(AN)---Ah, yes. Violence. This chapter is one violent ride from beginning to end. I felt the need to include a warning because, even though I am not bothered by such things, I understand that others are. If you got through chapter one okay, then you should do just fine here! ^_^
BTW, baka deshi, I just finished reading "The Best Fanfic Ever". Very nice work there! The thought of Miroku and Sango teaching Kagome how to create/write/edit a good fic is just too funny! Is it a one-shot, or will you be continuing? I'd like to see what kind of fic Kagome comes up with, especially since she seems to be just starting her career as a writer! ;-D whatever your choice, the fic was damn funny! Not to mention a nice subtle stab at some of the crap that has been cropping up lately within the fandom. Well done. ^_^
Onto chapter four! There's a lot of action in this part, so please review and tell me how it comes across! I'm not sure I can write really good action scenes...:-/
Juxtaposition
Chapter Four:
Meetings and Partings
The dark night showed her three men. A motley crew dressed in a combination of fine armor and ragged clothes. None of it seemed to mesh. It was as if their outfits had been created from odds and ends they had picked up in various places. Kagome swallowed, the coldness in her stomach uncurling like a fist.
Bandits. They were bandits.
"What do you want?" Her voice was very firm and unafraid. She wished that she was something to match it.
They stepped out from the trees, closer to her. And her mind was already supplying her with images, horrible visions of all that they could possibly want from her. This was where not thinking ahead would get her killed. This was the Sengoku Jidai, the age of battle, of unrest and thieves. And here she was, skipping through it in the middle of the night. Being constantly within the protecting arms of her group, she had forgotten there were dangers beside kakkera-hunting youkai.
"Don't a pretty little girlie like you know better than to go wandering around by herself?"
Patronizing. It never was enough to just go in for the kill, why did the bad guys always have to taunt and torment before they attacked? Not that she was going to complain. Sometimes escape could be made while the enemy was playing games. Kagome looked around, but didn't see any ready escape.
They were slowing moving in to flank her, like wolves surrounding a wounded deer. Part of her told her to run, to throw herself into the dark woods and trust in the strength of her own legs. But she wasn't stupid. She knew that as soon as she turned her back they would set upon her. There had to be something else she could do.
"You...you best stay back," she warned, bringing her bow up to her chest, as if a shield. "I am a powerful miko, and not to be toyed with!" Maybe she could bluff?
The small group laughed, a loud, unattractive bray of sound.
"You don't look like a miko. What kind of kimono is that anyway?" said one, reaching out to tug on the hem of Kagome's skirt. She immediately slapped his hand away, but another one appeared, grabbing her wrist. Throwing herself back, she swung out with her other hand and caught the one gripping her wrist across the ear with her bow. He let go and fell back, clutching his head. But another stepped up to take his place, advancing on her intently.
"Take this!" Not thinking twice, she let the strap of her daypack fall down off her shoulder. Before it could slip to the ground her hand caught it, and she threw it, putting all her will to live in the action. The man grunted as the huge yellow sack struck him in the chest, nearly knocking him back off his feet.
Kagome pulled an arrow down and fired it before even properly taking aim. The shaft buzzed through the air and struck with a sickening thunk in the man's throat. His eyes widened, and that was all the reaction he could manage before he collapsed to the ground in a pool of spreading blood.
She was staring in utter confusion, not fully believing that her hands had just taken a life. She stared down at her bow in wonder, and even a little fear.
Someone grabbed her from behind, wrenching the bow out of her hands and sending it sailing to be lost in the dark underbrush. Kagome screamed, part in shock and part out of anger. She kicked back, trying to hit her captor's knees, legs, anything to make him let go. But he was too close and her attempts met empty air.
He hooked his arms through hers, pulling them back at a painful angle behind her. She cried out, tried to struggle free, but the more she struggled the tighter he held her. The man she had hit with her bow staggered to his feet, rubbing at the side of his head. He looked to the one she had killed and his eyes widened slightly.
She watched him walk slowly toward her, as his friend held her in place. Something very akin to terror filled her. She should have run. Gods help her, but she should have run when the first two went down!
A slight trickle of blood ran down the side of his neck to soak into his collar, but he didn't pay any attention to it. He stopped in front of her and grinned. Kagome went very still.
He lifted his hand toward her and she shied away from it, pulling on her bound arms her until they screamed with pain. The bandit's hand kept coming. He reached out and cupped her young breast through her uniform, squeezing it roughly between his fingers until Kagome yelped. Tears started to gather at the edges of her dark eyes. The two remaining men seemed to think that was funny.
She kicked out at the one before her, but he caught her leg against his forearm and knocked it away. The hand on her breast left, but he brought it down, hard across her face. Instead of lying still in shock of the sudden pain, the miko kicked out again, catching him solidly in the stomach.
The man doubled over, stumbled to the side, to his knees, and threw up in the grass. Wiping a shaky hand across his mouth, he turned back. Kagome very nearly flinched from the look he gave her, but she raised her chin and felt a very unpleasant smile come to her face. Try it again, bastard. I'll rip you apart with my feet if I have to!
"Take her down."
Kagome's eyes widened as the man behind her pulled her harder against him. Applying pressure to her arms, he forced her down to her knees, effectively taking control of her legs as well.
The one she had kicked walked very slowly towards her, grinning at the furious look on her face.
She spit at him. She wasn't going to go calmly! He slapped her across the face again, then back-handed her in the same motion. Blood dripped in a steady line from her lip where her teeth had accidentally cut into it. She raised her head, tears of pain in her eyes, and spit in his face again.
The man screamed, a harsh guttural growl of rage. With her blood running down his brow, and his own running down the side of his face, he jerked his blade from its scabbard and raised it high above his head.
A flash of colour struck him from the side, lifting him up and tossing him effortlessly against a nearby tree. He hit back first, and the forest resounded with a terrible sound like the sudden crack of thunder splitting a sky. He crumbled to the base of the tree, dead.
The one holding her shrieked in alarm. He shoved her away, turned to run but was knocked instantly forward. Blood sprayed as the flesh of his throat was ripped clean through to the spine. His head hung on his body by a few bloody scraps of meat, his eyes stared at her, glassy and empty of life.
Her breath coming in short pants, Kagome raised her wide eyes from the dead man's stare and blinked at her savior.
TBC...
Who is it?! Don't you just hate me? ^_^ I don't mean to write cliffhangers, they just keep happening! Argh!
*dances in place* for some reason I'm starting to really like this fic! I think it's because I finally have all the parts mapped out in my head, along with an ending I think most of you won't be completely ready for.
Hmm, is Kagome OOC? Well, you have to remember that she had one of those ultra-prophetic, super creepy dreams telling her what would happen if she continued down the path she was on. I believe, being faced with that knowledge, Kagome could come to such a drastic decision. If she thought it was the only way to protect Inuyasha, that is. Kagome is very...what's the word I want to use? Aggressive? Kagome is very aggressive when it comes to protecting the ones she loves, kind of like a lioness protecting her cubs (think of it that way).
Anyway, review and let me know what you think of this chapter, or the story so far as a whole. I think it's starting to really come together.
Thanks! ^_^