-1Chapter One
Inuyasha sits in a meditative state in a field of tall green grass. The trees began to rustle as the wind sweeps along the grass and through Inuyasha's long silver locks. His ears perk up and begin to twitch, his eye lids open ever so slightly, to expose his golden colored eyes as they shift back and forth in their sockets, cautiously looking for whatever or whomever was sneaking up on him.
"Humph" Inuyasha grunts. "I see you don't want to face me, so you hide within the grass so you catch me off guard." he shouts. His ears move back to their original position and his eyes close. He inhales deeply and dreams of Kikyo.
"Inuyasha?" Kagome shouts from behind a nearly dead tree. Inuyasha's memories are interrupted by Kagome's incessant shouting as Kikyo's arrow came closer and closer to penetrating his shoulder and pinning him to the tree. His eyes slowly open as he peers at the horizon.
"Damn woman!" he whispers to himself.
"Inuyasha!" This time it was Miroku the monk calling out to Inuyasha. Inuyasha attempted to return to his meditative state but suddenly a throbbing pain surges thought his head. He slowly turns his head upward to see Miroku towering over him with staff in hand.
"Quit daydreaming and let's go!" Miroku exclaims.
"What'd you go and do that for?" Inuyasha shouts as he rubs the knot.
"One of Naraku's demons is attacking a village!" Kagome chimes in as she comes jogging to Miroku's side.
"Great." Inuyasha mumbled to himself. He tries again to return to his dream, when Shippo comes running to his side.
"Inuyasha, hurry, get up." Shippo says. Inuyasha quickly turns and glares at Shippo, who then shields his head in hopes that Inuyasha won't hit him. Kagome kneels down by Inuyasha's side as Sango shows up in full demon hunting gear.
"Inuyasha, why are you sitting down? We should be fighting the demon!" Sango shouts. She kneels down next to Kagome. "Kagome, is something wrong with Inuyasha?"
"No. He's just being lazy as usual." Kagome says.
"You know how he gets when he's been thinking about Kikyo." Miroku explains. Everyone shoots an evil look at Miroku, he just smiles with a look of guilt on his face. "You were thinking about Kikyo... weren't you?" he asks as he sheepishly bends over to see the expression on Inuyasha's face, then suddenly, *smack*, Sango slaps Miroku's face. "I guess I deserved that."
"So what were you thinking about?" Shippo asks.
"None of your business" He retorts.
"He was thinking about Kikyo, he's got that lost look in his eyes" Sango says. Kagome stares down at the grass saddened by what Sango had just said.
"He was thinking about her. I just know it. He's always thinking about her. I don't even know why I even stay here." Kagome thinks to herself. Sango glances over at Kagome and realizes the repercussions of her statement.
"Come on, let's get going." Miroku insists.
"Kilala!" Sango shouts. A small cream colored cat, with two tails emerges from the forest to heed her masters call. As the cat walks towards Sango, a firey blaze begins. The flames die down to reveal a larger version of the one that sauntered out of the forest.
"Let's move!" Miroku demands. Sango, Miroku and Shippo jump onto Kilala's back while Inuyasha kneels down to let Kagome on his back. Kilala leaps into the air as Inuyasha sprints beneath them.
"Sango, take us down. There's the village. Inuyasha! There it is!" Miroku shouts downward. As they come closer Kilala begins to descend from above, Inuyasha comes to a stop and Kagome leaps off his back. The group enters the small but strangely quiet village.
"Miroku, I thought you said there was a demon attacking this village!" Inuyasha bellows.
"Yes, there was a demon. Both Sango and I sensed the presence of an evil aura, but now I sense nothing." Miroku explains. "What about you Sango, do you sense anything?"
"No, nothing"
"Well, you guys may not sense an aura but, I know there is a sacred jewel here." Kagome assures them.
"Hello! Hello! Is there anyone here?" Miroku loudly inquires. As the group searches for a sign of life, a pair of eyes unexpectedly peer out from the side of a door. The eyes look cautiously across the village. Kagome slowly walks up to the door, but the eyes vanish inside the house.
"Hello?" Kagome whispers.
"What do you want?" The mysterious voice scowls.
"Have you seen a demon around here?" Kagome asks as the door slowly opens to reveal a portly old woman.
"No I have not seen any demons. Now go away!" The portly woman demands, as she slams the door in Kagome's face
"Wait. I can smell the demon" Inuyasha exclaims. The group follows Inuyasha; Kagome with bow in hand, Sango with her hiraikotsu ready and waiting, Miroku with his infamous wind tunnel and Inuyasha with his massive sword, Tetsusaiga, hanging over his shoulder, when everyone hears a loud *thud*. They all turn around to see Inuyasha laying on the ground.
"Inuyasha! Are you ok?" Kagome asks politely
"Of course not!" Inuyasha snaps back.
"What's wrong?"
"You try holding this blasted sword! It's too damn heavy!"
"Sorry. I forgot about that." Kagome says, apologetically.
"Now where is that demon." A silence falls over the group and Inuyasha grows impatient.
"WHERE IS THAT DEMON!" Inuyasha demands. "Wait, the scent is moving."
"Inuyasha, the jewel shard is nearby." Kagome whispers. Inuyasha cautiously follows the sent as it leads him and the others to the home of the woman the spoke with only moments earlier.
"The scent stops here."
"The shard is inside, I just know it."
"I'm going in!" Inuyasha kicks the door down and enters the main room but it is empty. "DEMON! WHERE ARE YOU? I KNOW YOU'RE IN HERE! I CAN SMELL YOUR ROTTEN STENCH" Inuyasha screams.
"Shhh!" Kagome carefully looks around the house, taking in every little detail. Suddenly, her eyes are fixed on the closet door. "There." She whispers. "In the closet." Inuyasha struggles to raise the Tetsusaiga above his head and manages to smash the door in with the overweight sword. Inside the closet is the portly woman shaking with fear.
"Please don't hurt me, I'm just an old woman." She begs.
"Old woman my ass!" Inuyasha shouts.
"The jewel shard is embedded in her arm." Kagome thinks to herself. Inuyasha once again struggles to hoist Tetsusaiga into the air so that he may thrust it into the abdomen of the old woman.
Chapter Two
The scorched flesh lay bleeding in front of Inuyasha's feet, as the warm blood flows between each individual grain of sand, creating a pool of crimson blood once contained within the portly woman, who's carcass continues to smoke form the fierce blow delivered by Inuyasha and his Tetsusaiga. Inuyasha, vents his frustrations from earlier begins to hack away at the remains.
"Inuyasha! That's enough!" Miroku shouts abruptly interrupting Inuyasha's fun. Inuyasha turns his head and eyes Miroku, as he slowly advances towards Miroku. Inuyasha lifts Tetsusaiga as if it is a feather and continues he slow hunt. Miroku's expression changes from stern to extreme fear.
"Inuyasha…calm down." Miroku demands as he backs away from the seemingly blood thirsty Inuyasha.
"Inuyasha! SIT BOY!" Kagome demands. Inuyasha's body gives into the command, hitting his head as he falls to the ground.
"Oh my god! Inuyasha!" Sango exclaims. Kagome and Sango both rush quickly to the injured half demon's side. Kagome clasps his limp hands and silently panics.
"Umm, Kagome. You may want to leave Inuyasha there for the moment. I think we have much bigger problems." Miroku says.
"What do you mean?" Kagome asks.
"Turn around and see for your self." Miroku stutters. Kagome slowly turns her head to see a giant demon rise from the flesh of the old woman.
"Inuyasha! Wake up!" Kagome screams. Miroku hits Inuyasha over the head in an attempt to knock him back into a conscious state.
"Ow!" Inuyasha whines while trying to soothe the pain.
"Turn around." Inuyasha quickly turns to see the demon hovering above him.
"Holy shit! What is that thing?" Inuyasha exclaims.
"That was the old woman." Sango says.
"Oh shit." Inuyasha quickly leaps up and searches for Tetsusaiga.
"Kagome, Miroku, Sango…distract the demon." Sango whips her hiraikotsu with all her might, only for it to hit and while it doesn't seem to harm the demon, it did manage to make it mad. The demon roars with anger, it's long sleek serpent like body swiftly moves along the ground as Inuyasha continues to franticly search for Tetsusaiga. Kagome removes one of her enchanted arrows from her quiver, aims and shoots, taking a small chunk out of the enraged demons arm. She grabs another, fires it; the demon opens its large mouth and a mysterious fog emerges from within. Kagome's arrow stops dead in it's tracks, and ice sickles form around the arrows shaft, it falls to the ground and shatters.
"Inuyasha…we have a slight problem over here!" Sango shouts. Still searching for his sword, Inuyasha looks at Miroku; gives him the ok to try his luck.
"Miroku…you can't suck a demon that large into your wind tunnel. What if it rips more? You'll be sucked in along with the demon." Sango explains.
"I know, but this is a risk that I am willing to take.
"Be careful." Sango whispers. Miroku stands face to face with the demon as if to say "Bring it on". He grips the beads that keep his dangerous weapon sealed.
"Miroku…don't do it!" Kagome shouts. Inuyasha looks to his left, then right, and behind him. Suddenly he catches a glint of light out of the corner of his eye.
"Ah-ha!" Inuyasha thinks to himself. "There it is." He whispers. Getting up, Inuyasha walks over to a nearby bush and grabs Tetsusaiga's hilt. "I'm coming Miroku!" he calls out. Miroku turns to greet Inuyasha as the demon begins its rampage.
"Miroku!" Sango hollers and runs to push Miroku out of danger. The demon shoots ice from its mouth as Miroku and Sango fly out of the line of fire and land hard on the ground.
"Are you alright Miroku?" Sango asks.
"Yes, you broke my fall." Miroku and Sango look longingly into each others eyes, he leans in for a kiss but is greeted with Sango's hand to his face.
"Lecherous monk!"
"Will you two stop flirting and help!" Inuyasha shouts. Sango pushes Miroku onto his back so she can get up, he lays there for a moment, sighs and gets up.
"What the hell is this thing again?" Inuyasha asks.
"I don't know but it looks bad." Miroku says. The demon finds an easy target in Kagome. It opens it's mouth again to release the mysterious fog as it begins to surround Kagome.
"I can't move!" Kagome shouts. Sango rushes over to Kagome in hopes that she could push her out of the way before the freezing fog envelopes her, but she's too late. A frozen Kagome was all that remained.
"Oh no! Kagome!" Sango bellows.
"What's going on now?" Inuyasha demands as he spins his head to see that Kagome has been solidified. "Ok, that's the last straw. Now you've really made me mad!" With his sword high above his head, Inuyasha rushes towards the demon. "DIE!" Tetsusaiga is thrusted towards the ground. "Wind Scar!". A flash of light tears at the ground and rips the demon to shreads. Inuyasha, satisfied with is work, walks over to the largest piece of the demon and begins to slash at the remains. "Die you worthless piece of no good demon slime!"
"Inuyasha! The demon's dead. Let it be!" Miroku exclaims. Inuyasha stops, drops to his knees beside the dead demon.
"Oh, Kagome. It shouldn't have been her. I should have been the one to be frozen. I should have protected her. Miroku, is there anything we can do?" Inuyasha asks.
"Aside from slowly letting her thaw, no. Our only option is to set her by a fire and unfreeze her that way."
"Well there needs to be a quicker way!"
"You could always chip away at the ice." Sango suggests. "You would run the risk of harming her, though."
Inuyasha sighs, "No, we'll find some place to camp for the night, build a fire and hope that she's ok by morning." He looks over to Miroku, "Hey, help me pick her up. I can't carry her on my back like this." Inuyasha takes Kagome by the arms while Miroku kneels down to pick up her feet, "Well Inuyasha, I can see what you like about Kagome." Miroku says.
"Damnit Miroku. Sango take Miroku's end" Sango takes Kagome's feet and Miroku walks next to them blushing. By the time Kagome thawed it was nighttime.
"Wha…wha…what happened?" Kagome asks completely confused.
"Well you were frozen by that demon." Miroku explains to Kagome.
"That explains why I can't feel my toes." All Inuyasha could do was stare at the shivering Kagome. Sango nudges Inuyasha, he looks back at Sango.
"What" he whispers. Sango leans over and whispers something into Inuyasha's ear. "Why?" Sango glares at him. "Ok." He removes his kimono and drapes it over Kagome's shoulders.
"Thank you." Kagome whispers. Kagome sits quietly alongside Inuyasha watching the fire roar through the night while Sango, Miroku, Kilala, and Shippo lay fast asleep.
Chapter Three
"Inuyasha, I just want to say thank you for everything." Kagome says timidly.
"Why are you thanking me?"
"Because, if it weren't for you I would be dead."
"Probably." Inuyasha says sarcastically.
"I have something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time now, but I don't know if I can say it without you freaking out."
"Just spit it out."
"Inuyasha…I, um, I, uh…I love you." Inuyasha turns to Kagome with a look of shock.
"You…you…you love me?"
"Yes. At first I thought you were just a pompous jerk." Kagome explains.
"WHAT!" Inuyasha shouts.
"Let me finish. That was when I first met you, after you woke up. Now that I've spent so much time here in the feudal era with you and everyone else, I see you differently than I did before." Inuyasha sits speechless while Kagome looks deep into his eyes as if she was searching his soul for something, anything that would tell her how Inuyasha truly felt about her.
"Kagome, I…I…I don't know what to say."
"Just say that you feel the same so that I know I'm not fooling myself. Ever since Kikyo returned, I feel like I have no place here in your life or in the feudal era. Please, just prove to me that I mean something to you and you want me around as someone other than a jewel detector." Kagome pleads.
"Kagome." Inuyasha falls silent. His mind begins to bring up images of the relationship he and Kikyo had before Naraku tricked them into thinking they betrayed each other, resulting in Kikyo's demise and his long sleep. "Kikyo." Inuyasha thinks to himself.
"Inuyasha." Kagome's voice interrupts his trip down memory lane. "Tell me how you feel. Tell me you love me as I love you."
"I don't know if I can."
The End