Chapter 1: Flashbacks
Akako sat deep in thought in the higher branches of a tree. Slowly she held her hand out in front of her, where 1/2 of the Shikon Jewel appeared.It had taken her months to collect so many, knowing that there was much more to go, she sighed heavily and willed the jewel away. She sensed a small group headed her way, and quickly ran to see if they had any jewels.
The first of the group that she saw was a hanyou . He had white hair that ended just above his waist, fluffy ears stuck out of the hair on top of his head and Akako was tempted to pet them before shaking herself back into reality. He was searching the surroundings with deep, golden eyes. The Hanyou wore a red fire-rat kimono. His hand clutched at a sword that was at his side. Behind him came a monk in purple robes. He held a staff that jingled at every step, he had short black hair pulled into a small ponytail at the base of his head. He had thoughtful purple eyes (what he was thinking, she didn't want to know). The girl next to him wore a green skirt with a pale purple top, which had darker purple on the sleeves and around the collar, her eyes were a deep mud brown. She had a large boomerang type thing strapped to her back. The other woman wore a school uniform (The one she always wears). She had a backpack and a quiver strapped to her back. A bow was clutched in her hand, at the ready for any surprise attacks. The young kitsune wore dark blue pants, tied in a bow at the front. He also wore a brown vest over a blue shirt that was decorated with pale blue leaves. He had brown hair, tied up in a blue bow, and his green eyes shined enthusiastically. Beside the woman with the boomerang a two-tail pranced, her eyes sometimes glancing up at Akako as if she knew that the girl was there.
Akako suddenly sensed the shards, their aura drowning out all thought, the only thing that managed to go through her mind was: that girl in the uniform, she has the shards... Quickly she leapt into the path of the travelers, and before the others could react, ran back into the trees, "Let go of me!" The girl screamed, beating her fists uselessly into Akako's back.
A moment later, Akako let the surprised girl go, snatching the small jar from around her neck as she fell, "Hey- oof!" The girl exclaimed, landing heavily on her rear.
"Before taking the jewel- I must ask, why do you want it so badly?" Akako was curious, she could feel the fear in the girl's aura and moved quickly to assure her that no harm would befall her, "I just want the shards- I won't hurt you."
"Because I was the one who shattered it, it is my duty to bring it back together..." The girl was leaving something out, but Akako wasn't about to pry.
Sighing heavily she held her hand out, a bright purple light appeared, and when it dissappeared her half of the shikon no tama rested in the palm of her hand. She noticed the other girl's eyes widen as she fused the shards with the half-jewel. "How did you... but..." The girl sputtered and Akako smirked, before tensing as she heard the hanyou's voice calling frantically for the girl.
"Kagome!" He called, "Kagome!"
Quickly he rushed into the clearing and drew his sword, "Did she hurt you Kagome?"
"I-Iei Inuysha, I'm fine." Kagome glanced at Akako curiously as the shikon no tama dissappeared once more.
Suddenly the Hanyou turned to Akako, and she could see that his eyes were turning red, and jagged purple streaks ran appeared on his face. "Hey, I don't want to have to fight you..." Akako's eyes widened slightly, she had never fought a demon in a bloodrage before.
"Give me the shikon no tama." He growled, as blue pupils formed in his eyes.
"Listen, Hanyou, I can't give you the shikon no tama." Akako said, gripping at her sword too late as he rushed at her, his nails biting into the flesh of her stomach.
She fell, rolling several times in the dirt before crawling to her feet and drawing her sword quickly the hanyou drew his own, "I smell the shikon no tama on your blood..." The sword grew in his hands, and she was suddenly using her puny kitana against his gigantic sword.
Akako glanced at Kagome, "Go back to your friends... tell the monk that the hanyou is in a blood rage and needs treatment quickly!" Shakily the girl obeyed and dashed into the trees.
Akako pinned Inuyasha to the ground after a few minutes, "Calm yourself Hanyou!" She cried.
Suddenly her eyes widened as she felt his claws dig into the tender flesh jut below her ribcage, and she was thrown across the clearing. Blood cascaded over her fingers as she vainly attempted to pinch the wound to stop the bleeding, it was deep and painful. Inuyasha leapt to his feet, and kicked Akako visciously, "I want the shikon no tama- hand it over human, or die."
"No..." Akako murmmured, "you will never get the sacred jewel."
Flashback
"Where are you mom?" Akako called, running through her front door- why had it been open? "where is everybody?"
She recieved no reply and thus made her way deeper into her home where her mother, two sisters, brother, and herself lived. A strange coppery scent reached her nose- she made her way to the basement, a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. "Sasuke? Nami? Haruki?" She called, "Mom?"
Swiftly she turned on the light and tore into the basement, screaming when she saw the massive amounts of blood (Is writing while siblings scream in the backround... how do I do it?) and mutilated flesh spread about the room. The mutilated bodies of her mother and siblings were spread about gruesomely. "No!" A strangled cry escaped her lips, and she turned to run- only to hit something solid, "Wha-" She began stumbling back and looking at the stranger.
The man wore a pair of faded blue-jeans and a well worn black t-shirt, he had long wavy black hair, tied in a ponytail, and was glaring at her with piercing red eyes. He grasped her shoulders painfully, digging his nails into them hard enough to draw blood, "You are she." He murmured.
"Who are you?" Akako asked aghast, "did you... kill my family?" Her wide-eyed look turned to that of hatred.
"My name is Naraku," He said smoothly, "They got in the way and had to be disposed of."
"Bastard!" Akako reached up and slapped him hard, his hand instantly went to the bright red mark that appeared.
"You insolent bitch!" He spat, striking her across the face, that had been the last she knew.
When she next awoke she had found herself in Feudal Japan...
End Flashback
"Naraku... I can't die yet..." She spat vehemently.
The man's name seemed only to increase Inuyasha's anger, "Where is Naraku?" He lifted her by the throat, burying his claws into the tender flesh that resided there, drawing blood.
Akako's hand grasped at his, and for a moment he was stunned by her act of compassion, before tightening his grip. Her sword fell from her hand, "Inu-Inuyasha is it?" She gasped, "I do not work for that bastard, I am gathering the shards so that I can go home and kill him."
Inuyasha peered at her intently, "Liar! You are just another one of his damned servants."
"I-Iei." She replied shakily, "I would never work for such a monster!"
With her free hand she once more grasped at the open wound below her ribcage, trying to stem the flow of blood. She was so weak at the moment. Inuyasha slammed Akako into the ground, and planted his knee painfully on the wound, "Where is Naraku?" He growled.
Akako's eyes widened in pain. "Inuyasha stop!" A young fox kitsune cried, Akako was instantly reminded of a friend that she had lost.
Flashback
"Akako, can we stop for the night?" Her young fox kitsune asked.
She glanced over, "Of course, Seiko, we will stop for the night. I hadn't realized how late it had gotten."
Seiko smiled toothily and ran her fingers through her long, silky white hair with her small paw-like hands and glanced at Akako with silver eyes, "Thank goodness."
Smiling softly the girl gathered wood for that night's fire while the kitsune hunted for food. Her happy mood was shattered, however, when she heard Seiko cry out. "Seiko!" Akako screamed, dropping an armful of firewood and running towards the sound. Although Akako searched the area for nearly a week, not stopping for either food or water, she couldn't find her kit anywhere. "Seiko." She sobbed in desparation, "Where are you?"
End Flashback
"Naraku..." She murmured, "he is coming!"
Inuyasha stood and looked towards the trees, he grasped at Akako's shirt collar, dragging her up with him as the demon, guised in a baboon cloak, appeared before them. "Let me go damn it!" A small, angry voice reached Akako's ears, and she looked up to see Seiko clutched in his outstretched hand.
"Seiko!" Akako gasped, tears flooding over her cheeks, "Let her go, you bastard!"
"Tsk tsk... I want my shards- give them back human." Naraku spat (Past Naraku, the one who brought her to fuedal Japan was future Naraku, figured I'd clear that bit up), he glanced over at Inuyasha and laughed, "Lost in a blood rage? How pitiful."
Inuyasha growled and flung a nearly unconsious Akako at a very surprised Naraku. Her head smashed into his chest and the three fell. Instantly Seiko was up and attempting to pull Akako off of Naraku (keeps wanting to write Naruto for some reason...(thinks of the anime...)). Quickly Naraku regained his composure and lifted the helpless Akako into the air, "Where is the shikon no tama?"
Akako laughed hoarsely and was surprised when she hit the ground- a large boomerang type thing had just taken Naraku's arms, "Great shot Sango." The monk's voice rang out.
Suddenly the clearing was filled with the sound of a slap, "Hentai!" The one called Sango screamed, "Even on the battlefield. Damn it Miroku!"
"Sango I-" The monk protested, but Sango quickly silenced him, "right... Inuyasha."
There was a sudden growl of pain and then- BAM! "Ow... Inuyasha, why'd you do that?" Miroku asked.
"Damn monk..." Inuyasha growled and turned back to Naraku.
Akako could see that his features had returned to normal and quickly dragged herself away from Naraku as Inuyasha attacked, "Windscar!" He exclaimed and then, "Damn it! Just an incarnation!"
Akako felt Seiko clutching her leg and looked lovingly at the kit, "Seiko." She murmured weakly.
"Aka-chan?" The young kitsune asked softly, snuggling into the fabric of her silky pants.
Akako fell back, and lay staring at the sky. She was barely aware that Seiko had begun to yell at Inuyasha, "You big jerk!" She cried, beating her tiny fists into the ground, "How could you do that to her? It's not like she even hurt you!"Seiko beganto furiously punch Inuyasha's knees.
Everyone looks at the young kitsune pityingly, although Shippo has taken a little more interest in her. "She just wants... just wants..." Seiko began to hiccup furiously and refused to continue, instead she clasped Akako's hand.
Kagome knelt beside the kit, "What did she want the jewel for?" She asked quietly, "and where does she put it?"
Seiko glared at Kagome for a moment, "She wanted revenge on Naraku. Aka-chan told me that he killed her family and dragged her here. She stores the jewel in her body. It breaks down and becomes one with her blood, you can't get the jewel unless she willingly gives it to you."
Akako's eyes fluttered and Kagome gasped, "She lost all that blood and still she lives?" She questioned nobody in particular before glaring at Inuyasha, "We need to get a fire started so that we can clean her wounds. And I need my medical kit." Glances at Miroku who rushes to get her bag.
Kagome worked quickly to stop the bleeding, when the fire was ready she quickly boiled some water and used a rag to clean the wounds. Soon after she stitched the wounds that covered Akako's stomach before bandaging them and covering the unconscious girl with a blanket. She then hurried to wash the blood from her hands and to change into another outfit.
Kagome threw the blood-stained uniform into her bag and quickly threw on a pair of blue pants and a silver t-shirt that showed off her womanly figure. She then sat beside the injured girl, occasionally wiping her forhead with a cool, damp cloth. She guarded Akako throughout the night, noting that the girl's condition seemed to worsen, they would need a healer's help if it got much worse.
A/N Well... this is my first attempt at an Inu story... I won't let you know the pairings just yet, but review and let me know what you think- I may even reply to your reviews in the next chapter- another first attempt on my part. But let me know what you think so far. If there are spelling errors- I apologize greatly, I used notepad and it doesn't have spellcheck, so humor me. You will find out more about Akako in the next chapter, perhaps even find out why she can absorb the shikon no tama... As you know Shippo has found a female fox demon around his age, and has feelings for her... Well... Now I must stop my babbling so that I can publish the story...