Stalled
…
Barrier
As the gang loiter outside the tori gate below the shrine, undecided on what to do next, Yusuke eyes the barrier thoughtfully. It is much stronger on either side of the gate than within the arch, indicating that entrance should be possible. However stepping over the gate's threshold made his body burn like fire and acid, eating away at his youki with terrifying speed. Chuu and Hokushin sport actual burns from touching the barrier outside the gate and Kurama refuses to go within six feet of it.
Strangely, Kuwabara bounces off rather than being burnt.
Unwelcome
Kuwabara eventually tries to use his dimensional sword to get past the barrier and briefly succeeds, but on landing inside the shrine grounds is instantly and violently evicted back through the gate to the sound of a gong. After the tall and now very dusty teen briefly loses his temper at such an undignified landing, someone addresses them:
"Who trespasses?"
Yusuke blinks. It's that girl from earlier who the youkai they're after was hanging all over, except now she's dressed as a miko and has a very functional-looking longbow slung across her back. Interestingly though she doesn't seem to have any arrows.
Overkill
"Give Yukina-chan back!" Kuwabara instantly shouts, scrambling off the ground and waving a fist. The girl ignores him, preferring to look around at the four other guys in turn.
"The outer barrier is to discourage youkai from entering the Shrine grounds," she says conversationally, "but the inner protections will only activate against those of impure intent. Those who mean harm to any who dwell upon these grounds may not enter either."
So they can't get in because they want to attack the bastard who abducted Yukina. But she said the outer barrier was just to discourage? Yusuke knows just how nasty that barrier is; it would probably immolate a B-class demon on contact. What kind of assault was this chick expecting and what kind of demons has she met that she considers that bit of work to be just discouraging?
Introductions
"My intentions are pure!" Kuwabara bellows, a hand clutched over his heart. "I must rescue my beloved Yukina-chan!"
The miko ignores him completely, instead frowning at the group. "You are yet to introduce yourselves, so I shall begin. I am Saidou Kagome, as you are already aware, and I am the miko of this shrine."
Yusuke blinks again. She knew that they knew her name? Did that mean-
"You sensed me?" Kurama asks, curious. "How?"
The miko –Kagome– smiles enigmatically. "I am a traditional miko, kitsune-san."
Yusuke again and today's second chapter! Kagome meets the YuYu gang.