Friendly Persuasion
Changing
xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
She was experiencing the sensation known as falling.
forever, but she knew better. She hit
something hard, presumably the ground, and all of the air was knocked out of
her lungs.
It took her a while before she was able to sit up without
having her head spin, and by then a dull aching had started in her chest.
painfully out of the well.
Knowing a banishment spell when she felt one, Leota didn’t
even bother to throw herself back down into the well. Even if she did manage to get back, Kagome would probably take an
ax to her neck.
“I hope Inu-Yasha and the others aren’t being too hard on
her. She just doesn’t understand,
that’s all.”
But still, no matter how hard she tried to convince herself
not be angry with Kagome, there was one thing she could not bring herself to
forgive Kagome for doing.
“How dare she separate me from Kouga-kun?
try and explain things, she has the nerve to take him from me?
Finally making it over the top of the well, a familiar face
greeted her.
“Ookami-chan?”
Leota blinked tiredly, “You had so better be glad
there are no cliffs around here…”
Not able to find the strength to even finish her sentence,
Leota closed her eyes and let the warm embrace of sleep surround her mind.
A little bit glad that he for once didn’t know what
Ookami-chan was talking about; Tora couldn’t help but wonder why she was so
tired and what she was doing back here?
Going against his will, Tora just had to know.
“Ookami-chan, what happened?”
“Went to see Kagome-san,” she muttered, “she banished
me. Now I have to live without
Kouga-kun.”
“She didn’t! Well,
she has to be telling the truth.
She always tells the truth when she sleeps. And what’s up with her eyes?” Tora decided to ask,
“Ookami-chan, what happened to your eyes?
Weren’t they green before?”
“Curse wore off. I’m
free.”
“What? What the
hell is she talking about?!” Tora
thought frantically as he picked her up and carried her bridal style away from
the well house.
Tora had originally gone to the well house to fulfill his
promise to Shippo and return for a visit.
Now, however, Shippo would just have to wait until he could take care of
Ookami-chan. Nothing a little sleep
couldn’t fix. Although what she said
about a curse had his mind working overtime.
She’d never told him about any curse. Just what else was Ookami-chan hiding?
When he entered the alleyways, Tora knew thaeryoeryone was
staring at the small bundle in his arms.
They, too, hadn’t known that Ookami-sama was really a girl, any more
than Tora had. Some reached out to
touch her, while others simply stared.
No matter what they did when he passed them,everever, all stepped back
to make a path for him to walk down.
Once he reached their apartment, Tora opened the door and
ducked inside. Going all the way to the
room Kyo had occupied not even a week ago, Tora lay his Ookami-chan down and
pulled the blankets up to her chin.
“Thanks, Tora-kun.”
“It’s never a problem, Leota-chan. It’s always an honor to take care of you.”
She smiled then, genuinely, and then turned over onto her
side, taking the pillow with her. She
hugged the pillow to her chest and placed her chin on top of it.
“Raven Hair…”
“Well, there’s a creative name for him,” Tora
thought as he sighed, “it’s going to be so hard for her to readjust to life
over here. No matter what, Leota-chan,
I’ll always be here to help you when you can’t help yourself.”
Two days later… (Feudal Era)
“Ye have performed a dangerous thing, Kagome,” Kaede
lectured, wringing a washcloth out to put it on Kouga’s forehead, “do ye
understand what banishment means?”
“It means she can never come back.” Kagome said quietly.
Ever since the incident at the well, everyone had been
glaring at her. Inu-Yasha, Sango,
Miroku, Shippo, and even Kaede, however subtle her glare might have been
because of only one eye.
“Yes, that is exactly what it means.
happen now that youtaketaken something that a certain wolf demon cherishes
above all else?”
“No.” Kagome replied,
speaking even more softly.
Kaede sighed, “Wolf demons have their own kind of magic.
that they could bring people back from death by pure will alone.”
“Like what Urasue did?”
Kagome asked.
“Almost,” Kaede corrected, “the ogres and ogresses stole that
kind of magic from the early wolf demons for their own purposes.
demons gave their secrets first, and the treaty was never made.
ba
badly enough, do ye not think he could bring her back?
only the well that ye banished her from using. She could come back, if Kouga so wills it.”
“I really don’t see what your problem is, Kagome.
Tora when we go shard hunting.”
Inu-Yasha said casually, hoping she’d take the bait he’d spent a few
hours creating.
“But she kills people!”
“Heh, she walked right into that one,” Inu-Yasha
thought, realizing just how much time he’d spent with Kagome to know she’d fall
for it, “and just what happens when I become a demon, huh?
Kagome gasped, but quickly hid it, “But that’s different!”
“How is it different, Kagome? “She does it for money!” “And I do it because I’m so weak I drop the Too surprised to speak, Kagome could only watch as Inu-Yasha “He does have a point.” “Face it, Higurashi,” Kagome thought as she stood up Back in the present… “How is she?” “I don’t know, Tora. “Which also means she hasn’t moved since I brought her here, “You want me to go?” “Please,” Tora said, not even looking at the one who had Figuring he’d only get the answer from Leota or Kagome herself, Higurashi Shrine… Throwing her yellow book bag over the rim of the well, Kagome “Oh well, there’s no time like the present,” she Appearing in her usual you-don’t-know-where-I-just-came-from “Hi Kagome!” Sota “Did you ever find out what happened to that nice boy?” “Ugh, I forgot how little they know,” Kagome thought, “That’s right. What “Kyo turned out to be a girl.” “A what?!” Kagome’s “Oh that’s right, what was her name? “How did you know?” “She wrote to me a few years ago telling me that her brother Deciding to play a little dumber to find out just how much “Ota-chan said something about having a job getting rid of “How could she tell you and not me?!” “Well, you know how you get when someone keeps something that Realizing that her mother knew her better than Kagome knew any “You’re right, Mom. “Can we expect you for dinner?” “Probably not!” Kagome called, just now thinking of how Leota While Kagome was thinking, she’d crossed the street and Taking a deep breath, Kagome brought her right foot up and Feudal Era… “Do you think Kagome went back to her time to settle things “It is possible,” Kaede said, “but that does not explain Kaede had left a little before noon to gather some herbs to
p lop lower the wolf demon’s fever. When “You don’t suppose that instead of bring Leota-san here, he may Kaede thought this over as everyone looked at her, “As much Present… “Tora-san! “What is it?” Tora “A girl by the description you gave us has just been Tora thought for a moment. “Have her taken to the Decision Building. “Me, Tora-san?” “Do you see anyone else here?” “No, Tora-san.” “All right then,” Tora said, ruffling the boy’s hair, “I The little boy smiled and sat down in the spot Tora had been “I won’t let you downkamikami-sama,” the little boy For the first time since she’d been brought back to their “Kouga-kun…” In the Decision Building, which was actually an old shoe Giving the signal, the doors opened and two guards on either “Let me go! Let me go! “There’s no mistaking that voice,” Tora “Let go of me!” “Silence!” Tora Surprisingly, Kagome did stop screaming and kicking...much to “Tora-kun?” She asked, her voice soft, “Ow!” One of the guards had poked her in the ribs, “You shall not “State your name before the second-in-command.” “Higurashi, Kagome.” Tora was amused to hear the subtle shaking in her voice, “Is it “It’s true.” There were murmurs of disapproval. “Did you know, Higurashi, that not one soul here, except for Kagome shook her head, “No.” “Well now you know, Higurashi. Tell us, what is your business here?” “I came here to speak to Ota-chan!” Tora frowned, “You dare speak the name that symbolizes “I was wrong! I know “And if, by chance, I do allow you to see her, what “You have to let me see her! I have to tell her that I was wrong! I have to tell her just how sorry I am!” There was silence following Kagome’s words. “Well? I’m A/N: finally!
then I say that I kill people. How
in the seven hells is that different?”
Inu-Yasha shout/p>
/p>
Tetsusaiga! Either that or I do it for
shards! Isn’t that the same kind of
reward as money?”
pulled back the grass mat and stormed outside.
Miroku said, deciding to follow the hanyou outside for some fresh air.
and grabbed her yellow backpack, “you know your decisions are wrong when
even Miroku thinks Inu-Yasha has a point.”
She hasn’t moved ever since you left.”
other than grabbing the pillow,” Tora said, taking his place by Leota’s side,
“I wish she’d move, or talk in her sleep, or burp in her sleep or something!”
spent the last hour with Leota, “Kami, Leota! What’s wrong? Why
aren’t you moving? What happened
to you back there?”
Tora settled for just thanking the gods above that Leota was still breathing.
next hauled herself out. Sighing as her
feet touched the ground, Kagome dreaded what she had to do.
no, but the action she had to do just to achieve the goal.
thought as she went towards her house, opened the front door, took off her
shoes, and stepped inside, “Mom, Grandpa, Sota, I’m home again!”
fashion, Mrs. Higurashi smiled at Kagome.
Kagome’s grandfather also came, seeming to come from his study.
called as he ran down the stairs and towards the kitchen.
“you mean Kyo?”
happened to him?”
grandfather exclaimed.
Kagome asked, a little angry that her own mother knew who Kyo was years
before Kagome herself had known.
died and that she was in some kind of trouble.
She told me she’d dress as her brother, and not to tell you because she
had no intention of seeing you again.
Didn’t want you to get caught up in anything that you couldn’t get out
of,” Mrs. Higurashi said, walking towards the kitchen with Kagome following
dumbly, “oh! Before I forget, how is
Ota-chan’s job with the police?”
her mother knew, Kagome asked, “What job?”
drug dealers and their followers. Said
it was kind of an assassination job. I
told her so long as she wasn’t after my family or I that was all right with
it. Wouldn’t want any of those dealers
to sell to my children.” Mrs.
Higurashi said, getting some vegetables out of the fridge.
big from you. You get very upset and
you threaten to kill that person the next time you see them.”
of her schoolwork, Kagome hung her head.
If you’d excuse me, I’ve got stuff to do.”
must feel about all of this, “She must hate me for banishing
her. If what Sango said is true, then
she loves Kouga as much as Miroku likes to steal a ‘peek’.
Sango just for coming too close! It’s
almost like those couple of days with him turned her more into a wolf than
she’s ever been
currently stood in front of the entrance to the alleyways Kyo had forbidden her
to enter about a week ago.
stepped into the dark alleyways.
with Leota-san?” Sango asked.
where Kouga went.”
she came back, however, he was nowhere to be found. Inu-Yasha himself had looked, and sniffed, for his whereabouts,
but neither tracks nor scent were found save for where he had lain in Kaede’s
hut.
have unknowingly used the wolf magic to take himself to her?” Miroku
questioned, “It is the only possibility I can think of for his sudden
collapsing, fever, and now disappearance.”
as I do not like to admit it, Miroku, that is the only solution I can think
of.”
Tora-san!” Called a young boy as
he rushed into Tora and Ookami’s apartment.
asked tiredly.
caught! What should we do?”
Being Ookami’s second-in-command, he’d instructed all of their followers
to capture anyone that looked anything like the description he’d given of
Kagome.
Ookami-sama.”
guess that means you. Don’t worry,
Kid. She doesn’t bite... hard.”
sitting for the past hour.
resolved, “if Tora-san thinks I can do this, then I can!”
apartment, with the exception of the pillow, Leota moved.
doorway, and took the pillow with her, not allowing it to escape her grasp.
factory, Tora stood on the raised platform that faced two large doors.
resembled Kagome’s description would be brought through at the wave of Tora’s
hand.
side of a flailing girl came in.
I didn’t do anything!”
thought, a smug grin on his face, “not only is she Kagome herself, but she
thinks she didn’t ‘do’ anything!”
commanded in his best ‘I’m of higher importance than you’ voice.
his and his guards’ relief.
speak to Tora-sama in such a fashion.”
nrue rue that you swore to Ookami-sama herself to never set foot in these
alleys again?”
you, has ever dared disobey Ookami-sama?”
closeness to Ookami-sama? Even though you
are the cause of her grief?”
that now! Please, I just want to talk
to her!”
makes you think that she won’t tear you apart?
In case you have forgotten, Ookami-sama is an expert it
it
comes to the mastery of fire. She could
burn you now, if she so chose. Though
she sleeps and you are about two blocks apart, she could burn you where you
stand.”
just what Leota thought of tears, so she held them back.
listening.” Came a tired, but very
commanding, voice.
Real Bargain!