Shinto Matchmaking Service

Chapter 4

"He is too close."


"Bankotsu!" Kagome's voice sounded worried. Bankotsu's head shot up in curiosity. "Inuyasha is nearby, I can feel his aura!" She exclaimed. Bankotsu groaned in frustration.

"Why fucking now?!" Bankotsu bent down in front of Kagome, wishing his brothers would have returned earlier. She got onto his back without skipping a beat, and he stood up quickly. He realized that she was very light, even though her body was voluptuous. Over the time, he had memorized the curves of her waist and legs. She was toned from months of priestess and warrior training, making her legs and arms hard with muscle. Even so, her breasts were ample and backside absolutely perfect. Just the right amount of everything. He found himself longing to caress her body with his hands when he lay awake at night.

"Bankotsu?" Her voice snapped him out of his sexual haze, and he began to run, almost causing her to fall off completely. Kagome regained her composure and wrapped her arms around his neck and chest, holding on tightly. It still wasn't over for him, because he felt her soft breasts pressed against his back without that stupid breast cover in the way.

There was no outrunning Inuyasha though, and she felt his aura quickly catch up to Bankotsu. She promptly alerted him of this, and as soon as they heard Inuyasha set foot into the clearing, Kagome's body was enveloped inside of a bright pink light. Inuyasha was blinded by the initial glow, not being able to see anything besides it, and Bankotsu took this as an opportunity to depart.

Kagome let out a gasp as she saw the beautiful spirit that was Midoriko before her. She studied her surroundings, which looked like space. Kagome herself was standing on a rock, seemingly suspended in the air. It seems as if time around them had stopped, the stars were unmoving, and she could feel her heart slow to mimic it. In the utter darkness, she could see something peeking out the shadows, massive in size- a similar to a dragon. It was unmoving, but appeared to be able to freely roam as long as it was within the darkness.

"Kagome." Midoriko spoke, voice mature and thunderous.

"Midoriko?" Kagome was breathless, she'd only heard stories about the woman, and seen her statue. She was much more beautiful than the statue could represent.

"Yes, child. You are in danger. Your past lover will not be able to protect you from what lies ahead. My shikigami will continue to assist you, but you must choose the correct path." Midoriko spoke slowly.

"Do you mean Inuyasha? Continue to assist me? I've been kidnapped for who knows how long?! How do I know if what I'm doing is right?" Kagome questioned.

"Choose very wisely. You will determine the fate of the Shikon Jewel, child. It is in your hands. An impure wish will only complicate this world into ruin." Midoriko's eyes were trained on her, not moving or blinking. Kagome saw the silhouettes of two small beings behind her, but she could not make out any features. Before Kagome could respond, the pink light shrouded her body again and Midoriko smiled as she disappeared from the mysterious place.

Kagome felt herself being enveloped by the light once more. She gasped again as she opened her eyes. It was night. She looked around the area, Bankotsu watched her intently, back against a tree while the ongoing fire illuminated his features beautifully.

"Come here, miko." Bankotsu beckoned. She crawled over to his form, stopping a good foot away from him. He took his hand in hers, surprising Kagome. He stared at the fire for a long time, fingers intertwined and an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air.

Bankotsu sighed, then finally made eye contact with Kagome. His eyes softened as he quickly glanced at their hands.

"What happened to you back there? You disappeared off my back." Bankotsu questioned. Kagome knew that would be the first thing he asked, so she explained the situation as much as she could.

"So, from what I'm getting from that is that Midoriko is entrusting the fate of this entire world onto you, Inuyasha won't be able to protect you, you're somehow being helped by shikigami, and you must choose a correct 'path' or this time will suffer greatly? Am I right?" Bankotsu retorted in disbelief. He had no idea what this newfound information meant for him, his brothers, and Kagome. She also brought to light that she was being assisted by the most powerful priestess of all time in the form of shikigami, which was baffling. Bankotsu had captured her such a long time ago, so in what way were they helping Kagome? Did he have to protect her during all of this? The situation was unbelievable.

A light shut off in Bankotsu's head. He was stumped. None of it made sense to him, all this priestess bullshit with the jewel was a headache and a half. He hadn't seen his brothers in a week or so, and was getting worried. He was anxious about what the future held for him and his brothers, if it involved a certain miko who was certainly ruining his life a little more everyday. He knew he needed her. Bankotsu knew that Kagome's assistance would prove to be beneficial to his survival. He needed to get on her good side, and she to his, if they wanted to successfully finish this quest with their desired outcomes.

He moved his body closer to hers, moving their intertwined hands into his lap. Kagome smiled, laying her head on Bankotsu's shoulder. He hated to admit it, but it was nice to feel a giddiness that wasn't in relation to killing. They stared at the fire, hypnotized by the red flames and its constant rhythm. They were enjoying each other's company in that simple moment.

He wanted to live.

She wanted to save the world, and him.