Shippou clung close to Kagome as the storm overhead wailed. The small shack that the team had found for cover was in truth barely enough to shelter them. The walls practically shook every time thunder resounded overhead, and puddles of water were forming where the roof was not adequately covered.
"Kagome, I'm scared!" The fox child whimpered in her shirt, closing his eyes tight against the torrential storm.
"Don't worry," she smiled, trying her best to comfort the poor thing. "The storm will pass soon and you'll wake up and see a beautiful bright morning with a clear sky and a brilliant sun." Kagome looked up and out of a nearby window. "Isn't that right, Inuyasha?"
There was no answer. The young human girl looked around for the half dog demon and found him sitting near the entrance way that was barred shut by both him and Miroku, the young monk with an aspiration that was not so closely related to his works. (This could be noted by the longing glances he would often send toward Sango who was resting quietly nearby.)
"Inuyasha?" Kagome called again. But the half-demon remained unresponsive. His golden eyes bore into the ground he sat on, and his ears twitched as his mind sorted out their predicament. Neither Kagome or the others could realize that this was no natural storm. The lightening was unnatural. Too many times is struck the ground. Regular lightening rarely hit the earth. Why was nearly every strike hitting the ground now? And it wasn't hitting trees, either. It seemed to be striking in the most random of places, where Inuyasha was certain there were a number of villages. Villages that contained strong, but peaceful demons.
But was there anyone powerful enough to conjure such a storm? This wasn't Naraku's style, and Kagura was not powerful enough to have made a storm go on for as many hours as this one had.
Stubborn little imp, whoever they are. Inuyasha thought. Doesn't matter. We should be safe in here.
But just as the thought entered the half-demon's mind, a crash of lightening split through the shack and sent shards of wood scattering to the four winds. Kagome screamed as she was thrown outward, and Shippou with her. Sango was also pulled out, Miroku grabbing a hold of her arm in hopes that they wouldn't be separated.
Inuyasha cried out as the light blinded his eyes. The heat seared his arms and face, burning his hair and giving off a terrible odor.
"INUYASHA!!!" screamed Kagome.
The half-demon tried to open his eyes, but he was still partially blinded from the lightening strike.
"Kagome!" He yelled, groping along the wet grass. "Where are you?" There was no answer after that, only the echoing sound of thunder and the dull thud of rain against the ground. "Damn it," the demon growled. "KAGOME!!"
He continued to crawl along the grass until his hand caught hold of a thin and chilled wrist.
"Kagome?" Inuyasha whispered, inching closer. "Kagome, are you all right?"
"Inuyasha, what happened to your eyes?" He still couldn't open them, and there were burns on his face. He could feel as the rain bit into his injuries, making the wounds sting furiously. "And your face, you're hurt!" she reached our and touched the charred skin. Inuyasha could only wince.
"You're cold," he observed as the rain came down in hard torrents, as though trying to beat both of their bodies. In a forced motion he threw his own body over her to keep Kagome warm and dry. The wind was bitterly cold, more so than any winter he had known. It was unnatural. Far too unnatural, and it made the half-demon's skin crawl.
Suddenly, the world became unbearably bright again. Inuyasha tensed. Kagome screamed underneath him, and in the distance he could hear Miroku and Sango yelling as well. Another bolt came crashing down into the duo as another swallowed up Inuyasha and Kagome. He wrapped his arms as tight as he could around her and gritted his teeth against the pain.
"INUYASHA!" she screamed, and then all went silent. The demon found himself in a dark room against a cold floor, with his arms empty.
"Where am I?" he moaned, trying desperately to open his eyes. "Kagome? Where are you?" he reached out to find her, and gripped only cold metal chains. "What the? Where am I?"
"You'll find out in due time." answered a voice. Inuyasha tilted his head in the direction of the sound.
"Who are you? And where the hell's Kagome?"
"She's safe." came the answer. "For now."
"What the hell do you mean 'for now?'"
"I mean what I said. Participate and I'll release her."
"What do you want from me?"
"I would very much appreciate if you would acquiesce to a few of my...demands."
"And what sort of demands would those be?" the half-demon snarled.
"Nothing much," the man answered. Inuyasha still could not see him due to the injury to his eyes. But he could smell him well enough and did not like the scent. He didn't seem to be human at all, but was definitely not a demon. This both angered and slightly frightened Inuyasha, especially since this strange creature claimed to have Kagome. "Just...be a good boy."
Inuyasha snarled, and in a blind rage launched himself in the direction of the voice. But the half-demon was suddenly stopped when a cold clamp slapped itself around his right ankle. Another came down brutally upon his left ankle, causing him to fall hard to the floor.
"You bastard!" Inuyasha snarled, and moved to stand. But two more clamps entwined themselves about his arms, and finally one more around his neck.
"Now now, isn't that better?" asked the voice. "Can't have my best pet running away now," he started to walk away, slowly. Inuyasha could imagine the victorious smirk across his face and gritted his teeth in anger. "Time to take care of your friends now." And with that, a door slammed shut, leaving Inuyasha undeniably alone in this small chamber, save for the scent of another nearby demon.
Inuyasha lifted his ears in interest. It was a scent of burning wood and spilt blood to him, and at the same time a fine hint of rose.
"Strange," he nearly chuckled. "Fire demons don't usually acquire the scent of fine flowers."
"That scent would be from the weapon of a good friend of mine, dog demon." answered the prisoner. There was a shaky sigh from the stranger before he continued his conversation. "Are you to be my roommate then?"
"Seems that way to me." Inuyasha answered. "Do you know how to get out of here?"
"I've been thinking of a plan, but if my nose still serves me you're in no condition to be leaving just yet."
"What do you care? You're a demon!"
"So are you," answered the other. "Well, at least half demon anyway," he stopped. The shifting of metal chains could be heard during the pause. Inuyasha worried that he might be moving closer. Immediately he sat up from where he lay and started to move toward the nearest wall, or whatever solid backing he could reach. "I'm not interested in killing you, fool." the fire demon stated. "You're too easy prey in the condition you're in now. I prefer my victims to have full capability of defending themselves. Makes the battle more interesting." There was another pause. "Anyway, I've been here for a few hours. He doesn't come down save for when someone new has arrived. I don't know where we are, but it's not from where I'm from and I'm pretty sure you're a stranger here too." he stopped. Again he was moving closer, but Inuyasha didn't do anything to defend himself. Like the fire demon had stated, he couldn't defend himself, and despite the tough guy attitude this guy was putting on, Inuyasha could pick out that he was in no real condition for a battle himself.
"Well, if we're going to be working together to get out of here," Inuyasha stated, "We'd better learn each other's names. "
"Very well," came the fire demon. "What's yours?"
Inuyasha snarled. He hated it when his own maneuvers were put against him. He had intended to get this fire demon's name without giving his own. But that wasn't going to work.
Ah well, what was in a name after all? Right?
"Inuyasha."
There was a pause, as though the name was being considered.
"I'm Hiei."
Author's Note: Well, who the heck did you think it was? Lol. More to come? You better believe it.