Fighting Destiny
Chapter 2
By
Ironic Insanity

Disclaimer:

Irony waltzes in shouting "I OWN NOTHING!!!!"
Insanity follows closely behind "Well, I don't either."
"So we're both broke, ne?"
"Looks that way."
"So, if we were sued they wouldn't get anything?"
"Nope."
"I OWN INUYASHA! ...But I'd rather Own Fluffy."
Insanity shakes his head.
Kouga sat on a nearby stump and pondered what the Sprite had told him. 'A marriage contract that was centuries old and that Future hope was in the pairing?' Well she was right about that. If he could find whomever the contract was with, and convince them to marry him, then there was a lot of hope for the future. The rest of the Sprite's message was, as he expected from a sprite, a complete and total riddle.

"Look in places not yet seen, yet seen in the past," Kouga mumbled as his eyes closed and his mind drifted.
He was staring at a village with high walls. He'd been taught what high walls meant. They meant slayers. He was only a young cub but he'd heard of Slayers. If one got too close to him he'd be killed and made into boot leather. The thought of it was making his tail swish nervously.

"Oh great a village with walls," Kouga mumbled. "That means slayers...I don't want to be killed!"

Then something grabbed his tail causing him to yelp and jump into the air. He landed as gracefully as he could and turned expecting to find a slayer set to kill him. What he found instead was a giggling girl about his age. She had raven black hair, expressive brown eyes and was dressed in a light summer kimono.

"You're a Wolf Youkai aren't you?" She asked.

"Yeah," Kouga replied puffing his chest out slightly. "Are you a slayer?"

The little girl shook her head. "Not yet." Then she looked curiously at the wolf. "Why are you here? Don't you know it's not safe?"

"I was curious. I've never been close to humans before. My name is Kouga. What's yours?" The young wolf asked remembering what little manners he'd been taught.

The girl gave her name, though for some reason he couldn't remember it. And offered him her hand. He'd heard that humans made a hand motion called 'shaking hands' and assumed that this was what she was offering.

"You seem like a nice person," He told the girl as he shook her hand.

The young girl grinned then looked at Kouga's hands curiously, or more accurately at his claws. "Wow...you really do have claws!" She exclaimed as she ran a finger over the point and accidentally cut herself. "Ow!"

"Careful! They're sharp. " Kouga exclaimed looking genuinely upset at harming his new friend, even accidentally.

To her credit the little girl didn't cry, but merely stuck her finger in her mouth.

"A-are you okay?" Kouga asked nervously.

"Un! See? All better!" She replied as she pulled her finger from her mouth and showed it to him.

Kouga sighed feeling more relieved than he's ever felt in his life. Then, just as all kids tend to do, he forgot what just happened as his desire to have fun took over. "Wanna play?" he asked.

"Hai!" the girl replied cheerfully then tapped him on the shoulder. "Tag you're it!" she shouted before running into the field.

The next hour was spent with the two chasing each other in a vigorous game of tag. Kouga, even without the jewel shards he'd gain later in life was very quick, but his playmate was clever and often outsmarted the wolf in order to tag him. At long last the two collapsed into the tall grass, side by side. As Kouga looked at the clouds, one of the things he liked to do when he could, his playmate began picking flowers.

"Kouga-kun, not all demons are monsters are they? I mean you're not..." the young girl began.

"But I'm still young," Kouga said. "But no, I suppose we're not all bad."

"Oh," The girls said sounding slightly dejected as she began to weave the flower stems together.

"I don't want to be one of the monsters though," Kouga said honestly. "Being a monster means that someday a slayer would come for me." He frowned at that thought. "No, I want to be a helpful demon."

"I hope you don't become a monster either," The little girl said. "Maybe one day you'll be a great demon and change it all so none would be Monsters!"

Kouga smiled brightly. "I'd like that very much. Think we could be friends? I'd like that."

The little girl tied the flowers into a loop and blushed a little at the wolf's offer. "Hai, I'd like that too.

Kouga looked at his new friend. Her face had somehow turned red. "Your face is all red," He said then added. "It makes you look cuter."

The girl responded by looking down, her face flaming redder by a few shades. "I made this for you," she said offering him the circlet of flowers.

"What is it?" the curious wolf pup asked with a smile.

"It's a crown. Now you can be my prince," the girl giggled. "My Great Wolf Prince!"

"I would be delighted to be your prince fair one," Kouga intoned getting into the part. He slowly kneeled down so she could place the crown on his head.

She'd just placed the crown on his brow when a Slayer bellowed out her name.

"Oh no, it's Papa. Kouga run! Run and don't look back!" she told her new friend.

"But..."

"GO!"

He'd ran all the way back to his den only pausing once long enough to hear the head slayer's denouncement of all demons.

When he returned to the den, his father demanded to know where he had been. Young though he was he knew better than to disobey the alpha male. So, he told his father what he'd done. His father had become furious. And that fury became rage when Kouga refused to tell his father where the Slayer village was so it could be attacked. Kouga was beaten badly over that.
Kouga's eyes snapped open. Why would he remember that now? It had been years since he'd even tried to go back to that village. Every time he did though he'd always find his way blocked by slayers. They never saw him, but he knew that he couldn't fight them without becoming a monster.

The memory of his promise to his first human friend still held sway in his life. He'd made a few back steps here and there, like kidnapping Kagome, but other than that he'd strived to not be a monster. He was pretty sure he'd done a good job. He still missed that first friend though and there were nights when he'd lay awake wondering if she'd really been killed by his father like he claimed or if she lived to adulthood only to die when her village was destroyed. Other times throughout his life he'd have nightmares where he'd find his old friend again only to learn she'd became a slayer and was sent to face him in battle.

These thoughts, however, were pushed from his mind by a very familiar scent...

"OSWARI!"

And a familiar voice...

Kagome was steamed.Inuyasha once again had tried to go after Shippo all because he ate the last of the instant ramen.

Inuyasha lay prostrated on the ground growling as muffled curses flew out of his mouth.

"What the hell you do that for wench!"

"Don't make me say it again Inuyasha. You know why."

"The runt stole my Ramen!"

"OSWARI!"

Once again Inuyasha found himself face first in the dirt.

"Damn it Kagome will you stop that!?"

"Not until you learn to behave yourself."

"Yeah Inuyasha. You already had a bowl anyway and I was hungry," Shippo piped in.

"BUT THAT WAS MY RAMEN!"

"Inuyasha..."

Inuyasha winced knowing what that tone of voice meant. Three was his limit for "sits" but he had no intention to reach it so early in the day.

All of the Sudden Kagome turned. "Two Jewel Shard coming in fast!"

Inuyasha growled drawing the Tetsaiga. But before he can get into a battle ready position he's plowed down by a small tornado.

"Well, well, if it isn't MY Woman," Kouga says stepping out of the tornado taking Kagome's hands in his. Stopping he sniff the air. "Ready to leave the mutt and come home with me Kagome?"

"Like hell she will you damn wimpy wolf!"

"Is that a challenge?"

"I'll take you down anytime anywhere, flea bag."

"Like a mutt faced half breed like you could defeat a full blooded youkai. Come on, Kagome. I'll take you back to my den and make you a princess of my tribe. Forget the mongrel."

"WHY YOU!!!!!"

At that moment a resounding slap is heard along with a shout of "HENTAI!!!" startling the growling combatants. Moments later a monk with a hand shaped red mark on his face walks out of the bushes followed by a steaming demon slayer.

"You'd think he'd learn," Kagome sighs.

"Still a perverted Houshi, ne Sango-san?" Kouga greeted bowing to the Slayer respectfully. They may be enemies but even Kouga had to respect her skill.

"Oi Bozu! Whatcha do this time?"

Miroku just chuckles innocently and places his hand on the back of his head. Sango seeing him prepare to answer swings her Hiraikotsu effectively stopping him...into unconsciousness.

Kagome sighs. 'This is going to be a long day' she thought to herself as Inuyasha and Kouga restart their posturing competition.

To Be Continued...
Authors' Notes. (That is correct there are two authors!)

Everyone Thank you for reading Chapter two of Fighting Destiny. I know it's starting off a tad slow but please bear with us. It will get better I promise! Now in answer to our reviewers!

Serpent-vampfreak - Thank you! We are so glad that you enjoyed it. We will update as soon as possible. You know how muses are. They can be fickle!

Alaksandra - We don't plan on abandoning it any time soon. After all we just started it . As for the Sprite, she was meant to be annoying. I'm so glad the effect worked!ß--- (This from Irony) (Insanity puffs out chest) Yes, yes, I know. Insanity would also like to thank you for the comment on the portrayal of Kouga. He took a lot of pride in his work... and it expanded his ego quite a bit as well. Perhaps this will help him becoming more in tune with Kouga? Could be a good thing...(notices Insanity sharpening his claws) ...or not. Oh well. But again Thanks!

Please read and review! We love reviews! Good, Bad, ANYTHING!

Until Next time!

Irony and Insanity