[A.N.] Woo... I'm back with Chapter... er... ::looks fic over:: Oh yes chapter seven~ WooHoo~ SORRY!!! SORRY!! (Everyone: SORRY DOESN'T CUT IT) Well... umm... School has kept me busy ^___^;; Being a freshie and 4th quarter is hard (yet they all say THIRD quarter is the hardest?!) and summer school really bites... (I didn't flunk any classes if that's what you're thinking) Okay, enough of my babble, no more excuses.

[Disclaimer] I don't own Inu Yasha... Darn... ::pulls hair::

Loss Of Authority

Child's Play

[A.A.N.] Those movies were scary o_o Dolls are bad... Plushies are good, especially ones with doggy ears ^____^

Kagome was somewhat conscious as she leaned in toward Inu Yasha. She really didn't plan on kissing him, whether it would be to stop his ranting or not, but as she moved closer her arms seemed heavy and would not respond to her mind's command to move up and cover his mouth. Her body also didn't listen as she continued to enclose the space between the both of them in a semi-conscious state.

Before Kagome's lips had touched his, he had paused in his ranting thinking she may have been fainting from exhaustion.

Next thing he knew he was feeling her lips against his. Kagome was rewarded with a shocked silence from Inu Yasha. Even the noises in the forest in close range had quieted, as if not daring to believe Kagome had initiated such a move. And to add dramatic effect.

Kagome...

Kagome had...

Had...

... Fallen asleep.

Again?! How much sleep did the girl need?

Once Kagome had been satisfied with the result, her lips fell from his, body going slack as sleep overcame her once more. Everything began in full volume once Kagome had curled up into Inu Yasha. Inu Yasha was as stiff as a board. Did she just... ?!

No. She hadn't kissed him. It was not a kiss, damn it. Anyway... He had barely felt her lips touch his. Her soft, warm, slightly pale l-- It was not a kiss! His racing heart and the blush rising on his cheeks told him otherwise.

Kagome must have been going crazy. With her fever, loss of voice, taking the rosary off his neck (Even if he planned for it), and fainting into him with her lips landing on his oh-so-conveniently, what other explanation could there be? (Sane explanation)

Sadly, Inu Yasha seemed to have forgotten the little lesson in letting the sickly get their rest. He then proceeded to wake Kagome for an explanation. He had succeeded in getting the rosary off like he wanted, but it didn't really go the way he wanted it to go. So Kagome would place the rosary back on him and they were going to get it off his way. The right way.

Right.

Maybe he should have counted his blessings and let everything be. No, sorry. Something called... what was it... Oh! Yes. His goddamn conscience would be insistently pecking at him until he felt so guilty, he would be drowning in it.

Kagome groggily opened her eyes as Inu Yasha lightly shook her awake, mumbling for her to wake up. She took a few moments to focus on his face, his cheeks still splashed with a tint of pink from the earlier events. Jeez, she didn't even get ten minutes before being disturbed. Did God have something against her getting some rest?

Kagome pushed him away, sitting up on her own. Yawning as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes with one hand rubbed the remaining sleep from her eyes and stretched out her exhausted muscles. She looked at him sleepily. Inu Yasha backed away from her in a crouch, eyeing her cautiously with a serious look.

"Here." He brandished the rosary into her face. Kagome blinked at the beaded necklace inches away from her face. "Put it back on."

Kagome's eyes widened, all thoughts of getting some sleep banished from her mind. She hadn't been expecting such a request. From Inu Yasha?! Was he really demanding her to place the rosary around his neck? This... No way... Could he...

Inu Yasha felt his face heat up slightly under her stunned gaze, her mouth slightly parted in amazement. He watched as she opened her mouth, and closed it again, repeating the process. Even if Kagome hadn't lost her voice, she would still be at a lost to words. And why the hell was he staring at her mouth anyway?! Stop it dammit! Inu Yasha ordered himself and looked at the ground. Kagome slowly drew out of her daze and observed him more critically as he averted his gaze to the ground.

His cheeks had grown darker in color, a bright red. He was taking deep breaths and fisting his free hand tightly at his side. Kagome nearly smacked her head in realization, he must have caught her fever! He was sick, no wonder he was acting so weird. She reached out to him sympathetically.

Inu Yasha nearly jumped when he felt Kagome's slightly warm hands touch his face. One hand caressing his cheek and the other pressed to his forehead. He looked up at her in surprise, seeing her smile softly. She pulled her hands away and took the rosary from his hand. His surprise turned to slight disappointment and, strangely, triumph, as he guessed Kagome was going to place the rosary back on. Now he'd get it off later on his terms and be guilt-free from thinking he had taken advantage of a sickly Kagome. [Technically, if he tries later, he's STILL taking advantage of a sick Kagome, but at least not a delusional sick Kagome.]

Instead, she dropped it to the side. He looked down at the rosary in confusion and barely noticed Kagome standing up, a little shakily, out of the corner of his eye. She let out a small sigh as she regained some balance and held out a hand to him, showing that she wanted him to stand as well. Inu Yasha frowned and ignored her hand, but stood up as she silently requested. His eyes were focused on her full of concern.

"Hey you shouldn't be standing up." He took her shoulders gently and sat her down onto her knees. Kagome obeyed, not because she wanted to, but her legs were so weak. She blinked as he sat back on his haunches in front of her, picking up the rosary. He took both her hands and placed the rosary in them. "Put it back on."

Kagome stared. Inu Yasha was losing it, wasn't he? She just continued to stare at Inu Yasha with a strange look. Minutes passed and Inu Yasha's patience thinned as Kagome continued to stare at him like he'd grown another head.

"Well?! What's wrong? Are you really that delusional, bitch?" Inu Yasha snapped, eyes narrowing. Kagome blinked at the harsh reply, she was only trying to help... and he was the one acting weird. Her eyes slanted at that, she wasn't particularly forgiving with a fever and a sore throat at the moment. Huffing, she uncurled her hands over the rosary and let it drop to her lap. He didn't have to be so rude. Wasn't he supposed to be a little nicer to her because she was sick?

Inu Yasha rolled his eyes at her look and took her wrists, shifting her hands to hold the rosary up to his head, the beaded necklace framing his face as he let go, "Just slip the damn thing over my head. Are you that crazy that you can't even follow simple instructions?"

Crazy?! Okay sure she had some doubts on her sanity right then, but it was his fault! Saying weird things like that and was he implying that she was stupid?! Stupid and crazy? Oh... That little... !

A moment later the sounds of a skull and another object meeting in hard contact was heard, sending a few birds flying from their perches in trees nearby. Kagome's back was turned, nose high in the air as she marched in the general direction of camp, a little clumsily, but with as much dignity as she could muster. Inu Yasha, on the other hand, lay on his front with a nice lump on his head, his eyes narrowed. He mumbled curses under his breath, glaring at the rosary angrily. It sat there near his head, the beads shining in the dim light that was offered from the moon. If he had hated it before, he absolutely loathed the stupid beads and string now.


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

"I don't know why they're taking so long." Shippou mumbled worriedly before he bit into his peach up to the pit in the middle and chewed thoughtfully. Miroku made a sound that resembled a sigh, "Don't worry."

"What? How can you say that?!" The fox demon glared at Miroku, "First you and Sango are acting weird, and we have the 'sit' thing (Not that I'm complaining) and Kagome's been gone way too long... Maybe something's happened to her?!"

Shippou jumped to his feet and looked around worriedly, most likely in the general direction Kagome and Inu Yasha were. Miroku leaned heavily against the tree trunk, eyes closed, "Kagome is fine under Inu Yasha's protection. There is no need to worry, Shippou."

"Of course we gotta worry! With everyone able to say the word, it'd be easy to get to Ka-" Shippou was interrupted as Miroku had reached over and knocked him over the head with his staff. Miroku settled back against the tree trunk and gave Shippou a stern look as the kitsune rubbed his head with a few curses mumbled under his breath. "That's why it'd be best if you keep quiet about such important details. Even if they are attacked, we're still here to help and there is a very slim chance of anyone figuring out the incantation to subdue Inu Yasha."

"That's right, Shippou. Don't worry about them." Sango spoke up, startling the two males. Miroku smiled warily, glad that Sango seemed to have gotten over her anger enough to talk with them. Sango refused to meet the monk's eyes, keeping her eyes downcast on Kirara as she stroked the fire cat's fur. His smiled thinned somewhat, before turning his attention back at the slightly distressed kitsune. "I'm sure they'll be back soon."

The moment those words left his mouth, Shippou immediately perked up and turned his eyes to the trees on the side of him, bouncing up and down eagerly, "Kagome!"

Kagome appeared through the brush, the moonlight giving them only glimpses of the girl enough to ensure them it was their companion. Once she got close enough to the fire, they noticed the look of great irritation on her face as she plopped down next to her yellow bag. Shippou bounded over to her and sat down next to her, resting his hands in her lap as he looked up at her with a frown.

"What's wrong Kagome? Was Inu Yasha being an idiot again?"

Huff. Nod.

"Thought so. What'd he do this time?"

"..."

"Huh? OH! Yeah... You can't talk yet..." Shippou tapped a clawed finger against Kagome's thigh as he tried to guess. "There's a lot that pig-headed, ego maniac, abusive, idiot, dog-brained-"

"Who the fuck are you talking about, huh Shippou?" A voice from the trees growled out menacingly. Shippou squeaked and clung to Kagome's arm tightly, tail puffing up much like a cats' as the hanyou came into view looking quite livid. "Eep!"

"I'm going to skin you alive brat!" Inu Yasha snarled as he reached over to the fox. Shippou whimpered momentarily before shouting out the word, "SIT!"

Inu Yasha's lips curled up into a very smug smirk as he firmly gripped Shippou's tail, shocking the fox from his hold on Kagome's arm. He stared with wide eyes as Inu Yasha held him at eye level with a chilling glare, "What were you saying, runt?"

Shippou stared at Inu Yasha in pure horror. How could it be possible? The rosary didn't work anymore?! Shippou panicked, his gaze lowering to the hanyou's neck. His neck was bare. Shippou gasped and looked around frantically for the beaded necklace. Was it broken? Please don't let Kagome have taken it off... or worse, don't let it be that Inu Yasha could have taken it off himself...

Inu Yasha felt very smug right now. Kagome was looking up at him in anger with a frown on her slightly flushed face, making him feel a tiny twinge of guilt to know he had taken advantage of her in her dellusional state of mind. Shippou was squeaking in fear, his eyes darting all around. He guessed it was for the rosary. This seemed to erase any bit of guilt and brighten his mood, causing shivers to rack through the already terrified fox demon.

"Surprised? Sit didn't work now, did it? And what are you looking around so restlessly for? Could it be for..." Inu Yasha lifted his free hand that was enclosed in a fist, "For this?"

Shippou let out a groan as the hand opened to reveal the rosary. Still intact, but useless at the moment as it dangled in front of his face from one clawed finger. He looked up at Inu Yasha with a nervous smile and pressed his index fingers together sheepishly. "I wasn't talking about you... Inu Yasha... I meant... er... Kouga! Yeah and wolves are sort of like dogs... same family ya know..."

"Heh. Well then, you forgot to mention he's a dimwitted, cowardly, weakling as well." Kagome scowled at that and chose that moment to stand up, reaching out for Shippou to snatch from his grasp. Inu Yasha was quicker and pulled Shippou high out of her reach. The fox child closed his eyes in grimace, hoping Inu Yasha won't get any ideas and decide to smash him against the tree or in the ground... Like a 'sit.'

"What is it Kagome?" Inu Yasha stared down at her tauntingly moving away from her as she continued to reach out for Shippou. He chuckled, "Sit down. You're going to make yourself worse off than you are now."

Kagome looked ready to pounce on him, but opted for glaring at Sango and Miroku who blinked at her innocently. Her look demanding of them 'A little help please?!'. They stared at her passively and turned to one another, then Sango quickly looked away, remembered how angry she was at the monk earlier. Miroku just sighed, turning back to catch sight of Kagome's accusing gaze, smiling a little.

"Knock it off Kagome. I told you to sit down. This is between me and the runt." Inu Yasha snapped at her as he moved Shippou this way and that to keep out of her persistent hands. Shippou pouted and crossed his arms over his chest as he was swung about, "I'm not some bag or toy!"

Inu Yasha scowled, "Shut up. Once I get through with you, you'll be too sore to complain when I give you away as a stuffed fox."

"Guys?! How can you just sit there? Help me!" Shippou pleaded to Sango and Miroku, visibly fuming as he waved his little arms around helplessly.

"I don't think I should get involved. Kagome-chan will handle it. Inu Yasha won't let her get too exhausted and I'm sure he won't hurt you..." Sango coughed behind her hand to hide the rest of her reply,"... That badly..."

"Sango!"

"You should be able to get yourself loose Shippou. Especially with Inu Yasha busy with Kagome-sama, you could transform..." Miroku suggested as he smiled at Shippou's 'oh yeah' expression.

Inu Yasha smirked as Shippou fumbled his hands into his vest as he searched for his leaf in order to transform. With his free hand, he held the rosary with three fingers against his palm and used his index finger at Kagome's forehead to keep her at arms length. With the hand holding Shippou he tossed the fox youkai down onto the ground, startling him from his search for his leaf and held him down with his foot. Shippou cried out in outrage.

"What the hell!? You bastard!" Shippou's voice was muffled against the dirt and grass he was subjected to and squirmed desperately under the foot that was trying to crush him. Inu Yasha chuckled, staring down at the suffering fox, then up at Kagome who seemed just as frustrated as Shippou.

"Don't get yourself riled up Kagome. You'll hurt yourself." Inu Yasha scolded lightly with a smile.

Kagome's gaze darkened as she pulled back from his hand and grabbed his wrist as she took an additional step back, yanking him towards her. The movement was unexpected, causing Inu Yasha to stumble forward. The foothold he had on Shippou loosened enough for the youkai to scrambled free and scampered to hide behind Sango's boomerang.

Inu Yasha gave a sound of surprise as he nearly lost his balance. He regained it quickly, glaring at Kagome. But before he could open his mouth and respond to her actions, she stunned him once more by yanking the rosary from his hands and swiftly placing it over his head and around his neck. She stepped back, swaying a little as she placed her hands firmly on her hips with a hard stare.

Shippou peaked out from his hiding place for a moment before stepping out in the open. Inu Yasha was too distracted by Kagome's sudden actions to give the fox any thought. Shippou seemed to smile widely in relief as he noticed the rosary was back on, but... would the spell work for him again? He opened his mouth at the same time Kagome did.

"Sit!" Kagome's lips moved to form the word, but it was Shippou's voice that shouted the incantation. And again, still unsure of why or how this could happen, he was slammed into the ground with such force, the imprint of his body was made in the dirt. Shippou was jumping with joy. Maybe the rosary was stuck like this!

It took a moment for Kagome to realize that it wasn't really her who sat him. But she was so angry and wanted to see him eat dirt so badly, she didn't really care how it happened. But once she was satisfied with Inu Yasha twitching in the dirt, she felt a little bad and mouthed the word 'sorry'. Now she remembered that she couldn't speak when no sound came out to match her lips.

"Wahaha! Serves you right, stupid dog!" Shippou cackled as he situated himself atop the hanyou's head and pulled at his pointed dog ears.

"Shippou..." Inu Yasha's voice was slow, stretching out every syllable in the fox youkai's name before he grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and shook him. His dirt covered and bruised face with an expression of rage. Shippou merely smiled.

"Sit!"

"Sit?"

Inu Yasha was slammed into the ground with twice the force as before and couldn't keep a howl of pain from being voiced out. Shippou blinked as he looked around at the others, Inu Yasha's grip on him loosened. "Who else said it?"

Sango shrugged, "I guess it's still 'broken'."

"Why did you say sit?" Everyone (with the exception of Inu Yasha, who had more pressure added to his back) turned sharply as the new voice spoke up again. All were tensing visibly as the person came into the fire light. It was a young girl. She blinked at them as she stepped closer to the fire, tilting her face to the side where her hair was bunched into a pony tail at the right side of her head. She wore a orange and pale yellow checkered yukata, her brown eyes wide with innocence and brimming with curiousity.

"You are..." Shippou started to speak and shook a little as he pointed a clawed finger at her. His eyes darted around, tensing as he expected someone to swoop down out of the shadows and attack at any moment.

The others seemed to have similar thoughts. Sango regarded the girl passively as her hand went to hiraikotsu, getting a firm grip on her weapon, "You are the girl who is allied with Sesshoumaru? Inu Yasha's half brother?"

"Hai!" The girl replied cheerfully. Her smile widening at the name. The others exchanged looks uncertainly, "I know Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Ah. Where is he right now?" Miroku inquired cautiously. He seriously doubted Sesshoumaru would go as low as to use this little girl as a weapon or lead them into some sort of trap. Sesshoumaru wasn't exactly the subtle type. Like Naraku. Miroku thought warily as his left hand fingered the beads on his right arm carefully.

"Oh. Sesshoumaru-sama left to do errands! While Sesshoumaru-sama was gone a bush tried to attack Rin and Jaken-sama! But Jaken-sama told Rin to run away. I hid for a long time... waiting all day for Sesshoumaru-sama and Jaken-sama!" Rin answered and waved her hands out as she remembered the events of her day, "Jaken-sama told Rin to stay put, but Jaken-sama didn't come back for a long time. So I went to look for Sesshoumaru-sama. And here Rin is now."

"I see." Miroku nodded his head, slightly amused by the little girl's tale. "So you haven't seen Sesshoumaru all day since they left you?"

Rin nodded. Sango exchanged looks with Miroku who sighed deeply. Shippou frowned, "You were in the forest by yourself? All alone? You weren't attacked or anything?!"

Shippou's voice took an incredulous tone as Rin nodded. "Must be because of Sesshoumaru... They don't want to mess with him."

Shippou nodded as he crossed his legs, still atop Inu Yasha's head. "Yeah... If only Inu Yasha was that much of a threat, then we'd have it a lot easier."

"Shippou... I'll kill you!" Inu Yasha snarled as he twisted around on the ground, startling Shippou momentarily, grabbing onto his neck with the full intention of strangling him. Too bad, he really should have thought of covering his mouth first, "Sit!"

Inu Yasha was forced back face first into the ground, as Shippou jumped out of Inu Yasha's reach while he rubbed his throat. The hanyou snarled threats that was fueled by his anger and the additional sit, Shippou took no chances and repeated the incantation a few more times before running over to Kagome and hiding behind her legs.

"Sh...Shippou... You little... Fuck... You little shit!" Inu Yasha cursed even more colorful threats into the dirt even as he tried to regain his breath. Gasping and groaning with his eyes tightly shut, fists curled up tightly so his knuckles turned white.

"Sit?" Rin repeated looking over at Inu Yasha as he let out another curse, then looked over at Shippou curiously. "Why do you keep saying that?"

"Don't 'sit' Inu Yasha!" Shippou snapped as he peered from Kagome's to glare at Rin, "You're allied with Sesshoumaru! You can't sit Inu Yasha!"

"Fuck! Both of you shut the hell up." Inu Yasha growled as he was given two more sit's, undeservingly.

"I just wanted to know why you keep saying 'sit!'" Rin snapped back, slightly annoyed. Inu Yasha was really at his ropes end. Not only were these two brats sitting him for no reason, just for the sake of their argument. Not only because Rin was associated with his bastard brother, Sesshoumaru. Mostly because they were ignoring him. The little idiots...

"Will you stop!?" Inu Yasha pulled himself up just enough to make sure his words were loud and clear, no matter how much it pained his poor back.

Kagome looked at the two children and tried to calm the two, sensing a big fight may occur. Feeling particular lenient, Inu Yasha probably learned his lesson by now, she crouched between the two and patted the ground beside her. Sango caught the drift and voiced out Kagome's request, "Why don't you both sit down?"

"Bloody Fuck! Sango! I'll fucking kill you!" Inu Yasha snarled, startling the exterminator. It took her a moment to realize what she had said. But she was slightly glad she had said it, with the response she was getting from the hanyou, he deserved it.

"Yes. Why don't we all just sit down." Miroku empathized the incantation, not particularly happy that Inu Yasha had lashed out at Sango when she was only trying to help.

Inu Yasha didn't give a damn about anything, except for his back and the problem with everyone saying the damn word every other second. "Miroku, you bastard!"

Sango looked a little miffed, glaring at the hanyou. Miroku looked quite calm, if it hadn't been for the constant twitch at his left brow. Shippou and Rin were now in a heated glare. Kagome place a hand to her forehead and sighed. Mou...


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

"Argh! Rin!" Grumble, grumble. "Where is that brat?"

Jaken clutched the head staff to him tightly as he looked around in the darkness, squinting his bulging eyes for the missing girl. Great, if he lost her again... Jaken shuddered as he thought of what his master would do to him if anything would happen to Rin. He began his search once more with renewed determination, "Rin!"

"Rin-Gah!" Jaken yelped as he tripped over an unseen rock and head first into the thick trunk of a tree. He lay there on the ground for a few moments before standing up, running about as he tried to find the rock that caused his fall, kicking the ground angrily.

Jaken continued to rave angrily at the forest floor him as he recounted the events of his day...

"Lord Sesshoumaru? Where are you going?" Jaken inquired nervously as the great youkai turned his back on them and walked straight out into the forest with such power and grace that left Jaken in awe. He didn't turn as he spoke, his voice clear and commanding as he disappeared into the foilage of the forest. "Jaken, watch over Rin."

The moment those words were spoken, every trace of Sesshoumaru's presence was gone. Not even a scent or a sliver of his youki could be found. Jaken cursed in his mind as he snapped from his trance as the annoying human brat waved in the direction his master had left, "Come back soon Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Stupid brat, Lord Sesshoumaru will come and go as he pleases, not at your bidding!" Though as he said those words, he wasn't too sure. It was a shock enough that his master would save this damnable mortal. A pitiful human child. But to let her follow them? To travel with night and day? To stay with them... possibly... the entire span of her insignificant human life? It couldn't be true...

But it was entirely possibly. Lord Sesshoumaru seemed very attuned with the girl's needs and kept a careful watch on her. Especially through his most faithful, loyal and humble servant, Jaken... To baby sit a human girl?! His lord had even gone as far as to rescue the brat from Naraku, that fiendish bastard. To make such a mockery of Lord Sesshoumaru... It--

"Jaken-sama? Where did Sesshoumaru-sama go? Why did he not take Rin and Jaken-sama with him?" Jaken glared at the oblivious girl as she continued to shoot of her mouth with unending questions. Sitting down and prodding the leaf of a bush, causing the morning dew to slide off to the tip and drop onto her bare toes. "Will he be back soon?"

Jaken was about to snap at the girl when a shudder from the bush that Rin had been prodding, startled him. Rin as well, "Kyaa!"

"Shut up!" He snapped quickly at Rin who had jumped away from the bush and behind Jaken. "Who's there?!..."

"Jaken-sama, what is it?" Rin whispered, still a little shaken. Jaken, still shaking himself, snapped at the girl, "Leave here! I'll take care of this."

Jaken had watched Rin leave a bit hesitantly before facing off whatever it was in the bush. All he knew was he could sense a great bit of youkai energy from that bush. He cursed the fact that he hadn't noticed before. I can handle this! Jaken thought confidently, even as his knees seemed to buckle and shake, clutching his head staff tightly in his scaly palms, damp with sweat. "Co-co... Come out and show... your... yourself!"

He had absolutely no idea what could be popping out at him at any second and held his staff, the old man's head facing the bush, ready to burn it in seconds. "Come now! I, Jaken, command you so!"

The bush rustled once more and Jaken shut his eyes together tightly, bracing himself for any attack and sharply tapped the ground with the head staff, listening as a blast of fire shot out. He waited a few moments, before opening his eyes. He had demolished the bush, ashes now in it's place. He nearly laughed at his idiocy when he saw only an imp's charred body, twitching a little in the ashes. "Ohoho... Just an imp eh?"

"You thought you could defeat me? Fool!" Jaken kicked the body for good measure, grinning as the body crumbled. "Heh heh..."

Jaken turned, pleased with his triumph. It was short lived, "Rin! Rin! Come back-"

That was all the youkai servant could say before he was ambushed by a horde of imps just like the one he had just killed. They weren't too happy either. Imps weren't much of a problem... when there was only one to deal with at a time. Unfortunately, there seemed to be nearly a hundred more to take the place of the one imp Jaken had killed.

"Argh! Stupid brat!" Jaken yelled into the night as he stomped the ground and banged his already tender and bumpy head with his bruised (and possibly broken) fists. He hated imps... He hated that human child... and he hated his lord for leaving him in such a mess.

"Curse you Lord Sesshoumaru! How could you do this to me and leave me with that brat!? To be attacked by imps?! Curse you! Curse yo-" He would have kept up his ranting, if hadn't been for the rock that was pitched from the darkness and hit him square at his forehead. He ended abruptly with a yelp and fell on his back, twitching in the slightest at his webbed feet.

"Jaken."

The youkai yelped once more and sat up looking absolutely horrified to have been caught, standing up and squinting in the darkness at the white outline of the figure before him. "Lord Se-Sesshoumaru!"

"I'm so sorry my lord!" Jaken cried as he bowed repeatedly at his master's feet, "Excuse my idiocy. I'm sorry, but I can't find Rin! I was protecting her from these damn imps and didn't realize she had wandered so far when I-"

A sharp kick to his head cut off his rambling, Sesshoumaru was already gone by the time Jaken had regained enough sense to inspect his newly formed bump. "Ow.."

"Lord Sesshoumaru?!" Jaken yelled as he stood up, clutching the staff as he kept his eyes wide open. Looking around frantically as the noises in the forest around him became louder and less friendly. Quickly he took off through the darkness, crying out loudly, "Gak! Lord Sesshoumaru!"


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

"Sit!"

"Stop saying it! Only we can!" Shippou growled in his best menacing voice as he gestured to everyone else around the campsite, "So stop now!"

"Why can't I say 'sit'?" The younger girl asked with a frown as she looked down at the fox, who in turn gave her a glare.

Inu Yasha was twitching continuously, his hand reaching out for the two. He didn't know how long they been at it, but the dirt was now up to his ears that flattened against his skull in attempting to block out the incantation.

"You just can't!" Shippou snapped. Rin glared back.

"Sit."

Inu Yasha groaned, having stopped cursing long ago and wasting precious energy by getting mad. He raised his hands to his ears and pressed them down as he tried to further block out the noise.

"You-!" Shippou tackled Rin who squeaked in surprise but she continued to say the word even as they tumbled. "Sit! Sit! Sit!"

"Shut up! Only we can say sit!" Inu Yasha continued to be slammed further into the ground as their voices escalated in volume. He let his hands drop from his ears, giving up as he endured the unnecessary pain. Fuck, Fuck, Fuck... he chanted in his head as he shut his eyes, closing them tightly together.

"Sit!" Rin cried as she tried to throw Shippou off.

"Stop! Saying! Sit!" Shippou yelled as he continued to try and pin Rin to the ground. Kagome was at a lost and tried to catch the two, but every time she got close they would roll out of her reach. She felt dizzy after a while of running in circles and sat down for a breather. Miroku was too amused to really bother doing anything, in fact, he seemed to be enjoying the show quite a bit.

"Shippou! Don't attack Rin!" Sango spoke up once she had gotten over the shock of Shippou attempting such a thing. She really didn't think he would result to violence. Both of them ignored her and tumbled out of her reach around the camp.

"Sit!"

"Stop! Don't say that!"

"I will and you can't stop me! Sit!"

"You can't!"

"I can!"

"No you can't!"

"Yes I can!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Rin."

"Yes-" Rin stopped as she looked up from her place with her hands on Shippou's shoulders, bracing his weight off of her. She glanced to the side, her eyes immediately brightening, "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Shippou fell abruptly on his face as Rin bolted from him, over to the dog youkai in seconds. She had completely forgotten about their quarrel and was bouncing around in happiness, "Where have you been all day Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru ignored the girl hopping about at his feet as he observed the campsite stonily. The human girl that his half-brother always had around was on her knees holding her head, she didn't seem to have noticed his presence, he could smell the sickness claiming her. The fox cub puffed, and tensed at his arrival and didn't even dare to squeak or move in case he might catch his interest. The girl fighter with the boomerang looked over at him with wide eyes, tensing as she kept closer to her weapon with her pet, the fire cat, hissing from her lap. The monk with the wind tunnel at his right hand was in the same state as the girl fighter, tensing as he held onto his staff and jingling the hoops gently together at his tightening grip, his eyes narrowing in the slightest as he viewed the youkai lord.

As for his half-brother... All he could see was the imprint of his body a foot or more down in the earth. Either he didn't know Sesshoumaru was there or, he was incapacitated at the moment. Sesshoumaru continued to stand there for a few moments. It would do no good to start a fight now... he didn't want the miko getting Rin sick either. He turned away and made a smooth exist without even a crunch of twigs beneath his feet as he left.

"Goodbye!" Rin chirped happily as she waved at them all, before following after him. "Sesshoumaru-sama!"

The tense atmosphere did not dissipate until Rin's voice and the sound of her footstep had faded away. Most of the group was dumbfounded to have encountered the youkai lord in such a quick and... nonviolent fashion. The only times they had ever encountered Sesshoumaru were in life or death situations, whether it be their lives or another in peril.

"That was... interesting." Miroku commented in the thick silence that had overcome them. Sango nodded slowly in agreement as Shippou started breathing in quick short gasps, clutching at the material over his racing heart. Kagome moaned, crawling over to her sleeping bag and laid down. Her head was starting to throb. She had sensed Sesshoumaru's arrival, but she was too sick at the moment to care, but she still thanked anyone who was up there listening for the little break they got. The only break they got all day.

"Shit..." Inu Yasha voiced out hoarsely as he climbed out of the dirt at an agonizingly slow pace. It took him a full minute to get his elbow onto the surface, one eye closed in a wince as he worked on the other arm. He must have been really distracted by the pain if he even forgot to threaten to kill Shippou. Possibly Miroku and Sango as well.

Shippou stopped panting and let out a long sigh of relief, flopping onto the ground in a spread eagle position. Sango released her weapon in favor of stroking Kirara's fur, "It's been a long day."

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jaken gasped for breath as he stumbled on the group abruptly. He blinked his yellow eyes in surprise as half of the group turned to stare at him. The other half including Inu Yasha, who didn't give a damn, his mind set on getting him out of his shallow grave. Then Kagome was oblivious of their visitor as she drifted off to sleep.

Jaken got over his initial shock at finding them before smirking smugly. The miko of the group was asleep, the bastard hanyou was injured, all he had to do was face the fox, the monk, and the other human girl. Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama won't punish me if I get rid of them! Especially Inu Yasha, Jaken thought excitedly as he brandished his staff at them cackling, "I've got you! Lord Sesshoumaru will be most pleased once I get rid of... Gah!"

Jaken had gone quiet as the monk stood and fingered the beads on his right hand. He forgot about the wind tunnel. Jaken started to inch back, laughing nervously this time, "Can't you take a joke?"

"It seems my sense of humor has run dry," Miroku smiled darkly as he removed the beads from his right arm and aimed his tunnel at Jaken who yelped in terror and fled as fast as he could in the other direction. Miroku, satisfied, placed the beads back on and settled back down for a well deserved nap, repeating Sango's comment, "It's been a long day."

[AN] Okay, seriously, sorry for the long wait. Beta reading is a real b**** and I hate editing my own work... I need beta readers... I only have one and even then I find mistakes! So I think I need another one... ~______~ Well I can't promise that this story will get another chapter out soon, only because I'm deciding whether to end it next chapter or give it a few more before I finish. Well other than that I'll be working on my other fic and make new ones later~ Look out for them! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, it's kinda long...