Chapter One
Kagome drew her bow and prepared to fire a holy arrow at the scorpion youkai terrorizing the village around her. Inuyasha, I wish you were here… she thought to herself. But Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango were all away, following a trail that might lead to Naraku. Kagome and Shippou stayed with the quiet villagers, who were fighting some kind of epidemic, to help where they could.
Little did they know that a youkai, with a Shikon shard embedded in its back, would choose that moment to attack! This can't be a coincidence! Kagome thought as she unleashed her arrow. As soon as the fighters were gone this demon appeared! Was it all a trap? The arrow clattered harmlessly against the giant scorpion's exoskeleton. I hope that Inuyasha and the others are okay…
"Shippou, get the villagers away!" Kagome shouted, drawing another arrow. She considered sending Shippou to find Inuyasha, but the sick villagers could barely walk, and she needed the kitsune to get them away from the youkai. She aimed her arrow carefully at the Scorpion's eye and fired. It struck! The youkai turned, and rushed at her as she drew another arrow. As Kagome drew back the bowstring, the scorpion youkai's venomous stinging tail darted for her with frightening speed.
"Kagome!!" Shippou cried out, pushing her as hard as he could. Kitsune and girl tumbled across the ground as the youkai's tail slammed into the ground where Kagome had stood. Venom dripped from the stinger as the Scorpion lifted it again. A droplet splashed on Kagome's cheek as she tried to stand.
She reached for her bow and arrows, not noticing the pain on her cheek. Oh no! She thought, finding her bow broken. It must have snapped as she and Shippou tumbled away from the youkai's stinger! What do I do now?
"We've got to protect these people!" She shouted to Shippou. "Get as many as you can into the temple, and then go get Inuyasha!" I don't have a chance without my bow… we'll all die unless… unless!! Kagome was struck with an idea. First she had to lead the youkai away from the temple and the villagers. And she had to get the shard out of its back, making it weaker. Only then would they all have a chance of surviving until Shippou found Inuyasha and the others. I don't have a choice… I have to at least try!
Kagome scrambled away from the stinging tail as it crashed into the ground again. She spotted a sword, clutched in a dead man's hand. Eewwww! She thought as she pried it out of his fingers and slid the blade underneath her belt.
"Alright you nasty demon!" She shouted, standing up. "Come and get me!" She turned around and ran away from the temple as fast as she could. Glancing over her shoulder to be sure she was being followed, she continued racing away from youkai and temple.
Wait for it… she thought as she ran, listening to the thundering youkai behind her. Now! Suddenly she darted sideways, and an instant later the Scorpion's sting slammed into the ground where she had been. As the youkai withdrew it's stinging tail she leapt upon it, scrambling upwards.
Shippou raced through the forest, following the trail that Inuyasha, Miroku, and Sango, had left. I have to hurry! I saw what Kagome was trying to do… and she'll never make it!
Finally the kitsune heard familiar voices ahead.
"This is stupid! This trail is leading nowhere! You got us lost, Miroku!" Inuyasha's familiar voice was ranting.
"I did not get us lost, the traces were quite clear, until just now." Miroku replied, cool as ever.
"How could traces just disappear like that?" Sango wondered, but at that moment Shippou burst through the underbrush, panting desperately.
"What are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked, surprised.
"The village… a demon… jewel shard… Kagome sent me… protecting villagers… she's all alone!" The kitsune gasped. "Hurry!" The little fox demon leapt onto Inuyasha's back. "She needs your help!"
"Kagome–" the hanyou immediately took off, running for the village. If that girl gets herself hurt I'll… I'll… Inuyasha didn't really know what he would do, but he knew that Kagome very well could get herself killed trying to protect a bunch of worthless peasants, which was why he had to get there. Kagome needed his protection. Kagome needed him.
Kagome clumsily drew the sword she had taken from the dead man, and dropped onto the youkai's back. She could see the jewel shard clearly, and it was quite large. The youkai was shrieking horribly, turning it's head and crashing into trees and buildings, trying to get at her. I can do this, she thought to herself, after all, in my past life I was the jewel's guardian…
She tried slashing into the youkai's back, but its shell was just to hard for her pitiful sword. It was getting harder to hold on as the scorpion spun and shook, trying to loosen her. Kagome gripped the bumpy exoskeleton desperately, her thoughts racing. Okay… so I can't cut the jewel shard out. What's next? At least I'm keeping the demon occupied, it's not getting any more villagers…what was I thinking!! This isn't going to work! I need to get that shard! Kikyou wouldn't be so stupid! Kikyou would be able to get it…
Kagome put her hands over where the jewel shard was, and focused as hard as she could. Come on… She felt it starting to move, starting to rise out of the youkai's back. But she was losing her grip on the shell, slipping. With a violent shaking spin the youkai finally flung her loose.
"Nooo!" Kagome cried as she was flung through the air.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha's voice cried out as he burst from the forest. He raced the last distance to her, breaking her fall as she crashed into him.
"Ooof!" the hanyou exclaimed, the force of her flying body shoving him rudely to the ground. "Are you alright Kagome? Kagome?"
He knelt over her, searching her face. But then the youkai turned toward them, ready to drop its sting. "Shippou, get her out of here!" Inuyasha yelled, leaping up, tetsuaiga in his hands. The kitsune had already dropped from his back, and was dragging Kagome away as the tetsuaiga transformed.
Inuyasha leapt into the air, raging at the youkai. With only one jewel shard, and loosened at that, the tetsuaiga made short work of the scorpion. Pausing only to pluck the shard from the dead youkai's back, Inuyasha immediately returned to Kagome.
She was still unconscious, and the spot on her cheek where she had been splashed with venom was turning red.
"Kagome? Kagome wake up! Please Kagome, wake up!" Shippou was crying over her.
Inuyasha dropped beside the kitsune, picking up unconscious Kagome. The hanyou searched her face, desperately looking for some sign of life.
"Kagome? Kagome!" He whispered, his voice harsh with emotion. Putting his face close to hers, he felt that she was still breathing. "I know you're in there, Kagome, wake up!"
As Sango and Miroku, with Kirara approached them, Inuyasha was still trying to waken her. Miroku looked at her carefully, examining the redness on her cheek while Sango observed the dead youkai.
"Did she get stung by the Scorpion Demon?" Sango asked. "The venom can kill, but only if she was actually stung. Smaller amounts only cause a bad sleep."
"It doesn't look as if she was stung, but this red spot on her cheek looks odd. She must have gotten some on her, splashed or something." Miroku said.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Inuyasha asked gruffly. "Is she gonna be okay, or not!" He was still holding her in his arms.
Miroku looked to Sango, who shrugged. "The demon had a jewel shard, so the venom is stronger, but she was only splashed by a drop… who knows?"
"She was leading it away from the temple, where the villagers are," Shippou said sadly. "Kagome, I'm so sorry! I should have saved you!" The kitsune began to wail mournfully, burying his head in Kagome's still lap.
Inuyasha gently patted the little fox's head. "No Shippou. I should have been here. I let her down."
Miroku looked at Inuyasha, shocked by this kind behavior, but he didn't say anything. Instead he just mentioned that all they could do was move Kagome to some place more comfortable, and hope for the best. Inuyasha picked her up and carried her tenderly toward the temple.