The day is a very beautiful, average day for the 18 year old priestess, Higurashi, Kagome. Blue Sky with light white clouds and the weather pleasant. The day is as average as it can get for the young priestess. Since the defeat of the half-demon Naraku 3 years earlier, Japan is now at a peaceful period. Kagome finished school and then continued to stay in the Feudal era with her friends.
Kagome became a priestess of a village west of Kaede's and Inu Yasha protected a village North of the two. Sango went back to her village with Kirara and Miroku went back to his temple temporarily until the two became man and wife. Shippo stays in Kagome's village but does not often travel with her. Kagome allowed Kouga his jewel shards back and Kohaku remains alive with Sango. Kikyo also is alive and stays in a village south Kaede's and Kagome's villages. The villages that Inu Yasha, Kagome, Kaede, and Kikyo remain in are called the Quad Alliance Villages and remained in alliance for years.
They chose those villages because of the constant demon attacks. Sesshoumaru's lands extend to Kagome's village, she has made an alliance with the Lord of the West a few years earlier. Sesshoumaru and Inu Yasha still fight but Kagome has become a respected human in Sesshoumaru's eyes. Today for Kagome started out normal but her life is about to get complicated once again.
The priestess Kagome is off the side of the road with a forest behind her and a clearing in front of her. Beyond that clearing is the bamboo forest. Kagome releases the sacred arrow at hundreds of demons who still seek the jewel hanging of a chain around her neck. In the forest across the clearing from her right, Lord
Sesshoumaru is walking to edge of the forest watching the young priestess in her fight. He looks to his right and sees a familiar face that was suppose to be dead again. Is none other than Bankotsu, alive and well. Just as he is about to approach the thought to be dead mercenary he could hear screaming and looks pass Kagome across the clearing and views a younger girl running towards the priestess. Kagome purifies the demons that are after her and looks across the clearing to the left and sees a young girl running towards her screaming.
A big boar demon runs out of the forest yelling after her, but yet another bunch of lower demons come flying at her from the front side. Kagome prepares another arrow to shoot at the bore demon but the flock of lower demon are closer. Just when she is about to make up her mind Lord Sesshoumaru appears and grabs Rin and sets her down behind the priestess while Kagome purifies the lower case demons when she senses even more demons coming from behind and to the left. She throws a barrier around Rin and then grabs for her sword. Sesshoumaru is taking care of some lower demons while the boar demon hides in the forest behind Kagome. Sesshoumaru goes to approach Rin as Kagome drops the barrier and yells to get Rin to safety.
Just as Rin is next to her Lord, the boar demon runs out and gives Kagome a gash on the side. Kagome begins her fight with the boar demon and jumps up a few boulders till she is on one about 8 feet high and is now eye level with the boar demon. "If you really think you can defeat me then you're wrong you puny human." said the boar demon.
"Come on pig, stop yapping, I don't like my pork to talk back to me." said Kagome while keeping a serious mask on.
"I am NOT a pig!" said the angered boar demon as he tries to slash at Kagome. Kagome jumps high out of the demon's claws range and cuts the demon deeply across the chest from the right shoulder. She jumps off the boulder and grabs her bow and notches an arrow.
"Good, lets end this fight so I can get that little brat of Sesshoumaru's." said the boar demon with a grin on his face.
"Ha! Like you get her with the Lord Sesshoumaru nearby." as she said that she pulled back the arrow and yelled "You will never have the chance to try and hurt Rin again!" and then she let loose the arrow and purified the bore demon just as the other lower demons arrived.
In the forest, Bankotsu watched the priestess with amusement, curiosity and great interest. A grin spreads on his face as he watches the priestess purify the boar demon. He watched as the lower demons fly overhead of him to go after the priestess as one lower demon came from behind her and bit her on her left side. The young priestess quickly dropped the bow and arrow and in one fluid motion she unsheathed her sword, killed the demon and sheathed the sword again and then quickly grabbed the bow and arrow and purified the rest of the demons.
The young priestess looked like someone he knew as he watched her. The priestess looked at her side and then started across the clearing to the bamboo forest path. As soon as she crossed the clearing and entered the forest he ran across and followed her from a safe distance. When she vanished he walked cautiously till he came to a very small clearing that the stream ran through to find the unconscious body of the priestess.
As he approached her he studied her features and took note that its not Kikyo but then again she still resembled her. As he thought about Inu Yasha he remembered the girl in his group. As he came into realization as to who the young priestess is he got a sly grin across his face and scooped up her body and headed to the village down the path.
Later on that day
'Where am I?', I looked around and noticed that i was laying down on a cot in a hut in some village. 'I guess some one found me and brought me back, but who?' I began to sit up trying my best to ignore the pain and wave of dizziness that was threatening to bring me down again.
"Oh, Kagome-sama, I see you are finally awake." The village healer came in and knelt down by the young priestess. She was a woman of age and wisdom but also a kind heart. She had a gentle smile upon her aged face with her light blue eyes and robes similar to a priestess but green instead of red. "A handsome young man has brought you by. He said that he found of the side of one of the trails by the stream. The little girl Rin came by here today and told us you saved her from demons. I guess you had quite a few demons after the Shikon today. ... Is there anything I can get you Kagome-sama?" The aged healer looked at her in concern and gratefulness.
Kagome sat there think for a few moments, thinking about what she said and was determined to find out who the young man was that saved her life so she can at the least thank him. "Yes there is something..." Kagome looked back up at her and then down to the floor in thought. "Who is this young man that saved my life, or at least a description of him?"
The aged healer looked at her with a kind smile and tried thought of the description. "Well... he carried a giant halberd...he called it Banryu...he also had a purple cross shape on his forehead for youth...a red sash with armor that a blue design and then a white hakama and gi, and one more thing he has black hair put into a long braid... a very handsome young man indeed." Kagome was in deep thought and then realization hit her and her eyes went wide as saucers but before she could say anything she heard talk outside the hut.
"Hello, I take it you're the Village Leader's wife right?" asked a young man's voice.
"Yes I am, can I help you with something? You did save Kagome-sama's life and we are very thankful for that." Came the gentle voice of the village leader's wife.
"I was just wondering what her condition might be. And the next nearest village." The young man talked in a normal voice but Kagome knew what he is capable of. She got up quickly and looked for her stuff wanting to make sure the village stays safe from harm.
The aged healer became worried but also a little shocked at how Kagome jumped up all of a sudden. She also got up and handed her, her belongings. "Are you okay Kagome-sama? Is something wrong?" Came the concerned voice.
Kagome hesitantly looked at her and grabbed her belongings. "No, everything is fine, and thank you for your care. I just remembered something important back at the village, and please let me know if I can ever be of assistance to you." Kagome tried to reply in as normal a tone she could while panicking on the inside and giving off a soft smile.
"Oh that is fine, you did save Rin's life and that is thanks enough. I hope you return safely." With that they gave each other a slight bow and left the hut.
"Oh Kagome-sama, you must be feeling rested up but are you sure you want to leave so soon, my son is returning from training and InuYasha will soon be in from watching the fields. He noticed the increase of demons again and has been worried for your safety."
Kagome just gave the village head's wife a gentle smile and replied, "No need to worry about me, I will be just fine but I do need to return back to my village in a hurry, you can give them both my hello."
Just then the village head spotted Kagome and came up to greet her. While Bankotsu watched the conversation in silence with an inward smirk. "Kagome-sama you are well again. Any chance you have found a priestess to replace you. My son is to be here by nightfall and would still like your hand in marriage. Even InuYasha thinks you should settle down. You take your job so serious he's afraid the next time he sees you, you will be a bore, he wants you to enjoy your youth, and same goes with Kikyo." He said with a slight laugh.
Kagome just gave her gentle smile and replied to stop further delays while she wondered why Bankotsu has not done anything yet or why he even saved her. "No, I'm afraid I have been too busy with the demon attacks, hmm i came here for something, I can't think what it was, oh well,.." she flashed her heart warming smile "..when I remember I will return. But I must be going, Shippo will be worried about me. I do have to be on my way, just give them my thanks and tell them not to worry about me and to worry more about them selves. I'm not a priestess for nothing." She ended humorously with a smile planted on her face.
She gave them all a bow and turned to Bankotsu. He looked her and began to speak, "I will escort you back to the village, Kagome-sama." Kagome gave a nervous smile and nodded and they began their walk to the next village with out a word spoken till after they got out of hearing range. "I see you remember who I am, right?" He asked still looking forward, down the path.
"Yes I do, now let me ask you this. Why are you alive, and what are the reasons for your actions?" She replied also continuing forward while taking a glance and seeing him smirk. 'Oh God, now what, am I his captive now or his leverage?'
"Well I do not know why or how I am alive, and I saved you because I felt like it. I had seen your battle with the demons and wondered how long it would take until you dropped over or at least let your guard down." Kagome looked at him and he looked at her in confusion.."What?" he said.
"Well is that all, do you just go around saving priestess's and why did you not kill me or slaughter the village?" He looked forward again but she continued to glance over at him.
"Well once I found you unconscious I realized who you are and decided why not, a familiar face is better than no face, and as for the village I decided dying twice in the same line of business I have learned that lesson and decided I would rather try another approach where I don't have people telling me who to kill, sure I love killing but after I heard and witnessed myself, that you are a magnet for demons and attacks then why not just kill those who come in the path."
Kagome thought on this, "Why have you not tried to take the Shikon from me, you knew you could have easily taken it from me?"
He smirked at the thought. "Yeah I guess I could have but I am not trying to kill InuYasha nor do I need it to live nor do I have fallen comrades."
She nodded and accepted that for an answer when another thought came to mind. "Are you planning on following me and how long if so?"
He had a smug look and stopped and turned towards her. She slightly turned to look at him. "Yes and I guess I will be by your side for a long time, you're not sore on the eyes so to have a beautiful woman in my company is a nice thought. The priestess part I can work on with time but none the less it will be fine for now."
Kagome did not know how to feel but got a strong blush and noticed Bankotsu stepping closer to her and she kept stepping backwards till she felt herself up against a tree and right before she tried to turn and run he put both hands on the tree on either side of her. She was blushing madly and would not betray any emotion but on the inside she started freaking out. Bankotsu just gave a smug look and closed the space between them with a kiss and quickly wrapped one arm around the waist and the other hand behind her head.
Kagome was beyond shock when he closed the distance to kiss her and then to try and deepen the kiss. 'Wow, he is a good kisser.' She then realized she was responding to the kiss. 'Why am I responding!' She did her best to shove him away and before he could try and close the distance again she smacked him right before she had seen the lust and longing look in his eyes. But she was mad and that would not stop her from yelling at him. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING!" She yelled at him while he in turn gave her his best smug look with his smirk that would put Kouga's wolfish grins to shame.
"I was kissing you, and you returned the kiss, which I do have to say you are a good kisser... its too bad InuYasha had you back then or I would have done that a long time ago." He gave that smug smirk and Kagome blushed like furious. "I'm a PRIESTESS! A VERY DEDICATED ONE AT THAT! And WHAT do you mean a LONG time ago!" She yelled back at him while taking deep breaths as she glared at him in her flustered appearance.
He kept a smug look and then wrapped one arm around her waist and put his other hand touching the side of her right cheek. "I mean, if I was not dead and on a mission I would have made you my woman or at least kidnapped you. Plus I don't care that you are a priestess. Its rare enough for me to find a beauty like you and now that I have found you again I plan on making the best of it. Also, it doesn't say you can't be a priestess and have a lover before retiring from your duties. Others want you to settle down anyways since you have suitors. Might as well live a little before you get old. And don't tell me you don't think I'm a good kisser 'cuz you obviously liked it since you responded."
He then kissed her once more and brought her into a tight embrace...after a few moments he sighed in content and finally got Kagome to relax against him. "That's more like it, not all that bad to show a person you want them." He whispered while still holding her. Kagome sighed. "What did I get my self into now?"
He smirked and started rubbing her back soothingly. "You got your self stuck with me and now you will never escape." He replied, still smirking and then leaning his forehead against hers.
She just shook her head and sighed but oddly content with this. He then grabbed her hand with his and lead her back to walking back to the village and eventually put his arm around her shoulder. "I would have thought you would have fought against this a little more, especially now that I still have my arm around you." She sighed.
"These days I'm a little too tired for bickering, I have other important matters on hand but if you could remove your arm I won't have to continue to worry about my reputation or someone seeing this...gesture."
He smirked but then straightened his face. 'This is not the same Kagome from before, she does take her duties too seriously. I didn't really know her but I had seen her spirit in battle and put to use against her allies...hmm this I will have to fix. She does look quite tired right now, that could be it too.' He thought for another minute. "Kagome, how much farther to the village, you look drained." He asked.
She thought for a second and looked at their surroundings. "Not much further. We should see it soon." They both continued their journey side by side, lost in their own thoughts.
"InuYasha!" the village leader called out to him while he came in from the fields. Right while his son strode into town on his horse in his armor still. "Kagome was here earlier today." he said to InuYasha but knew his son was listening. "She had been brought here unconscious by a young man but left with him not long after she awoke. The demons seem to be getting heavier. She had been on her way here for something but forgot what with all the commotion today. She seemed to know the young man but I have never seen him before. He carried a giant halberd around named Banryu, do you-"
InuYasha cut him off. "This better not be some sick joke. The guy who carried that blade around was defeated in battle 3 years ago. Naraku brought that damn mercenary back to life with a jewel shard."
The village leader thought on this. "Well he had the marking of youth on his forehead and long black hair kept in a braid. Would she be in trouble then, if so why did he save her and why didn't she show her distress?"
InuYasha thought on this and didn't like it one bit. "Kagome always sacrifices her own well being for the sake of others, she wouldn't want others to worry over her...damn her. She knew I was nearby...damn it. Why the hell is he back alive again...? I'm going after her, the Shichinintai might be back for revenge and keeping her captive. She's always the one in distress...damn her."
With that he left but the village head's son was not far behind. InuYasha glanced behind him and had seen the village head's son. "Hey if your planning and trying to save her then you better be prepared!" He heard no response and glanced behind him again.
The village heads son seemed to be lost in thought still and seemingly did not hear him. InuYasha growled under his breath. The village heads son finally spoke but more towards himself. "My father, Kyou, he said this Bankotsu carried a giant halberd. I wonder if this is the same halberd that took three of the strongest men to carry. If so then we have to outsmart him or out pace him..hmm I wonder...maybe he isn't back to kill anyone. Maybe he had a different path to follow that involved Kagome's new enemies."
InuYasha just thought to himself 'did he not here me say 'Shichinintai leader or what?' "Hey this guy was a mercenary, a ENEMY, now rethink that!...Did you hear me Takahiro?"
He looked up and thought 'I guess InuYasha doesn't get my train of thought with his stubbornness, only Kagome-sama could put up with such a stubborn being.' Takahiro just shook his head and kept in thought on how to pursue one such as this Bankotsu.