Watcher
By: Stormie

Watching. He was always watching the antics of the hanyou and the little miko that were seeking the shards of that damned Shikon no Tama. Why the hanyou still craved the thing was something that had bothered the Watcher for some time now. Look at all the trouble the boy had gotten from it and the mikos that guarded it.

Or was the attention he got from the mikos what kept him after the jewel? The Watcher shook his head. The hanyou's reasons for doing things were as convoluted as his relationships. In love with two mikos, one dead while the other lived; the live one the reincarnation of the dead one? It boggled the mind, but perhaps that was just the hanyou's nature. Half of two worlds, belonging to neither, self always in conflict with both halves not to mention the rest of the world.

The Watcher snorted at the excuse. Every being had conflicts with self and world. Being hanyou didn't change the fact that the boy was toying with the women. Whether it was done purposely or not, the Watcher wouldn't let it happen any longer. The Powers That Be would most likely be pissed, but that was to be expected.

He grinned crookedly at the prospect of shaking things up on several levels of existence. 'Here I come, Inuyasha,' the Watcher gleefully thought.

**********

Kagome trudged along beside her dog demon. 'But he's not mine is he?' she mused sadly. 'He's got Kikyou...always chasing after her...doesn't need Kagome the wench at all...' She knew she had decided to stay by his side and smile, but some days it was all she could do to not curl up into a ball and cry...

...and today was looking like one of those days.

The sky was gray and overcast like it was going to pour any second. Since they hadn't found Naraku or any shards for weeks, Inuyasha was stomping around in a funk. Usually Kagome could count on one of their friends to lighten her mood, but they had split up to increase their chances of finding even a rumor of a shard.

So, here she was, alone, in the middle of nowhere, with a guy she was crazy about but...

...she was so incredibly miserable.

The scenery around her began to swim. 'Now I'm crying...more proof I'm a useless copy I guess.' Kagome sniffled. 'Ever since I met him all I seem to do is cry.'

Inuyasha's nose twitched. No danger, but Kagome's scent had changed swiftly. 'Salt smell? Shit. More crying.' It was disturbing but he wasn't sure if he was on edge because she was crying or because he was so in tune with her. 'What's she done to me? So her scent changed, that's no reason for me to freak out...she's not hurt or being attacked. I'm just worrying because it's my job as her protector, right? Well she's my friend and I l-like her...and she smells good...but NOT when she's all salty! Why the fuck are you crying!?'

"Oi Kagome, you okay?"

She blinked away some tears and looked up with a smile. "I just had something in my eye that's all. Thanks, Inuyasha."

Something about her smile threw him off; it wasn't right. He stared at her for a bit before he realized he was doing it. "Keh!" Looking off into the distance, he frowned when he heard a slight sob. He growled in annoyance. He couldn't shake off the feeling of wrongness. It was either the incoming weather or a demonic premonition. Premonitions were handy things, but he couldn't focus on it with Kagome distracting him with her tears. "Stop crying, Kagome."

A streak of lightening snaked across the sky, followed so quickly by thunder that it seemed like they hit at the same time. "I'm not crying." Her voice was dull.

"Wench, you ARE crying! Stop it!"

She looked up at him and glared, tears rolling faster down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry if this UPSETS YOU! I suppose KIKYOU never cried about anything did she? Well I'm NOT Kikyou!"

"Kikyou? What's she have to do with anything?" He looked totally and utterly confused, head cocked to one side. "Ka-"

Turning away from him, she sighed. "Forget it, Inuyasha. Let's just find some shelter." The wind had picked up, tangling their hair and tossing debris in the air.

He grabbed her wrist and spun her back around. "Not until you tell me what you meant."

"Stop being an idiot! We're standing in the middle of nowhere in a thunderstorm. Does fire-rat fur protect against electrocution? I DON'T THINK SO!" Thunder rolled, as if emphasizing what Kagome said.

"Listen wench-" Inuyasha stopped mid-yell and threw Kagome to the ground. She shrieked as he dove on top of her, covering every inch of her with his body. A bright flash filled their line of sight followed by the smell of burning fur and skin. As quickly as it had appeared, the light vanished.

Kagome looked up at Inuyasha. "Inu...ya...sha..."

He smirked down at her. "Heh. Looks like you were wrong." Rolling off her, he sat up and looked at the crater they were in. "Unnatural lightening."

She shivered. "We should find a cave or something. I don't want to do that again."

Standing, he grimaced at the pain that shot through his back. 'Guess fire-rat fur is only so good against lightening.' "Can't say I liked it much either." He eyed her as she lay sprawled in shock. "Well at least not the lightening part."

"Pervert." He smirked in reply then bent to help her up. While she brushed off her clothes, he scanned the area for whatever it was he had felt before the strike. That 's when he noticed his sword lying about ten feet from where they were standing.

"How the hell did Tetsusaiga get over there?" Jogging over, he started to pick it up.

"Inuyasha, don't! Metal is a really good conductor." Kagome's warning was two seconds too late. The hanyou had all ready touched the blade and had fallen to the ground twitching. Tetsusaiga, instead of falling back to the ground, shot into the sky and headed in a westerly direction. Kagome followed its progress with her eyes for as long as she could, but quickly lost it among the lightening flashes. "I've got a bad feeling about this." Sighing, she turned to her downed protector to drag him where she hoped there would be a cave.

~**~

AN: Another fic that was partially typed, partially written, partially in a saved IM, and partially still in my brain. It shouldn't be more than 2 or 3 chapters. I'm just trying to use all the ideas before they get stale and moldy. So...

Who do you think the Watcher is? Where's Tetsusaiga going? Does this story have a point? Who knows.
R&R is always good. ^_^