Twisted Accusations

Chapter Ten

Kagome was sure she had to be close to the village already. Another day of traveling had to be the most for her. She stood up from her seat on the road when a figure was seen walking towards her. It was tall enough to be Aoshi but he hadn't been wearing white. "It's that one guy, from the dojo." She scratched her head wondering why he was trailing behind her. That couldn't be the case since she'd been in Kyoto for awhile. A coincidence maybe? Whatever the case, she could ask him if she was going in the right direction.

Part of her was disappointed that it wasn't Aoshi walking towards her. Why would he keep following? She had fired him, he had no reason to escort her. He would have if he cared about her, explained why she was alone. Having someone treat her like a job and a burden pissed her off. She'd had enough of that with Inuyasha, no more. "Evening."

Sano stopped near the strange woman and smiled. "Hello, what are you doing out here all alone?" He looked around the area, where the hell was Aoshi? He'd been informed that the miko was being escorted by him. He'd been sent by Kenshin to speak to the girl, so he'd followed hoping to catch up. He'd been on the road for over two days, his stomach was empty. "I don't suppose you have any food."

"Well, someone has their priorities straight. Tell me what you are doing out here and I might give you some." Kagome heard his stomach rumble in protest. A smirk crossed her face, when was the last time he'd eaten? What was the pointy haired guy doing out here? Maybe she should offer to lend him her brush.

"Kenshin sent me to speak to you, since he didn't want to leave the little missy. I got to Kyoto to find out that you'd left with Aoshi. I didn't feel like waiting a few weeks for you to return so I followed. Thinking of which where the hell is Aoshi?" Sano sat down on the road, waiting for the man to pop out of the bushes.

"Oh, Mr. Tightass left the other day, I had to fire him." Kagome reached into her bag and tossed him a roll. He caught it in mid-air, shoving the whole thing in his mouth. "You might want to taste that." Who was this Kenshin and what did he want? Was it the guy she had burned then healed? Or was it someone else? If she was going to be asked to do another favor she'd have to decline. As soon as she got back to Kyoto she wanted to head to the well back near Tokyo. With any luck it would let her pass and send her home.

"WHAT?!! You got rid of Aoshi, who is going to escort you now? Do you realize how dangerous it is for you to be traveling alone? A pretty girl like you could get into some serious trouble. I know Aoshi isn't the best of company but he could have kept you safe until you reached this village." Sano wiped the crumbs off his mouth, he flinched seeing her glare.

"Excuse me, I don't need him to protect me. Just because I'm a woman it doesn't mean I'm helpless. I'd rather be raped and beheaded before traveling with that uptight jerk. I can take care of myself, so there." She stuck her tongue at him and crossed her arms. Were all men the same? She should take a pair of scissors to his head for that comment. Need Aoshi, her ass she needed him. She didn't need his protection, his company or him kissing her. What did it matter? What was the big deal. "So what did you want to talk to me about? It better be good for following me all the way out here."

"Actually, Kenshin was worried about you. The way we both figure it someone had to attack you and leave you for dead. Which means you might be in danger. He wants you to come back to the dojo whenever you get the chance. Knowing Kenshin he wants to help you out of whatever you've landed yourself in." Sano knew it was the case, it was the man's way. The girl looked to be alone and extremely fragile. She kind of reminded him of Sayo, she'd been gentle and fragile. Would he ever get over her death? What good did it do to dwell on it? If this girl was in trouble then he'd do what he could to help her. She was some type of holy person as well. He wasn't sure what exactly a miko was but she was considered a holy person.

"Fine, I'll speak to him on my way back. I was planning on heading back in that direction after I get done in this village. I don't need anyone's help, my problems are my own. As far as who tried to kill me that's none of your concern." She turned deciding this conversation was over. What the hell could she tell him? He seemed to know Aoshi, so that ended that concern. She could imagine the look on his face if she said, 'Your friend tried to kill me over a decade ago.' He'd think she'd lost what common sense god have given her.

"Wait, I can't let you go alone. I'll go with you, since Aoshi ditched you." Sano would never hear the end of it from everyone back at the dojo if he let her go off alone. Besides, he didn't have anything pressing to do. A nice walk would help take his mind off a few things.

"He didn't ditch me! Say that again and I'll tear your head off. If you want to accompany me then fine but don't get on my nerves. Oh, I'm kind of lost do you know the way?"

Kagome sat on the rock staring at the fire, she should have known better than to trust his sense of direction. He'd told her they were taking a shortcut. Now they were lost in the damn woods, with no idea of where they were going. She should have arrived at the village yesterday morning. Would they wonder where she was and worry? They believed Aoshi was escorting her, so they wouldn't worry yet. She cursed herself for getting rid of him and ending up with roosterhead. Sano was pleasant company but had a shitty sense of direction. "I can't believe I listened to you, we should have stuck to the road."

"Hey, don't blame me." Sano leaned against the tree, gazing at the fire. Even if it was his fault they were lost, he didn't want to hear it. He was sure he'd been going the right way. Now he was stuck with this woman who was nothing like Sayo. Not that he minded her, she was worse than Misao. Her colorful language had surprised him and her lack of regard for protocol. Last night had been cold even with the fire going. She'd actually shared her blanket with him, forcing them to sleep together. They didn't touch but it was still frowned upon. She said all those people could kiss her ass, there was no need for them to freeze. There was also the threat of tearing his balls off and shoving them down his throat if he touched her. She was scary for someone so small. He chuckled recalling their time together already, so unlike most other women. Misao was really the only female to give her a run for her money. While Misao tended to be annoying at times, this girl was amusing. Why had Aoshi left her alone? Having her around was making being lost kind of fun.

"Dammit, you ate the last piece of bread. What am I going to eat?" Kagome scowled at him, the pig. Whomever fed the poor guy had to be rich. Where the hell did he stash it all? If she ate that much her ass wouldn't fit in her pants. The sound of his stomach growling made her laugh. "Go catch some fish or something, I'm hungry."

"What should I catch them with?" He stood up wondering what he could find. It was dark already, he wouldn't find much out here. "It's dark out here, how am I suppose to see?"

"Use your teeth for all I care, fine I'll go. Stay here, I'll call if I get lost." Kagome grabbed her bow, maybe she could find something to kill. He gawked at her, "I do mean stay here, you don't want me to shoot you on accident." He crossed his arms and leaned back looking cocky.

She searched for over twenty minutes staying relatively close to their camp. She came upon the stream they'd crossed earlier, her luck payed off. Some type of pig was drinking from the shallow end. Her aura and scent was covered by her barrier, leaving him unaware of her presence. The thought of killing it didn't bother her anymore. She'd seen Inuyasha bring plenty of animals back to their camp for dinner. An arrow was notched quickly not wanting to lose her chance at dinner. It struck the pig in the neck.

Once she got to it, she saw a problem. It was heavier than she thought it would be but she couldn't leave it. There was no way she'd be able to lift it over her shoulder and carry it that far. She took her shirt off and placed it beside the carcass. It rolled over, blood drained on material. It left her standing in only a bra but that couldn't be helped. Using the sleeves, she began dragging it along. Her make shift stretcher made the job alot easier but took more time. Her arms were aching, she had highbeams from the cold.

She saw the light from the camp and sighed in relief. A few more minutes, she'd be back. He would be the one to clean and cook the damn thing. If she was going to bring home the bacon, he could be the bitch and cook it. When she dragged it into camp, he was snoozing against the tree.

Sano heard her coming back, her cursing gave her away. He kept his eyes closed, assuming she hadn't been able to find anything. "So did you find anything, or should I go?"

"Open your damn eyes and see for yourself." Kagome yelled at him, he couldn't have done any better. "Jerkass," She walked over to the canteen sitting by her bag. She groaned as her arms protested from the long haul. She needed something to drink and then to change. Some blood had gotten on her bra and pants.

Sano opened his eyes and fell over, "What the hell?" She was standing in some type of small top, it was almost see through. She was just standing there drinking out that canteen, unaware of her state of undress. He could see her firm breast, the tops of them showing. The cold had caused her nipples to harden and poke against the material. She turned her head to him at the startled sound.

"Oh, sorry. I had to use my shirt to drag it back. Go ahead and get it ready to cook while I go change these soiled clothes." She tossed a knife at his feet and grabbed some clean clothes. She left him there needing to get the smell of blood off her.

He gathered his thoughts together after she walked away. What kind of female was she? Women didn't show off their bodies, not ladies. What kind of holy woman was she? She swore, yelled and walked around half dressed. He laughed before standing up, she also knew how to hunt. Who the hell was she, where had she come from?

Aoshi was trying to meditate, it wasn't going well. He'd been back for almost two weeks, leaving the girl alone to continue. If she'd stuck to the road she would have gotten there within two days. Her telling him to leave had been a good idea. Even now he couldn't stop thinking about her. What was it that made her unforgettable? She was thought highly of but was a far cry from being a high class lady. They didn't swear, weren't rude and wouldn't have kissed him back.

Most women would have been angry that he'd taken liberties. Instead she had eagerly accepted the kiss and returned it. His body reacted remembering the feel of her mouth on his. If he'd kept going with her he might have been tempted to find out exactly far he could go. That would have been wrong even for him. Killing your enemy was one thing but seducing someone innocent, that left a bad taste in his mouth. She was more than innocent, she was with the church. He didn't know if mikos were meant to remain pure.

She also made him want to smile just thinking about her. He was use to people cowering in fear of him, she'd had to nerve to fire him. Telling him his services were no longer needed. He didn't return to the temple, forgoing any payment. Instead he returned to have sometime alone. He could hear Misao yelling as she came towards the door. Someone was looking for him it seemed.

Misao was another problem for him, an increasing one. The girl had always been bold, now it was unnerving him. Having the girl he'd always considered family flirt with him made him nervous. He had to give her credit, she was trying. She'd been raised like a male but was working her woman wills on him. Touching his hand here and there or grabbing his arm. The feeling was comforting, like that of a sister. It didn't stir his senses, not like Kagome's touch. There was a big difference in the sensations both girls stirred.

He wanted to pat Misao on the head and reassure her everything was okay. The desire to undress Kagome and make her moan under him was undeniable. He desired a woman he didn't really know and felt nothing for the girl he loved. He knew he could never have that type of relationship with Misao. It would be wrong to get her hopes up for anything else.

"Lord Aoshi, there's a houshi here to see you. Should I tell him to leave or send him in?" Misao stood in the doorway knowing he heard her. His shoulders stiffened at the announcement. What would a houshi want with him? Was he in trouble with the church or something?

"Send him in, please." Aoshi saw her eyeing him before turning to take off. What did they want? He wasn't going to ask for payment so why bug him? He had enough problems without them. He watched the man walk in and nodded. "What do you want?"

Minoru sat down in front of the man and bowed. "I'm sorry to intrude, we have a problem. I came to see why the Lady Kagome hasn't arrived in the village yet. News came this morning that she hasn't shown. I came to see if they've heard any word from you. I was surprised to hear that you'd returned. Mind I ask, did you make sure she was there before coming back?" Everyone was worried hearing the miko hadn't arrived safely. The village was in dire need of her services.

Aoshi stood up, why hadn't she arrived? All she had to do was follow the road until she reached it. "No, I did not. I was informed by her that my services weren't required." He should have known better than to leave her. Why did he even care if she made it or not? He should let her rot to whatever she'd brought upon herself. "Get up, we will leave in five minutes."

Kagome stretched her arms over her head, her yawn filled the air. Sano laughed at the crude noise, making her blush. "Excuse me, I didn't get much sleep last night. You snore louder than a damn chainsaw. I can't wait to sleep inside for once, a bath would hit the spot right now." Atleast with him traveling with her, he was nice enough to carry her bag. Probably because thats where the food was stashed. She wouldn't call what they were doing traveling but getting lost. It had to be over two weeks since Aoshi had left her stranded. She'd blame everything on him since he wasn't here to defend himself.

Sano swore a week ago he knew where they were but made them even more lost. Yesterday they'd finally found the road once more. A few men were traveling also, so Kagome had asked for directions. The whole time Sano screamed that they didn't need any. The village should be only an hour away now. Hopefully, her services would no longer be needed. She would demand a horse for the way back home. All this walking was really chapping her ass.

"You took a bath two days ago. What's a chainsaw?" Sano grumbled, atleast she was a woman in that aspect. Every other day she demanded to be able to wash herself. Even if she wasn't that dirty nor did she stink. She said some strange things at times that left him confused. He figured that she wasn't originally from around here. Maybe from overseas somewhere. She wouldn't talk about her past much, clammed up whenever he tried to pry.

"Let me point out that you only took one the whole trip. Your balls must stink by now, so I suggest you take one when we arrive." She broke out in laughter seeing his jaw drop. She didn't really know if they would or not but heard the comment from Inuyasha once. He'd made the comment of needing a bath one day because he was starting to smell his balls. She didn't want to know what he had smelt. But could understand how that part of his anatomy could get sweaty.

"Hey, what kind of miko are you? You aren't suppose to say things like that." Sano caught up with her and had to laugh. She definitely was unique in a refreshing way. It was almost like hanging with one of the guys but she was nice to look at. "I think someone is heading this way, probably someone from the village."

"Well, if they ask I'm blaming my lateness on you." She knew it was partly her fault for firing Aoshi but Sano had gotten them lost. She was the Great One so she was allowed to skip the blame. Why take the blame when you had the perfect stool pigeon to take it for you? She couldn't stop the added laughter at the look of disbelief on his face. He soon joined in, his face all smiles. "I won't let them skin you alive, promise."

"Don't do me any favors, girlie. I can take care of myself as well as you can. I guess I can take the blame since you fed me the whole time." Sano put a hand on her head, ruffling her hair. She swatted his hands away, faking anger. "Don't worry, it's an improvement."

"Dork, I'd need to take a weedwhacker to your head." Kagome smiled and turned back towards the road. Her jaw dropped and she stopped in her tracks. Aoshi was walking towards them along with two others. "Bloody hell, he looks pissed." What was he doing there? Why didn't he go back home like she'd told him to?

"One of these days I'm going to wash your mouth out with soap. You swear more than any man I know. Where did you learn all that colorful language?" Sano shrugged his shoulders when she didn't answer, instead stared forward. He looked also, finally taking his eyes off the girl. A elderly man was walking beside a houshi and Aoshi. What was the man doing with them? Had he gone ahead anyways, expecting the girl to arrive? Whatever the reason, she was there now safe and sound.

"Lady Kagome, you are safe." Minoru ran up to her and bowed at her feet. "We were so worried when we recieved word of your disappearance. Whatever made you dismiss your escort, you should have known better. However did you survive all these centuries without thinking things through?"

"Excuse me old man?" Sano stuck a finger in his ears, seeing if he had built up wax. Had the man just say something about centuries. The old man had to be off his rocker. The girl couldn't be no more than eighteen if she was a day.

"Oh, he's just rambling, don't pay him any attention. Right Minoru?!" Kagome glared at him, what was he thinking? These people wouldn't understand what he was talking about. Was he trying to make her look like a freak? Aoshi was also staring at them with an odd expression. "What are you doing out here?"

"When we recieved word that you hadn't arrived, I went in search of Mr. Shinomori to see what had happened. We came to the village to find what we could. We were on our way to where you were last seen. It relieves my old heart to find you safe. Where have you been?"

"Blame him, he got us lost." Kagome pointed to Sano who was still looking at her strangely. She was going to choke the old houshi later for saying something like that outloud in front of them. Sano already thought her to be weird, this wasn't going to help matters. She doubted Aoshi thought anything of her at all. He was probably being payed to come see that she was found. She nodded at the village elder, then turned back to the monk. "Am I still needed?"

"Of course, we have payed Shinomori to escort us all back to town once you have done your duty." Minoru added seeing her eyeing the tall man. What had happened between them to make her dismiss him? She should be more careful, if only for her own safety.

"Good, but I want to get a good night's rest before we head back out. Sano snores louder than you do and he hogs the covers." She smiled at the monk, hearing several gasps of surprise. What was their problem, they hadn't done anything. Oh, screw em if they didn't like it. She wasn't going to let it get her down. The Great One did as she pleased. She could hear the village elder as they began to walk back to the village.

"Are you sure she'd really the Great One? Seems a little off to me."

"Yes, she is Lady Kagome. Her ways are odd but she is the strongest miko to ever live."

Kagome stiffened under that comment. That wasn't entirely true, Midoriko had been the strongest. Didn't their research or history go back that far? They knew of the jewel so had to know about her as well. Aoshi stepped in beside her, standing to close for her liking. Figures, he'd come back because he was being payed. He'd gone home not caring if she'd died on the way. She should shove that money up his ass. Kiss her then act like she didn't matter.

Kagome sat outside listening to the wind, waiting for anything to happen. She'd slept upon getting to the village needing the rest. They informed her that the spirit only attacked at night. So it meant she was to sit up waiting for it to show itself. Some said it was a spirit or evil demon, others said it was bandits. From what she'd been told it sounded like a youkai of some sort. She prefered a youkai or evil spirit. She'd only dealt with spirits a few times and that was with Kaede or Miroku. To take one on by herself could be risky. A youkai she could probably handle, an arrow to the head would take care of it.

Everyone was inside leaving her to do the job alone. Aoshi and Sano had wanted to come outside with her, not believing in an evil spirit. Their guess had been bandits posing as something sinister to get their way. She wasn't so sure about that. She knew that spirits did exist, along with monsters. The elder and Minoru had demanded that they stay inside, leaving her to work alone. She had to smile hearing Sano said the first sign that she needed help he was running out the door. He'd slug anyone that tried to stop him.

Sitting here gave her plenty of time to think. Something she didn't need to do, it didn't do well to get distracted. Why was she letting him bother her? She'd only spent a little bit of time with Aoshi but his presence was bothering her. One would think Sano would do it instead. They got along better and had spent two weeks alone. She liked the loud man, he was fun to be around but it was Aoshi that made her pulse quicken.

He yet to even speak to her, almost like she didn't exist. Well, two could play that game. It left her to believe that he regretted the kiss and wanted to forget about it. Probably feeling guilty about it as well. Not like she was going to run her mouth and inform everyone that he'd layed a wet one on her. He'd kissed her breathless, then treated her like a stranger. Her hand clenched as she began to grow angry. If he felt sorry for it, he could atleast apologize for it. Why make her feel like shit about it?

He should have stayed in Kyoto, she would have been fine on the way back. Might have taken her a few extra days. Stupid jerk coming back and making her feel like crap. He could have greeted her, not ignore her. She was sure the only reason he suggested going outside to help was because he didn't think she was capable of taking care of the problem. She'd show him, then stab him in the eye with an arrow.

Her skin began to crawl, her senses kicked in. "Holy shit!" She jumped out of the way before the blast hit the chair she'd been sitting in. That had been close, the nerve of it. "Hey, I was sitting there asshole." She turned to see the youkai standing not far from the edge of the village. The culprit had found her it seemed, she knew why. His long hair fell to his knees, it was auburn with the slightest wave to it. He couldn't have been much taller than herself. His appearance spoke of being a human except for the claws. He wore a long black cloak that hid majority of his clothing. Her heart stopped when she saw his face. "Shippo?"


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