Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and co….

*--*--*

Chapter 29: Seal it With a Kiss

Kagome walked out into the field where they had first learned each other's names. Sitting with her back against the tree she had had target practice with his clothes on she put her arms in her large sleeves and looked at him. She raised her eyebrows as he sat in the same distance he had when they had their first talk.

"Idiot." She muttered. Looking up at the sky she glared as a crow flew by. Something dropped from its mouth. It landed in her eye. "Owchie!" she cried as she pulled the something out.

"What is it—AH? That's a Shikon no kakkera (sp? I forgot.)?" He cried as almost pounced on her.

"Down boy." She pushed his head down and examined it. He squirmed out from under her palm and looked at the shard in her hand. "Someone's tryin' t'trick us." she said absently. "This is no Shikon no kakkera."

"What is it then?"

"Quartz." she said flatly. "But…there's power jammed in here somewhere and it's generating some…evil youki." She squeezed the fingers that held both sharp ends together. Her blood dripped down the shard and blared with a black light. It shocked her and she dropped it. "Bitch…." she muttered.

"It's a girl?" he asked.

"For all I know." She growled as he rubbed her nonstop bleeding in her fingers. "This is stupid." She pushed it toward Inuyasha and watched him while she unconsciously rubbed her fingers.

Inuyasha looked down at the shard then up at Kagome. She nodded and urged his hands to pick it up. Looking at the red shard he felt an evil force wash over him. He suddenly wanted to kill, destroy anyone who thought them superior to him, her wanted to kill Kagome. He looked up at her. She had an evil look about her face, as if she had made him do it. She spoke, it seemed like her voice was yelling but her knew she was whispering. "Endurance. I wanna test your endurance." she said. The blood dripped to her knees as the hole in her fingers bled like a real human should do.

"Bitch." He muttered as he felt his clawed hands rise upward as he tried to rip her apart.

Kagome sat there nobly, a true snobby noblewoman. How much he wanted to kill her. The girl was smiling?! Why would she be smiling when he was about to kill her? How he wanted to rip that smile off her beautiful face.

"Shikon no Tama, payback's a bitch, ain't it." She said with the first arrogant smirk he had ever seen on the miko's face. "Jeez. Who would've thought the great Inuyasha would be weak against a little kakkera. C'mon I've seen humans stronger then you."

He growled. She's teasing you. You can't kill the girl you love, his true self whispered, his conscience.

Yes I can.

Nope. Not even if you ripped her throat out, she's an angel without wings, a heavenly gift that could never be killed now. She already showed you that.

Inuyasha's hands stopped right in front of her lips. He really was going to rip her mouth out!

She smiled again and raised an eyebrow at his quivering hand in front of her face. "Yes….kill me to solve all

your problems."

"Shut up." He growled.

"Destroy me; get rid of your inliner. The one you ever trusted is the one gettin' in your way to become tai-youkai. Kill me to run away from responsibility."

"Shut up." he growled louder.

"It's time to think of something other then power, strength, expensive pure-breeds. Kick the bucket and care about something with all your heart and energy. It's time to forget your own problems and—"

"Shut up!" he said even louder now.

"—shut up and care about something that would make a difference in everyone's life. Yes, kill me and then you'll be able to live in peace, to live in loneliness without the one who ever truly cared about you. Kill me, run, hate the world, die an angry man. Become Tai-youkai. That's what you want right?"

"SHUT UP!" He yelled as he raised his clawed hand and swiped.

Kagome opened her eyes. The grass, it got a nice haircut. She looked up at him. He was still quivering while he fought back. He dropped the shard.

"You're mean." He muttered.

"I know." She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. "It's hard, ain't it?" she asked quietly.

"Whatda you think?" he grunted angrily but wrapped his arms around her as well.

"And guess what? I meant every word." She said.

He narrowed his eyes but ignored it.

"That's the power of the Shikon no Tama. It corrupts the best in every living thing's soul. Even a plant, or dirt, or grass, or air…wait no not air. It doesn't live." She seemed to be talking to herself now.

Inuyasha laughed a bit. "Be quite." she muttered into her shoulder.

"Oops." She leaned her head against his neck and scrunched up her nose. It was hard, saying all those things to him, watching him waver in anger and fighting the urge to kill her. She sighed. Her hands hurt.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked.

"Hm?" she said absently as she rubbed her hands against the grass to sooth the burning sensation in them.

"What you said…about the only one who truly cared for me…what's that mean?" he asked uncharacteristically quiet.

"Oh dear, it's just something of truth. Y'know, not everyone would trust you if I wasn't around or Tastunai." She said absently as she continued rubbing her now fiery hands o the grass "Stupid shard." she muttered.

"Tastuani? What's she got to do with keepin' me under control?" he asked angrily.

"Because, if you killed anyone she'd go ballistic and somehow Naraku would come and rip everyone's dead heads off." She said.

Inuyasha turned to look at the determination in her eyes. He released her and grabbed her hands. "What the hells with your hands?" he asked gruffly.

"They burn!" she squealed.

"You don't have to rub it in the grass!" he yelled at her.

"Shut up, I'll do what I need to." She said stubbornly as she turned her head away in a huff.

He watched her in mild amusement and smiled as her face scrunched into anger then softened as she looked over at him. "Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"That."

"That what?

"That look."

"What look?"

"Stop!" she yelled as she got into his face. "You know…for a hanyou you really do get a humanly annoyance to yourself."

He blushed and moved backward. "Don't call me a human!" he yelled.

"You have it in you." she said.

"Really…" he looked down.

Kagome stood up and dusted her self off. She seemed to hesitate before she said the last part. "Maybe we should seal this conversation with a kiss." She said slyly.

"Wh-what?" he nearly jumped out of his skin.

She pulled at his arm. He stood up slowly and looked into her eyes. They were smirking just like her lips. She reached up, pulled him down to meet her eyes by his hair and lightly pressed her lips to his.

His eyes widened. The miko…she was….showing acceptance. Love? Maybe.

She pulled back; her cheeks blushed as she pushed off his chest and waved. "See ya!" and she ran down the hill.

He stood there stunned for a while. His lips quivered. "NOOO!!" he cried. She had just kissed him! Kagome, the miko whom was his favorite companion had basically declared something was going on between them that were more then just friends. He fell to his knees. "This was so unlike me…why am I gettin' so…so worked up about it?" he asked himself as he stood again and trudged down the hill after her. "There is something there…although we haven't admitted it yet. There's something there and it's…itchy." He said as she scratched his ears absently.

*--*--*

"Stupid Naraku…why'd he have to go and stun me like that?" Tastunai muttered as her long brown hair in its high ponytail swished behind her back. She looked up at the canopy of tree branches. "This is taking forever. I don't even know where I am." She jumped into a tree and climbed swiftly up the ranches. She pulled the ranches apart slightly so she could over look the forest. There, about a half a mile away, trees were falling left and right. She looked harder and pulled out a throwing star as the thing approached faster.

She jumped to a lower branch and stared. She wasn't in her black clothing anymore but at least the youkai or whatever was approaching wouldn't go easy on her, seeing that she looked more like a man then anything.

"Oi! Kunoichi" it yelled.

She blinked. "You…can tell?" she asked.

"I can smell ya." The youkai stepped out. He had short black hair and a white cloth around his wrists. His Chinese shirt was open and he held a katana like her own which was dripping with blood.

"Youkai?" she asked the man. He was very handsome, a right smile which showed fanged teeth and bright forest green eyes.

"I am…." He said. He held a short of spear in his hand. No…wait…it was a…harpoon?!"

"What are you doing out here?" she asked suspiciously as she jumped down to stand in front of him.

"I'm lookin' fer someone. A kunoichi, like yerself. Her name is…Tastunai"

Tastunai swallowed. Shit!

*--*--*

That night Miroku sat up with the fire. Looking at his hand and frowning. The prayer beads were the only thing sealing off his cursed hand. He had never had to use it yet but…the day will come. He let his hand drop as he looked at the sleeping girls. Kagome, who had Shippo in her arms slept as soundly as ever, like she hadn't just come back to life.

Sango, who was curled up with Kirara had a peaceful look on her face and a tight grasp on her Hiraikutsu.

Inuyasha was sitting against the wall, Tetsusaiga against his chest.

And lat was Pyrasuuke, her beautiful violet hair blew in the wind as she stood guard by the door, her elegant clothing of a Chinese noblewoman billowed as well and it seemed nothing would rip her out of her trance of protection.

Tastunai…where could she be?

He stood up and walked toward the door next to Pyrasuuke. He slid the door open more and she let him pass, her eyes glued on the outdoors, her golden halo as well as Kagome's shone brightly as the darkness of night hit the golden rings.

Walking out toward the forest, the monk tried to sense anything that would tell of the beautiful kunoichi's position. The forest, dark and looming, had the presence of her. Her and a youkai. "Where is she?" he walked forward more until her was in the dark shade of the old trees.

"Tastunai?" he heard a rustle from the tree's then a yelp and the sound of something cutting something soft. There was the sound of a splatter against the tree's and then the rumble of tree's falling. Silence came at last.

"That was Tastunai." He muttered.

Pyrasuuke came up behind him, she wore a green yukata. Kagome behind her wearing a blue yukata, her eyes sleepy but the bow and her arrows at the ready. "I heard her scream." She said tiredly.

Inuyasha was already in a tree and Sango, Kirara, and Shippo were behind Kagome all looking like they'd rather be in the warm hut then checking the forest.

He led the way as Pyrasuuke, Kagome, Sango, Shippo, and Kirara followed.

*--*--*--*--*

Wow!!! I got a really big scene with Kag-chan and Inu-kun!

Spoiler: next chapter, San/Mir get closer…hint hint

Next chapter:

Chapter 30: Kazaana