Standard Disclaimer - *
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi.
Summary: When, one night Inuyasha of the future turns up in Sengoku
Jidai beaten and bloody, Inu-gumi are surprised-except for Kagome, who rushes
to his side without hesitation. Secrets are revealed & an untold future
comes to light, but will Inuyasha accept his newfound responsibility?
Rated: PG-13 / R for mild to moderate sexual content and Inuyasha's
potty mouth.
--
My
reply to a challenge fic set by Ranko-chan (cousin, author, and Inuyasha
fan girl)
1) Chaptered or one-shot 2) Romance between Inuyasha and Kagome 3)
Has to follow the animé series, no AU plots 4) Needs to be based around
the Inu/Kago/Kikyo story
A/N:I hope you all enjoy and not get to confused and/or upset… angsty
beginnings, but happy endings, bring on the Kleenex tissues (I HIGHLY recommend
them being handy!) Ok, just to let you
ALL know, this is a Kagome/Inuyasha fic, Kikyo does appear at first, but
I think you'll all like how this turns out. (Even tho you'll all kill me for putting
Inuyasha through hell)
Shout out: Highly inspired by Sandrock's A Tale of Two Hanyous
(if you haven't read it, then do! Its sugoi!)
by: *Angelstars
email: [email protected]
--
Book One: 0.1 - Unforgiven
**Begin Flashback**
Thunderclouds clapped high above the over growth, sending blinding flashes of
light all around the darkened forest of Inuyasha. Under its path lay a still
hanyou, panting as the rain and wind hissed all around him, his wounds left
bloody and torn along his arms and face. His golden eyes wide and unfocussed as
he stared at the pile of soil and bone in front of him.
Kikyo
His mind cold and blank as his stare, his body shook as his bloodied claw
lowered to his side.
Kikyo
Once again, the undead miko left hating him. Cursing him. Branding him. His
eyes grew wider as he thrashed his head back and allowed an anguished howl of
hurt leave his mouth, echoing over the crashes of thunder and the thrusting of
wind and rain against his face.
**End Flashback**
--
Late evening (11pm) Sengoku Jidai
Kagome woke with a start; her breathing lay heavy upon her chest as she brought
a shaky hand to her heart. Something had stirred her senses and awoken her from
her troubled sleep; she shivered slightly and focused her eyes. She looked
around the small hut, searching out her companions one by one, but instantly
panicking at the loss of one in particular.
"Inuyasha…" she whispered, her voice raspy and coarse. Just as she was about to
take leave of her sleeping bag her legs gave way, finding herself back on the
floor, she tried once more to move, but found no avail. "Nani?" she questioned,
her voice still low and panicked.
Suddenly, without warning, a seared pain jabbed at her heart causing the girl
to squeeze her eyes tightly shut as she grabbed for her chest, her breathing
coming to a deathly siren.
"Kagome!" she heard her friend's worried shouts as all sense and responses
slowly blackened.
--
**Dream begin**
Kagome could hear voices; they sounded angry, but hurt at the same time. She
picked herself up from the ground and followed the shouts. As she neared the
hostile screams of anger she started to recognise the voices as they echoed one
another.
Inuyasha?
Kikyo?
She continued on and rummaged through the bushes, pulling a branch away as her
eyes focused upon the image of Inuyasha and Kikyo together. She gasped
slightly, seeing her hanyou's condition, bleeding from his arms and slashes of
fresh scratches across his face. Her eyes wondered over to the undead miko, she
too had gashes and torn clothing, but no blood could be seen coming from her.
Well, of course there would be none, she is dead… her thoughts absently
came to mind.
"Kikyo, please! Listen to me!" she heard Inuyasha beg from his position on the
ground below the floating priestess.
"NO! I will not listen to your pathetic lies, Inuyasha!" she growled back,
bringing her hand up to focus a blast of miko energy.
"Kikyo!" he roared, blocking the powered ki with his shredded arms.
Kagome gasped once again, readying herself to defend the hanyou before Kikyo
did any more damage to him. She got up to fast and was brought back down by a
heaving hiss of pain to her chest, she gripped at her heart and panted slightly,
stunned at the sudden twitch.
"Inuyasha, you promised to leave with me. You promised to walk with me in hell.
You said I belonged only to you. You said I was the only one."
Kikyo's voice snapped.
"Kikyo, I meant what I said, but… but things have changed! I have changed. I
can't leave with you, don't you understand?" Inuyasha pleaded with her as he
rose off the ground.
Kagome's eyes widened as she continued to listen through panted breaths.
"Kikyo… I can't leave. I want to live. Please, let this go!" he started,
walking up to her as his eyes fixated onto her frozen lifeless eyes. "If you care anything for me, please allow
me to live-I have a life now! Damnit! I don't want to do this!" he shook his
head, baring fangs as his fists clenched deeper into his palms.
Kikyo's eyes narrowed as she stared down at the grovelling demi-demon, her
contorted façade jarring an evil glint as her lips grew into a sly smile. "You
think I will allow you to live? That you can easily break your promise and beg
me to reconsider?" she snorted back a laugh before continuing. "Stupid,
pathetic half-breed, you make me a promise and go back on your word and expect
me to agree to YOUR uncertain terms?!" her eyes flashed with anger and her hand
lashed out for yet another plunge at the dog-demon.
Inuyasha held his breath as the coursing miko power ripped at his skin and
burned at his eyes and face. "Kikyo, please!" he tried once again, gaining his
footing once more as he grabbed her legs and pulled her down into his chest.
The miko thrashed in his hold, screaming at him to let her go. Inuyasha held
onto her tighter and shook her violently keeping a stern face as he snarled at
her to stop moving.
"Listen!" he growled, shaking her slightly in order to get her attention. "Kikyo,
we died together in the past. We both got brought back by some strange twist of
fate." He shook his head, uncertain of her reaction, but choosing to continue
with his speech. "But this has to stop, you can't continue to walk this earth,
driven only by your hatred for me. It kills me to see you like this! It fucking
aches when ever you look at me with those half empty eyes, to see the hurt and
betrayal I caused you… its punishment enough that I have to live with these
memories and feelings," his voice now lowered that Kagome hard a job to hear.
"I don't want you to have to continue to walk this earth, hunting me with your
hatred. You don't deserve to feel this pain any longer. I want to help you,
Kikyo. Set you free. Help you find peace!" he looked her in the eye. "Let me
help you"
Her icy cold stare sent a shiver down his spin as her hand slowly rose to
caress his face and cheek, her unearthly pale face held no emotion as she
clearly made her answer known.
Inuyasha's small hope was shattered as Kikyo unleashed another painful jolt of
electrical miko power, this time aimed directly for his eyes. He clenched his
teeth hard, and closed his stinging eyes as he let her go and stumbled back
form the undead female.
Kagome's eyes widened as she cried out Inuyasha's name and leaped to her feet,
ignoring the searing pain in her chest. Kikyo's smile grew as Kagome made her
way toward the fallen hanyou, "This is the reason you wish to live, Inuyasha?"
her voice echoed hauntingly over the claps of thunder.
"Then, if she dies, there is no need for you to live anymore, now is there?"
she coolly pondered before turning on the frantic girl. Inuyasha paled upon
hearing Kagome's scream followed by Kikyo's hiss of a threat. He yelled for
Kagome to get away, growling as she shouted her retort of disobedience.
"Baka!" he snarled and snapped open his eyes to glare at her instead, but… he
couldn't see anything. There was just darkness. He blinked once more, rubbing
his arm over his eyes in order to make them water under the pressure. "Kuso,"
he mumbled under his breath, as the same black picture looked back at him.
"Inuyasha!" he heard Kagome cry once more.
"Shit!" he cursed out loud stumbling to his feet. "Kagome, you stupid bitch!
Get out of here!"
She heard his growl and forewarning to late as Kikyo appeared in front of her,
causing Kagome to fall back. Kikyo's eyes framed her pale face as her hair flew
above her, her miko robes thrashing about in the wind as another cackle of
lightning hit near them, forking out in all directions before hitting the dead
miko square on. The undead woman began to chant, slowly at first as her eyes
focused upon Kagome's terrified face.
Inuyasha's heart stopped as he recognised the curse Kikyo was about to put on
Kagome. Without a second thought to his condition or lack of eyesight, he
blindly leaped in between the two miko's just as Kikyo's final chant stopped
and a crash of lightning hit once again, this time crashing into Inuyasha's
body. He felt the energy surge through his veins, his eyes wide and blank as
the miko's curse swirled and tugged at his youki pulling at his heart as it
snaked and contaminated his being, spreading itself within him.
Kagome screamed once again, tears welling in her eyes as she watched helplessly
as Inuyasha took the brunt of the explosion. The lightening attack ceased just
as Inuyasha fell to his knees, his long silver bangs hid his face from view as
Kikyo, wide-eyed, watched as the hanyou rose a bloodied looking claw in front
of him. The undead miko took a step back upon hearing the rumbling growls
filtering through Inuyasha's chest, his face slowly making its way up to greet
her. Once again, she flinched a few inches back as blood red eyes stationed
upon her; Inuyasha's face was wrenched with blood as two sets of elongated
fangs grew in front of the dead miko's eyes. The bloodied claw was now raised
to his eye level, but his eyes never left her face as he flexed them, sharp
claws stretching and clicking of knuckles making its way to her ears.
"Inuyasha?" she swallowed, shaking her head slightly. "You stupid boy! What
have you done!?" she yelled, frowning down at him angrily.
Inuyasha's eyes never left her face as she continued to shout at him, though
her words seemed distant and somewhat whispers under the other voice that
commanded the dog-demon to attack.
Kill!
Inuyasha let loose a low, feral snarl as he leaped to his feet effortlessly. He
could smell the fear coming from Kagome, who now sat frozen to the spot behind
the full-demon dog, it only clashed with his protective responses, not
recognising Kikyo as his to protect when like this, he attacked. One other
thought echoing in his minds-eye.
Protect his mate.
Kagome heard Inuyasha's snarl as he brought Kikyo down, unable to do anything
but sit there and watch with wide eyes, mouth a gape as the full-blooded
demon's claws slid through the body of the undead priestess. Blood, bone and
clay shattered into pieces, turning Kagome's gut as she pulled herself away to
throw up the stomach retching giddiness her insides felt as Inuyasha collided
with her rivalled foe.
The full-blooded demon crouched down to watch in interest as the remains of the
clay-clad female dropped to the ground in front of him.
Kagome moaned as the last of the food she ate that day was brought back up. She
closed her eyes tightly in effort to stop the dizzy spell she was experiencing.
Oh gods, what has he done? Her mind cried with panic, as she gulped back
another heave of acid.
Inuyasha twisted around as his nose twitched and ears perked up to catch
Kagome's scent and conditioned retching, his head limped slowly to the side as
he walked cautiously toward the heavily sick human. Kagome opened her eyes to
find Inuyasha's blood red one's staring at her, she yelped and fell back on to
hands. "Inu-Inuyasha?" she squeaked, her breathing coming short and raspy.
The dog-demon twitched his ears forward at her voice and responded by picking
the girl up along with him to stand. Kagome freaked out just as the boy's claws
pierced her skin ever so lightly.
"SIT!" came the command as Inuyasha was sent face down into the dirt. He stayed
still for a few minutes, Kagome could see his back and chest rise and fall with
heavy panting as he rested face down on the ground below her. "Inuyasha?" she
whispered, crouching down to touch the hanyou's shoulder.
He heard her worried whisper and felt her touch upon his back, but kept quiet.
His own mind whirled with emotion and distorted images as he felt a slight pang
of pain in the back of his head and a thread of convulsing twitches pulling
upon his heartstrings. What had just happened?
"Inuyasha, are you okay?" he heard Kagome's worried question.
She sat back allowing Inuyasha to lift
himself up onto his knees, his head hung low as he spoke quietly, "Aa, Kagome,
arigatou"
Kagome sat with her head rested upon his shoulder and an arm settled around his
shoulders. "Inuyasha, gomen ne" she breathed, swallowing back tears as she
closed her eyes and squeezed his shoulder slightly.
The forlorn hanyou didn't blink an eye in the girls direction or attempt to
allow her to console him as he shuffled away, expressing he wished to be alone.
The young girl sighed and nodded her head understandably and turned to leave
Inuyasha to himself.
**End Dream**
--
It was dark by the time Inuyasha had gotten back to the village and to Kaede's
hut. He had been brooding in his favourite place in the Goshinboku all
afternoon since his argument with Kagome. She had gotten all upset over some
stupid comment he made about the weird clothing she wore, she usually returned
to Sengoku Jidai in her freaky green and white school uniform and when
he noticed the baggy tank top and semi-tight pants she wore instead, he simply
commented on her appearance.
"Keh! Stupid wench, crying over a mere passing judgement." He huffed under his
breath, wincing at the memory of the ten sits she had given him in a row, but
also feeling guilty over the tears that faltered in her eyes at the time.
What had he said? He pointed out the change and told her the truth!! What in
all the nine hells was wrong with telling the girl she looked better in her
usual attire that this made her look… chunky? Oblivious to the passing comment,
and not expecting Kagome to get all huffy over it, he was left eating dirt over
and over till she eventually ran off crying.
He'd never understand women, but Kagome was a bloody nightmare to figure out.
The girl had more mood swings than any other demon bitch on fucking heat!
Inuyasha would never admit it, but Kagome scared him shitless on occasions. For
the past month he had noticed her edginess toward him, her attitude was
changing and she lashed out and sulked more often than not these days.
What the hell was going on with her?!
Hopefully, everyone would be asleep and he'd get away without the wrath of
Kagome till morning. He sighed and trudged on to the small-darkened hut,
mumbling and cursing every so often when a sudden crack of leaves under foot
came from behind him, instantly catching his attentive hearing. His ears
swivelled a top of his head in the direction of the sound and his eyes soon
followed.
"Kikyo…" he breathed, staring at her with apprehensive, but downcast
eyes.
In the shadows of the moonlight, there stood said priestess. Her eyes darkly
lay upon his own as she beckoned him closer.
He knew why she was here…
--
Daybreak set over the small travelling party, Inuyasha had yet to return and
Kagome was still unconscious from the night's unexpected attack. Sango kneeled
at the fallen girls side, her face heavily set with worry and unshed tears
branded her tired eyes, "Kagome-chan," she gently pushed, padding away the
beads of sweat from her forehead with a dampened cloth. "Please wake up…" she
continued, watching the future-school girl's fevered features curl and wither
with pain.
Kaede pulled the weaved door shutter across and made her way over to Sango and
Kagome's side, carrying yet more medical herbs in her hands as she turned her
attention on the meditating monk. "Houshi-dono, will ye help with thin
mixture?" she asked, awakening the monk instantly.
Miroku nodded and followed the old-miko into another room, eyeing the taijiya and young miko mournfully.
"Kaede-sama, what might you think is wrong with Kagome-sama?" he asked, picking
up on the elder's need to talk to him alone.
As if expected, the priestess lowered her head and gave off a disgruntled sigh.
"Tis hard to make head nor tale of what has happened, but I do believe it has
something to do with Inuyasha's disappearance."
Miroku agreed, placing his hand upon his temples to rub the aching pains that
hissed at his head. "If that is the case, we need to find Inuyasha as soon as
possible. Kagome-sama, has yet to awaken and is still calling his name
constantly, perhaps it would be wise for me to search him out."
With that decided he left without another word, leaving Kaede to ponder on the
situation and worry over the strong aura circling the young miko's body.
--
Miroku sighed, panting under the intense heat from the warm summer sun, he held
a hand to shade his eyes as he lifted his gaze into the high branches of the
God-Tree, Goshinboku. "Inuyasha, are you up there?" he called up.
The small breeze against leaves and silent stillness was his only answer.
Sighing, the monk closed his eyes and let loose a grumbled curse. Where could
that pain-in-the-ass dog-demon gone off to? Kagome-sama needed the boy, now
more than anything and this wasn't the time for the hanyou to go off brooding
some place. Another curse and a second later, Miroku set off in search for the
trail the demon may have possibly gone of in.
"Inuyasha, are you up there?" the hanyou awoke to the sound of Miroku's
calls from below. He growled, his head hurt, his eyes were all sticky and he
felt like shit. He was more than pissed and not in any mood to shout his answer
or spit out any badly mouthed obscenities to the fucking annoying bozu.
Inuyasha's encounter with the undead priestess was less than a kiss in the
moonlight and a romantic stroll under the stars scenario… no it was far from
nice. In fact it was a nightmare, the hanyou's worst encounter to date!
He sighed, and rubbed his throbbing temples, how the hell was he going to get
through this day? Knowing everyone would be wondering why his eyes were all
puffy and half his haori was missing-then of course there would be the
suspecting eyes of Kagome, he could just imagine her watchful glare, her
menacing, but to the point sort eyes as he guiltily attempted to cover up yet
another hell bound experience with his dead lover.
Oh great… that little annoying
voice that always seemed to never shut up, picked up on the hanyou's
dilemma. You just try and work your
way out of this one; I bet she won't fall for it. She knows that look; YOU
always look that way after you've seen Kikyo. Kagome won't go easy on you, and
with the way she's been acting, I would run for cover or beg like a good pup
and grovel at her feet. It gleefully continued, sarcastically jabbing his
already shaken nerves.
"Urasi!" he bit back, regretting the notion instantly as his head began to spin
once again.
Mid afternoon arrived, somewhat painfully slow, as the worried eye/eyes of
Kaede and Sango looked upon the still slumbering girl on the floor. Shippo had
been asked to help Miroku find Inuyasha, Sango felt his unwillingness to leave
Kagome's side and told him that his little nose would be of benefit to the
houshi, thus the little kit jumped at the chance to help and find Inuyasha
before night fall. Kirara had returned not long before, shaking her head as to answer
the questioning gazes from both females.
"Where is Inuyasha?" Sango sighed, asking the same question over. Kaede took
another sip of her herbal tea before replying to the taijiya, "Tis a worry Inuyasha has not returned and that of
young Kagome's unconscious like state."
Said girl soon began to thrash slightly, mumbling in her feverish sleep as her
eyes suddenly snapped wide open. "Inuyasha!" she yelped, bringing her hands up
to her head in order to gain some kind of balance.
"Kagome-chan!" she heard Sango gasp and run to her side, offering her a hand to
lean on.
"Sango-chan, where is Inuyasha?" Kagome managed to ask, her voice quivering
under her worried tone.
"He hasn't been seen all day, Kagome-chan. Miroku-sama and Shippo are out
searching for him as we speak."
Perfect! She thought before looking up to her best-female friend.
"Sango-chan, will you help me to the well?" the girl from the future beseeched
holding her with a longing gaze.
The demon exterminator looked back at her with worry, but gave her a nod in
reply as she held her hand out to pull the trembling miko to her feet.
--
Inuyasha, once again, grumbled to himself as he perched in the highest branches
of the ancient sacred tree, he rolled his eyes and sighed once again when his
nose caught sent of Kagome's. His insides flipped and his head starting
chanting what ya gonna do dog-boy? Over
and over, making it harder for him to breath and keep his cool. Oh gods,
here she comes…she's going to sit me when she finds out! Shit!
He closed his eyes tightly shut and lifted his hands over his dog-ears, keeping
as quiet and still as possible. He waited… and waited… and waited some more,
but nothing came. Hold on, Kagome's scent had now gone from being strong to a
passing lingering. What the fuck?! His mind puzzled as he brought
himself into a crouch to search the grounds below. There was no sign of her.
"Eh?"
Sango helped lower Kagome from Kirara, bringing the weakened girl to the well
before reaching back to haul the large rucksack down the well. "Is there
anything wrong, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked with concern evident in her eyes once
more.
Kagome looked up at the girl and smiled, "Arigato, Sango-chan. There is nothing
wrong, I just felt a need to go home, but I needed to make sure Inuyasha
wouldn't stop me," a small blush appeared on the young girls face as she
lowered her head from gaze.
"Inuyasha won't be happy with this, but I'll try and keep him away for
at least tonight… if that would help you any?" the demon-exterminator added.
Smiling once again, she gave her friend a hug and leaped upon the lip of the
well. "I should be back by tomorrow,
arigato!" she waved jumping down its depths.
Sango looked up from the well to her demon-fire cat, "What was all that about?"
she mumbled, idly scratching the ear and fur around Kirara's head.
Kagome reached the other side of the well with a soft thud, but lost her
footing and landed awkwardly on to her knees. "Klutz!" she massaged her aching
forehead when she heard someone from above.
"Kagome!"
Her head shot up as she sighed and let off a lopsided sigh, "Could you help me
out?" she meekly asked, blushing a deep red.
"Keh! You really can't look after yourself, wench!" came the arrogant
reply as a soft blur of silver and gold landed stealthily in front of her.
"Well excuse me for worrying about you!" she retorted, clenching her fists into
her palm.
"Feh!" came another snort as she was hauled into strong arms and pulled up into
his embrace.
"Okay?" Kagome asked, her voice soft and soothing as she reached out to push
back a loose lock of silver hair.
"Hai, I'm feeling better now,"
"Demo…" she started, just as she was thrown over a shoulder and carried to the
top of the well and out of the temple building.
--
Inuyasha was thrown off guard as a small pink balloon shaped blob scared living
shit out of him, "Shippo! You little bastard, don't do that!" the hanyou lashed
out, taking a swipe at the transformed Kitsune cub.
"Inuyasha! Why have you been hiding!?" the little voice bounced back as Shippo
transformed into his usual appearance and landed on the branch beside the
dog-demon.
"What's it to you, brat?" he snorted and folded his arms over his chest while
glaring at the boy-cub in front of him.
"Kagome has been ill, we've been looking for you all day!" he retorted evenly,
copying the hanyou's pose.
"Nani?!" Inuyasha face-faulted, "Kagome's sick?" he whispered, lowering his
head to divert his gaze.
So, maybe that's why she came past here, she must have been so sick she had
to go back to her world!
Now was no time to panic, he had to go check on her. Shippo's scolded the
hanyou once more just as the said demon leaped from the branch in to the trees
over head.
"Inuyasha no baka!" the small kit yelled as the momentum of Inuyasha's leap
flicked the fox-cub high in to the air and up over the highest peak of the
god-tree. His little feet dangled in the air as he kicked and screeched
desperately trying to grip onto something.
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Sango sat on the edge of the well holding the now small kitten, Kirara to her
chest. "Sango!" she heard Inuyasha's voice call from where he skid across the
ground to a halt in front of her.
"Inuyasha, where have you been?" she asked, watching the hanyou's face scowl
down at her.
"Nowhere!" he snapped, "Where's Kagome? Is she all right? Did she go down the
well?" he quickly added, reaching the wells side to look down into its darkened
pits.
"Kagome-chan needed to go home to her own time. She fell ill last night and
asked to leave when she woke from her fevered sleep." Sango evenly answered,
watching the hanyou's every move like a hawk ready to pounce at a moments
notice.
The demi-demon's scowl deepened as he snorted back a Keh. "Stupid wench," he
mumbled before readying himself to take the ritual plunge. Sango allowed the
demon-neko jump from her chest and transform over the well just as Inuyasha
halted his attempted disappearance.
"Nani?" came his confused reply as Kirara sprang onto him and landed on top of
the now ragging hanyou, purring happily as she settled down.
Sango's disturbingly bright smile looked down at him, "Inuyasha, I was told not
to let you go through the well," she leaned down and gave him one of her don't-even-try-it
glares as she continued to smile innocently.
He swallowed back, wide-eyed and for once speechless as both Sango and Kirara
gave him not-so innocent looks, before sighing once again, and rolling his eyes
back. Now this is scary… Shit, and after the night I had too!
Could his life get any worse?
--
A/N: Oh, I don't know if that completely confused you, or made you want
to find out what the heck is going on!? I'll just say this, without feedback I
won't know what you want ^_^ so go ahead, review, email, whatever just let me in
on what's hot and what's not!! *Please excuse any bad spelling and grammar at
this early stage, this is a brief out line to something I wish to
continue! *
**Please Read if you wish to take part in the bellow bonus**
Small bonus : I'm going to give (yes as in FREE) away a copy of
Inuyasha the movie: the feelings that transcend time. Jap with clear English
subs – region 0 (meaning it can play in ALL DVD players & on your PC with
Media Player)
STATUS: ENDED*
*This offer ends once the story is COMPLETE. Or as otherwise stated. (Please no
spamming, in other words don't review your answer for every chapter.) This
isn't a way to get millions of reviews so don't feel obliged to repeat your
reviews or review every time 0_o just come back, read and check the status once
in a while!
O.k. even if you don't do the bonus thingie, please review, I love my loyal
readers to tho ^.^ So here's hoping you like my poor attempt of a challenge
request. If you all didn't realise who Kagome was talking to in her time, ya
all mad!! 0_o it is a bit confusing, I know, gomen. Next chapter: Fast-Forward,
Rewind & Pause will
be more detailed!! Stay tuned till the next instalment-!