Aw, this really sucks...you were just getting to the cusp of the climax! I mean, how many times is Kagome ** off enough at someone other than Inuyasha to let them know it so plainly? That was awesome, it really was. And I'm dying to read her tear into Naraku too when she gets the chance-though the ogling probably is pretty good incentive for Inuyasha too-not to mention the lovely little pile of reasons Kikyou is hardly trustworthy nor worth dying for that have been summarily shoved into Inuyasha's face...Ah, sweet dreams are made of these, heaven and hell on the seven seas...A delight of a chapter. I look forward to the next one with intense longing, if only tentative belief that it will come at this point in time...ah well...one can dream...

I fully support the idea of actually filling all those plot holes, though I sincerely hope that this does finish?? I don't mind waiting, so long as I know it will be completed...but for now, I musn't dwell on depressing things. Very bad form, you know.

As for this chapter. Great plot building, especially within the conversation between Kikyou and Naraku just now, and the sturm und drang of the rest was quite enjoyable as well as painful. Funny how that works. I particularly loved Inuyasha's line about shortchanging her scent and his internal dialogue in regards to her drunken 'proposition'. So much fun to hear at least part of him have some sense. Hopefully the rest will soon too.

Wait. *twitch*. You said...another '10 chapters' just now. But. There's only 2 more left.

My brain knows better than to follow that train of thought. Train wrecks aren't pleasant, you know.

As for this chapter, quite a delightful little idea to finally get a clue into Inuyasha's head about Kagome's feelings...in vino veritas is one of the best plot devices ever created, in my opinion, as long as it's not overused. And I definitely enjoyed the additional hints as to all that's going on. Bet that guy with the messed up leg was the human traitor in the castle, and that he was writing another message in the dirt she didn't notice, and his leg was only marginally hurt and he was just going to try to take her out, except Kirara was there, so he just had to leave a note to his cohorts that it didn't work and get rid of her before Inuyasha showed up and got suspicious. Ooh, I love complicated plots...so much fun to unravel...I'm like a kitten with this sort of ball yarn...

Well, that was a true journey...kudos for managing that whopper, not to mention completing it, and especially for maintaining the energy level. It doesn't matter how engaging someone normally writes; if they're writing something as long as this, they better have content on their side too. I'm still suffering a mild case of the jeepers thanks to the kugutsu attack. Oh, and my current theory regarding the mysteries presented: someone within the castle (my bet's on Kohaku and mind control, as it's canon, and their was that whole deal with his sickle/blade/chain/weapon, and he was around during the production of all food, and he was 'knocked out' during this attack, and mind control is a good reason for the jewel to be tapped, and a whole host of other reasons I won't list so I can get on with the rest) is helping someone without it who controls the kugutsus to get close, get things to hide their smell (they tried the bracelets, but found out the sandals were better, esp. since the enemy would never notice them missing, and thus returned them for Kohaku to pick up with the note of 'unnecessary), know where they might be at certain times of the day, plan future attacks ('Once more soon'), etc.

Just my own little theory *whistles*. Being concise is over-rated, by the way...

I feel like that was a necessary break after the intensity of the last chapter. A grounder, if you will, to make sure the high-flying romance won't soar out of the stratosphere altogether. Souta and Shimoko's input were quite enjoyable as well. Adding more hints to the identities of the meddler/wannabe-Cupid vs. the saboteur (as I like to think of them) was fun too. I'm rooting for the former, personally.

This is THE Development chapter, as well as THE simile chapter. But you knew about the first one to begin with. I just want to share my favorite similes, 'cause if I try talking about the other stuff, I'll bore you and probably start ranting about how stupid they are and yet how happy I am and yet so annoyed and-yeah. Definitely gonna stop it there. So--similes! The one involving her foot prints and open sores totally caught me off-guard, quite deserving the title of 'seminal'; the one in their other fight 'the word dropped into the silence like a ball of lead' is fabulously effective, especially thanks to the simple diction and hard, unforgiving consonants; ok...umm...I can't find any more. So maybe there weren't as many as I remember...those two are good though! (backs away, trying to not look idiotic and/or weak. Seizes upon a different subject:)
Not to mention all the great parallels you drew: between Inuyasha and the abusive husband (I admire you taking the risk and have to agree with the point no matter how grudgingly), Kagome acting like Inuyasha normally does, Kagome and Inuyasha in terms of suicide, Inuyasha and Kaede's husband (more of a compare and contrast, but you get what I mean), etc.
Yeah. Pretty good stuff right here. If you take into account that cliffhanger, well, it's hard for this to get any better.

Argh! YOu-what-noo, no, that did not-couldn't have-no effing way-oh, chikuso. ¿Por qué me haces éste, cabróna? How do you pull me in so well? How do you drive me loca with angst and plot twists like injecting manic-depressive and PCP into every vein at once! Gah! Must go hurt something now...Again, I indulge my delight for hyperbole...and I honestly should be thanking you, 'cause I have a piano recital and angst is a pre-requisite to my piece, but still...Not a happy chapter, was it? My only hope is that Inuyasha will actually learn something from the experience. The only issue is if it's too late...

There's an ending if ever I read one...damn, but that was unexpected. It dragged down the mood like some implacable steely length of seaweed, down into the murk, the swimmer grasping and gasping with only a silent stream of bubbles to take the stead of their plaintive, helpless wail...Ok, went a little far there. I'm such a sucker for the dramatic...It was pretty great though.

Those two...so ridiculous. They make the average inferiority complexes look like they're not trying. And Sesshoumaru's love life earns you a thousand bouquets of thanks; it's the most realistic version I've ever read. All in all, a decidedly in character chapter. Thanks much for that.

Oh, the delights of fluff...I definitely need to go brush my teeth now. And all the angst and complicated emotional dialogue has got me tuckered out...don't know how they can deal with it all on a daily basis in the slightest. I guess they have each other though...

Ooh! More character development! So delish, isn't it, to watch them beat this track a different way each time, every time getting just a little bit farther before they're dragged back to only the smallest bit farther than where they started...And really, it is. This is how characters and relationships do develop: slowly, with little gains by little gains. It wouldn't mean a thing if it were easy. Thanks for keeping it entertaining though!

Oh, what a delightfully packed chapter this was. Plot progression, character development, terror, fights, angst, love...
Kukukukuku...Sounds like a pretty good combination to me. And guess what? It was.

One of my favorite songs I ever sang was in Russian...Lord knows I don't remember the words now, especially considering we always used music for it because the pitches were so hard to keep in your ear (minor seconds on top of diminished fourths and so on will do that to you), but it was so lovely, and I still remember the impression I got from it...It fit this chapter fairly well too. Not too fast, just taking its time, getting where it needed to go when it needed to. The song was about a flower wilting on the central steppe...I'd like to think that this was the sun obscured by a cloud, from the flower's perspective, but that the wind came to blow the cloud back...Can't wait to find out if that wind was altogether strong enough to do it all, of if more gusts were needed. Thanks for this. I liked it on a much deeper and more sincere level than I have been. Music does that to me.

The general stupidity involved in some decisions really frightens me. Kagome's to ask Kikyou about the changing fangs is one of them. Nice job catching me off guard, yet again. As for the rest, the teases at scar's past were intriguing, and Inuyasha's perspective on them better yet. I can't wait to read the next chapter.

That was delicious...stuff like this just makes me a complete and utter goober; joy overloads my system and all coherent thought is lost to the farthest recesses of my mind. Can't believe they said they'd pretend it didn't happen though...it's awful...oh, and Shimoko's great. I want to call her a fabulous catalyst, except I think I've used that word too many times already...oops?