Chapter 2: Red-River God
Kagome stepped from Inuyasha's back onto the soft carpet of her room. She then closed the window gently and waved for Inuyasha to sit on the bed. "I need to look up something. I know I have seen the symbols those bodies made somewhere before." She said as she logged on to her computer. Twenty frustrated minutes later Kagome jumped to her feet and her hand flew to her mouth in horror.
Inuyasha jumped to his feet as well and was instantly at her side. "What is it Kagome?"
She pointed at the screen and stuttered. "It's…it's…Akagawa-Kami!"
"Who?" Inuyasha said leaning forward to peer at the picture on the screen. It was a drawing of the shape the people were in.
"'Akagawa-Kami…The Red-River God. The Red-River God was commonly known as Aka. So named because when he was raised the rivers of Japan were said to have ran red with blood.'" Kagome read, "'He was raised by performing a ritual that involved the sacrifice of a village and placing the bodies in a distinct fashion. When raised he carries out the murderous wishes of the one who raised him so long as the raisers desires feed his bloodthirsty nature. The bodies used in the ritual will steal the souls and powers of any who touch it and send it to empower him more.'" Kagome finished.
Inuyasha began growling deep inside his throat. "We need to kill this bastard quick."
Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's sleeve and looked at him in fear. "What if he was raised by Naraku? He'll go across Musashi and kill everything in his path searching for us!"
Inuyasha looked down at her and nodded. "I know."
"What can we do?" Kagome whispered tears coming to her eyes.
"Keh." Inuyasha said putting his hand to his swords hilt. "What we always do: we fight!"
Kaede shook her head at Sango. "Like ye, I have never known Kagome to act thus."
"Do you have any idea what the position of their bodies could mean?" Miroku asked.
Kaede shook her head. "I have never heard of such a thing."
Sango petted Kirara thoughtfully. "What about the reason she didn't want anyone to touch the bodies."
"It could be she felt that there was an ominous aura over the bodies." Kaede said.
"Maybe you could ask her yourself you old hag!" Inuyasha said as he lifted the mat over the door for Kagome to enter.
"Kagome, Inuyasha, your back." Kaede said looking over at them.
"Thank you for stating the obvious." Inuyasha said sitting beside Miroku.
"I went home because the position of the bodies was familiar. I had to look it up and figure out what it was." Kagome said. She was still very pale. She proceeded to tell them what she had learned from the future and they set about a plan to discover the whereabouts of Aka and how they would take him down.
Aka stood before the stranger who had raised him from the pit of hell he had been banished to and was not impressed. "Who are you and what do you want of me?"
The man smiled evilly. "I am called Naraku. And I raised you Akagawa-Kami, to raze the land of Musashi to the ground and kill the dog eared mutt Inuyasha and his friends."
"That is the reason you brought me here?" Aka demanded annoyed. He drew his sword with his clawed hand and held it straight out at the half-demon who hid inside a baboon pelt. "I am the Red River God. I am not an assassin."
Naraku stood and pushed the hood of the pelt from his head and glared at the man before him with his evil crimson eyes. "I raised you to do as you are told Akagawa-Kami. I can send you back just as easily."
Aka smiled and shook his head. "To send me back you have to kill me. The bodies have been destroyed already."
Naraku's eyes narrowed and he glanced at the venomous insect that entered the room a second later. "It would seem that you are right. The ones I want you to kill are the ones who burned them. All I ask is that in your killing spree you make sure to include those six people. Other than their deaths you may run the world as you like."
Aka studied Naraku then sheathed his sword. "Alright but if you attempt to drag me back here, I will kill you and travel back to Hell myself."
Naraku watched as the tall warrior left the room, his very power shivering the air as he passed. You are insolent Akagawa-Kami. But you are useful. I will absorb you once you kill Inuyasha and the others for me.
Kagome looked up into the air and stretched her arms over her head. Her heart was light that day. They had returned to the village where Aka had been raised then looked into the surrounding villages. Aka hadn't begun his killing spree yet. Inuyasha smiled slightly at Kagome as she stretched and she returned his smile with a large one and leaned against his shoulder. "Inuyasha…" She said softly resting her head on his shoulder.
"Yeah?" He asked quietly, a blush began to spread over his cheeks. He silently thanked the stars overhead that Miroku and Sango had taken Kirara and Shippo to check out the rest of the villages, leaving him and Kagome alone.
"I am so happy to be with you." She said.
"Keh, what do you mean? You are always with me." Inuyasha said turning his head away to hide his blush.
"Well I know that! But it's unusual for it to be just the two of us." She said looking up to smile at him. "I like it."
Inuyasha looked down at her. You like being alone with me? Oh Kagome… He thought then squeezed the hand that rested on his arm gently. "I like it too." He confessed quietly.
Kagome smiled happily and once again leaned into him softly singing.
"Look into my eyes - you will see
What you mean to me
Search your heart - search your soul
And when you find me there you'll search no more
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
Look into my heart - you will find
There's nothin' there to hide
Take me as I am - take my life
I would give it all I would sacrifice
Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for
I can't help it there's nothin' I want more
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you
There's no love - like your love
And no other - could give more love
There's nowhere - unless you're there
All the time - all the way
Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
I can't help it there's nothin' I want more
I would fight for you - I'd lie for you
Walk the wire for you - Ya I'd die for you
Ya know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you"
Inuyasha looked down at her. That song…its like she was singing about us. 'I would fight for you – I'd lie for you, Walk the wire for you – I'd die for you'. I'm not sure what 'walk the wire for you' means but I would fight for her and would definitely die for her…if it meant protecting her. He thought remembering the new moon night with the peach man. Does that mean its love? Inuyasha blinked then shook his head, clearing the thoughts from it. I have more important things to think about right now. Kagome began to snore softly from his side. A sweat drop ran down his cheek. She sings then sleeps? Oh well. He thought and carefully picked her up and set her inside her sleeping bag. How long till Miroku and Sango return?
Sango threw her Hiraikotsu into the group of demons finishing them off. "You know Miroku…its nice not having Naraku around and all but I could live without the increased demon activity." She caught the Hiraikotsu when it returned.
Miroku nodded and sliced his last demon in half before setting the staff into the ground. "Lets head back. Inuyasha and Kagome have probably killed each other by now."
Though Sango agreed with going back she didn't think that Kagome would have hurt Inuyasha. Sango had noticed the increasingly soft gazes Kagome gave Inuyasha and how she touched him more lately. She is so deep in love…I just hope she wont get hurt. Sango followed Miroku as he left the bodies and hopped ahead of him on Kirara, careful not to disturb the sleeping fox-cub.
The next morning Kagome woke up to see that everyone had returned as she slept. She sat up and looked around the campsite for Inuyasha. She smiled at his sleeping form in the tree above her and set about to cook breakfast. "Breakfast everyone!" She called when it was finished. Of course the first person at her side when she said food was done was Inuyasha. She smiled and handed him his ramen before grabbing her own and plopping down beside him. "So where to today?"
"If I knew what this Aka guy smelled like we could follow his scent but I don't know his scent." Inuyasha said shoveling food into his mouth.
"I say we head towards Kaede's." Miroku said.
Sango nodded. "If he was raised by Naraku to kill us he'll be headed straight there."
"But who knows how many villages he'll slaughter on his way there!" Kagome protested.
Inuyasha nodded, "I agree with Kagome. He won't just go to our village. He'll kill everything in his path on the way." Suddenly Inuyasha smacked his neck. A little squished bug floated down from his throat. "Well if it isn't Myoga. What you want flea?"
"A demon is headed this way, Lord Inuyasha." Myoga said when he popped back into his normal size.
"Who is it?" Inuyasha asked.
"It's a young she-wolf demon." Myoga said. "She has red hair, white fur, and delicious blood."
"Ayame!" They all asked shocked. "She's coming to find us?"
Well what do you think?
Question: Why is Ayame coming to see them?