Author's Note: Someone on AO3 commented a bunch of prompts for this story and some of them were really good so here we go. I own nothing!
First
Inuyasha was on edge. She had been since the night before Kagami had noticed, Shippo hadn't commented on it but Kagami couldn't shake the feeling. It was also odd that she wanted nothing to do with the demons plaguing the mountain. Normally they would at least take a look. It made Kagami slightly worried but after a bit of begging Inuyasha agreed to help Nezuna. The priest at the temple seemed kind and offered them a place to stay, safe for the night from the spider-heads who infested the area. Inuyasha wanted to leave, her ears twitching in annoyance as Shippo and Kagami overruled her. She stayed near the cracked open door her eyes fixed on the darkening sky. She only turned when Kagami tapped her on the shoulder and held out a bowl of rice to her.
"It's good, you should eat something." Inuyasha rolled her eyes but took the bowl. She remained silent though as Kagami returned to his own food and they fell back into a slightly tense silence. The only noises came from Shippo stuffing his face. Inuyasha nibbled at the food with no real interest as Myoga munched on a few pieces of rice. Inuyasha looked up and frowned before standing.
"I think I figured it out." She went stiff at Kagami's words.
"Figured what out?" If Kagami didn't know her better she'd say Inuyasha was scared.
"You're scared of spiders!" Shippo grinned wickedly leaping up and transforming into what looked like a childish drawing of a spider come to life.
"Oooh look at me I'm a big bad spider!" Inuyasha smacked him to the floor as he leapt at her. She looked beyond annoyed at this point.
"I'm not afraid of spiders." Kagami frowned standing and stepping over to her.
"Then what's got you so on edge? Talk to me!" Inuyasha scoffed and pulled open the door to the outside of the temple.
"I have nothing to say. I'm sleeping outside tonight." She took a step outside and stopped. Even with her fading sight and dwindling hearing she could see bright pinpricks of light all across the yard and hear the rustling and clicking of pincers in the dark. She couldn't make out their forms though and she silently cursed her dimming senses.
"We're surrounded." Myoga nodded from his spot on her shoulder.
"They are numerous but not a strong foe. Feel like an after dinner workout Mistress Inuyasha?" Inuyasha scoffed and pulled the tetsuiga. It didn't transform as it normally did when she drew it from the scabbard though. She frowned slightly but lunged anyway only for her sword to glance off the skin of the spider-head nearest her. She started backwards but several of the spider-heads spit webs at her and in a moment she couldn't tell which way was up and which was down. She heard Shippo attack the spider-heads and felt familiar hands grab her and drag her away. She shuddered. She could feel her claws melting away, her ears shrinking to those of a normal human, the silver of her hair darkening rapidly to the black of the night sky. Even her eyes itched as the gold bled away.
She hated this. It felt like she was underwater, her vision cut down significantly, her hearing nowhere near as good as it had been. Even her claws and fangs vanished. And worst of all tonight she wasn't alone for the first time since her mother died. Her mother had always stressed the importance of hiding this critical secret. She had always said that someone would use it against her. And now she had no choice but to show herself. The tetsuiga wouldn't work for a full on human. She could still wield it but it would not transform, instead it would just be a rusted sword. She growled in frustration, a sad imitation of her regular growl.
"We should be safe here." They had stopped running. Inuyasha slumped to the ground with a grumble. She felt Kagami reach out and take her hand and swatted him away.
"Don't touch me!" Kagami flinched back and frowned.
"What's wrong with you today?!" He asked sounding well beyond annoyed at this point as he tugged on the silvery spiderwebbing that covered her.
Kagami had been expecting silver hair and golden eyes under the spiderwebs, but that was far from what he found. Instead the hair still somewhat tangled in the webbing was black as the sky above them. It hadn't changed in length but this was definitely not the same hair it had taken him weeks to get used to. Nor were the eyes that glowered at him the same. The shape was the same, wide and the most humanlike part of her face. But where there had been bright gold glowing like flames there was now the brown of overturned earth. He blinked at her.
"Worry about yourselves tonight. If you think you can rely on my demonic powers to save you, you'll be disappointed."
Kagami kept looking at Inuyasha as Myoga explained what was happening. It seemed even Shippo hadn't known this little fact about half demons. Myoga had known though, but not it seemed when Inuyasha's time fell.
"Why didn't you tell us your time of weakness was approaching!?" Inuyasha glared at the flea and flicked him off her shoulder.
"Why? So you could duck out on me again?" That shut Myoga up. He was a coward there was no denying that but he was sensitive about his loyalty. Kagami was a bit incensed she hadn't trusted him with this secret though, honestly he felt a little guilty. He'd suggested they stay the night at the temple after the priest invited them to stay, saying they were likely to encounter swarms of the spider-heads if they continued to travel that night. Their conversation swiftly devolved into a shouting match.
Sending Inuyasha back into the temple after the priest and the jewel felt like one of the worst ideas Kagami had ever heard. She didn't have her powers, the tetsuiga wasn't working. But to be fair it hadn't really been his idea. He tried to rationalize it as he and Nezuna snuck in after Inuyasha and Shippo. Small fires burned here and there, they'd clearly come this way. But Kagami wasn't ready for the sight he found when they made it to the main shrine. Shippo was on the floor being menaced by the demon, who had apparently been the priest the whole time.
"Kagami! Inuyasha's been poisoned!" Kagami whirled around and spotted the girl instantly. She was suspended in the air by more silvery webbing, a large bloody wound on her neck. Kagami acted on instinct from there, the tetsuiga was defending him against the webbing as it had defended him against Sesshoumaru's poison. He made it up to her quick enough.
"L…leave me. Sa… save yourself." He snorted derisively, tears pricking at his eyes.
"No way!"
Getting from the main shrine to the tiny store room was a blur of dead weight and fox fire. But reach it they did, and Kagami shoved the tetsuiga into the door as instructed somehow erecting a barrier between them and the outside world. With that taken care of for the moment at least Kagami turned to the problem at hand, Inuyasha dying. She was ice cold to the touch and barely breathing.
Myoga came through for them this time. He drained the poison from her veins, how he could distinguish between the blood and the venom Kagami had no idea but Inuyasha was breathing easier, though honestly seeing Myoga two feet tall was exceedingly weird. He carefully gathered her into his arms and cautious not to jostle her wound laid her down as far away from the door and the priest as possible. He pulled off his jacket and began to fold it into a makeshift pillow but her weak voice stopped him. She was nearly quiet as she asked if she could rest her head in his lap. He let her, though he felt just a little awkward about it. He couldn't say no to her like this, bleeding and weaker than he'd ever seen her. Then she admitted that she enjoyed his scent, and promptly fell asleep. He blinked down at her, looking so human for once.
Watching Inuyasha's powers return was fascinating. As the sunlight peeked over the mountains silver bled into the half demon's hair. Her eyes gleamed and shone. After that the battle was so quick it could hardly be called that. Nezuna thanked them and bowed. Inuyasha brushed her off.
"I suppose not all demons are that bad." Inuyasha shook her head and pointed a clawed finger at the other girl.
"Don't go thinking like that. You'll get taken advantage of again." Nezuna nodded slightly as they bid her farewell. Kagami frowned as they boarded the boat they'd left behind the day before. He rummaged in his bag and pulled out a notebook he used to keep tabs on how long he'd been in the feudal era and made a quick note in English. It would be a miracle if anyone but him could read it in this era. He simply marked the day and would count thirty out from it, that should be the next new moon. He'd be sure they were somewhere safe for it next time. He smiled as he stowed his notebook and looked up at Inuyasha who seemed intent on ignoring everything that had happened the night before.
