"Have you seen Kagome around here, Miroku?" The monk looked up and shook his head as a small girl tackled him.
"Dad! Can we go catch fish at the pond?" she said with a giggle. He smiled and nodded, yawning as she ran to get her pole.
"Sango is resting more and more as the baby grows, so I doubt she's seen Kagome either." Inuyasha sighed and ran in the opposite direction. He hadn't seen her for a few days now. She'd gone to the tree to send a message to her mother. It still communicated with the modern world. Kagome was the only one who could pass through, though. She was supposed to be back last night.
"Lord Inuyasha! Is everything alright?" The young boy smiled up at the half-demon. His eyes glowed yellow and he had small horns protruding from his head. Inuyasha smiled and nodded, patting the boy on the head.
"If you see the priestess, please tell her I'm looking for her Hiro." The boy nodded and ran off with a face of determination. The town was teeming with humans and demons alike. Kagome and Inuyasha had worked to create a safe haven for both kinds of creatures. His heart was aching being away from her for any period of time. Just as he was about to head toward the well to wait for her, he heard the children running toward the eastern side of the village.
"Lady Kagome! Welcome back!" The little girls were jumping to hold her hand and take the bags of goods from her. She always brought back toys for them and treats from the future. Hiro helped her carry her groceries for the household as she laughed and hugged a small demon. Relief washed over him and he bounded to greet her.
"Idiot! I was wondering why you weren't back last night." Kagome pouted and waved her hand.
"I just wanted one more warm bath last night before I came home is all." He gave her an angry look but only for an instant, as his face then broke into a smile. He took the bags from Hiro and held Kagome's hand as they walked to their house. Once inside, he set down the bags and turned to embrace her tightly. He took a deep inhale of her hair.
"I'm glad you took another bath with that shampoo stuff, it makes you smell so good." Kagome's face turned bright red. She still wasn't used to Inuyasha showing his vulnerable side so often. He pulled away and lifted her chin to kiss her fiercely. She held the front of his kimono and sighed against his lips.
"I missed you," she whispered. He smiled and kissed her forehead as he smoothed her hair.
"I missed you too, idiot." She smiled and buried her face in his chest. He was warm and smelled like incense.
"Has Sango given birth yet?" He shook his head and watched her begin to unpack the bags.
"Thank goodness, I brought painkillers and antiseptic to help her through." Kagome's hair fell back enough so that he saw the ribbon holding it up in a bun. It was the one he'd given her from his mother's tomb. His nose danced with the smell of flowers she gave off.
"I was on my way to check the nearby village and make sure no more demons had appeared since last month. Will you be alright while I'm away?" he asked, resting on the mat on the floor. She froze for a fraction of a second and then continued, looking up to smile and nodded. He knew she was trying to hide her sadness.
He reached out and pulled her to him. She gasped as he kissed her again and ran his claw over her cheek.
"Would you like to come with me?" he asked. She smiled and nodded, hopping up to change out of her kimono. He blinked at how fast she'd moved away from him. Sometimes she surprised even him.
Kagome changed into shorts and a tshirt she'd brought back with her. Once she graduated high school, she'd decided to move in with Inuyasha when Kaede passed from old age. They headed out together and waved to Miroku as they began down the path. It was beautiful out, but Inuyasha was picking up a strange scent in the air.
"I can smell something, it's as if there's a demon nearby. But something is different." Kagome nodded and looked at him with a side glance. His white hair glistened in the ponytail he wore now. It'd grown so long over the past year. He'd acquired two bright purple scars on her neck from a fight with a horse demon. His golden eyes glistened in the bright light and her face flushed at how handsome he was.
"What're you looking at, dummy?" he asked in an irritated tone, looking down at her with a scowl.
"Nothing, nothing. Sheesh I was just day dreaming," she murmured. He sniffed the air again and took her hand. She smiled and squeezed it. He no longer looked at her as Kikyo, but as the stubborn girl who'd fought with him through thick and thin.
"Did you hear that? It sounded like a scream," he said, turning towards the west. The birds were flying from the trees with screams. A giant cloud burst from the distance and a figure flew into the air. Inuyasha focused on the figure and brought it into focus. A man with bright yellow hair flowing around him and pointed ears was soaring through the air. His hair fell in a braid that wound through the air and seemed to block any arrows that flew near him. His face was covered in soot, but he had stripes on his face in red and a spear in his hand. It glowed bright red with fire. His kimono seemed to be made of gold and blood gushed down his leg.
"Kagome, hop on! There's a demon toward that settlement." She leapt onto his back and he leaped toward the trees. Her hair blew in the wind and she clung tight to his body.
"Akiko!" the demon screamed. Tears streamed down his face and he launched himself toward the ground. Inuyasha slid to a halt at the bottom of the tree near the opening. The villagers had a girl in their arms with weapons pointed towards her. He inhaled deeply and his ears perked in confusion. The girl was definitely human, but the demon seemed distraught over her capture.
"Who's that girl?" Kagome whispered. She reached behind her and grabbed her bow. The girl's hair was an odd color against the other people. It glowed bright gold and her skin was so pale. She had deep brown eyes and her face was contorted into an expression of fear.
"Katsu!" she screamed, as the man holding her from behind pressed a sword against her throat. She winced and blood began to drip on the blade.
"Don't you hurt her, worthless human! I'll kill every last one of you," the demon screamed. He sent a circle of fire around himself and the villagers so they couldn't escape.
"Damn, can't see a thing anymore," Inuyasha growled. He leapt up into the tree and watched the demon's blood begin to pool where he stood.
"You took away all of our women, so we'll take yours!" The lord of the village screamed and tears rolled down his face.
"What're you talking about? We're just passing through!" Katsu yelled. The lord tensed and grabbed a spear from the nearest villager. He thrust the spear head into the stomach of the girl and her eyes widened in pain. She tried to cry out, but the only noise that escaped her was a soft whimper.