening on his haunches, Inuyasha continued to hold Shippou’s gaze. “I didn’t have some kind-hearted miko from the future to take me in, either. I did it on my own. Fight, eat, live. All by myself.”

Shippou could’ve sworn that he saw the burning of painful memories in Inuyasha’s eyes, but he blinked and the look was gone, replaced by the usual fierce determination. In the heavy silence that followed, neither moved.

With a shake of his long mane, Inuyasha was on his feet, staring down at Shippou once again. “Move it.” The words were softly spoken, but Shippou obeyed like it was bellowed. Swiftly leaping to his feet, he followed Inuyasha out of the field.

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He was hyperventilating. Why did no one ever notice how darned tiny this well house was? Surely the well, which carried his sister back and forth between eras, needed a more impressive structure to house it? One that had higher ceilings, maybe a few windows. No, instead here they all were; him, his sister and their clueless guest. All stuck in this tiny space. Was it just him or was it really hot?

Souta snapped out of his reverie when Kagome shifted on the steps. It was a small movement, a mere shuffling of feet, but it was enough to mobilize Souta. With a nervous squeak, he rushed forward to haul his sister backwards, his mind working at a furious pace.

“Tai! Fancy seeing you here! Umm, this is my sister Kagome.” He was babbling, he could hear it. Instead of smacking his own forehead like he wanted to, Souta forced on a bright smile.

Taiki stood silhouetted by the sunlight streaming in through the open door, his face was unreadable as ever. “Your sister? The sick one?”

Souta felt Kagome flinch next to him, but before either of them could react, Taiki stepped further into the well house. “What are you two doing in here?”

“Cat,” Kagome replied smoothly, “Buyo always had a bad habit of sneaking in here. Must be the rats’ hiding place.”

Souta fidgeted as Kagome and Taiki faced off. “Uh Kagome, this is Tai. Ishimaru Taiki. He and his grandfather are staying with us, remember?”

Souta barely heard Kagome’s murmured assent, the thrumming in his ears drowned out the sound around him. As she drew level with Taiki, Souta thought that the older boy would refuse to let her pass, but after a moment’s hesitation, Taiki stepped aside.

Releasing his breath in one relieved puff, Souta followed his sister, only to feel Taiki’s hand on his arm.

“Tai?” Souta peered at him, wondering what the secretive boy could want to say.

Taiki stared after Kagome, his gaze distant and unfocused. Slowly he shook his head and released Souta’s arm. “It’s nothing.”

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Sango nodded her appreciation as Miroku passed her a cup of tea. Inhaling the gentle aroma of the brewing leaves, Sango sighed as she gazed out at the peaceful village. Kirara was by her side and the monk was behaving, for once. She sighed once again in utter contentment, her eyelids sliding close in bliss.

The cup was halfway to her lips when she felt her forehead crinkling in a frown. The village was peaceful. The birds were chirping and the sun, in all its glory, was kissing the russet-topped hills. Miroku seemed to be lost in thought as he contemplated the sunset, his hand safely clutching his own cup.

“Wait a minute….” Sango stared off into the field. She could feel Miroku’s gaze settling on her. “Where the heck are Shippou and Inuyasha?”

Miroku let out a quiet “Ah,” before returning to his tea. Taking a sip, Miroku sighed. “I’m sure they are around, my dear Sango; no need to worry.”

Sango eyed Miroku suspiciously, “What do you know?”

“Know? Why, my dear, I know nothing.” He took another sip. “When one embraces one’s fundamental ignorance, one opens the way to true enlightenment.”

Sango pursed her lips. Enlightenment? Riiight… “You know something, houshi-sama. Now spill!”

“Sango, why worry about where the troublesome twosome are?” Miroku set his tea down before turning to look at her, a familiar gleam in his dark eyes. “Why not focus on the here and now. You are here, I am here and…”

“Oh no, no!” Swatting the creeping hand away, Sango scooted further from Miroku, picking up Kirara and setting her in between. Kirara merely mewed in surprise before settling in to act as chaperone. “You tell me what you know and you tell me now!”

“But, my dear Sango…”

The peace of the village was disrupted by a heavy thud followed by a man’s agonized groan.

“Geez, Sango, do you have to hit that hard?” Miroku complained as he rubbed at his abused head.

“How else am I going to get anything through that thick skull of yours houshi-sama?” Sango inquired sweetly, resisting the urge to bat her eyelashes. That would’ve just been too much. “Now cough it up!”

Miroku sighed, letting his hand drop to his lap, “Well, I might’ve overheard something.”

“Yes?” Sango’s voice lowered to an ominous hum as her eyes narrowed to slits.

Miroku cleared his throat nervously, helpless prey in the presence of a predator. As if the thought just struck him, Miroku held up a hand in protest, “Not that I was eavesdropping or anything!”

Sango couldn’t resist the urge to roll her eyes. “Of course not.”

Miroku cleared his throat before taking another sip of tea. “I happened upon our two wayward companions in the clearing and coupled with what we were all talking about before…” Miroku trailed off, his eyes sliding to the quickly darkening forest, “I do hope that Inuyasha thinks to stop soon.”

“You really think that Inuyasha would…” Sango followed Miroku’s gaze.

Miroku shrugged, “I think Inuyasha has always felt some sort of responsibility for the child. He and Kagome found him after all. Inuyasha himself grew up without his parents and, honestly, our brash hanyou friend may not be as indifferent to young Shippou’s plight as it may seem.”

“Hmm…” Sango absently stroked Kirara’s fur. Feeling the contented rumblings of the neko youkai beneath her hand were soothing, she couldn’t help but think that the monk was still keeping something from her. “I hope so Miroku. There’s only so much we can do after all.” .

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“Kagome! You’re back! So soon?” Michiyo reached out a hand for Kagome’s bag, smiling warmly at her daughter.

Feeling Souta’s pinch, Kagome bit her lip to stop from crying out. Shooting a glare at her brother, she handed her bag to her mother. “Yeah, Mom. The hospital didn’t do that many tests this time.”

“Tests?” Michiyo frowned but soon spotted Taiki in the doorway, “Oh! Yes, well that’s good to hear. You must be tired; why don’t you go on upstairs and I’ll draw you a bath?”

“That would be great, Mom.” Grinning in relief, Kagome turned towards the stairs, but stopped as she realized that one constant in their household was no where to be seen. “Mom? Where’s Grandpa?”

“Oh, he went out with Riku-san, they should be back by dinner time,” Michiyo smiled.

At the shooing wave of her mother’s hand, Kagome shrugged and walked up the stairs. A million questions had begun to dance around her head as soon as she had seen the stranger at the well house. Mentally willing Souta to follow her, she deliberately slowed her steps. Souta caught up with her at her bedroom door, silently grabbing hold of his wrist, Kagome hauled him inside.

“What is going on?” She hissed, the words tripping over each other in her haste, “Guests? When did they arrive? Who are they? Do they know anything about…you know? How long are they staying?” The questions that had been circling around Kagome’s mind rushed out in one whoosh, leaving Souta blinking at her.

Souta moved over to the bed; as if knowing to expect another rush of questions he held up his hand to beg for her silence. As soon as he was settled in Kagome’s overly pink room, he took a deep breath. “Lots. Yes, guests. Pretty much just after you left. You already met Tai, his grandfather Ishimaru-san is a good friend of Grandpa’s. No, they know nothing about you. They’re staying indefinitely.”

Kagome blinked at Souta’s precise answers. “Okay, we gotta take that from the top. What is going on?”

Souta shrugged, “Beats me. Pretty much what happened is this: Ishimaru-san called; there was some sort of tragedy, I think. That’s what they keep calling it, anyway. Tai doesn’t talk much. Whatever. So, Grandpa offered them a place to stay and well, here they are.”

Kagome sat down on her bed, grabbing her pillow from underneath Souta who stuck out his tongue at being dislodged. “Staying indefinitely? As in, no time frame?”

Souta rolled his eyes, “You sure you’re in high school, Nee-chan?

Kagome promptly threw her pillow at him and Souta retaliated by throwing a stuffed puppy. “Oh, just shut up, twerp. This is not good.” Kagome wailed. “Not good at all! How are we supposed to hide the fact that every so often I disappear down a dried up well?”

“I dunno. Keep coming up with one lame disease after another?” Souta’s face brightened. “I know! We’ll tell them it’s a break-through treatment!”

Kagome grimaced, “Oh ha ha. When did you become Mister Comedian?”

“What? I was serious!” Souta grinned at her.

“This is so not good.” Kagome bit her lip, arms hugging her sides as she rolled her feet underneath her.

Souta sighed and shook his head, “No, not good. Is it bad to wish that Grandpa wasn’t so darned hospitable?”

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The kitsune was whining. Again. Whine, whine, whine and more whining. It was all he did! Inuyasha was becoming more frustrated with every little thing that came out of Shippou’s mouth. Sure, Kagome taught him to say please, thank you and all that crap, but damn it! Did she really have to teach him to complain like a human?

Shippou had struggled to crawl towards him and had finally collapsed in a panting bundle at his feet. “Are we done yet, Inuyasha?”

It was at that moment that Inuyasha realized that his eyes had begun to work just a little bit harder to compensate for the lack of light around them. Tucking his hands into his sleeves, he huffed and turned to walk towards the gathering flickers of light that was the village.

Shippou groaned, “You’re not seriously leaving me here are you?”

“You got feet, haven’t, you runt?” Inuyasha tossed out without turning to look at Shippou. When he didn’t receive a reply, he peered over his shoulder to find the exhausted cub snoring on the forest floor. Amazed at the ease with which the kid fell asleep, Inuyasha shook his head before heading back towards Shippou. “Stupid runt. Want to get eaten, do you?”

Inuyasha’s keen eyesight pierced through the darkness to pick up the tiny bit of drool that was starting to form in the corner of Shippou’s mouth. With a disgusted grunt, he hoisted Shippou more firmly into the crook of his elbow. “You better not be stupid enough to get eaten. Kagome would kill me.”

Something in the back of his mind whispered that Shippou fell asleep so easily because he knew that Inuyasha was there to protect him. That something also whispered that Inuyasha would never let harm befall the child. Inuyasha told the voice to shut the fuck up.

Reaching the edge of the village, Inuyasha spotted a figure detach itself from the wall of Kaede’s hut. Pausing, Inuyasha let the figure draw nearer before holding the still snoring Shippou out.

“He’s alive, see? Just snoring his butt off.” Inuyasha knew his tone was defensive and he fought the urge to drop his gaze.

Miroku finally stepped out of the lingering shadows, “I knew you would never let anything happen to him, Inuyasha. You need not assure me.”

“Feh.” Inuyasha tucked Shippou back against his body. “Oi bouzo, would you tell Sango to save some dinner for the runt? He didn’t get a chance to eat.”

Miroku eyed him, his fingers tightening and loosening over his staff, a sure-fire sign that he was scheming. “You’re free to tell her yourself, Inuyasha. Won’t you eat with us?”

Inuyasha shook his head, wary of the look in the monk’s eye. “Nah, not really hungry.” He jerked a head towards the forest. “I’m just gonna go…patrol.”

“Ah, patrol. Of course. Shall I relieve you later?” A grin started to form on Miroku’s lips.

“No!” Fearing that the word came out too quickly, Inuyasha cleared his throat. “No that’s okay. I’ll…umm…sleep in the tree tonight.”

“Of course, Inuyasha.” Miroku intoned. Inuyasha chose to ignore the knowing look in the monk’s eyes as he thrust Shippou into Miroku’s outstretched arms. He mumbled a “See ya,” before taking off at high speed.

Running was still the best way to clear his head and he had a lot to think about. Early that morning, before Kagome had left, Inuyasha happened to overhear a conversation between Kagome and Sango. It wasn’t like he was eavesdropping or anything; he wasn’t Miroku. They just happened to converse under his tree.

Sango and Kagome had both been very concerned about the nightmares that plagued Shippou. Kagome seemed distressed and had confessed that she didn’t know what to do. Miroku had joined in the conversation soon after and had suggested that perhaps Shippou needed the guidance of another man.

Inuyasha wasn’t sure if the humans had been aware of his presence, but he had to bite his tongue when Miroku made his comment. Shippou didn’t need the guidance of another man. He needed another youkai.

Inuyasha’s frown deepened. He still hadn’t been able to bring himself to tell them that Shippou continued to dream and had never actually stopped. His distressed grumblings were just usually too low-pitched for a human to hear.

Inuyasha sighed and sped up. He wasn’t even going to think about what else he had heard Kagome talk about with Miroku. His head hurt enough as it was. Panting slightly, he stopped and headed for Goshinboku.

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“Took you long enough.”

Riku looked up, “Tai, didn’t hear you standing there, son. You scared me.”

Taiki rolled his eyes, “Sure, I did.” Walking further into the room, Taiki closed the bedroom door. “She’s back, you know.”

A shadow fell over Riku’s face. “Yes, I know.” He sighed, “Taiki you shouldn’t…”

“I won’t say anything, old man. I’ll leave that to you.” Taiki turned around, but with a hand on the knob, he looked back at his grandfather. “But you gotta get a move on. You know that, right?”

Riku sighed. Rubbing a hand over his face, he nodded.

Taiki looked like he wanted to say something more, but instead abruptly left the room.

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“One, two, three, four, five…” Ticking the number of places off on her fingers, Kagome frowned as she studied the stack of plates in front of her. “Okay, I need another one.”

“Don’t bother.”

Jumping at the unfamiliar voice, Kagome froze in the act of reaching for another plate. Blushing at being caught unawares, she turned to find intense green eyes focused on her. “Excuse me?”

Taiki sauntered forward, his hands firmly lodged in his pants’ pocket. “I said ‘don’t bother’, I just went up to see my Grandfather. He said he wasn’t feeling well.”

“Oh! It’s nothing serious, I hope.” Kagome frowned, concerned. She started to distribute the plates around the table.

“Nothing he caught from you.”

The response had been given with such an utter lack of emotion or emphasis that Kagome found herself looking up at Taiki to stare. “That’s good…”

Taiki merely shrugged before heading for the drawer that held the chopsticks.

“Oh no, I’ll do that, Ishimaru-kun.” Kagome set the last plate down and rushed around the table to grab at the chopsticks that Taiki held out.

“Oh God, don’t call me that!”

“Call you what, Ishimaru-kun?” Kagome blinked at the vehement reply.

Taiki waved a hand at her. “That. It’s Tai, or Taiki if you can’t bear the informality.”

Kagome drew in a deep breath. “Okay, Taiki.”

“Oh, you’re such good kids!” The two teenagers looked up as Michiyo entered with their dinner. “Come on then, you two. Sit, sit, I’ll call the others.”

“Grandfather wanted to excuse himself from dinner Higurashi-san. He said he wasn’t feeling well.”

“Thank you for telling me Taiki. I hope he’s okay? I‘ll go check on him.” Michiyo frowned.

“Don’t trouble yourself, Higurashi-san. He was already falling asleep when I left him.”

Kagome couldn’t put a finger on it, but there was something oddly familiar about Taiki. Kagome jerked when she realized she had been staring at him while he spoke to her mother. Shaking her head, she slipped into her seat. Maybe he reminded her of someone from school? Whatever it was, she just had to stop staring at him. It was bad enough he thought she was disease-ridden; he really didn’t need to think she was weird too.

“Oh, yum! Mama made chicken katsu curry. I haven’t had that in a while!” Kagome exclaimed happily as she spied the main dish on the table. She snuck a glance at Taiki and she could’ve sworn that she saw him crinkle his nose, but she looked again his face bore a pleased expression.

Kagome shook her head. Maybe you really are weird Higurashi…

Another note to explain my weirdly obscure titles: A quote by Albert Camus, a French novelist: “A tear dries quickly when it is shed for the troubles of others.”

Regarding “The Pursuit of Power”: I actually had a sizeable chunk of the latest chapter done and all ready to go. However it too got lost in the big Laptop Crash. I just wanted to say that I will go back to work on it, but at this time I really can’t guarantee a when on that. I wanted to apologise and hope you understand. Actually I’m going to have my laptop looked at when I come up with funds, hopefully after Christmas.

On that note – I hoped you’re all enjoying this so far, we still have a long way to go, I’m thinking that this would be 15 or so chapters. I wanted to thank you all for patiently (or not) waiting for this story and promise to get the next chapter soon! Ja ne!

Dealing with loss...

2006-11-21T08:30:50Z

...my laptop, faithful companion of 4 odd years has finally bitten the dust. -wipes eyes- I did buy it second hand, so it was much older then four years, so perhaps its time was coming but still...it shocks you ya know?

Especially when the darn thing crashes and you hadn't backed up a single god-blessed thing! The main reason for this post is to explain my rather long absence. My computer died, all my files were lost as in EVERYTHING. I was working on a chapter of Lost Gods, but that is tragically gone, I'll have to go from scratch and its never the same as the first, you always have a nagging feeling that what you had before was just better. I also had a size able chunk of the new chapter of Pursuit of Power. Alas, also all gone.

Kick me now for I do not know how to backup. Everyone says it too, backup your files, back it up constantly, never ending this task of backing up and yet I didn't listen. Though mind you I was paranoid about backing up my thesis when I was writing it. I had multiple copies, had it on two disks, a pen drive, a floppy even emailed it to two different emails every so often. Why couldn't I have been as paranoid about my fic?

-sigh- Oh well, life goes on and I finally dug around in my coffers (and a little begging and borrowing) and finally got a new computer. A desktop this time but wohoo what a desktop it is! It's an HP media center and I've been bugging hubby with all the things it can do. Hehe. So there is a silver-lining in this rather dark cloud.

Well that's my rather long-winded rant (excuse) for why I haven't gotten anywhere with my fics recently.

Hopefully I'll back with a new chapter!

~Lin :)

Coming down from SN high....

2006-10-30T00:22:12Z

-bouncing- The last couple of days have been an absolute blast and I just gotta share - I just went to my very first Anime/Sci-Fi convention...okay they called it an Expo...you know what I mean!

Got a heap of stuff signed. Vic Mignona (Ed,FMA / Broly, DBZ / Dark, DN Angel) was an absolute sweetie. Even remembered our names from the first day of signing. Crispin Freeman (Alucard, Hellsing / Ebisu, Naruto / Shougo Amakusa, Rurouni Kenshin) was really nice too and rather cute...They showed the FMA movie and Hellsing and they were awesome.

Oh and plushies! I got plushies!! -hugs Kon- But drat it there were no Inuyasha plushies! Well okay, I lied, I got a Human Inuyasha plushie, but darn it I wanted my Puppy Ears!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! -draws in a breath- It's okay, its okay, I got the email of the guys selling plushies and he said he'd email me pics and pricelists...So I WILL own Inuyasha! -insert maniacal laughter here-

Okay, okay, can you tell I'm all hyper? Yep, and it ended yesterday. Though I gotta say thank the lord that I haven't got work today. I can just sit back and stare at my wall scrolls, squeeze my plushies and watch my anime back to back....YAY!!

[Fanfic] Lost Gods - Chapter Two

2006-10-25T12:01:45Z

Title: Lost Gods
Chapter Two: As Deep as the Mind Allows
Rating: M (for future chapters)
Pairings: Inuyasha/Kagome
Summary: The Higurashi household as some new visitors

AN: Watch out for Inuyasha’s potty mouth…or is it mind?

I also wanted to thank my two lovely betas for this chapter Shaid and Gen – you both made this chapter so much better! Cookies all round!

Disclaimer: Despite my best efforts to turn myself into a nice Japanese lady with wonderful drawing capabilities, I have yet to become Rumiko Takahashi. It was the drawing…and the Japanese part… Unfortunately for me, this means that I still don’t own Inuyasha.

Lost Gods

Chapter Two – As Deep as the Mind Allows

Everything was right with the world once more. Kagome was back and she had brought him pocky and pads of paper and new crayons. It all proved that she loved him best. But Kagome’s attention was diverted due to an annoying inu hanyou. Said hanyou was deliberately keeping his Kagome away with his ridiculous behaviour.

The two had been glaring at each other for the better part of the afternoon and the interaction was keeping Kagome from appreciating Shippou’s latest pieces of art. Eyeing Inuyasha’s stiff back, Shippou made his way to the hanyou.

The way Shippou saw it, Inuyasha’s problem was that even after all this time, nearly two of what Kagome called years, he still didn’t know one of the great truths of the world. It was up to him to inform the ignorant hanyou.

“You know what your problem is Inuyasha?”

Amber eyes glared at him through a heavy curtain of silver strands, “You?”

Pretending that he didn’t hear the hanyou’s response, Shippou crossed his little arms, balancing perfectly on Inuyasha’s shoulder. “You just have to accept it, Inuyasha; no matter what you do, Kagome still loves me best.”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Inuyasha’s jaw drop in amazement. His voice sounded strangled and Shippou wondered if it was possible to choke on air. “What did you say?”

“You heard me! Kagome loves me best, so you better stop hogging all of her attention with your stupid…” The kitsune child racked his brain for the appropriate word. Kagome’s voice drifted into his head, “…all your stupid shenanigans!”

“My stupid what?” Inuyasha had stopped walking, effectively drawing the entire group’s attention on them.

“Ugh!” Shippou flicked a finger against Inuyasha’s ear. “Are these just for show or something? Stop hogging Kagome!”

“Hogging? Hogging?! What the hell are you talking about, runt? You think I like getting sat? Why the fuck would I want a stupid girl like her hanging all over me? Fuck!”

Inuyasha was so caught up in his attempts to set Shippou straight that he failed to notice that the air behind him was crackling with barely suppressed rage. Shippou, much more in tune to his adoptive mother’s presence, managed to leap off of Inuyasha before her voice rang out.

“Inuyasha, sit!”

“Gah! Damn it, bitch!” Inuyasha continued to swear from his position on the ground, glaring up at the raging miko.

Yep, life was good for Shippou right now. He looked up at Kagome adoringly as she let loose with several more subjugations.

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“I hope you don’t mind the clutter, Ishimaru-san.”

“Nonsense, Michiyo; you keep a lovely home.”

Hearing his mother’s voice, Souta dropped his control pad and bolted to his feet. Nervously running a hand through his hair, he inched closer to the doorway to get a better look at the new arrivals.

An elderly gentleman stood by the doorway clutching a small suitcase. His hair, though grey, was still rather full. A large hand reached up to nudge his spectacles back into place. Dark eyes perused the airy foyer of their home and soon spotted Souta.

“Ah! This must be your son, Michiyo.”

Mrs. Higurashi turned and smiled, gesturing for Souta to come nearer. “Yes Ishimaru-san, this is Souta.”

Souta bowed in greeting, keeping his eyes trained low so he missed the smile that lit up Ishimaru-san’s face. “Well now, such a polite young man.” Ishimaru winked at Michiyo, “I hope he has a calming effect on my grandson. I must say he didn’t take the tragedy too well…”

“I’m right here you know old man.”

Souta’s head jerked up at the voice as Ishimaru stepped aside to reveal a young man behind him with russet brown hair which was caught in a messy ponytail. Tall and lean, he slouched against the door frame, one hand firmly tucked into his jeans pocket. Piercing green eyes, set in a sharply angular face, swept around the room. Souta couldn’t help gulping as the full brunt of the intense gaze settled on him.

“There you are Taiki.” Ishimaru gestured for his grandson to enter the house. “Michiyo, Souta, I’d like you to meet my grandson, Ishimaru Taiki.”

“Hey.” Taiki set the luggage down, nodding to Mrs. Higurashi and Souta. “Where should I take this, Higurashi-san?”

“Taiki, please allow Souta to help you; he can show you to the rooms as well.”

Souta felt his apprehension draining as an oddly weary smile lightened up Taiki’s face. Leading the older boy up the stairs Souta caught his mother’s voice, “I’m sure he’ll be fine Ishimaru-san.”

“I’m sure he will be too, Michiyo. And please, it’s Riku.”

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Still fuming, Kagome walked ahead; Sango keeping pace beside her. Their little band was oddly quiet. Both Kagome and Inuyasha refused to speak to each other while Shippou hummed happily on Miroku’s shoulder. Despite his stony countenance, Inuyasha kept sneaking glances over at Kagome who pretended not to notice his attention. Miroku, who was not as discreet as Inuyasha, made no attempt to hide the grin that threatened to split his face. Trying to exchange a suggestive look with Sango he was thwarted when the taijiya glared at him.

Casting a quick glance over her shoulder at the kitsune, Kagome was reminded of his overly enthusiastic greeting that morning.

“Sango, can I ask you now about Shippou?”

Sango sighed, shifting her Hiraikotsu to settle more comfortably between her shoulder blades. “He’s been having nightmares again Kagome.”

Kagome sucked in her breath. It had been a while since Shippou had been plagued by his nightmares and Kagome was beginning to hope that they were gone for good. When she and Inuyasha first came upon the kitsune child, there was not a single night he slept peacefully. Kagome would be roused by the child’s terrified screams as he called out for his father. As time went on the dreams seemed to diminish in their intensity and soon Shippou was sleeping like the baby he still was.

It was about a year ago when the dreams seemed to revisit the child.

“Was he calling for his father?”

Sango chewed on her lip for a moment, “At first he was, then…” Sango turned her face away, she sighed and bit her lip.

“What is it Sango?” Getting concerned over Sango’s reaction, Kagome inched closer to the taijiya.

Sango sighed, “He was calling out for you Kagome.”

Startled, Kagome looked back at Shippou who was at that moment showing Miroku several new pictures. “For me? Was he dreaming?”

Sango nodded, “Yes, it seemed that he was afraid that he would lose you.”

“Oh.” Kagome’s gaze strayed to Shippou again, “He’s been with us for two years now and still that day haunts his dreams.” Her brow creased in worried concern, Kagome kept her voice purposely low so as not to draw the kitsune’s attention.

“It’s understandable Kagome; he lost the only family that he knew.” Something in Sango’s voice made Kagome turn her attention back to the taijiya. It seemed as if a shadow had fallen over Sango’s face; the darkness in her eyes urged Kagome to reach out to touch her friend’s shoulder. Sango offered her a sad smile before turning to continue walking.

Kagome sighed. Every once in a while she was struck by the enormity of the damage Naraku had inflicted on her friends. What were her sacrifices compared to theirs?

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“You know, Inuyasha, you’ll have to apologize to Kagome-sama sooner or later.”

“Keh! Why the hell should I apologize? I always have to fucking apologize!” Inuyasha tucked his arms firmly into the sleeves of his haori, glaring at the monk.

“That’s cuz you’re always wrong, Inuyasha!” Shippou called out in a taunting voice, momentarily safe on Miroku’s shoulder.

Growling, Inuyasha scowled at the kitsune but refrained from ripping him away from Miroku and beating the stuffing out of him like he wanted to. Feh! And they all said that he had no impulse control. Shippou would have been dead ten times over if he really couldn’t control his impulses.

“Shut the fuck up!”

Miroku rolled his eyes, “Inuyasha, from what I know of women…”

“What? Their asses?”

“They appreciate a man who is unafraid to admit when he is in the wrong.” Miroku continued smoothly, pretending that he hadn’t heard Inuyasha’s artless interjection.

Inuyasha snorted, “You mean women blame men for everything and men suck up to them by taking it.”

“Yes. Now go and suck up to Kagome.” The soft clinking of the rings on Miroku’s staff did little to hide the sniggering laughter coming from the kitsune on his shoulder.

“That’s bullshit.” Inuyasha stated flatly. The sharp aroma of salty tears hit his nose at that moment and all thought fled his mind. Every other scent faded into a dull background as the hated perfume of her tears grabbed hold of him. Instinct seized hold of his feet and urged him forward.

Ignoring Miroku and the still giggling Shippou, Inuyasha increased his speed to catch up to Kagome. His ear twitched when he heard a tiny sniffle. Shit. Did she overhear him again? He had thought that she was too caught up in her conversation with Sango to notice his own with Miroku.

A delicate hand reached up to wipe discreetly at her eyes. Fuck. She really was crying.

“Oi! Bitch! Would you stop moping around? You’ve been doing it all day!” There that should do it.

Instead of lashing out at him, Kagome merely sighed again. “Oh Inuyasha, I’m not moping…I just…” Suddenly her back stiffened as her head snapped up. “Inuyasha! Jewel shards!”

At those words, the group sprang into action. Kirara transformed, into the air as Sango gracefully swung onto her back. Miroku ran to catch Kirara as Inuyasha kneeled for Kagome to climb onto his back.

“Damn bastards…which way Kagome?”

“That way!”

In moments they were engaging in battle.

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“Kagome is such a delicate girl, yes.”

Riku nodded gravely at his friend. “It is unfortunate that she suffers from such ill-health.” His eyes strayed back to the photo of Michiyo with her children. “Such a lovely girl.”

Makoto sighed. He really didn’t like lying to a friend of so many years, but what choice did he have? Disturbed by their topic of conversation, he attempted to turn it away from Kagome. “Your grandson looks like a nice young man.”

Riku’s lips twisted in a sardonic smile, “He usually is a nice young man, but I’m afraid he did not take his parent’s death very well.”

“I am so sorry, Riku; it certainly was a tragedy. They were so young.”

“Yes, but they were not strong.”

Makoto noticed that his friend was staring out at Goshinboku with a pensive expression on his face. “You know you are welcome to stay as long as you need.”

“Thank you, my old friend. I do not think we will be imposing on you for long, perhaps a few months…”

“Think nothing of it!” Hearing his daughter calling them in for dinner, he didn’t fail to notice the way Riku’s eyes lingered over Kagome’s picture, a sad gleam in his eyes.

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The exhausted band of warriors sluggishly made camp that night under the cover of stars. The fight had been longer then any of them expected. The youkai they encountered were strengthened by not one but three shards of the Shikon no Tama and it had only been through their finely honed team work that they had managed to bring them down.

Kagome had pulled out the ramen and Inuyasha wasn’t the only one salivating for it. Inuyasha had been torn between being wildly happy at the thought of eating his favourite food twice in one day and the sight of his rapidly depleting supply. Miroku had tried to placate the hanyou but ended up distracted by Sango. A slap and a subjugation later, they were tucking themselves into bed.

Despite her weariness, Kagome was finding it hard to fall asleep. The combination of the muggy night air and her own restless mind had Kagome tossing fitfully in her sleeping bag. Unbidden, the thought of her odd encounter with the strange old man who had helped her retrieve her groceries came to mind. Kagome turned to find Miroku leaning over a sleeping Sango.

“Miroku!”

Blinking at her with owlish innocence, the monk projected the perfect image of subservient piety. “Yes Kagome-sama?”

“Don’t even think about it, or I will slap you.” She hissed through clenched teeth.

“I am so misunderstood.” Miroku sighed dejectedly but obediently moved to rest his back against the tree once more.

Kagome glared at him some more, but when Miroku showed no sign of indulging in his lechery she sighed and scooted her bag closer to him. Checking to make sure that Sango was still slumbering peacefully, her eyes sought out the hanyou perched high above her. Squinting to get a better look at him, she was satisfied when she spied the closed eyelids and his chest rising and falling with deep even breaths.

“Miroku, may I ask you a question?”

Alerted by the seriousness of her tone, Miroku shifted his staff to his other shoulder before nodding. “Of course Kagome-sama, ask away. I will do my best to answer.”

Remembering the cold shiver that had raced down her spine at the old man’s touch, Kagome wondered how to begin. “My time is peaceful, we have our share of warfare and crimes but to a great extent the average man is sheltered from it.”

When Kagome didn’t speak more, Miroku exhaled slowly. “Knowledge of your time has always given me great comfort – to know that one day man will not be plagued by times as hard as these.”

Kagome nodded, “There are no youkai in my time, at least those who make themselves known. How could things change so? I mean, sure magic exists, mostly faded remnants from this time but my world is so different from this. How could this be?”

The firelight flickered in the rising wind as Miroku contemplated Kagome’s question.

“I confess that despite the many proofs you give us of your time’s advances, the entirety of how different the world will be eludes me. My mind cannot wrap around it. All I can say is that times change; perhaps the world changes in such a way that youkai cannot possibly exist in the forms they do in this time. How that change comes about, why it does… I am afraid I cannot answer.”

Kagome was silent, dark eyes following every lick of the dying flames. Her mind racing as she contemplated the question that was circling her mind ever since that faint touch of youki in modern Tokyo touched her soul. She wondered if it was possible to ever answer her question.

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“But you just got back!”

The distressed young voice rang clearly through the village, halting the work of many a villager. They sighed and shook their heads; some concerned over the young kitsune who had become so firmly attached to the miko while others murmured that Kagome-sama truly was pure of heart.

“I’m sorry Shippou, but I can’t stay long, I’ve got tests coming up and they’re very important.” Kagome tried pleading with Shippou who stared up at her with watery eyes. She absolutely hated leaving him, especially after Sango’s revelation a week ago.

“You always have tests! Tests, tests, tests! I hate them! I hate school!” Shippou unable to stop himself any longer launched himself at Kagome’s legs.

“Shippou…” She felt as if her heart was breaking as Shippou’s wails got louder. She bent over to sweep him up into a tight embrace.

“Stupid baby! She stayed here all week, just for you and now you’re whining at her?”

The gruff voice startled her. The last thing she expected to see was Inuyasha standing over them with a scowl masking the concern on his face.

“I’m not a baby!” Shippou pressed himself harder against Kagome, trying to block out Inuyasha’s presence.

“Yeah you are. Look at you, sobbing for your mommy.” Inuyasha turned his nose up in mock disgust.

Shippou sniffled against her stomach before looking up at her. “I’m not a baby, Kagome.”

She smiled gently at him. “I know you’re not Shippou.”

“Yeah, he is! Bet he can’t even catch a stupid rabbit,” Inuyasha taunted.

Kagome snuck a glance at Inuyasha from the corner of her eye. He stood with his back to them, hands invisible under the fabric of his clothing. She couldn’t help but allow the smile that was tugging at her lips to break free.

Apparently, though, the insult was too much for the kitsune. Bristling, he wrenched free of Kagome’s hold, spinning to face the hanyou. “I can too!”

“Feh. There’s a reason why I provide dinner around here, you’re such a weakling! You probably can’t even sniff your way out of a sack,” Inuyasha sneered at Shippou. He seemed to be making an effort not to meet Kagome’s eyes.

Shippou’s chest puffed out. “I can too! I’ll show you! I’ll catch the fattest rabbit you’ve ever seen. Fatter then anything you can catch!”

With a backward glance at Kagome to seeing her encouraging smile, Shippou bounded off into the surrounding field. He stopped at the edge of the village, his little teeth gnawing nervously at his lower lip. “Kagome?” he whispered.

“Yes, Shippou?”

“You’ll be back won’t you?”

Her eyes softened at the tremor in his voice; behind her Inuyasha snorted but she couldn’t shake off Shippou’s question so easily. Solemnly, she nodded and Shippou beamed at her before diving into the tall grass.

“Thank you, Inuyasha.” The words were spoken barely above a whisper, but Inuyasha’s ear twitched and he snorted again. “Three days, I’ll be back in three days.” Slowly she got to her feet. “You won’t even have to come looking for me.”

“That’ll be the day, wench.” Inuyasha turned his back on her and she could’ve sworn she heard him muttering something about keeping an eye on the ignorant brat.

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“Buyo! Why do you keep running in here?” Souta grumbled as he slid the door of the well house further open. He had come to the conclusion long ago that their cat was evil and purposely exploited Souta’s fear of the darkness, specifically seeking out the well house for the boy’s maximum discomfort.

A flash of blue light momentarily blinded him. Forgetting all about the cat and his fear, Souta ran forward eagerly. “Nee-chan? Is that you?”

“No, Souta, it’s a scary youkai out to get you.” Kagome’s sarcastic voice floated up from the bottom of the well.

Souta laughed and held out hand to his sister as she climbed out. “Is Inuyasha-nii-chan with you?”

Rolling her eyes, Kagome ruffled her younger brother’s hair, “What? I don’t even get a ‘how are you’ anymore? Just straight to Inuyasha, huh?”

He felt a flush rising up on his cheeks, “No! It’s not that…”

“Uh huh.” Kagome dusted the dirt from her skirt as she walked up the stairs.

“Oh! Nee-chan! I just remembered we have guests!”

“Guests?” Kagome half-turned on her way up the stairs, when the door behind her slid open.

“Souta? What the heck are you doing in here?”

Quick note: I am using the word youki similarly as one would use the word spirit or aura, but one that is specific to youkai. The chapter’s title refers to an old saying that goes: “Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.”

I hope you are all enjoying this so far!

[Fanfic] Lost Gods - Chapter One

2006-10-16T02:47:52Z

I honestly hate starting a story when I still have another one unfinished, but this idea just grabbed hold of me and refused to let go! Since I was scraping the bottom of the barrel of inspiration on my Inuyasha/Ranma crossover and there seemed to be little interest in it and my beta up and ran off on me after doing the first chapter…well, I decided to start a new fic. By the way, if anyone is interested in beta-ing this story for me, please email me or leave me a comment.

Title: Lost Gods
Rating: M (for future chapters)
Summary: No youkai roam the modern city of Tokyo, at least to Kagome's knowledge. What if she was wrong? Not that Kagome has time to dwell on it, there are Shikon shards to kind and a jealous hanyou to deal with.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha alas that lovely, lovely privilege still belongs to a lady living in Japan, I think her name is Rumiko Takahashi…

Lost Gods

Chapter One- Living Among Them

Hot and stifling, the girl tossed and turned on the bed. Feeling as if she was struggling for every breath, Kagome restlessly threw the covers off of her body. Her eyes snapping open in the dark, she sighed.

A heat wave had been assaulting the city of Tokyo for the past three days and Kagome was finding it harder and harder to sleep at night. The combination of restless nights and looming tests had made Kagome irritable, prone to snapping at everyone she came across. This last day was made even more difficult with the presence of a surly hanyou who had travelled five hundred years through a mystical well to drag her away from her home.

Kagome had come home in a bad mood after her latest test and instead of being greeted by her mother’s welcoming smile; she ran face first into a red-clad chest. Temper already fraying in record time, the last thing she needed was to be told, no commanded to return to the Sengoku Jidai.

She had yelled. He yelled back. She stamped her foot. He shook his fist. He ended up on the ground and Kagome had stomped up to her room.

The night went downhill from there.

Inuyasha had refused to leave, insisting that Kagome was returning with him right now. His insistence was rewarded with several more subjugations. It had made for a very awkward dinner, with Kagome’s family, unwilling spectators to what was becoming one of their longer drawn out fights.

Refusing to dwell further on her argument with the short-tempered Inuyasha, Kagome got out of bed and headed down to the kitchen. All she needed was a cooling drink and the opportunity to stop thinking about a certain red-clad hanyou.

Unfortunately for her, the hanyou was not going to give her a opportunity to ignore his presence.

“Oi…”

She couldn’t help the small shriek that erupted from her at the unexpected sound in the dark and the feel of a hand on her shoulder. Quickly the hand darted out to clamp firmly on her mouth, while another snaked around her waist, pulling her against a muscular chest.

“Oi, bitch! It’s just me!”

Squirming, Kagome managed to wriggle out of Inuyasha’s grasp. “Inuyasha what are you doing?”

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, “Tying to keep you from waking everyone up for one thing.” His eyes narrowed, “What are you doing out of bed anyway?”

“What? I can’t get a glass of water without you tagging after me?” Impatiently pushing past him, Kagome stomped towards the fridge.

“Tagging? After you? You must be kidding!” Inuyasha glared at her, leaning against the frame of the doorway watching her as she gulped down her drink.

“Whatever, Inuyasha.” Eyeing the moisture beading on the glass, she tilted the glass to rest against a heated cheek, “It’s too late for this.”

Refusing to turn to look at him, she heard his soft “Keh” and his retreating footsteps. Leaning her back against the door of the fridge, Kagome shook her head.

A movement by the window caught her eye. Feeling as if her heart had leapt into her chest, Kagome leaned away from the fridge, setting her glass down on the counter. Her eyes darted in the direction Inuyasha had taken and briefly she contemplated calling out for him. As soon as she opened her mouth to do so, she clamped it shut again, images of the irritated and cocky hanyou harping on her if her fears turned out to be groundless running through her mind.

Inching towards the kitchen window, Kagome hesitantly peered out.

The yard was empty, devoid of all movement as her eyes attempted to see past the darkness. A rustle of leaves from the Goshinboku caught her gaze and Kagome shook her head again.

“I need sleep.”

Turning from away from the window, she failed to notice the momentary flash of light in the yard.

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Taking in a deep breath, Inuyasha sat in the corner of Kagome’s room, taking in the unique scent that was Kagome’s home. A familiar aroma tickled his sensitive nose; it was that yellow stuff, the fluffy kind that Kagome kept trying to force down his throat. His ear twitched at the sound of Kagome’s voice, raised in frustration.

She was trying to cook again.

The monk kept telling him that he should appreciate Kagome’s efforts in the kitchen more; he tried to explain that he appreciated her efforts just fine, he just didn’t understand why she bothered on him at all. Unfortunately, Inuyasha had a feeling he didn’t quite manage to articulate his feelings on the matter with his well-timed “Feh”.

Stealthily creeping down the stairs, the hanyou composed his features into an appropriate scowl before stepping into the kitchen.

Kagome stood at the stove, sunlight streaming in through the windows and bathing her in a soft golden glow. Blinking, Inuyasha silently reminded himself that she wasn’t cooking for him.

“Wench, I told you we were leaving didn’t I?”

He heard her soft sigh, warm breath rushing past rosy lips. Kagome skilfully guided the rolled omelette from the pan into the waiting plate and without turning to face him, answered. “We are leaving today Inuyasha, but you do remember what I said right?”

“Eh…” What was there to remember? She had yelled at him in that shrill tone that he hated, he yelled back. He got sat.

His thoughts halted as his eyes tracked the movement of her hands; swiftly chopping vegetables with a knife that he felt was far too sharp for her.

“…it won’t take long Inuyasha, I promise. You don’t even have to come with me.”

He had missed something hadn’t he? Growling, Inuyasha decided to deal with what he heard, “What? I’m not letting you go out anywhere without me, useless human.”

The last was muttered low, his eyes shifting to side. She heard him anyway.

But before Kagome could react a cheery voice sang out behind him, “Don’t forget this Inuyasha!”

Suddenly his world was muffled, grumbling, his fingers cautiously touched the brim of the hat that Mrs. Higurashi had plopped on his head.

“Though I do hate to hide those cute ears…” Mrs. Higurashi sighed, longingly eying his cap. The gaze spooked him a bit and Inuyasha found himself tugging the cap lower over his ears.

Kagome sighed again finally turning and shoving a plate filled with food into his hands. “Well you better eat that then if we want to get moving any time this century.”

He noticed that she hadn’t prepared a plate for herself. “Oi bi..wench, aren’t you eating?” A sidelong glance at Kagome’s mother had the foul-mouthed hanyou biting his tongue.

“Ate already, I’m gonna go change.”

He wasn’t staring after her, nope, just staring off into the distance…

The soft chuckle behind him made Inuyasha cringe. Mrs. Higurashi had a twinkle in her eye and when she winked at him, he was sure that his face had erupted into flames.

“Don’t worry Inuyasha, she never takes too long when you’re waiting.”

“Keh.”

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There was one advantage to having a hanyou along with you when grocery shopping. He could carry an awful lot. The downside was that when you had a ramen-loving hanyou with you, he tended to use that strength for hauling around boxes upon boxes of...yep you guessed it! Ramen.

He had managed to sneak another box into his arms when she wasn’t looking and was currently balance five boxes of ramen along with a couple of bags that held the rest of their shopping.

They had made it back to the shrine steps without incident, but the steep steps proved to be a challenge even for the normally nimble Inuyasha and the boxes came tumbling down.

“I’ll get them!” Kagome managed to sing out over Inuyasha’s colourful cursing. “You go on ahead and dump the rest of that stuff in the house.”

Skipping down the steps, Kagome chased the errant items that Inuyasha had dropped. Her hand reached out, when it was swept out of her grasp.

“Oh!” Looking up, Kagome looked into dark eyes.

“You dropped this young miss?”

The old man with a kindly face peered at her, holding out the box of crayons she had bought for Shippou.

“Yes, thank you.” Her fingers accidentally brushed across his hand as she reached for the crayons and a sudden heat jolted through her, so intense it made her shiver. Unconsciously rubbing her fingers together, she studied his face. “I’m sorry, but do I know you sir?”

A ghost of a smile touched his lips, “Not in this lifetime my dear.”

He tipped his hat to her and Kagome was left to stare after him. There was something about that man, something vaguely familiar yet foreign. What was it?

A sharp poke at her shoulder made her start. Golden eyes glared down at her.

“We don’t have time for your daydreaming! Come on!”

Inuyasha’s presence triggered something deep in Kagome and suddenly she realized what it was she felt from that old man…but it couldn’t be…there weren’t any here… were there? Mutely shaking her head in confusion, Kagome turned in the direction the old man had gone in but the street was deserted.

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“Kagome!”

Bracing herself for the impact, Kagome held out her hands to the kitsune child who was running full tilt towards her.

“I missed you so much Kagome! What took so long?” Shippou’s voice was muffled against her stomach as he sought to burrow further into her body.

Inuyasha snorted behind her, earning himself a glare. “What’s the big deal? She’s here now isn’t she? Let’s get going, those shards aren’t gonna just leap into our hands.”

“Why do you have to go away so often?” The quietly murmured question surprised Kagome.

Trying to peel Shippou away from her chest, she tried to speak in her calmest voice. “Shippou you know I have to go home every so often, to get you treats and crayons. You like those don’t you?”

Sango and Miroku entered the clearing in time to hear Kagome. Inuyasha was ignoring them as he griped at the two for taking so long. Kagome barely heard Miroku’s shrugged explanation that Shippou moved too fast for them to catch.

A quiet sniffle brought her attention back to Shippou who was looking up at her with watery eyes. “Yeah, but I like having you around more.”

Kagome tried to catch Sango’s eye, hoping for an explanation for the kitsune’s suddenly overly clingy behaviour. The taijiya sighed and shook her head, her lips mouthing the word “later”.

“I wish you never had to leave. Ever.”

Kagome bit her lip, her time in this world was drawing to a close as the shards decreased in number and the jewel that their enemy held grew larger. She didn’t know what was going to happen and loathed making promises that she knew she might not be able to keep. The softly whispered words from the child she had thought of as her own was tugging at her heart and instinctively she brought him in closer. Wordlessly, she patted Shippou’s back, giving him as much comfort as she could.

Inuyasha groused at them for standing around, urging them to get a move on. Shippou muttered that the hanyou was being cruel which earned him a bop on the head. The kitsune replied in kind, latching onto the hanyou’s arm, biting as hard as he could.

Just like that, they were back to normal or at least normal for them.

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“Moshi, moshi…oh…yes, I’ll go get him.” Souta set the phone down, racing through the house to find his grandfather. He didn’t have long to look as he found his grandfather serenely sweeping their front yard. “Grandpa, there’s an Ishimaru-san on the phone for you.”

Raising one eyebrow, Grandpa set the broom down and calmly made his way to the phone.

“Riku-san? Ah yes, how are you? … Oh? … Is that so? … Well then, its settled, you’re staying with us! … Nonsense! I won’t hear of anything else! … No, no, no such thing. It’s settled then. I’ll send my daughter Michiyo to pick you up.”

Souta hung around in the doorway, tossing his ball idly. Curiosity getting the better of him, he stepped forward when his grandfather put the phone down. “Grandpa, who was that?”

“An old friend, done a lot for us over the years, he’ll be staying with us for a while. That reminds me! You’ll be sharing your room for a little while Souta. Riku-san has a grandson who’ll be staying with us too. He’s about Kagome’s age if I’m not mistaken, maybe a little older…You don’t mind do you my boy?” Grandpa beamed down at Souta who shook his head nervously, not quite sure what to think of an older boy sharing his room for an indefinite period of time.

Grandpa patted his grandson’s head before walking further into the house in search of his daughter.

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[Fanfic] The Pursuit of Power - Chapter One

2006-08-17T12:10:14Z

Hello All!
In light of me getting a new beta and revising my chapters, I thought I'd first post my newly beta-ed chapters here on my LJ. Give it some use!

Summary: Kagome hates relying on Inuyasha to save her all the time and sets about rectifying the problem. When the guardian of the well is accidentally freed, mayhem erupts as anyone and everyone can go through the well. InuyashaxRanma xover. InuKag, MirSan, RanAka

AN: This is my first Inuyasha/Ranma fic. I was drawn to writing this after searching for such cross over fics and not being entirely satisfied with what I found. If anyone can recommend a good one, by all means recommend away!

Many thanks to my wonderful fiancé, for listening to me rant and for helping me with a plot!

Revised 14 Aug 06: I have an announcement! I have a brand new beta! –drags Erica out- I want you all to meet my wonderful beta Erica aka cheesylovesong23.We must all bow down and kiss her feet because these revisions would not be possible without her.

Disclaimers: Neither Inuyasha or Ranma belong to me, though I wish they did! None of the characters belong to me; both are from the devilishly brilliant mind of Rumiko Takahashi

The Pursuit of Power

Chapter One – Trials and Tribulations

Kagome sighed as she stared dismally at the book in front of her. Lately studying brought her little joy. Not that it did very much before, Kagome Higurashi wasn’t exactly the type to be utterly consumed in her school work, but at least before she at least understood what she was reading. Lately all her textbooks were almost entirely foreign to her, as if they weren’t written in her native tongue at all. Though what she was doing lately was not entirely conducive to her studies.

These days Kagome Higurashi was doing things that ordinary school girls were not supposed to be doing. Fighting hoards of demons five hundred years in the past was anything but normal. All hope for a mundane life had been put on hold nearly two years ago when at the tender age of fifteen, Kagome was dragged into a relentless pursuit of the one thing that all beings craved for – power.

Her life as she knew it, now revolved around fighting for and chasing after power. However, it was something that she herself had no interest in at all. So why did she spend so much time in the pursuit of it, you might ask. It was a question that she herself did not know the true answer to. Oh, there were the reasons that she told her family and tried desperately to convince herself of. It was duty. It was her duty to fix her mistake and along the way other very legitimate reasons emerged for why she, an ordinary Japanese girl should go on the hunt for tiny fragments of a jewel that held immense power. Reasons such as revenge for the death of loved ones, revenge for the torment of a loved one. Revenge for the ruination of a life and the annihilation of true love.

Ah – true love…

Kagome tapped her pencil against her book before deciding that it was a lost cause. It was all Greek to her anyway.

A light knock on her door gave her all the excuse she needed to spring up from her chair and away from the dreaded textbook.

“Oh, hi Mom! I was just studying, catching up you know…”

Her mother smiled at her knowingly, “Well come down and help me for dinner, unless of course you’re too busy…your studies are very important you know.”

She waved her hand dismissingly as a happy sparkle came to her chocolate-brown eyes. “Oh it’s not trouble at all! I really should help you around the house more often!”

Gratefully, Kagome followed her mother downstairs, all the while chatting animatedly, completely unaware of the golden eyes which watched her make her way downstairs.

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He took a deep breath of her scent which hung heavy in the bright room that she just vacated. Stupid wench, she had left her window wide-open and defenseless. You’d think after spending nearly a year with him, surrounded by dangerous youkai, she would learn to be better aware of her surroundings and of the possible dangers that lurked.

Of course she thought that her world was safe.

He added naïve to her lists of faults.

Ears perked for every sound, he soon realised that Kagome and her mother had walked into the kitchen. Content to leave her in her mother’s care, he lounged in the tree branch that he had perched himself on.

If anyone had bothered to look up and into the tree they would’ve seen a sight that would’ve startled them. They would’ve seen a young man with flowing silver hair to his waist, dressed all in red with a sword hanging from his hips. The hair and outfit would’ve been enough to startle anyone, but it was perhaps the ease with which he lounged on a tree branch, as if he was on a comfortable couch, that would’ve drawn the most attention. If the person, whose wandering eyes had drifted upwards, was very keen, he or she would’ve spotted the one thing that was the young man’s most startling feature – a feature which Kagome and her mother doted on with childish glee – a pair of silvery, fuzzy dog ears.

Fortunately, man had been taught since the extinction of dinosaurs that no creature from the skies was large enough to be a threat to him and there was hardly a need to look up. People of this day and age were even less likely to peruse the skies, engrossed as they are with the various beeping bits of technology that they were convinced they needed.

The smell of food cooking soon reached his sensitive nose, and he contemplated if it would be a good time to make his presence known. Of course once he had done that he would soon have to get to work on convincing the girl to leave with him. Such things often led to yelling and pain – on his side. He would never lift a hand to harm the fiery maiden for many reasons; one was her power over him.

Kagome held a lot of power over the hanyou, power that she was largely unaware of, except for one. Her power to subdue him with one word, a word that once spoken by the raven-haired girl brought him crashing to the ground – painfully.

Yelling and pain. No, he wasn’t in the mood for either at that precise moment.

His delicate nose told him that dinner was cooked and that Kagome had moved into the dining room.

That was when a delectable scent reached his nostrils, which made his ears twitch and his mouth begin to salivate. There was only one scent in the whole wide world that had such an effect on him.

Ramen.

The scent wafted from a bowl that sat on the window-sill, chopsticks at the ready laid on top of it.

“Inuyasha, come and get your dinner before Kagome comes back.”

He smiled, touched by the woman’s kindness and her understanding. He dropped to the ground and reached for the bowl.

Kagome’s mother smiled, “You’ll need your strength, ne?”

He flushed, “We don’t always argue.”

“Oh, I know.” With those three words, she busied herself with taking the steaming plate into the dining room where the rest of the family had already gathered for dinner.

“Feh.” Inuyasha leapt back onto his spot in the tree. It was a good idea to have ramen now anyway. Kagome was never happy when he demanded that she go back with him and was bound not to make him his favourite food, at least for a little while.

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At that precise moment, another young man was enjoying a bowl of ramen. His jet black hair was twisted in a pig-tail which he flicked casually away, his hands moving inhumanly fast. He was the subject of three female gazes of varying quality.

A pair of shining brown eyes from beneath purple locks, gazed at the young man adoringly, her hands clasped to her chest as she purred contentedly assured that he was thoroughly enjoying himself.

Another pair of brown eyes, this time from a dark-haired girl, narrowed in annoyance as she watched the young man devour the bowl before him. Those eyes slid to the smiling purple-haired girl who continued to stare adoringly at the young man. Blue-black locks fell across increasingly narrowing eyes until they appeared to be no more then glittering slits in a pale face as she wondered what the other girl could be so happy about.

The owner of the impassive brown eyes watched the scene, or at least she tried to maintain a façade of indifference. So what if he never wanted to eat her food? Why did she have to anyway when he had that purple-haired idiot and the okonomiyaki-crazed chef pandering to his every need anyway? The girl tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Inhaling the last of the ramen, the young man licked his lips appreciatively. “Wow, thanks for that Shampoo! It really hit the spot!”

“Aiyah! Shampoo so happy! Ranma really like special ramen?”

Ranma Saotome, the young heir of the Anything-Goes Martial Arts technique, rubbed his stomach appreciatively, “Oh yeah, it was really….”

It was at that moment that quality of the three feminine gazes changed dramatically.

The brown eyes of Shampoo, the Chinese Amazon who offered Ranma his dinner, brightened in triumph as his own dark eyes began to glaze.

“It was…so….” Ranma’s rubbing hands began to clutch at his stomach as his speech began to falter.

Ukyou Kuonji who had been watching with fascination as Ranma ate, turned to look at Shampoo with, indignant anger shining in her dark eyes as she realised that her suspicions were based on concrete fact, while Akane Tendou, simply rolled her eyes and began to step away.

Shampoo’s many plots and schemes to finally capture Ranma as her husband were often varied if not inventive. She often resorted to trickery, magic or more often then not, a combination of both. This time she had obviously laced her offering with something that would enable her to better hold onto her elusive fiancé.

Ukyou grabbed Ranma’s shoulders and began to shake him. “Ranma! Ranma snap out of it! I told you not to eat anything from that witch!”

Shampoo smirked, “Who you calling witch, spatula girl? It do no good, Ranma belong all to Shampoo!”

Ukyou whirled to face her opponent, forgetting all about her own beloved Ranma. “Would you stop calling me that? I will call you a witch cuz that’s precisely what you are! What did you do to him now?”

Shampoo bristled as Ukyou fumed and as the two girls faced each other: Shampoo with her weapons in her hands and Ukyou’s spatula flashing dangerously. Ranma sank to the ground.

Forgotten by the two now brawling girls, Akane went to Ranma, touching his forehead lightly and pushing his thick black hair out of the way; she peered into his eyes.

“Ranma? You okay?” Akane kept her voice soft, though all she wanted to do was yell at him for his stupidity, rant about his stomach and generally yell him out of this state.

She was so concerned over his welfare that she had not noticed his hand snaking around her before it was too late and he swept her into his embrace. “Oh Akane…”

“R-Ra-Ranma?” Akane yelped as he pressed her to his muscular chest. “What are you doing?!”

“Akane…” His dark eyes shone with a passion she had never seen in their velvety depths, especially not when he was looking at her.

A high pitched shriek caught her attention as the Amazon whirled away from her opponent. “Aiyah! Ranma supposed to look at Shampoo not Akane!”

Before Ukyou could regain her balance, and before Akane and Ranma could do more then stare in confusion, another agonised scream rent the air.

“Saotome! Prepare to die!”

Ranma deftly swept Akane more firmly into his embrace, before gracefully leaping out of the charging swordsman’s path, whose eyes were blazing with crazed fury.

Shampoo had by then regained her senses and was digging in her pockets, while Ukyou battled with gravity, feet slipping underneath her. Before Ukyou could make a leap at the Amazon, Shampoo withdrew a small packet from her sleeve in triumph. She quickly ripped the packet and blew the powder within at Ranma.

Ranma blinked, unsure of what he was doing… and why was he holding Akane? For that matter why was upperclassman Kuno charging at him? Shaking his head in an attempt to dispel the heavy fog which seemed to have descended on his mind, he quickly disposed of Kuno with a well-placed kick. Landing gracefully on his toes he rounded quickly, eyes searching out the responsible party before landing on the purple-haired Amazon.

“Shampoo! What the hell did you do to me now?”

“Shampoo do nothing! Why Ranma yell at Shampoo?”

Ranma was preparing to bellow again, when Akane made her presence in his arms known, “Ahem, mind letting me go now Ranma?”

“Huh?” Momentarily confused, Ranma looked down at her.

“Unless, you want to keep carrying me all the time…”

Dropping her unceremoniously on the ground, Ranma glared, “As if I want to carry around a tomboy like you around!”

Incensed from the drop and the insult, Akane sprang to her feet, “Who was asking you to? Baka!”

Before Ranma could blink or duck, he was sailing through the skies, a huffing Akane glaring at his swiftly departing figure, as she rubbed her shoulders.

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Kagome fumed, her arms crossed over her chest. He was doing it again! Ordering her around, dictating her life... As she continued to glare at the Inu-hanyou, she couldn’t help but wonder why he was so insistent that she come back. Why? Why, when she was nothing but a burden to him: a fact that he never failed to point out to her.

“Three days! Three days you said? Can you count wench?” Inuyasha glared back at her, failing to back down from her fury, but matching it with his own.

“Of course I can count! Though frankly I’m surprised I still can since you seem to insist on depriving me of an education!” Kagome stomped her feet, hair flying as she stared him down.

“No one cares if you can even read! You just find those shards and keep out of trouble!”

Mrs. Higurashi continued to serenely bustle around the kitchen, stowing away plates and glasses as her daughter and Inuyasha fought. It was not an uncommon occurrence, and whatever the outcome of the fight, dishes had to be put away.

Souta, Kagome’s younger brother, watched the two fight, wondering whether or not he would be able to pull Inuyasha away from his banshee of a sister.

“Is that all I am to you? A shard detector?” Kagome could feel the fight going out of her. She scolded herself for even asking the question when she already knew the answer. She knew she could never touch Inuyasha's heart. There was already one woman who occupied that very special part of the hanyou's mind and soul and Kagome knew it wasn't her.

Inuyasha flinched away as the scent of salt and sadness began to roll off the girl who had been fighting him with fiery passion mere moments ago. He hated when she cried. “Feh, what else are you good for?”

The anger which had begun to ebb away from Kagome surged once more. Her eyes flashed dangerously as she stared at the dog-eared boy that stood before her with his arms imperiously crossed over his chest. “Inuyasha….”

He flinched again, hating himself for doing so. He was all too familiar with that tone.

“Sit.”

Inuyasha came crashing down onto the cold floor. He gained enough use of his own muscles in time to see Kagome walk up the stairs.

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She had convinced herself that she no longer cared about the way the other girls chased after him. Convinced herself that the pain she felt when Shampoo draped herself all over him was nothing but indigestion. Tried to ignore Ukyou’s blushes and Kodachi’s proclamations of devotion.

They weren’t in love after all. It was all their parents’ idea…

Akane walked up the stairs and into her room, no longer able to hide the weariness that seemed to have settled into her bones. She was just so tired of it all. Gratefully, she walked into her room and fell onto her bed.

The loud squeal made her jump right out again.

“Oh P-chan! I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there. Come here baby.” Akane held her arms out to her adorable pet pig, who gladly leapt into her arms.

She was completely unaware of the pair of eyes which peered into her room and narrowed when the pig snuggled into her chest.

“There now, I’m going for a relaxing bath and get ready for bed. You stay right here, okay baby?” Giggling softly, Akane petted him gently before turning to gather her towel.

Humming quietly to herself, Akane settled into her bath. Life was one rollercoaster ride after another, exhilarating yes, tiring definitely. She wondered if her life would return to normal if a certain boy was no longer in it. She sank deeper into the warmth of the water as she contemplated what it would be like without the morning fights, the constant bickering and the absence of a flock of females all convinced that they were Ranma’s one and only love.

There, when she was all alone, where there were no ears or eyes to pry, in the very back of her mind, she could admit that she would miss him. Never out loud, though. With this many people in the one house, you could never be too sure who would be lurking just outside the door.

Akane finally managed to pull herself out of the tub and into her pajamas, when she heard the commotion. Sighing deeply, Akane ran to her room and peered out of the window.

The moonlight revealed a calm scene of the pond gently rippling as the wind picked up a few leaves, sending them dancing across the backyard. The peaceful moment was not to last as the calm of the water was broken by a red-headed girl surfacing, holding Akane’s pet pig away from her body.

“Damn it Ryouga! I just took a bath!”

Akane’s eyes narrowed angrily as she stared down at the busty red-head gripping her pet. “Ranma! Let go of P-chan right now!”

“Wha…” Beguiling blue eyes blinked the water out, as she flipped her pig-tail over her shoulder. “He started it! He pushed me in!”

Akane sniffed disdainfully, “Oh for crying out loud Ranma! How can poor sweet P-chan push you?” Her gaze softened as she watched Ranma climb out of the pond, cursing under her breath. She grabbed some towels and threw them down to the sopping-wet girl. “I’m coming down.”

Akane had turned away and did not hear the furious whispers outside her window.

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Kagome’s eyes flicked over the screen, mentally ticking off listings as she went. So she was weak and useless… good for only one thing… Well she’d show him!

Kagome was determined that she wasn’t going to be a burden anymore, that she would never need Inuyasha to rescue her again, she would never need…

She sighed and shook her head. She couldn’t fool herself; she knew that she would always need him, but he didn’t have to know that. Her eyes settled on a listing that looked promising. It was across town, but she could reach it no problem. It was a family owned business and since she was after quality, she was sure it would suit her needs.

Kagome jotted down the address and phone number. “The Tendou dojo, I can check it out tomorrow.”

Confident that she had taken steps towards the right direction, Kagome turned the computer off and rose to go to bed. Turning down the covers and firmly tucking them into place, she did her best to ignore the still fuming Inuyasha who sat at the opposite wall, his katana tucked in the crook of his elbow. Because she had turned away, Kagome did not see Inuyasha intently staring at her back before sighing despondently and closing his eyes.

Happiest of happy writing days!

2006-08-14T07:00:00Z

I wanted to make an announcement....I HAVE FOUND A BETA!!!!!!!!!! -does happy Snoopy dance-

And she's fantastic! -does more happy Snoopy dancing-

I'll be posting my freshly beta-ed chapters here first. Gosh, I'm so excited now, I gotta run off and implement all these nifty new revisions...

Uninspired...

2006-08-12T12:25:05Z

As the title suggests, I'm feeling kinda down...warning: author review griping up ahead...

Here's a thought... I know authors beg for reviews for their fics and some get them, some don't. I know MM.org has a lot of ongoing debate on reader reviews at the moment and I don't really want to get into that, but what does an author do when they find their motivation on a fic lagging? I'm not getting many reviews on my current project and while I promised myself that I will not allow that to affect my writing, I find myself getting more and more discouraged as the chapters roll out. Reviews are a fanfic author's lifeblood - how else do we know we're doing good?

Should an author allow such thing as lack of reader-response affect their writing? Does it mean that its no good and readers find themselves having nothing positive to say so they say nothing at all? Ah...doubt...

I absolutely hate those fics that just stop and personally I can't just walk away from a project. Yet I am loathe to just keep pushing myself because I know that I will then produce less then stellar work.

I know that my situation is by no means unique, but I'm finding myself increasingly frustrated when in the past I have never had to work so hard to flog my own work. I kept out of forums, never self-advertised and my fics (for non-anime fandoms) never had problems with lack of reviews...the good old days...

-sigh- Dilemma...to go on or not to go on?

End of rant - back to our scheduled programming.

[Fanfic] The Pursuit of Power - Chapter Fifteen

2006-07-31T04:22:35Z

Fanfic Update

Anime: Inuyasha/Ranma 1/2
Title: The Pursuit of Power - Chapter Fifteen The Golden Ones
Pairings: Inuyasha/Kagome, Ranma/Akane, Miroku/Sango
Rating: T/M
Summary: Kagome hates relying on Inuyasha to save her all the time and sets about rectifying the problem. When the guardian of the well is accidentally freed, mayhem erupts as anyone and everyone can go through the well.
Chapter Summary: The fight rages on and finally some questions are answered.

AN: A bit of time-shifting here, a small code to help you figure out what’s going on:

Italics – First person, Myoga’s POV

ooooo – Shift from normal to Myoga’s POV and Flashback

Disclaimer: They’re mine…mine I tell you *holds onto Ranma’s pigtail and Inuyasha’s hakama* Mine I tell you! *Both twist and turn and free themselves, Ranma and Inuyasha share a look before bolting* No! Come back! Please?

*sigh*

Looks like I still don’t own either Ranma or Inuyasha *pouts*

The Pursuit of Power

Chapter Fifteen – The Golden Ones

The creatures were foul manifestations of hell itself. That was one thing that Tatewaki Kuno was sure of. Flinging out his arm to shield the lovely ladies that had followed him, Tatewaki urged them to find shelter as the taijiya had suggested. Grasping the hilt of his bokken, Tatewaki wondered how his skill would fare against such monstrosities.

Chiding himself for the momentary doubt, Tatewaki confidently shook chestnut-brown locks out of his eyes. Doubtless they would tremble in fear and awe at the sight of such a great warrior such as he.

Fearlessly, he drew forth his weapon, “Come for me!”

A part of his brain was trying desperately to make some kind of sense of what was going on. It kept wailing at him that demons didn’t really exist and he wasn’t really in the Sengoku Jidai defending some hapless village from the brutality of their attack. Yet another part of him thrilled at it all; the simple villagers, looking up at him, many calling him “young lord”; the adoration, the respect and the utter simplicity of it all appealed to him and rejuvenated his tired soul. The heat of battle as he forged onwards to protect life and country called to his very being, warming his blood as he surged forward.

An insidious voice in the back of his mind whispered that of course demons existed; surely the villainous sorcerer Saotome was proof of that. If mythical beings such as oni and phoenixes existed, surely the existence of youkai was not too far a stretch from that.

Wielding his weapon with precision and strength, Tatewaki fought against the demonic hoard. Not far from his side, he saw that his sister had whipped out her ribbons, the colourful array slicing through the air. There she was, his family, standing up courageously in the face of such evil. He couldn’t be prouder!

A small youkai barrelled hard into Tatewaki’s stomach, sending him sprawling into the ground. He was stunned for a moment as the bug-like creature rejoiced at its success. With a fierce growl, he struck the creature right over the head…and broke his bokken.

Stunned, Tatewaki held up his weapon, it had broken cleanly in half. This could not be. His weapon…his pride…

So dismayed was he that he failed to notice that the demons had gone into retreat. So caught up in his pain, he did not see that the fight was over.

With a bellow, Tatewaki surged to his feet once more, brandishing the broken wooden sword, intent on cutting them all down with one mighty swing.

“Kuno? They seem to be talking about something over there.”

Tatewaki barely registered that the Chinese martial artist had touched his sleeve and was tugging him in the opposite direction.

“Brother dear, stop brandishing that matchstick around, we are needed!” Kodachi imperiously stated, brushing past him and heading for their companions.

Getting his breathing under control, Tatewaki turned and followed his sister, still in a daze. “My sword…”

But she wasn’t listening anymore. Tatewaki shook his head, his gaze focusing.

Ryoga was kneeling on the ground, his head bowed as he talked softly. “That woman…demon, she just flew off. On a feather!”

The monk and the taijiya exchanged a look, before the monk stepped forward to kneel beside the distraught Ryoga. “The woman, did she wear an elaborate kimono and had dark hair Ryoga-san?”

Ryoga seemed to think the question through before nodding wordlessly. At the boy’s answer, Miroku swore softly under his breath.

“We can’t just wait here!” The okonomiyaki-chef spoke up next, her brow knitted in a frown. “Akane and Ranma needs to know!”

At the sound of his beloved’s name, Tatewaki cast aside the broken pieces of his bokken. “Forsooth, what piece of knowledge are you conspiring to keep from my beloved?”

Ukyou looked up, shaking her head, “Haven’t you been listening Kuno?”

The uncouth Chinese girl snorted, “Dense-one no listen too good.”

Kodachi flipped her hair over her shoulder, “It is a mere trifle brother dear. It seems that Akane Tendou’s older sister has been abducted.”

The breath seemed to freeze in his body as he stared at his wretched sister. Akane Tendou’s sister? In peril? Tatewaki practically trembled with excitement.

“Yes!” Fists clenching, visions of rescuing Akane’s sister danced in Tatewaki’s mind. Akane’s eternal gratitude as she clung to him and lavished her thanks in skimpy attire…

“I didn’t think this was a good thing.” Sango was genuinely puzzled at the young man’s reaction.

“Honey, when it comes to the Kunos, thinking doesn’t necessarily enter into it.” Ukyou responded witheringly.

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His claws. Strange how he had never noticed how incredibly sharp they were. He hardly noticed their deadly precision when they were tearing through youkai flesh, but he did notice once in a while. Like when he held Kagome, the tips of his claws grazing her skin, leaving faint lines of white. or looking at a young woman’s leg, slashes of dried blood marring the creaminess of her skin.

He kept trying to tell himself that the red-head was not really a girl. It was no different to slashing a female demon. Except attacking those didn’t leave the stench of human blood under his claws.

Inuyasha had tried in vain to wash the blood off his hands the night before, Kagome’s liquid brown eyes burned in his memory as she whispered stupid words.

How could she believe those words now? Now, when she had seen with her own eyes the destructive power in his hands? How could she ever…

The hanyou was pulled from his dark musings when the object of his thoughts urged them to stop for lunch. The kitsune agreed joyously and so did the baka human.

The entire morning, neither Inuyasha nor Ranma had spoken to each other, much less looked at each other. Guilty as he felt about harming a human, Inuyasha could still remember how the lecherous young man had raked his filthy eyes over Kagome’s slim body. Then the idiot dared to insult him by insinuating that he would lay a hand on Kagome. Baka.

“You know the wind might blow the wrong way and your face will get stuck like that.”

The softly whispered words made Inuyasha jump, spinning around he frowned accusingly at the girl. “What the hell are you talking about? Wind can’t do that.”

Akane’s lips twisted into a small smile. “It’s just a saying Inuyasha.” She cocked her head to one side, “I don’t suppose I need to ask what’s got you in such a bad mood.”

“Keh.” Inuyasha huffed at the girl, crossing his arms across his chest.

Akane sighed, “If it’s any consolation, I think Ranma had it coming to him.”

Startled, Inuyasha peered at her. Akane kept her head bowed so her eyes were shielded by a thick fringe of her blue-black hair. His keen eyes spotted her fingers and the way she twisted and tugged at them in an unconscious display of her turbulent emotions. She might be able to hide her feelings from Ranma, but Inuyasha knew better. He had a nose. Not that it would take youkai senses to see that Akane was troubled; even Kagome with her pathetic human nose would be able to spot it. No, Ranma was just stupid.

Mixed emotions radiated off Akane, the most prevalent at the moment was guilt. That made Inuyasha frown, why would she be guilty?

“You were just looking out for Kagome, well, maybe you overdid it a bit, but Ranma didn’t have to say the things he said.” Akane finally tore her gaze off of the laughing couple just ahead of them and looked up at him.

Inuyasha frowned. Was she taking his side? Hardly anyone did that. Kagome fought with him more often then not and Miroku and Sango would invariably take her side. What was this Akane-girl thinking? “Uh…yeah I guess.”

“He’s just a stupid…” Her attention was diverted when Kagome began to pull out some things from her bag.

Shippou was dancing around Kagome, as the miko laughingly asked him to light their fire. She turned to look at him and reluctantly, Inuyasha went to her side.

“Inuyasha, do you suppose you can catch some meat? Shippou wants some grilled rabbit.” Kagome tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as she beseeched him.

“Grilled rabbit? Feh! Why you making that for? It’s gonna take you ages and we haven’t got the time to stop for it! Let’s just have ramen.” He could’ve sworn that she did that hair-thing to purposely drive him insane as he stared at the delicate shell-like shape of her ear.

“Please Inuyasha? We’ve been having ramen a lot lately and you don’t want our stocks to run low do you? Besides I can save some of it to make stew tonight.”

Ranma shrugged “If Dog-boy isn’t up to it, I’m sure I can catch us some bunnies Kagome.”

Inuyasha glared at the human. What the hell did this boy think he was doing? Bad enough he caught this morning’s breakfast, but their lunch too? Hell no.

Drawing himself up his full height, Inuyasha stared the human down, willing him to back off. Years of watching his older youkai brother surged up in his subconscious as he spoke coldly. “That won’t be necessary.”

Ranma’s back visibly stiffened as he perceived the thinly veiled threat in Inuyasha’s tone and bearing, but instead of challenging the hanyou, he merely shrugged. Inuyasha abruptly turned on his heel as he stalked off heedless of the shocked expression on Kagome’s face and the pensive gleam in Shippou’s eyes.

Moving stealthily through the dry rustling grass, Inuyasha lowered himself to the ground, ears perked for the slightest sound. It wasn’t long before several fat rabbits made their fatal mistake.

Still seething from Ranma’s offer, Inuyasha made quick work of skinning and cleaning the rabbits and headed back to camp.

He returned to find that Kagome had laid out all of the spices she normally rubbed on the meat to make it soft and tasty. She sat by the fire, poking the embers as she and Shippou talked softly. Ranma was sitting with Akane, prodding the unusually quiet girl until she snapped at him.

Eyeing Kagome and Shippou, Inuyasha perked his ears up to catch their conversation but Shippou stiffened, turning to look his way. The kitsune nudged his adoptive mother and Kagome also turned to face him.

Her face was grave as she watched him. With a huff, he handed her the meat and she accepted them with a quiet thank-you.

The kitsune was still eyeing him speculatively. Irritated by the scrutiny, Inuyasha snarled, “What the hell do you want?”

“Nothing.” Shippou replied calmly, but inched closer to Kagome.

Inuyasha growled again before leaping into the comfort of the trees away from Kagome’s sombre silence and Shippou’s inquisitive gaze. The kit was bound to have some questions for him later. Damn.

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The strange group of youngsters had gathered around to discuss the problem before them. Miroku watched them, his own mind unsettled.

“I don’t understand.”

Turning to look at the quiet taijiya, Miroku nodded, urging her to continue.

Sango sighed and shook her head, “I don’t understand any of this. What would Naraku want from some girl in the future?”

Miroku’s grip on his staff tightened as he thought, “What is more troubling is that he apparently knows of this path to Kagome’s land. It is clear to me now that the youkai were sent to merely divert our attention from his primary goal.”

“There are just too many questions!” Sango growled in frustration.

Miroku and Sango were jolted out of their respective reveries when Ryoga and Ukyou approached.

“Sango-san, Miroku-sama, we understand that you need to wait in this village for Kaede-sama’s return.” Ukyou bit her lip, obviously troubled. “I just don’t think we can wait that long.”

“We need to rescue Kasumi!” Ryoga blurted out, “Akane would never forgive me if she knew that I…”

Ukyou patted Ryoga’s arm comfortingly, “Ranma and Akane need to know. We need to tell them. Now.”

“I wish it were that simple Ukyou-sama.” Miroku sighed heavily, “I cannot leave this village because Kaede-sama is in need of my help. As you can see, leaving the portal to your land unprotected is simply not wise. We need to seal it and I am afraid that we cannot do it on our own. We must wait.”

“No, you need to wait. There is nothing stopping us from going right now.”

Sango and Miroku exchanged a look, a silent message passing between them before Sango stepped forward to touch Ukyou’s arm consolingly.

“You must not think that we don’t care about your friend, but you must think this through. Those youkai were nothing compared to what other things are out there. They were disposable, the weakest of Naraku’s minions. Not only do none of you know which way Inuyasha was headed, you would not know your way around. Miroku and I simply cannot allow you to go ahead without us.”

“But Kasumi needs our help!” Ryoga cried out, his fists clenching by his side.

“Perhaps I can offer a solution to this dilemma?”

Confused, the four of them looked around for the source of the soft voice, until Sango yelped, slapping the side of her neck.

“Oh! Myoga! Where have you been?” Sango blinked down at her palm.

“Yes, I thought you accompanied your lord and Kagome-sama.” Miroku eyed the sweating flea-demon.

Myoga nervously cleared his throat, “That was an assumption you made lord monk; I did nothing to encourage your beliefs!”

“Oh no! Did they run into some trouble? Is that why you high-tailed it back Myoga?” Sango asked; her brow knitting into a frown.

As Myoga huffed indignantly, Miroku introduced Ukyou and Ryoga to Inuyasha’s faithless vassal.

Myoga ignored the insult but turned to face Miroku. “You have great need to follow Inuyasha-sama, as do these young ones. I will stay behind and cast a temporary barrier on the well until Kaede’s return. I will be able to help her once she has returned with the proper items.”

Sango blinked, “You are volunteering to help us Myoga? Are you alright?”

Myoga bristled once more, but as he hopped up and down on the taijiya’s palm Miroku detected the flush on the old one’s cheek. “There is something that you are not telling us. What is it?”

“I…I don’t know what you mean!” The defensive stance would have been convincing, were it not for the twitch in Myoga’s little eye and the stutter in his speech.

“Myoga so help me, if you are keeping information from us that we need to know, I will personally lock you in one of Kagome’s bau-tels and hand deliver you to Inuyasha.” Sango glared down at the flea-demon who was quaking in her palm.

“Sango-sama, have pity for an old man…”

“Myoga…”

Seeing the threatening glares from the monk and the taijiya, Myoga sighed. “I had hoped to tell Inuyasha-sama myself, there are…many details and it was so long ago.”

Sango snorted, “You had plenty of opportunity to tell Inuyasha, you’re just a coward, Myoga-jiji.”

“What does Inuyasha have to do with sealing the well?” Miroku wondered.

Ukyou and Ryoga had been silent during the exchange, but now Ukyou stepped forward, “Ryoga and I will be with the others if you need us.”

“Wait! This concerns your friends too.” Myoga held up one arm.

Ryoga turned, “What? What does Ranma have to do with any of this?”

“Well, more the young lady who accompanies him and the young lady now in Naraku’s grasp.”

Ukyou sat down on the grass, tugging on Ryoga’s pants to urge him to do likewise. “Start talking.”

Sango and Miroku also took a seat and patiently waited for Myoga to stop his throat clearing.

“Where was I? Oh yes, it was so long ago, yet I remember it so very well…”

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I was much younger in those days, so much more useful to my master…

“Useful? You were useful?”

I’m trying to set the mood, you know? The art of story-telling?

“Forgive us Myoga-san, we shan’t interrupt again.”

“Mmmff-mmf!”

It was rather more civilised then, the Four Lords were strong and held fast to their lands. There was unity and trust. This was before Ryuukotsusei’s attempts to overthrow the Inu no Taisho, Toga-sama. The Lord of the Eastern Lands, Azuma-sama was a great scholar and philosopher. He was forever studying and he was a great confidant of Toga-sama’s.

Striding down the hall, the tall silver-haired youkai was an impressive figure. A servant bowed low to him and directed him further down the hall. Nodding to acknowledge the servant, Toga squared his shoulders before pushing open the heavy doors.

Rows upon rows of scrolls lined the walls of the massive room. More of them littered the floor in careless disarray. Toga felt a smile creeping upon his face as he surveyed the mess his friend had made.

Sitting amidst the chaos was a golden haired man with fierce yellow eyes. The taka youkai had allowed his striking hair to fall gracefully over broad shoulders as he hunched on the floor. Toga did crack a smile when he noticed his friend’s sword tossed carelessly to one side. He shook his head. Azuma should have known better.

Balancing on the tip of his toes for a moment, Toga launched himself at the seated youkai, drawing Tetsusaiga from its sheath. Spinning on his heel, he rested the tip of his sword on the hollow of Azuma’s throat.

“I could’ve killed you ten times over before you drew your next breath.”

Looking up, the yellow-eyed youkai blinked blearily, one taloned hand rising to rub at his eyes. “Why would you do that Toga? Have I angered you already?”

Rolling his eyes, Toga sheathed his legendary sword, “That is not the point baka! I could’ve been an enemy!”

“But you were not.” Rising on lithe feet, the youkai smiled, resting a hand on Toga’s shoulder in greeting. “I’m glad you came, old friend.”

Huffing out an irritated breath, Toga glared. “What is so blasted important that it could not wait another moon Azuma?”

The taka youkai waved a scroll in his friend’s face. “This! This, my friend! It is the key to time itself. That which breaks everything we know of our lives, our purpose.” Azuma, Lord of the Eastern Lands, allowed himself a smile. “Far more important then a woman.”

Toga stiffened, “What do you know? Life is passing you by Azuma, life can’t be found in scrolls.”

“And it can be found in the arms of a woman?” The taka youkai, with his chiselled features and striking figure had been chased by females ever since Toga knew him from their long-ago youth, but Azuma had always sworn that he would not be distracted by meaningless pursuits.

A flash of fang and a confident toss of the head was Toga’s response.

Azuma laughed, a full throaty sound as he tugged on his friend’s arm. “Trust me Toga, this is more important.”

Azuma-sama had made a great discovery. A rip in the very fabric of time was what he called it. Back then, it lay dormant, its powers hidden, but Azuma-sama knew. It was imperative that my lord knew the whole of it, after all, the well was on his lands and they spent many an evening discussing it.

A roll of thunder drew Toga’s attention to the windows. Pensively, he studied the blackening skies.

“Come Toga! There is much that I still need to tell you.”

The Inu no Taisho sighed, “I don’t like leaving her for long.”

“Surely she will be fine for one single night.” Azuma gestured to the seat in front of him with an impatient wave of his hand.

With one last look out the window, Toga turned and sat down.

“As I was saying, the time is drawing ever nearer. All the scrolls say so.” Azuma eagerly spread out yet another scroll and pointed to the diagram.

Toga sighed, rubbing at his tired eyes, “You know I don’t understand any of this Azuma. What is ‘drawing ever nearer’?”

“The purpose! These things do not just occur without reason my friend; all things in life have a purpose.” Azuma leaned forward, jabbing a talon at the diagram once more.

“A purpose…” Toga murmured, his gaze returning to the window.

“Yes. You must call a meeting, it is the only way.” Azuma reclined backwards, eyeing the tense inu youkai.

“Why me? I am sure you can do it.”

“They don’t listen to me like they listen to you Toga.”

My lord was troubled, Ryuukotsusei had begun his machinations and there was dissent between himself and the Lord of the South, but Azuma-sama was insistent and the great meeting was called. It was decided that this power was too great to go unchecked and it was at that meeting that it was decided to set a guardian on the portal. Azuma-sama deduced that the portal was needed for something. Hence a sentient being was put in place, given the power to discern who was to be allowed through and who was not.

Toga-sama was ultimately charged with the portal’s defence as it was on his lands. It was a charge that he had hoped to pass on to his youngest son, who was then still in the womb.

“My lord! I have done as you requested, I kept guard over your lady for you and I…”

He was exhausted, as if every bone in his body wanted to give up their daily job of holding their form and merely melt away. Toga could not remember a time when he had ever felt this tired in his life. The flea youkai was jumping with obscene frenzy and Toga wearily held up a hand to command much needed silence.

“Well done Myoga, now go. There is much that I must discuss with my lady.”

“But my lord! The lady Izayoi slumbers, she had been most tired so she tells me. The pup has been quite active today.”

Toga could not help but smile at the thought of the small life growing inside his mate, “Has he now? That’s my boy…”

Walking on soft feet, Toga slowly pushed open the door. The sight that greeted him could have stopped the beating of his heart.

She looked so peaceful, her face relaxed and a soft smile lurked on her lips. One delicate hand rested on her stomach, now large with his child. It was the most wonderful sight that he had ever beheld. It still awed and humbled him that this angel of a woman had agreed to become his, defying all laws because she loved him. Daily he wondered what great deed he had done to deserve her.

Moving cautiously forward, he hushed his vassal with the wave of his hand. Kneeling in front of his sleeping mate, he pressed a light kiss on her stomach. Whispering soft words, Toga stroked Izayoi’s belly as he spoke to his son.

Straightening, he smiled at her, before gently lifting her into his arms. She mumbled a protest but Toga merely pressed a soft kiss on her temple before carrying her into their chamber.

“That’s beautiful. He really loved her then?”

Of course, my lord cherished Izayoi-sama above all else. Theirs was a love that legends are written of. However, tragedy struck and Toga-sama was cut down in his prime. All was plunged into chaos then. While my lord succeeded in defeating that cur Ryuukotsusei, the Lords of the South and North could not settle their differences and war broke out among the youkai.

I lost contact with Azuma-sama after Inuyasha’s birth as my lord charged me with the honour of protecting his youngest son. Inuyasha grew and we were struck by another tragedy. Izayoi-sama’s death was hard on the boy. It did not help that his mother’s family cast him out and his half-brother would have nothing to do with a hanyou.

Inuyasha was strong and he grew to be the fine lord you know today.

“Fine lord? Myoga-jiji, are you still talking about Inuyasha?”

I thought you were not going to interrupt?

“Sorry.”

It was another stormy night and Inuyasha was sleeping fitfully on the cold floor. It was mere luck that they had a roof over their heads. The innkeeper’s wife was young and compassionate; there would not be many people like her.

Myoga burrowed deeper into Inuyasha’s tangled mane, grateful for the warmth the boy exuded. However, unluckily for him, sleep was one thing he would not have that night.

Jerking awake, Myoga peered into the darkness as tingles of raw power coursed down his tiny body. He knew this power, but had not felt even the slightest hint of it for the last one hundred and fifty years.

“Azuma-sama?”

“Myoga, at last I have found you.”

The taka youkai looked dishevelled from the storm, his golden hair falling in wet curls down his back.

“Azuma-sama, where have you been all this time? The Lord of the North…”

“I know very well what has been happening. The fools.” He shook his head, his hand fisting in his cloak, talons raking the flimsy material. “That is not what I came to you about Myoga.” Fierce yellow eyes landed on the sleeping hanyou. “Is that him? Is that Toga’s son?” But he soon answered his own question as his eyes roamed over the boy’s face. “He looks just like him…”

Trembling, Myoga looked over his shoulder. Though he knew his former master had revered this youkai above all else, the flea now feared for Inuyasha. The boy had very little peace in his life, getting embroiled in youkai matters was perhaps one of the worst things to happen to him now.

“Y..yes Azuma-sama. That is Inuyasha.”

“Inuyasha.” The taka youkai was contemplative. “Myoga, do you remember the well?”

Blinking, Myoga slowly nodded, “Yes Azuma-sama, I believe we are but a few days travel from it.”

“It has been left unguarded all this time. I have tried my best to protect it, but there are … other matters requiring my attention now. Toga swore to me that he would protect the well until it completes its purpose. That task now falls to Inuyasha.”

“Inuyasha? My lord! He is still so young and Sesshoumaru…”

“Sesshoumaru is a fool. A fool blinded by jealousy and misplaced rage.” Drawing his cloak tighter around his body, a sardonic smile twisted his handsome lips. “Besides, the great Sesshoumaru-sama would not see me. I was told that the current Inu no Taisho would have no dealings with human-loving bastards like me.”

Azuma looked out at the rain, his face saddened, “This task falls on Inuyasha and on him alone, do you understand Myoga?”

“Y..yes Azuma-sama. It will be done.”

It was up to me to guide my young lord to this village and to this forest. It was a difficult task as Inuyasha-sama did not want to know anything about his father. Telling him that he was charged with the defence of a time-portal by his late father was not something that Inuyasha-sama would have wanted to hear. He wanted nothing to do with either of his heritages as a youkai or as a human.

It was…fortuitous that he had become enamoured of the miko Kikyou. Angry as he was at humans at the time, I was pressed for a reason to make him stay, but fate intervened and took the choice away from me.

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Myoga fell into a contemplative silence as he drank the tea that he had prepared for himself during his tale.

Miroku stroke his chin thoughtfully, “Well that answers who put the demon-guardian on the well and why, but what does this have to do with Naraku and Akane’s family?”

Myoga took another sip of tea, “That part is…complex, and I don’t know the whole of it, merely tidbits that I had managed to piece together through my travels…”

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As you know tragedy seemed to follow Inuyasha-sama and it was not long before his quiet happiness with the miko was to be broken by a jealous man who would sell his soul to become the devil incarnate – Naraku.

In the fifty years that Inuyasha-sama lay dormant, Azuma-sama’s hanyou daughter grew in strength and beauty. Hizashi was praised as a great beauty, even those who were repulsed by hanyous and what they represented could not find fault in her looks. Azuma-sama had mated a miko and it soon became apparent that his daughter followed her mother’s footsteps in talent and power. Hizashi trained under great spiritual leaders, both human and youkai. Had Kikyou-sama not burned the Shikon no Tama with her body, Hizashi might have very well been made its next guardian.

“Hizashi-sama! Hizashi-sama!”

Dusting the dirt from her hands, Hizashi looked up at the approaching neko youkai. Warily she watched as the villagers inched away in fear, ushering their children into the huts.

Tucking strands of golden hair, Hizashi rose to her feet. Fear had seized her as the youkai approached, she knew him from her childhood. Memories of laughing as she rode on his back tumbled through her mind and her father watching her indulgently…

“Hizashi-sama…you must forgive me.” The neko youkai clutched at his chest to steady his breathing. “I know you dislike us approaching you in the human villages.”

“What is it? Is it Father?” Taking the youkai by the arm, she urged him further from prying human ears.

The youkai drew in another deep breath, “Hizashi-sama, I am sorry but…”

Her heart seemed to have slowed, she could hear her breath rattling through lungs. Vaguely she heard the youkai talk of the leopard tribe and the brutality of their attack.

He was talking about responsibility, duty, but she heard none of it. All she could see was her father, golden and strong. The strongest youkai she had ever known. Gone…

“No…I can’t…I can’t…” She stumbled on her robes, ignoring the outstretched hand. “I…”

“Hizashi-sama, we need you!”

“I’m sorry. I can’t!”

She disappeared for years after that. None heard of her whereabouts or whether she still lived. It soon surfaced that she had settled in a human village not far from her father’s holdings and she had opted to marry a human man.

Kagome-sama surfaced in this world and the purpose of the portal was laid bare. The rest of that tale you know. What I have managed to learn is that Hizashi had managed to acquire a sizeable shard of the Shikon no Tama and was protecting it. Naraku discovered her and the shard. You can imagine what happened next…

I have found out that in her last moments, Hizashi used her powers to send that shard away, somewhere far from Naraku’s grasp. It was believed that all of Hizashi’s village had been decimated in Naraku’s attack, but I discovered that she had sent her youngest son away from these lands and across the water. I believe he still does not know of his mother’s death.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Myoga had fallen silent again as Miroku scratched his head, “I’m afraid I do not understand, what does Hizashi-sama have to do with Akane?”

Sango was frowning and she had been watching Myoga closely, “You believe that Akane and her family are descendants of Hizashi don’t you Myoga-jiji?”

Myoga raised his eyes and nodded miserably, “I had hoped…but when I first laid eyes on Akane and felt her aura, I knew. I knew how Hizashi had planned to keep the Shikon no Tama from ever being completed. An ingenious plan really, to send it to her future descendants. It would take Naraku at least five hundred years to complete the jewel and hopefully something, or someone would have brought the evil hanyou down before then. Ingenious.”

Ukyou held up her hand. “Wait, wait, wait! Are you saying that the Tendous are some long-distant relative of a half-demon? And that’s why this Naraku guy went to all this trouble opening up the well, dragging Ran-chan and Akane here just so he can get hold of a shard?”

“I do not think that Akane-sama and Ranma-san had planned on coming here. I am also not sure if Naraku was the one who rid the portal of its guardian. What I do know is that you must reach Inuyasha-sama and tell him that Naraku has just gained another large portion of the Shikon no Tama.” Myoga crossed his arms gravely.

“Don’t forget about Kasumi!” Ryoga cried, his hand clenching into a fist. “If all he wanted was some piece of a jewel, why did he take Kasumi?”

Myoga shook his head sadly, “That I do not know.”

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Clinging tightly to Kagome, Shippou kept his eyes trained on Inuyasha’s very stiff back. The atmosphere had not lightened even one bit over their tasty lunch. In fact it seemed to have worsened if such a thing was possible. Ranma had exclaimed over Kagome’s cooking, making the girl blush. While the praise was good for Kagome’s ego, it had a negative affect on Inuyasha who had snarled and sulked throughout the meal. Akane had been strangely quiet and she too seemed to have fallen into a depressed mood as the afternoon wore on.

Inuyasha had not helped matters by urging them to walk faster. The hanyou had been uneasy ever since he had suddenly stopped that afternoon, his nose in the air as he turned towards the direction they had come from. Shippou had felt it too, like an ominous rumbling in the distance. Somewhere, a battle was being fought and the pulse of malignant youkai thickened the air and made him shiver in fear. Pressing closer to Kagome, Shippou allowed himself to be soothed by her touch. When Kagome asked Inuyasha what was wrong, the hanyou merely shook his head but had insisted that they pick up the speed.

Finally stopping for the night, Kagome had gone to Ranma to ask if they would be training that night. Shippou had expected the loud martial artist to start bossing Kagome around, but he had turned to look thoughtfully at Inuyasha’s direction before telling Kagome that they should give it a rest for the night.

Kagome had not been pleased and had started making their dinner in a huff.

Spotting that Ranma and Akane had fallen into their usual evening fight and Kagome was busy with the stew, Shippou crept up to Inuyasha.

The events of the past day had his head reeling. Their little group had been together for over a year now and he had fallen into an easy rhythm with them. Everyone had their place in his mind, they had all become family. Kagome had been easy to categorise, with her warm, loving nature. The others fell into the loosely based category of pack members. Inuyasha had been a different matter.

While Shippou would tease and annoy Inuyasha, he still held a great respect for the hanyou. The kitsune believed that his father was the most courageous, strongest man in the world. Then he was cruelly ripped away and suddenly there was a gaping hole in his being where his father was. Though Shippou would never put words to his emotions, he had begun to think of Inuyasha as the father that he had lost.

For the longest time, the kitsune believed that Inuyasha would never willingly fill that role. He groused over every little thing that he had to do for their group and Shippou had begun to believe that Inuyasha did not share his views. However the little cogs of his brain had started to tick over after seeing the way Inuyasha had reacted that afternoon to Ranma’s offer to hunt. Shippou had begun to wonder what Inuyasha thought of their makeshift pack.

“Inuyasha?”

A growl was the only answer he got, but since the hanyou had not outright told him to get lost, Shippou crept forward. “Inuyasha, can I ask you something?”

“What the hell do you want runt?”

Tentatively climbing the tree that Inuyasha had perched on, Shippou began to wonder if this was a good time to ask what he was about to ask. “What does Kagome mean to you?”

Inuyasha’s growl reverberated through his being and it was all Shippou could do not to bolt. “I’m not being nosy or anything, I just want to know…why’d you get so mad at Ranma when he said he’d go hunting for us?”

He knew he was prodding and he half expected to be hit over the head. The glare that Inuyasha focused on him made his knees knock helplessly together, but Shippou held his ground.

“That’s my job.”

“Oh.” Shippou eyed the hanyou, who had gone back to what he was doing before Shippou interrupted: staring into the distance and glaring. Deciding that it was definitely not the right time for this conversation, Shippou changed topics. “This afternoon Inuyasha…”

The silence was encouraging.

“Did you feel it? I did, it made my fur all tingly.” He knew he was beginning to ramble, but a thought popped into his head. “They’re alright aren’t they? The pa…Sango and Miroku? They’re okay right? You’d know.”

Biting his lip, Shippou wondered if Inuyasha had caught his slip. Inuyasha tore his gaze from the setting sun, looking thoughtful as he looked down at Shippou. “Yeah, they’re alright. I’d know.”

Translations:

Taka – Hawk

Azuma – East, Eastern Japan

Hizashi – Sunlight, Rays of the Sun

AN: I wanted to put this in the disclaimer above, but I thought I’d be giving it away if I did. Azuma and Hizashi are characters of my own creation. Please don’t use them without my consent.

I hope the flashbacks weren’t too confusing for you. If they were, please let me know. I know that it took me a while to get this out again, but this chapter is much longer then the others – I hope it makes up for it. I really hope that my diving into the past didn’t bore you all to death.

Also a small note on the use of the Inu no Taisho’s name and timeline. Most of my information comes from the third movie. Before anyone asks, in the Japanese the Inu no Taisho’s name I believe was given as “Toga”, hence I used it, mainly because it would be awkward using his title all the time. In the third movie, it was revealed that the Inu no Taisho died 200 years ago from that point, the day Inuyasha was born. This 200 years included the time Inuyasha was pinned to the tree, therefore in this story Inuyasha is 201 years old or 151 depending on whether you want to count his time spent in suspended animation.

Also, finally, I have a request. I know I have problems with grammar. I have a tendency to write the way I speak. That is, I put commas and whatnot where I think pauses should go. Now I know that is not technically correct. I was wondering if anyone out there will be willing to be a beta-reader for this fic? If anyone is interested, please email me: angeline.lebron@gmail.com I know I can certainly need the help. I’m planning go over past chapters and fix any errors, though I will probably save that for when I actually finish writing this.

Fanfic Recommendiations

2006-07-31T01:27:25Z

Yes, yes I know that I promised to do one of these much sooner then this, but alas life got in the way. Oh to merely sit and do nothing but write and read fanfic...oh sorry, I was day dreaming again...

I'm starting out with some classics that I believe everyone should read, you probably already have!

Anime: Inuyasha
Title: The Lucky Ones
Author: terri_botta
URL: http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_st.php/54993
Author summary: Sometimes Fate hands you a gift you never thought you’d ever get, and it’s up to you to accept it for what it is.
Warnings: Contains lemons - do not read if you're under age!
Comment: A definite must-read of the Inuyasha fanfic realm. Touching and evocative, this story takes our favourite couple and breathes life into their love story.

Anime: Rurouni Kenshin
Title: Hakama Dake
Author: Indygodusk
URL: http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_st.php/105780
Author summary: During a heat wave, Kaoru finds herself alone, frustrated, and extremely hot. Defeated by Kenshin's friendly behavior, she gives up on his love. But she refuses to lose to the sun. Clothes start to fly, but no one's there to see, right? KBK
Warnings: Limes and lemons - another one not for the under age
Comment: My all time favourite Kenshin fanfic,. The characterisation in this one is spot on. Steamy and seductive, this fic just pulls you in from the get go.

Anime: Ranma 1/2
Title: Ranma's Morning Confession
Author: Ringmaster
URL: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1975564/1/
Author summary: Akane accidentally sees Ranma meeting someone in the morning. In desperation, Shampoo tries one last potion to win Ranma. What does it do, what went wrong with it? What the hell is Akane doing with Amazon potions? On herself?
Warnings: Also contains limes and lemons - not for the kiddies!
Comment: An intricate plot, the characters just come alive. Gives a wonderful insight into our favourite pig-tailed martial artist. Cute and small cross over with Kenshin too.

Well how's that for a start? They're all nice and long and should keep you busy for a while. I'll be back with more,

-happy dance-

2006-07-21T10:13:25Z

Guess what? Guess what? My Rurouni Kenshin music CDs have arrived! -does some more happy dancing- Now all I have to do is download them to my ipod them I'm an even happier chickee running around! Anyone notice that anime often has the most wonderful songs? Sticks to your head and refused to let go until you hunt down the lyrics and memorise the song phonetically? -sees the strange looks- Okay I guess I'm the only one.

I've been racking my brain on what to do with this journal aside from posting oneshots and challenge responses - and I thought since I do read a lot of fanfics, I wanted to share some of my finds. So, look out for a fanfic recommendation coming soon!

-wanders off to listen to Kenshin soundtrack-

Procastinating...

2006-07-19T10:42:22Z

What's new right? I really should be working on my chapter, but I keep wanting to find more fic to *read* rather then *writing*. -sigh- I have to admit that I'm also suffering from writer's block. I've got all these great ideas where to go from here, and am just utterly confused! My answer? Write for contests...

Personal note - really considering moving jobs. It was great for uni, the flexibility and the great boss, but this job is taking its toll! I work in a pawn broker. Yeah, you should see the reactions I get from people. There's this one customer that annoys the living heck out of me. He spends *hours* and I do mean HOURS looking at jewelry forever asking me what do I think of this or that and NEVER buys anything. It drives me up the wall, I've been rude, been downright mean, but this guy is an idiot and just does not get it!

Okay...personal-life-rant over. Ooooh - House is on. Later!

[Fanfic] Wistful Thinking

2006-07-18T20:47:39Z

Fanfic

Title: Wistful Thinking
Anime: Rurouni Kenshin
Pairing: Kaoru/Kenshin
Rating: T/M
Summary: Kaoru's been thinking of a certain red-head...again. Little does she know that someone has been listening in.

AN: This is written as an answer to the 2006 MediaMiner.org Summer Make A Wish contest. This is a couple of firsts for me. First time I ever entered a fanfic contest. First time I wrote for this particular anime. First time I think I wrote in first person. Whew, you'd think this would be the first time I wrote anything! Well, not quite.

Just a quick note about Kenshin-speak, I'm not all that familiar with Japanese grammar, let alone Kenshin's complex pattern of speaking, so I stuck with the dreaded “that it is” as used in the anime. Don't hate me!

Disclaimer: I don’t own Rurouni Kenshin nor am I affiliated with anyone that might own Rurouni Kenshin. But if I wish really, really hard and am a really, really good girl, do you think I’ll get Kenshin for my birthday?

Wistful Thinking

Dragonflies flickering in the lazy summer heat; the wind rustling through dry ground. I hate summer. I hate the way my kimono would stick to my body, uncomfortable and unlady-like. I already had more then enough problems in that department. I really didn’t need an entire season just to emphasize my lack of grace.

I wish summer never existed.

Yahiko had been complaining of the heat and since I wasn’t feeling particularly industrious either I had called a halt to our training as we sat down with a plate of mochi and some cooled tea. Kenshin made the mochi, I at least made the tea.

Kenshin.

The red-haired rurouni sat with his elbows deep in soapsuds. I suppose the water itself would be cool, but sitting there under the hot sun wasn’t likely to be pleasant at all. When I had pointed this fact out, he had merely brushed me off with a wave of a soapy hand. I hate that smile of his; so pleasant, so alluring and so very empty. I hated the way he hid behind a simple pull of facial muscles. Just like that, he was so far away from me, I didn’t know if I could ever reach him.

I wish he’d stop smiling like that.

“Oi busu! Would you quit staring at Kenshin already? Your face really can’t stand to have any added wrinkles you know.”

Shooting a glare at my baka-deshi, I briefly entertained the thought of hitting him with my shinai. That would actually require me to lift my arm to take hold of the shinai in the first place. Mou.

“Heh, it’s not like Kenshin would ever look at you like that anyway B-U-S-U. God knows how many beautiful women Kenshin’s had.”

Ouch. The boy certainly had keen powers of observation. Sometimes I thought Yahiko was far too worldly to be a boy of eleven. Maybe he was really a wizened old gnome hiding underneath young skin. I hated the way he would shoot out some thoughtless comment that would just pierce right through me.

I wish Yahiko would just stop talking!

“Mou! What do you know about it anyway Yahiko-chan?”

“I am not a little kid! Stop calling me that!”

I stuck my tongue out at him, “I can call you whatever I want Yahiko-chan!”

The boy growled in frustration, “Shut up busu!”

“Make me, brat!”

“Maa, maa. There is no need for you to argue, that there isn’t.”

He spoke to me! Be still my heart! “It’s too hot for this anyway. Want some tea Kenshin?”

“Yes please Kaoru-dono.” He smiled that wonderful smile I hate.

Funny how one thinks of the oddest things. Thoughts should be private; thoughts often shouldn’t be acted upon. That’s why people think right? Isn’t there some invisible barrier with a clerk sitting in our minds that process the thoughts we think and determine whether they get given a passport to our mouth? I used to imagine my little mind-clerk as a wizened old lady with a wicked tongue. Then I met Megumi-san. My little mind-clerk looks an awful lot like her these days.

Had I known that my little mind-clerk had a visitor, I wouldn’t dare think of anything at all. Then again, if my little mind-clerk really is Megumi-san, maybe I shouldn’t have been as surprised as I was.

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The scorching summer heat seemed to have turned into an absolute heat-wave; relentless and increasing in intensity. So when Sanosuke suggested that we all head down to the beach the next day I was more then ready to go. I was already imagining the cooling breeze over my skin, the water lapping at my toes. Kenshin might like to go for a dip. That would be nice, I can stare at him all I want to if he was taking a dip…

Mou! Bad Kaoru! Thinking such inappropriate things about the poor rurouni! What did he ever do to deserver this lechery?

Sneaking a glance at his profile, I remembered the way his eyes would flash golden whenever he got angered. It sent chills down my spine.

I suddenly shivered again. Was it…getting cold?

Our merry little group were all talking rather animatedly. Sanosuke had invited Dr. Genzai and his granddaughters, both were attached to Kenshin like little leeches, one on each of his legs. He was laughing at their antics while balancing the basket which contained our picnic on one arm. Megumi had been invited as well and she now sidled up to Kenshin, shamelessly flirting. Yahiko was walking not far behind, arms thrown back over his head, the picture of care-free youth as he talked up a storm with Sano.

Not one of them was shivering.

I could feel my skin prickling with the cold and I began to rub my arm through the sleeve of my kimono. I never noticed how flimsy the material was before now. Looking at the group again something suddenly struck me. I could feel a cold breeze rushing past my body and rustling my clothes, yet the wind didn’t disturb a single hair on Kenshin’s head.

What on earth was going on?

I was so preoccupied with my thoughts and the eerie chill that was racking my body that I didn’t notice that Kenshin had stopped walking and was waiting for me, until I almost ran face first into his chest. My toe caught on a rock and I was so startled by the appearance of Kenshin’s chest in such close proximity that I stumbled, right into his waiting arms.

“Oro! Kaoru-dono, are you alright?”

He reached out a hand to steady me against his body and as I looked up into concerned amethyst eyes, I felt the warmth ebb back into my body. “I’m fine Kenshin. I was just thinking.”

I fought down the blush that I knew was trying to take control of my face and set it alight in a wash of very unflattering red.

He peered down at me and I fought the urge to tear my gaze away from his.

“Sessha thinks that you should take more care Kaoru-dono that I do.” Gently righting me, Kenshin let his hands drop from my arms.

Now why did I suddenly feel cold again?

“Uh, Kenshin, let me help you with that basket.” Impulsively, I reached for the basket, but he was too fast for me and yanked it out of my reach. My fingers brushed against the back of his hand and I felt warmth surge through the contact.

“Oh no, Kaoru-dono, you must allow sessha to carry this. It’s not very heavy and you must not task yourself with it.” He smiled at me.

I felt cold again. Blinking, I stared at my fingers. Were they turning blue or was it my imagination?

“Please, allow me Kaoru-dono.”

Startled, I looked up and to my surprise found Kenshin gallantly offering his arm to escort me.

Blushing, I allowed my icy fingers to rest on his arm, certain he would jerk back from the frigidity. But when he made no move to do so or even question why my hands were so cold in the scorching summer heat, I let my body relax as the heat flooded back into me from that briefest of contacts.

“We must hurry Kaoru-dono, I believe they are leaving us behind.” He smiled gently at me and I can only nod dumbly as I hitched my kimono upwards a bit to free my legs for a faster pace.

As Kenshin laughed and told me of Ayame’s and Suzame’s exuberance, I couldn’t help but laugh back, forgetting about the chill that had seized my body.

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“Kaoru-chan! Kaoru-chan! Look what I found!”

“Yeah, Kaoru, look what we found!”

Smiling indulgently at the little girls, I knelt down in the sand and looked at their treasures. The girls had been harrying up and down the beach ever since we had arrived in search for seashells. Apparently Kenshin had told them a fabulous tale of buried treasure underneath the shifting sands. He had stooped low as he spun his story to an appreciative audience, brushing at the sand at his feet. He had finished the story by holding up the most perfectly shaped seashell I had ever seen. The girls had squealed and run down the beach in search for more treasure and my rurouni stood and walked towards me.

He cradled the object in his hand. He reached my side and looked up. He held up his “treasure” for me to observe. The shell was a powdery blue, its twist and turns deepening into a more distinguished indigo. It was beautiful. Kenshin had somehow managed to string the object on a thin cord and he presented it to me now.

Touched, I looked up and allowed him to tie the cord around my neck.

“It matches your eyes that it does.” He whispered in my ear.

Flustered by his words, I let my fingers brush across the shell’s textured exterior. “How…?”

He held up a needle and some of the cord he had used. “It was nothing.”

Mesmerized, I could’ve sworn that Kenshin was leaning towards me. I never noticed how soft his lips looked before…

“Would you two stop making googly eyes at each other? The food’s getting cold!”

I wanted to scream. Damn that Yahiko!

Kenshin just gestured for me to precede him. Blushing, I moved past him to take a seat at the blanket that Megumi had spread out for our picnic. As it was, the food was already rapidly disappearing as Dr. Genzai called his granddaughters over for our late lunch.

I knew I kept sneaking glances at Kenshin, I just couldn’t help myself. I blame him entirely. The man was just begging to be stared at, with that long red hair, those sculpted cheekbones…

I really have to stop thinking like this or I’m not going to last a day without…

Ugh! There I go again! I had to physically restrain myself, lest I suddenly hit my head with own shinai.

“Kenshin do you want the last pickle?”

“By all means Kaoru-dono, you should have it, if you want it.” Kenshin pushed the bowl towards me, his eyes solemn.

Twirling a strand of hair on one finger, I peered at him, “Okay, if you’re sure…”

“Of course I am.” Firmly, he nudged the bowl in my direction again.

Studying his face closely, I plucked a pickled radish from the bowl, nibbling daintily on it. The thought suddenly struck me that something must be bothering him. I hadn’t seen him smile since we had arrived at the beach.

“Are you alright Kenshin?”

Looking startled, Kenshin tore his attention from Megumi-san who was pressing her body scandalously close to him, “Oro? Of course sessha is alright Kaoru-dono. You must not worry.”

Usually my rurouni would try to reassure me with that blinding smile of his, laugh and shrug off my concern. I didn’t get any of that this time. This time, he sat there looking at me with not a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. Had those eyes not been a deep purple at that moment, I would’ve wondered if I was talking to Himura Kenshin or his alter-ego, the Hitokiri Battousai.

Megumi-san drew his attention back to herself and I watched Kenshin very closely. Once again, in this very situation, Kenshin would usually laugh, blush and do everything in his power to deflect Megumi’s attention away from himself without being rude. I often thought that he should just tell the scheming kitsune to take a hike, but Kenshin was far too gentlemanly to do such a thing as turn a lady down. But as I watched him, not a flicker of amusement crossed his features. Not one flushed “oro”. Nothing.

Inching closer to Yahiko, I kept my voice low. “Yahiko, is something the matter with Kenshin?”

Yahiko turned, first looking at me then looking at Kenshin, “Uh, no. What do you mean busu?”

For once I let the comment slide, there were other more pressing things at the moment, “I haven’t seen him smile or laugh all afternoon.”

Yahiko blinked. He looked at Kenshin, then looked me. He blinked again and looked back at Kenshin again. “What are you talking about busu? He’s laughing right now.”

Startled, I looked back at Kenshin. He was sitting there with the same quiet seriousness as before. “What? Right now?”

Yahiko nodded slowly, “Yeah…hey Kaoru, are you feeling alright?”

It was the second time someone had asked me that and frankly I was beginning to doubt that I was alright. Nodding mutely, I sat back and stared at Kenshin.

What was wrong with me?

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The day had been filled with light banter and laughter, but the one sound that I wanted to hear had been denied me. I had asked Sanosuke and Megumi if they had heard Kenshin laugh, just in case Yahiko was just messing with my head. They gave me the oddest looks, like I had finally climbed a tree and started swinging from it.

I hadn’t realized how much I wanted, no needed to hear Kenshin’s laughter until it was taken away from. I felt cold again. But this time, no touch or look from my rurouni could melt through the ice.

I sat by the water’s edge, letting the waves lap at my toes. We had spent the entire afternoon at the beach. The girls had worn themselves out and were now dozing on the rapidly cooling sand. Yahiko and Sanosuke had been skipping stones across the water, each trying to outdo the other in number of skips.

As Sanosuke sent a pebble dancing across the water, I kept my gaze focused on the rippling waves, streaks of red and gold dancing across the rolling water. Unbidden, thoughts of silken red hair across my pillow and flashing golden eyes surged in my mind’s eye. Emulating the rippling of the sun’s rays on the chilly sea, the hair brushed against a marred cheek. Stifling a gasp, I forced my eyes open.

Kenshin was sitting next to me. Had I been so preoccupied by my thoughts that I hadn’t noticed him?

Like in my imagination, tendrils of red swept past one shoulder and curled on his face. He looked thoughtful.

“Has sessha done something to anger you Kaoru-dono?”

He spoke so quietly that I barely heard him over the crashing of the waves. “What? No Kenshin, I just…I…”

I think I’m going insane. I feel cold in the height of summer, everyone has seen you laughing and smiling except for me. I think I’ve finally cracked. Think Soujirou Seta wants some company on his travels?

“You haven’t done anything wrong Kenshin.”

“Ano, sessha is just worried. You don’t seem to be enjoying yourself very much Kaoru-dono.” He certainly did look worried. That was one thing I think Kenshin and I had in common, we were world-class worry-warts. Ain’t no-one who could out-worry the two of us when we put our minds to it.

“I’m fine Kenshin.” How many times have I said that today? “Really, there isn’t anything for you to worry about…I just…”

“Yes?”

Is it just me or did Kenshin’s eyes suddenly look like swirling pools of molten gems? Oh Kami-sama help me, I was getting poetic.

“I just…”

Why did looking into his eyes conjure images of twisting limbs and balmy nights? Speaking of which, when did I get so…so…adult in my thoughts?
“I just want you to smile at me again.”

Kenshin blinked then slowly, like a sun rising after a stormy night, he smiled; that sweet smile that was all goodness, all light. I wanted to throw my arms around him and never let go.

It was as if something had taken over my body and right after thinking it, my arms were wrapping around his neck. I could feel him oro-ing against my neck and felt a blush rise up in my cheeks.

Just as quickly I let go of him, brushing the sand from my kimono.

“The others!”

“The others?” He looked puzzled and disorientated. That’s my sweet Kenshin.

“Yes, the others, they’re leaving us behind.”

Kenshin turned and watched as Dr. Genzai packed his granddaughters up and Megumi and Sano argued. “So they are.”

He stood in one graceful motion. “We must be going to, that we must.”

While I was still admiring his grace, his hand found my own. Surprised, I looked down to find that Kenshin had taken hold of my hand.

I wasn’t going to start complaining about that, that’s for sure!

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It had been such an odd day; I hardly knew what to think. Languorously running a brush through my hair, I found myself thinking once again.

Kenshin had not relinquished his hold on my hand until we were well on the road home. Since he seemed to have taken it in stride, there was no way that I was going to ruin it by doing something so immature as call attention to the simple gesture of affection. Though I had to admit that flaunting the hand-holding in front of Megumi was a tempting prospect, but I reigned in my childishness.

I could be an adult too.

Kenshin’s thumb had brushed briefly over my fingers before he let go of my hand and for a moment I wondered how he would react if I grabbed hold of him again.

Deciding to spare him and myself the embarrassment, I kept my treacherous hand tucked firmly in the sleeve of my kimono until we got home.

When we arrived, Kenshin had packed away our picnic things, ushering Yahiko off to bed despite the boy’s protests. He had made a pot of tea and invited Sano to sit.

The night had brought a welcome change in temperature, at least Kenshin said so. I had been feeling chilled on and off the whole day, so the more temperate and natural change in temperature wasn’t anything to get excited over.

Sanosuke had soon excused himself; he said he had to meet an old friend. We knew that he gone to gamble.

Kenshin had waved Sanosuke off and turned to me. He suggested that we go to bed.

I had been so flustered, preoccupied with thoughts of Kenshin, me and the bed that I hadn’t noticed that Kenshin had already walked into the house, leaving me alone with my less then pure thoughts. Mou.

Now I sat brushing my hair. In my room. Alone. Mou! Damn that Kenshin, why did he have to be so dense?

“Ouch!” In the ferocity of my thoughts, I hadn’t noticed that I had managed to pull several strands of hair from my now stinging scalp. Sighing, I laid the brush down.

Crawling towards my futon in the dark, I stilled as I heard footsteps right outside my door. Freezing on the spot, I kept very still. The footsteps had also stilled as if sensing my attention. After a moment, the footsteps continued down the hall. Cautiously, I crawled towards my door.

Trying to keep as quiet as possible, I slid the door open and peered out. I was just in time to see a spiky head disappear down the steps.

Yahiko?

What was that brat doing out of bed at this time of night?

Inching forward, I stealthily followed him.

Yahiko paused at the front door. I finally caught sight of him. He was fully dressed and had his shinai strapped to his back. Not wanting to be seen, I hung back and watched him as he pulled on his shoes. Where in the world did he think he was going?

Stepping out of the shadows just as Yahiko reached the front gate, I called his name.

Jumping guiltily, Yahiko spun around, his hands in the air.

“Yahiko-chan! Where do you think you’re going?”

He remained silent, shaking his head and waving his hands.

“Yahiko do you realize what time it is? A boy your age should be in bed, not defying their assistant masters!”

Still he didn’t say a word, just shook his head. He pointed towards the gate, he looked upset.

Why in the world didn’t he speak? “Yahiko, where are you going? Answer me!”

“Demo Kaoru-dono, Yahiko has been doing his best to explain, that he has.”

Damn it! How many times is this guy going to sneak up on me today? Spinning around, I saw Kenshin had followed us. He was in his sleeping yukuta, his hair messy from being hastily tied back up again. Sometimes I just wanted him to leave that gorgeous hair of his alone. It really was wonderful, lying on his shoulders in silken disarray…

Oh right, track, must get back on it.

“What are you talking about Kenshin? He’s just standing there, defying his assistant master by not explaining where he’s going! Bad enough that he’s sneaking out, but disrespecting me by not answering my questions! Mou!” I knew I looked just a tad childish with that foot stamp, but damn it I wanted to emphasize a point.

Kenshin and Yahiko were exchanging looks again. Why did people keep doing that today?

“Kaoru-dono, did you not hear Yahiko? He explained that he forgot to drop something off at the Akabeko that Tae-san said she needed urgently in the morning. He was just going to complete his errand.” Kenshin had that worried gleam in his eyes again.

Yahiko had his arms crossed over his chest and was glaring at me.

What…? I couldn’t…

A lazy summer afternoon, sitting on the porch with mochi and tea…

I wish summer never existed.

Bitter cold racking my body as everyone sweated in the heat.

I wish he’d stop smiling like that.

What are you talking about busu? He’s laughing right now…

I wish Yahiko would just stop talking!

Oh no…it couldn’t be. Seta? Think I can tag along with you now?

Stumbling backwards from a confused Kenshin and an irritated Yahiko, my mind was in a spin. Could it be? But they were just thoughts! Harmless, thoughtless thinking. I didn’t even say them out loud.

Yahiko had thrown his hands up in frustration. He was looking at Kenshin and the rurouni nodded before Yahiko stomped out of the gate. I was left with Kenshin. Well Kenshin and my oh so confused brain that is.

Kenshin turned to me, his handsome face marred by a frown, “Kaoru-dono, I think you should lie down, that I do.”

“I…I think you’re right Kenshin.”

I allowed him to take me by the elbow, but somehow my feet didn’t want to move. I heard a rustle of clothing and all of a sudden I was in his arms. He was carrying me to my room. I think I’ve blushed too much today, now my blushing was all worn out and I couldn’t summon any heat to my abused cheeks tonight; even if Kenshin held me in his strong arms.

He laid me down on my futon, tucking the covers up to my chin. It was like tucking a child into bed. He pressed a chaste kiss on my forehead. Wordlessly, I grabbed hold of his hand.

“Kenshin. Will you…”

Without needing me to say the words he turned back and sat down beside me.

“Kenshin I need….” I sat up.

Again, as if he had a direct link to my brain, Kenshin wordlessly opened his arms and let me climb into them.

“Kenshin…”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I don’t know when I fell asleep. I don’t remember being moved back to my futon. But the next morning I woke up in my own bed without a sign of my rurouni.

Had I been dreaming?

Shaking my head I got up and dressed.

The tantalizing smell of miso soup drifted delicately under my nostrils. I could feel my stomach rumbling. Tentatively making my way down stairs, I followed my nose to the kitchen.

Was I imagining the tenderness in his eyes last night? Did I only dream that he held me tight?

“Good morning Kaoru-dono. Did you sleep well?”

“Yes…thank you Kenshin.” He smiled at me.

“Breakfast will be ready soon, that it will.”

“Thank you Kenshin.” Couldn’t I think of anything better to say? “Can I help?”

He laughed, “Oh no Kaoru-dono. Sessha has everything under control.”

Translation: Stay the hell out of my kitchen, you destroyer of all good food. I knew when to back down.

“Kenshin, about last night…”

“Kaoru-dono was most tired, that you were. You need not worry.” There it was again, that look, the same as last night. Putting his spoon down, he came over and touched my cheek, “You will be fine Kaoru.”

He turned and went back to his cooking. I felt like I had been slapped, but in a good way. My cheek tingled and my head spun.

Kenshin suddenly yelped as the cat made its daily appearance. Amidst their struggle, the candle that Kenshin had on the counter flew towards me.

Panicked, I spun, narrowly missing the heat of the candle’s flame as it rushed past my cheek.

Ouch! Slapping a hand to my ear, I looked down. I could’ve sworn I saw something dart out of sight. It resembled a frog in appearance, but as it stared up at me behind a beaked visage, I saw mischievous eyes sparkling at me before it disappeared.

Was that a…

“Kaoru-dono! Are you alright? Sessha did not mean to throw that candle at you!” Kenshin was gripping my shoulders as he peered anxiously at me.

Mou. We’re back to the “dono” are we? I really wished…

“I’m fine Kenshin, it wasn’t your fault.”

“But sessha…”

I caught hold of his wrists, and looked into his eyes, willing him to calm down. “I said I’m fine. See, not a burn.”

Anxiously he peered at my face, his thumb running over my cheek. I felt heat rise up to suffuse my face again. This was a wholly different kind of burning…

He sighed, “Sessha would feel much better if you would sit down at the table Kaoru-dono. Away from the hazards of the kitchen ne?”

I laughed, “Alright Kenshin.”

Inching over to the doorway, I watched him work. There were many things I wished for, but maybe I didn’t have very long to wait anymore.

Fin

AN: How was it? Good? Bad? To those reading my other fic, don't worry, still working along with it. But this contest just grabbed hold of me and I've been dying to write something about Rurouni Kenshin. Perhaps my next long epic will be about that anime. We shall see…

By the way for those who were curious, the frog thing that jumped out of Kaoru was loosely based on a Japanese mythical creature called a Kappa, usually water sprites who are essentially trouble-makers. Like I said loosely based.

Well - hope you enjoyed this pointless bit of fluff.

Starting over...

2006-07-17T00:00:14Z

Now I fancy myself a writer...except for the whole not writing anything for what? 3 years? I blame soul-sucking university work. So my skills (hah) have fallen to the side. Now I am currently in the midst of writing this fic that's starting out to be a bit of an epic. I tend to do that, start epics that is, but at the same time I got these little story ideas dancing around in my head. So, in the interest of my skull, which is about to explode, I thought what the heck, get it out of my system and write a few *short* little ficlets that will probably only ever appear here on LJ. Right? Right.

*smacks hand against forehead* My fiance is always telling me that I need a publicist. I almost never think to advertise my own work. So, in the interest of listening to the guy that I'm gonna marry...someday. Here is a link to my current on-going nightmare...umm work. Whoops, better give you some indication of what it is...It's an Inuyasha/Ranma 1/2 crossover. I'd like to think its atypical, but you're asking the author here. Of course I'm gonna say that. Let's just say that it starts with the premise that Kagome isn't happy always being called "weak" by Inuyasha, so she sets out to do something about it. It's actually got a very involved plot to it, much more then my lame summary suggests, but to tell you what it is, would just take all the fun out of reading it.

Fanfic.Net: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2762610/1/
MediaMiner.Org: http://www.mediaminer.org/fanfic/view_st.php/123530

Up to you where you want to read it. I'm off to write a few more lines to this fic, and perhaps start my first ever one-shot.