Chap. 1 Trouble in a village paradise
"Lady Kagome!"
Kagome turned slowly as she heard her name being called.
"Isuzu-Chan, what is it?" Kagome asked as the girl almost ran headlong into her. Isuzu looked up at her before falling to her knees.
"My brother is possessed by a demon! Please help him," Isuzu cried out. Kagome's features smoothed over as she nodded.
"Take me to him." She turned to her page, "Go find Lord Miroku and Lady Sango, Katsu-Chan." Katsu nodded as he took off in the opposite direction. Kagome hurried next to Isuzu as they raced to the small house where the doors were sealed shut.
He's trying to keep me out, Kagome thought as she could feel the demonic presences from within the house. She reached for the sliding handle when she felt a small hand pulling on her hamaka and hayori.
"Be careful, Milady," Isuzu said quietly. Kagome smiled as she nodded before composing herself once again.
The entire room was dark with the exception of the dim patch illuminated by the open doors which revealed a small boy.
His hair was jet black and his skin had turned the color of dark water and mud. His eyes were red cat like slits that reflected the light.
Rat Demon, Kagome thought as she saw in its teeth the leg of a man who lay only feet away; it snarled letting the blood ooze down the sides of its mouth as it spoke to her.
Leave wench, he snapped. Kagome narrowed her eyes.
"Demon of the rats, I ask you to leave this boy and return from the shadows from where you came." Kagome's voice did not waver as she spoke. The Demon growled distorting the boy's features further.
Kagome sighed. "Then I will vanquish you."
The demon growled as he dropped the leg and charged. Kagome dodged as the demon slammed into the wall behind her.
It hissed as it flicked one of its many tails at her. She dodged again, pulling out an arrow from her quiver. She knocked to the bow swiftly-----
-----Another tail slammed into her back, driving part ways into her shoulder like a spear.
Gasping, she slid into the wall. The white hamaka shirt was stained red in moments.
"Lady Kagome!"
"Kagome"
"Sango-san, Miroku-san," Kagome called as the demon turned its attention to a new threat, Miroku narrowed his eyes as he drew out wards.
"Hiya" Miroku threw each of them at the Demon, stunning it in its tracks. "Demon Be Gone"
Kagome watched as Miroku's staff sailed over and struck the demon's face. It cried out as it emerged from the boy.
Its rodent like body was black and red brown with fierce mirror black eyes with tiny lights.
Kagome didn't need to be told. She drew her bow and shot; her arrow sailing and striking the rat's demon forehead.
In a blinding white light, the demon disintegrated.
Lowering her bow, Kagome dropped to one knee as she nursed her left shoulder. Isuzu raced in to check on the man to her left. She shook him vigorous calling to him.
"Father please, wake up!" Her voice was frantic and her eyes streamed. The man stirred slowly before crying out.
"My leg, my leg," He cried. Kagome lifted herself from the floor and walked over to the boy.
She slowly touched his forehead and with a single touch, purified the demonic taint and freed his mind.
"Miroku-san, please take Isuzu-Chan's father to Elder Kaede. She will tend to his wounds," Kagome said as she lifted the child up. She began to walk out when Sango came over.
"Kagome, let me take care of him," Sango said. "You need you injuries tended to. That wound looks angry." Kagome smiled.
"I need to get him to the shallow river and purify his spirit." Kagome said, she left before Sango could argue further.
The river was shallow and ran next to the tiny village and provided fresh drinking water. Slowly, Kagome walked into the river with her bow on her back and laid the boy gently on its bed, she rested his head outside of the water on the river banks as she slowly knelt down.
Concentrating, she began to channel her power into his heart charka, one of the main energy channels and the strongest of them.
She gasped as she felt her power wave over him and the last strands of the demonic taint disappear from his soul.
Exhausted, she felt her wound painfully throbbing as she fell backwards into darkness.
The air was chilled and the cold moon high above in the sky. Kagome peered around as she recognized where she was.
The bridge, not to far from the temple, was made of red wood from the western lands and pine and was under a large Sakura tree. Their blossoms were in
full bloom as they sent their whirlwind of soft petals around.
Kagome looked down at her wedding ring on her left hand; it was a tiny band of silver with an inscription;
"This ring is a symbol of my oath/ its words bind me in this life and the next/
"All I refuse and thee I chose"
Kagome gasped as it disappeared. The Wind blew harder as she huddled for warmth.
Emerging from the darkness was a figure with silvery hair.
"I see you're awake."
Kagome was startled awake and sat up quickly but was forced down by a spear of pain.
"Easy lady Kagome," Kaede whispered gently. "You used quite a bit of spirit power with that last stunt, must you be so careless?"
"What happen," Kagome asked as she sat up slowly, mindful of her injuries. Kaede looked as old and worn, like a tired mother with her reckless child.
"Katsu-Chan found you in the river along with a frantic Mizuke." Kaede said smiling a little. "They both carried you here. You were dying the entire river red with
blood; we feared the worst had happen?" Kagome nodded as she placed a tender hand on her shoulder. She felt the wound underneath on either side.
"I'll survive, it's not fatal," She said.
"The blood loss could have been," Kaede said seriously. "Really this is the second time this month that you have been wounded." Kagome gave a reproachful look
as Kaede sighed. "You need rest, you are not a goddess child, and you must take you time and allow yourself to heal from each encounter lest the demons find thee ill to fight."
"Sango-dono and Miroku-dono won't be able to keep back all the demons," Kagome said. "Like today, a rat demon made it past Miroku's wards and possessed Mizuke. That is when I must take action and try to help." Kagome sighed as she lifted herself from the cot and to her knees. "I am protectorate of this village and I must help and protect its people!"
"Lady Kagome, you are not the only one here who can fight," Kaede said gently, smiling at her spirit. "You can step back sometimes and let the others fight the demons." Kagome sighed and nodded, defeated. She then heard the voices outside, angry and worried.
"But you said she would be better by today!" Shippo's voice rang out louder than Miroku's or Sango's. "You said!"
"Let them in," Kaede called. The sliding door opened and immediately four people came surging in.
"Are you alright, Kagome," Shippo asked. "Are you all better?" Kagome smiled, though Shippo was now ten years old, he still retained some of his childish habits like wanting Candy and sleeping next to her at night.
"Yes, thanks for worrying, Shippo, "Kagome said, brushing his hair from his eyes.
"Are you sure, Mizuke said the wound on your shoulder was strait through it." Koga said. Kagome smiled.
It had been three years since Naraku had been defeated and the shikon no tama restored to Kagome's body. She felt its power inside her.
That was when she decided to stay in the feudal age and serve as protectorate of the village. She knew she had a duty to the jewel and her friends to protect them.
She immediately began her training to be the miko of this village. Miroku and Kaede helped her with her training and soon, she had learned what it meant to truly wish to protect someone and to want to destroy evil.
Many of the gang had decided to stay with her to help her. Sango and Miroku had been married for those three years and were expecting their first child to arrive.
Sango, for now, hung up her boomerang and help Kagome by teaching her the art of poisons and herbs to heal and to kill. She trained her and helped her with attacks when she could and also taught her to fight against bigger opponents.
Koga, once he had heard about her marriage, came immediately and swore to protect her as soon as she became miko. Though he no longer had the super speed in his legs, he still could fight hard and taught her martial arts and how to fight with a sword.
She looked at her friends and smiled as they beamed out. But when she recounted them, she frowned.
"Where is Inuyasha?" She asked. The room turned cold.
"He left early this morning again; he went to the shrine…..to Kikyo's grave." Shippo said darkly. Kagome felt her good cheer disappear.
"Again," She said her voice devoid of emotions.
"Yes, again," Kaede said indifferently. Kagome closed her eyes as she lowered her head.
"Was a message sent to him that I was hurt?" She asked.
"Yes, we sent Katsu to tell him," Kaede said.
"And"
"Katsu said that he didn't want to be disturbed," Kagome bowed her head.
"Can you all give me a few moments alone," She asked. Kaede looked at her.
"Kagome-"
"Please, just give me some time alone," Kagome said as she tried to hide her face. Kaede turns to the others as she slowly gets up.
"Come," She said.
"Kagome, please-" Koga begins but Sango gives him a sharp look. Everyone left the room one by one
With one look back, Koga saw her kneel over her face with her hands
"DAMN IT!"
"Calm down Koga," Sango said as she sat down, her stomach bulging in her kimono. "You know Inuyasha will not be swayed nor Kagome."
"But-…." Koga slammed his fist into a tree trunk, gashing the defenseless plant. "He's never there! He is always at the temple, or in the woods, or somewhere!
But never here, he is never with Kagome, this is the second time that she gets hurt and he is not here to watch over her! And to make matters worst-."
"Koga don't say it-."
"He's her god damn Husband! What kind of mate treats his mate like second best to everything else! He is willing to go everywhere but when it comes time to go and spend time with Kagome, he brushes it off and goes to the temple! I would rather put that flea bitten puppy down myself and-."
"That's enough Koga," Miroku snapped. "We know Inuyasha is a dolt, but come now. He just lost Kikyo and he needs time to recover and-."
"He has had three years! All three years he's been married he has been with Kagome he has been sulking like a puppy with his tail in between his legs and----."
Koga was tossed like a rag doll across the yard into the tiny pool outside of Kaede's house. Koga disappeared for a minute before surfacing angrily.
"Who the hell-"
Inuyasha stood in irritation. He replaced his red Hamaka and hayori with blue hayori and a white hamaka. He wore a navy blue kimono untied over this and his hair was longer and he was taller than before. Tesusaiga hung on his waist threateningly. His face more propionate and he looked regal.
"You want to say that to my face, you mangy wolf," Inuyasha said venomously. "I would have killed you myself if Kagome hadn't asked me not to. Be grateful that my wife is more lenient that I."
"I see you are back from the temple." Everyone turned to see a composed Kagome, no trace of her sorrow in her emotionless eyes.
"I heard you were hurt," Inuyasha said nonchalantly. The tension was playable between the two.
"Kaede said I need a few days of rest, she says I exhausted myself this time and I need to recuperate," Kagome said as she stood up strait, her bandaged shoulder visible under her hamaka.
"But you need to protect the village," Inuyasha protested. Kagome looked down and nodded.
"Alright," She said. He nodded as he turned. "Where are you going?"
"I am going to help the men hunt," Inuyasha said looking over his shoulder. "They are short men today." He then turned and spoke briskly, "In the mean time, the western side of the village needs to be patrolled, I need you to check that area around that." Kagome nodded as he turned to go. "I'll be back with dinner but don't wait up for me after it's done."
"Yes Inuyasha." Kagome said.
"Err------ Inuyasha, get your ass back here!" Koga yelled. Inuyasha didn't heed, he just kept walking.
Kagome sighed as she went back inside and emerged after with her bow, quiver and belt with powders.
"Kagome, you aren't going are you!" Shippo snapped. Kagome looked at him and smiled.
"Inuyasha is right; some one needs to look after the western sides." She said. She then narrowed her eyes at the western side of the village. "And besides, I feel a strong demonic power in that direction, its waning but it is still stronger than any of you." Kagome turned and slowly walked off. "Don't worry about me, I will be fine."
Everyone stared after her as she seemed to be so alone.
"Do you think she will be alright," Sango asked. Kaede sighed as she watched the shrinking figures going in opposite directions. The wind blew to the west as the new leaves trail after Kagome.
"I think this day will be most interesting.
