Inuyasha ©Rumiko Takahashi

Beta-Reader: MissKatt

When the Future is Here

10

First Glance

Two days later, Kagome was in front of the Goshinboku with a blanket covering her, Kaede at her side for support. Behind them waited five armed men silently.

"Inuyasha," started Kaede with an even voice, "We have every right to keep you pinned to that tree for your transgressions. We are, however, offering you your freedom if you but promise two things."

Kagome held onto the older woman with her right arm, her eyes were looking down at the grass. These last days had been rough for her and she had battled off a fever recently. She did agree with Kaede and Hojo-san that Inuyasha should be freed.

"What do you mean, you Old Hag?" he replied rudely, but his golden eyes were locked on the old miko hopefully.

Kaede took a deep breath, "You will not come after the Shikon no Tama," said the woman with pursed lips and stopped when he scowled.

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes glaring down at them, "I promise not to take the Shikon no Tama from her," he said carefully, "If another youkai takes it, or human or hanyou, I can take it from them."

Kaede was about to object, but Kagome squeezed her arm and shrugged. There was only so much they could ask of him. He was a hanyou and a man… you couldn't simply ask him to forget the Jewel and trust he will. This was as honest as he was going to go. She preferred hard truths than easy lies.

"Very well," said Kaede with a sigh, "Kagome has agreed to your terms." She then locked eyes with the hanyou, "As for your second promise, you will protect this village and its inhabitants as long as the Shikon Jewel is here."

"What?!" he growled angrily, "That's like a hundred promises in one! How many puny humans are there?! You are too many!"

Kaede shrugged her shoulders and gave him an indifferent look, "I want you to kill off any incoming youkai who comes in search of the Shikon Jewel…without sacrificing any human life. If a life is lost… well, it is, but not because you selfishly sacrificed it."

Inuyasha zoned his glare on her, "How would you know if I did, Old Hag?"

Kagome turned her face to him for the first time that morning, eyes hard and lips pursed, "Be more respectful, Inuyasha. Remember we are the ones helping you." She demanded, fisting her hands and standing straight.

The pair locked eyes for a moment, assessing the other until Inuyasha once again turned to Kaede, "Well?"

Again, Kaede merely shrugged, "I better not even suspect it then… you better do a fine job."

Inuyasha huffed and smirked, "Fine, I agree." His grin widened when he saw the group's shoulders slump in relief. Their false sense of security was so wrong. What would they do to him if he chose not to honor his word? Nothing. What could they do?

Kaede gave a step forwards, took out a white cloth with lots of beads and then began to chant. Inuyasha watched suspiciously when the beads began to glow.

"What the hell is that?!" he asked with a frown, "What are you doing?!"

No one paid him any attention and at the next moment the glowing beads shot into the air and settled around his neck in a loose necklace. Clawed hands grabbed the necklace and pulled, but the beads only glowed, they didn't come loose. The necklace was enchanted and it wasn't coming off. At least, not by his hand.

After he calmed some, Kagome finally moved closer. Inuyasha watched, frozen against the tree, as she came to him. Her scent tickled his nose and the enormity of the moment wrapped around him.

He was going to be free.

Kagome stopped in front of him and their eyes met. His eyes, for the first time, studied her for who she was. The dark eyes, wider than Kikyo's, her hair, shinier and wavier, than the other miko and she also had a tilt of rebellious determination to her lips. She was not Kikyo… but, was she better than Kikyo? Probably not… no one compared to Kikyo.

The knowledge, and longing inside of him, hurt.

Kagome's eyes were locked on his, but they dug into him in search of his soul. Her eyes tried to assess the sincerity of his earlier promises, but she couldn't see much. His gaze was guarded, not by cold feelings, but a jumble of emotions that one couldn't put in order. He was reckless and impulsive. There was no safe gamble with people like him.

Kagome shook her head, placed her left hand over his chest for leverage and grabbed the arrow with the right one. He gasped in surprise and her eyes came to his, "Here I go," she whispered and pulled with all her might.

xxoOoxx

Many days later, a band of thieves assaulted the village. Kaede, and the men, where battling them like the noblest of warriors while Kagome waited inside of Kaede's hut. The Shikon Jewel held protectively on her hands.

"Why don't you help them?" asked Kagome impatiently, her brown gaze boring into the hanyou's side.

"Those are not youkai," he replied smugly, "I don't have to do a thing."

Anger blazed through Kagome's eyes, but she said nothing. She has had enough of his immaturity these last days. He was such a child. No wonder he was alone and no one wanted to free him from the Tree. She thought it was impossible for someone to be like that… but she hand been wrong. Besides, what's the deal? Kaede told her Inuyasha was at least two hundred years old… like, really?! Were hanyou this slow in the head?

"I am leaving," said Kagome as she took a bow and the only quilt of arrows available. She hissed when she placed the quilt at her shoulder, the wound to her shoulder still sore, but she was determined. "I never thought about…fighting humans, but it's clear I must," she said before going out and glared at Inuyasha, "You know… I don't know much about youkai or hanyou, but you are not doing any favors to your human side by doing nothing," she said with an irritated edge to her voice, "If youkai do not accept you… it is because they are proud bastards who care only about the purity of blood, but if humans don't accept you…is because you are not deserving."

Then she turned her back on him and left the security of the hut.

xxoOoxx

Sesshomaru, and Jaken, stood over one of the farthest hills overlooking the small town of Edo. They had gone to the Tree of Ages, but the seal to the hanyou's spell had been broken. They had discovered Inuyasha's scent close by and had agreed that he remained close, probably at the village.

The village where the miko he had fallen in love with used to live.

Sesshomaru tried to remember her face, but he couldn't. As if… he never met her. That would be strange since Inuyasha was his half-brother. He was a bastard and he hated him, but he should have tried to stop him. Inuyasha in love with a miko? That was simply preposterous. Perhaps Momo had gone to him instead? It would make sense, for her to get involved in such things and not him. But… how was Momo's relationship with Inuyasha? For the life of him he couldn't remember them together… talking or anything.

It was like a blank in his mind… why was this happening? This was not normal.

"The bandits are slaughtering the villagers," muttered Jaken as he watched in boredom, "The crops will go to waste."

Sesshomaru watched carefully. He could smell Inuyasha was down there, so why was the hanyou allowing this? Had he no honor? If he was in this village, he should at least protect it. It was the least he could do. The Taiyoukai watched for some moments, silently debating what to do when a wave of purifying powers hit the village.

Golden eyes watched as a young girl, wearing miko robes, began to shoot her arrows at the bandits. The bandit's bodies fell to the floor lifelessly. But the pounding of her pure powers pulsed brilliant and the Lord of the West could not understand why. A miko was not supposed to kill humans… shouldn't that taint her?

The villagers soon enough circled around her protectively and the older miko joined her too. Together they shot at the bandits.

Sesshomaru's inquiries were laid to rest when in the mess of it a demon sparrow flew skywards, escaping the miko, but its speed was not enough. The young miko shot at it and the bird evaporated to dust.

"Those are demons," squeaked Jaken, his staff flailing with his excitement, "They possessed the dead bandit's bodies."

Sesshomaru had already guessed as much. After a few moments, he saw his younger half-brother, still wearing his red haori, come to battle the last of the bandits. The rest of bandits were taken care of in matter of minutes and the villagers began to put away the rotting corpses lining their streets.

"There's Inuyasha," muttered Jaken as he watched the dynamics playing down.

Sesshomaru watched his brother walk back towards the pair of miko. They seemed to be talking about something when the Taiyoukai saw a sparrow make an arc in the night sky and plummet down towards the younger miko. He shook his head at the bird's stupidity. Miko could feel their surroundings easily…he was going to die before he could reach her.

He was surprise though when the younger miko did not feel anything and it was Inuyasha who stopped the youkai bird from killing her. Once again the Taiyoukai frowned. He had felt the miko's power…it was strong yet she had been unable to feel a youkai trying to creep on her? It was confusing.

"I know where Tetsusaiga is," Sesshomaru said to the night, eyes still on the miko, "and I have an idea on how to retrieve it."

Jaken nodded and murmured, "That stupid hanyou is with another human again," before following after Sesshomaru, "Shouldn't we stop this? He will taint your honorable bloodline even more".

Sesshomaru merely went on, silent. However, his thoughts were eating at him. He was sure there was something strange to that miko, something familiar. He pursed his lips… her powers made his inner beast jerk… it was disquieting. It felt as if he had met her before… but how could he? Had he not been inert these last fifty years? She looked barely fifteen… "Hn."

xXx

To be continued…

xXx

JeniNeji's Note:

Hn. Yah... :]