Author's Notes: It seems our villain is becoming more daring, doesn't it? Well his latest creation will prove to not only be a physical challenge but a mental one as well. Inuyasha cares for Kagome and she for him. But with Kagome being a human and Inuyasha being a half demon, how long will their relationship last? (God I'm evil, no flames please! I'm an Inuyasha/Kagome fan too! dodges rotten apples and rocks thrown at her)
True Love and ImitationsInuyasha and Kiari raced towards each other, the hanyou's sword raised high above his head. As he finally closed the gap, Inuyasha swung the demon fang, ready to slice the witch in two, but as he did so he found he cut nothing but air. Kiari's form disappeared completely from his eyes. "Nani!?" He landed back on the shrine floor.
"What's the matter, mutt? Senses failing you?" Kiari's voice spoke to him. Suddenly an invisible force slammed into him from behind and he went flying into one of the many sheds around the shrine grounds.
Inuyasha grunted as he got to his feet and pushed the rubble of him.
"Inuyasha! Above you!" Kagome's warning voice jerked Inuyasha back to the battle and got him jumping out of the way just in time.
The rest of the rubble exploded into flame behind him. Shit! It seems the girl can still see me! Kiari thought. "You were lucky this time, mutt, had your girlfriend not warned you, you would've been barbecued dog meat for tomorrow's dinner!" She laughed.
Kagome could indeed see Kiari but only as a warped figure, clear as water, but far more deadly. Kiari readied another psychic blast and aimed it at the ground just in front of Inuyasha.
The ground began to shake and up level as if broke into pieces and flew towards the hanyou. He batted them aside with his sword, but many still landed hits on his legs and arms. "Come out and show yourself!" He shouted. I can barely pick up her scent in the air and I can't hear any sound from her at all. Damn it!
"Loosing your confidence, mutt?" Kiari taunted. She lifted a wooden crate and threw it towards Inuyasha.
He didn't see it coming in time and it splintered into pieces against his side.
Kagome loaded an arrow and aimed where she saw Kiari's distorted form. This is not a fair fight! I have to let him know where she is somehow!
Kiari picked up on the thought and before Kagome could release the purity arrow, one of Kiari's creatures came up behind the miko and wrapped around her torso, pinning her arms down to her sides.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, only to be slammed back by another psychic blast.
Kagome tried to free herself, but the monster tightened its hold and forced her to her knees, her bow dropping loosely to the floor.
"This was meant to be a one-on-one battle. Your interference will cost you your boyfriend's life." Kiari warned.
"Leave her out of this!" Inuyasha shouted, unable to do anything, since he still didn't know where she was.
Finally appearing behind Kagome, Kiari smirked. "She brought herself into it." When she picked up on Inuyasha's worry and protective nature, her smile widened. "Do you really feel for this mortal? A demon in love with a human? How absurd!"
"Hey! We were in the middle of a battle, weren't we!?" Inuyasha said in an attempt to get the demon witch out from behind Kagome.
Unknown to them all, Sango had snuck around Kagome's family and Miroku, who was now unconscious because of his prolonged exposure to Kiari's monster. Quietly she sprinkled some of her youkai poison on them, making them disintegrate.
Poor Souta was on the verge of tears in his mother's arms.
"Shh." She held a finger to her lips. "Go into the house and find a place to hide." She instructed. "Kirara, take Miroku and go with them."
Kirara nodded and led the group around to the back of the house.
"What were you planning to do, hanyou? Use the jewel and wish eternal life for her? Or perhaps become human and give up your youkai heritage?" Both Kagome and Inuyasha looked away stayed quiet. "Either way it wouldn't have worked out. The miko, beautiful and young now, would grow old and die, as is true with all humans. The dog demon, young now but is really what five hundred years old? Love between you two is useless. You can never be together."
Inuyasha ground his teeth in anger, but still could not make a move.
What will you do now, miko?
Kagome gasped. You! Why do you insist on bringing my friends and family into this? Your fight is with me and me alone!
Ah, but I told you this would happen if you resisted. Their lives do not matter to me, but they appear to matter to you. That is your weakness.
You're sick! Face me yourself instead of sending your lackeys to do your dirty work!
What amazes me most is your hanyou protector. He truly believes he can feel love. You don't seriously think someone hatched from the underworld can learn to love do you?
What would you know of love!?
I know that true love exists for only the few that are lucky enough to find it. What you and the hanyou share is not love and therefore will not last.
I warned you once not to mess around with my mind and feelings… Kagome's hands tightened into fists as her anger grew.
Who's messing? It's all laid out like a book for me to read.
GET OUT! Kagome's power exploded once more, this time vaporizing Kiari's creature around her and slamming the demon behind her far away from where she stood.
When Kagome spun around, the witch had disappeared.
"Kagome-chan!" Sango came running forward with hiraikotsu. "Your family's safe now. Kirara's with them."
Kagome nodded. "Arigatou, Sango-chan." Looking around, she tried to pinpoint where Kiari was. She knew Inuyasha was doing the same thing.
"Ahh!" Sango cried out as another invisible force slammed into her neck. As she fell to the floor unconscious, her hiraikotsu dropped with a thud to the ground besides her.
"Sango-ch…" Kagome's eyes widened when Kiari used her powers to cut off the miko's air supply. Kagome frantically put her hands to her throat to try and get some air.
"I wouldn't worry about your friend right now when you are in more danger." Kiari said. "Did you really think you were the only one capable of such a move? Please!"
"Kagome!" Inuyasha growled.
"I had to make sure she wouldn't interfere this time. And the taijiya was just as annoying." The witch laughed.
Kagome felt lightheaded and knew she wouldn't last long. She looked around and tried to find where Kiari was.
"Do you see how weak they are? Demons like us are above them and shouldn't lower ourselves to mate with their kind."
"Don't even put me on the same level as you, bitch! You're a monster!" Inuyasha tightened his grip on his sword. If she kept talking, maybe he could find out where she was.
"You're right. So right. You're a hanyou, you are below even me." She laughed again.
Kagome finally spotted her and struggled to her feet. Her bow and arrow seemed heavy in her hands, but she prayed to her ancestors for strength.
"Ah, but it seems she has strength left in her still." Kiari tightened her hold on Kagome's throat even more, making the human girl cry out in pain.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha went running towards her.
"No! Inuyasha…stay…back…" She heaved with a great amount of effort. She turned her back on Kiari and pretended to see her just above Goshinboku.
Kiari smirked. Stupid girl, she's going to waste her shot. I'm not even over there. As soon as she lets go, I'm going to snap her neck in two. Then my master will just get the stone from her dead corpse.
Kagome struggled to pull back the bow and looked at the tree that brought her to Inuyasha. The place where we first met… Her vision was getting blurry, so she closed her eyes and focused with just her magical vision. I've only got one chance at this. "K-kazu…" She whispered.
Inuyasha gasped at the quiet order, but nodded and fired up the wind scar around Tetsusaiga.
"NOW!" Kagome spun around and fired the arrow back behind her. Right at where she saw Kiari floating. She let the purity arrow go and the youkai had no time to avoid it so it hit her head on.
Screeching, Kiari spasmed as pink electricity flew across her body from the embedded arrow.
Inuyasha immediately jumped into the air, the moon crest mark on his forehead glowing bright red. "Kazu no Kizu!" Coming down hard, Inuyasha fired off five waves of powerful energy that destroyed the concrete as well as the demon witch caught in the middle of it.
As Kiari's form exploded, there was nothing but small pieces of paper left in her wake. They fell to the floor and remained there dead.
Kagome used her bow as a crutch and came over, falling to her knees before the pile.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha ran to her side and knelt before her. "Are you okay?"
Nodding, she motioned to Sango. "Check on her. Make sure she's okay too."
"I got it." The hanyou left to check on the taijiya.
Picking up the limp pieces of paper, Kagome saw there was enchanted kanji written on them, that she knew only she could see. She couldn't read it, but she didn't need to. It was probably what brought Kiari to life. And she also knew who created it. This was the only link she had to her supposed stalker. Well, you've lost this round.
"Damn it!" The man pounded the armrest of the chair he was sitting in and glared at the image before him. Kiari was a failure. And it was all that Inuyasha's fault. That Kazu no Kizu demolished everything in its path, including his creations. "I must find that boy's weakness. He is but a lowly half-breed, not even a full-blooded demon, yet because of this I am unable to control him like I did the others. His tainted youkai blood is all that protects him. Him and that girl, Kagome. Her miko abilities are proving formidable, but not impenetrable."
He sat back and fingered his chin in thought. "The taijiya had but one weakness and I've exploited that. The monk's holy abilities prevent me from affecting him directly, but Kiari tried that and was successful, until they came to rescue him. It seems I need more information on my enemy, get in close without them knowing it." Smiling as a plan came to mind, he couldn't help but savor the moment. "They'll never know its me until its too late and by then I will have destroyed that blasted Inuyasha and with him their last line of defense. Besides, destroying demons is what I do best."
Standing up, he adjusted his white and blue monk's robe, just in time for his servant to enter the room. Getting to his hands and knees, the monk bowed low to his superior. "O Great One, preparations are complete for your departure whenever you are ready."
Nodding, he motioned for the monk to rise. "Thank you, I will leave shortly. Tell them I am on my way."
Bowing one last time, the monk said, "We all wish you great success on your pilgrimage, Subaru-sama."
"And may the gods smile down on all of you while I am away." He bowed back and the monk left him in silence. These humans, at least they know a kami when they see one. For when I obtain the Shikon no Tama, I will be a god!
Kagome sighed and rested her head against her chin as the teacher talked on and on about quadratic equations this and trigonometry that. She had so many other things on her mind she couldn't even begin to pay attention to such complicated stuff.
Kiari doesn't know anything about Inuyasha and me, so how can she assume to know where our relationship will go? Kagome looked sadly out the window. But still, some of what she said rings true. Inuyasha belongs in the other world, where as I still have my life here. I've never really asked him his age cause I've never really thought about it. Would we even be able to create a life together?
"This lesson, along with last weeks worksheets will be on the test on Monday. Have a nice weekend everyone!" The teacher dismissed the class and everyone filed out.
Kagome put her books away in her locker, taking only her math book with her home, and closed it. I love Inuyasha with all my heart, but will that alone be enough?
"Kagome-chan!"
Kagome turned around and saw Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi coming towards her. "It's nice to see you back in school!" Yuka said.
"Even if it is for a day." Eri agreed.
"Aren't you excited about the math test on Monday! I just love them!" Ayumi exclaimed.
The other three girls sweatdropped.
So Kagome spoke with her friends, enjoying the normal feeling it had, compared to everything else in her life.
"So, how are you and your boyfriend doing, Kagome-chan?" Yuka had to ask.
"We're doing just fine."
Kagome stopped when Inuyasha landed right in front of her. He was wearing a normal white shirt with black pants and a black suede jacket. A blush immediately formed in her face. M-mother why'd you have to dress him so hot! Even with the cap covering his ears, he still looked gorgeous! "I-Inuyasha, what are you doing here?"
"I'm here to walk you home." He gave her a look that meant: You know I'm not going to let you out of my sights after what happened so drop it.
All at once Yuka and Eri squealed and threw themselves at Inuyasha so quickly, his immediate reaction was to ball up his fists for a fight. When he felt them simply grab a hold of his arms and shoulders admiringly, he relaxed, but just a little.
"So tell us about yourself!"
"Yeah! Kagome doesn't say anything at you lately!"
"We're all curious as to who beat Houjo-kun for Kagome's heart!"
Inuyasha blinked in confusion and didn't know what to say.
Kagome waved away their questions and slowly got them off her man. Grabbing a hold of his arm in their place, she smiled sweetly. "Oh, he doesn't want to talk about himself. He's very modest!"
But that didn't seem to stop her friends, they grabbed his other arm and pulled him to a nearby bench and berated him with more questions. Ayumi just watched with a smile.
"So, who was this other girl that you were dating at the same time as Kagome?"
"Did you really threaten this guy Kouga and tell him you were going to kill him!?"
"What about Sango? Is she on your list of past girlfriends that you haven't gotten over?"
Upon hearing this, Inuyasha jumped up with a mad face, but with a blush on his cheeks. "S-Sango is my friend and besides, she's with Miroku!"
"So do you go to the high school? I never see you around campus." Yuka asked.
"Does Kouga go there too!? I'd love to meet him!" Eri squealed.
"That wimpy wolf kept trying to put the moves on Kagome, so yeah I'd love to kill him!" Crossing his arms, Inuyasha looked away. "But Kagome doesn't let me."
The three girls looked completely confused. "Wolf?" They asked.
Kagome gasped. "Um…yeah! He's in a fraternity and they call each other wolves instead of brothers!" She quickly made up.
This made Eri and Yuka squeal again, this time so loud that Inuyasha was glad the cap was on or else his sensitive ears would go deaf with the noise. "He's in college!!!"
Ayumi bowed and slowly pulled Eri and Yuka off poor Inuyasha. "Well, we'll see you later, Kagome-chan. Nice to see you again Inuyasha."
"Bye Inuyasha!!" Yuka and Eri waved enthusiastically before leaving.
When they were gone, Kagome breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was strange." Inuyasha commented.
Agreeing with a nod, Kagome took Inuyasha's hand. "Let's go before we run into anyone else that knows me."
As they left the school behind, Inuyasha could see that Kagome was depressed and he had a pretty good idea why. "Don't let what Kiari said get to you."
Kagome looked up, surprised. "Eh?"
"We'll find a way." He spoke these words, but even to him they sounded fake. I never really thought about it, but what will Kagome and I do? I…could become human, but…
"Don't Inuyasha." Kagome interrupted his thoughts. Stopping she turned to him. "I know what you're thinking and don't. I don't want you to give up who you are. It's that person that I've grown to love so much."
"But Kagome, when I was sealed on that tree I had no notion of time or space. I remained this way and will be this way for centuries to come." Looking away, Inuyasha's heart sank. "Had I been with Kikyo I would've become human because that would've been the only way to be with her. If I stay a hanyou with you, you'll continue to age but me…" He looked at her worriedly. "I'll still look eighteen."
"I don't care!" Kagome threw her arms around him and fought the tears. "I don't want you to leave me. If I have to I'll pray to the gods to make me live forever so I can be with you!"
Inuyasha pulled her away and looked into her face. "You don't want to do that, Kagome." He caressed her cheek. "You'd see your family members and best friends pass away before you. Sango and Miroku will live normal lives, because both of them are human, but they too would die of old age."
Kagome cried into Inuyasha's chest. "So, you're saying it's hopeless then?"
"No, but if we truly are meant to be together, Kagome, and I believe we are, then the answer will present itself. Don't spend your time thinking about the future too much, or you'll miss the present." He warned.
Nodding, Kagome hoped with all her heart and soul that what Inuyasha said was true. Because if not, then she and Inuyasha would be forced to go separate ways and Kagome wasn't sure she'd be able to live on with him.
Author's Notes: Digidynasty gets out from under the pile of fruit Well, I know it may look bad now but, dodges one last rock But just keep reading! Subaru-sama is our villain revealed, but how will he get close to Inuyasha and find out his weakness without the others knowing it? The plot thickens…
Oh yes, I made another music video: There For You, and I used the Friend's opening theme for it. Download it today!
