Fallen Grace

Chapter 5

Without the Innocence

It was… a child?

I opened my eyes in the newly dimmed light. I found myself in a dungeon setting, dark navy stone walls and dirt ground. I could make out a small figure, a boy. It was the boy who walked in before! He held out his hand for me.

"It's okay" he whispered.

I got up on my own, refusing his hand. It was something about his eyes, how hard they were that made me not trust him.

"What's wrong? Scared, of me?" The boy's voice laced with malice, giving off an evil laugh.

My sense! I could feel it; there was one in his hand and another in the flute that was in his pocket. They were… jewel shards!

"You're no child. Youkai!" My voice came out stern.

He laughed that cold laugh again. "You're smarter then you look."

I held my bow readied. At point blank, there was no chance of missing him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Giggling he jumped back, playing on his flute. The short tune moved the wall behind me, presenting a familiar hanyou.

I dropped the bow and arrow to my side, turning behind me.

"Inuyasha!" I yelled to him running towards him.

"Kagome!" He ran up to meet me but stopped all the sudden.

I took a few steps to meet him. "What's wrong?"

"Kagome, don't come any closer! It's a barrier!"

It was true, I could see the faint outline of it surrounding where the wall had once been. Inuyasha put his hands up to it showing a sort of blue wall had been placed there.

I took a few steps back, only to feel a gust of music push me straight into the barrier. It had been the flute again.

Now on the other side of the barrier, I beat my fists upon it, demanding to be released. The youkai laughed in his success.

"Too easy." He laughed again. "Sorry kids, you're too old for any of my games."

"Who are you calling a kid, runt?!" Inuyasha yelled back which only invoked the youkai to laugh more.

"Oh I'm much older then you think I am. But, you would never guess it from my looks. And my name is Taki, not runt or any other names you have for me." He played his small flute again, after a moment the children from outside appeared behind him.

"It's playtime for my friends." He smiled evilly, keeping his flute at ready in his hand. The group of children behind him walked slowly towards us like zombies as he played another tune. The hanyou readied his own weapon.

"Inuyasha you can't hurt the children." They were innocent minds being controlled by that flute.

He lowered his weapon growling, "What do you expect me to do then?!"

"Taki is the one controlling them, with his two jewel shards! They are in his flute and his left hand."

"How do you know that?" Inuyasha asked his with Tetsusaiga transformed.

"Now isn't the time for questions!" I remind the hanyou, pulling my bow up again.

The barrier disappeared and Taki disappeared in the shadows. The tune from the flute sent the children wild; attacking Inuyasha with swords they must have been given. But Inuyasha held his own, only defending their attacks.

With my sense, it was easy to find where Taki was hiding. I pulled the arrow back in the bow's strings, ready to release it. I prayed to hit my mark, I never remembering firing an arrow before so I could only hope for the best.

As I shot the arrow, it glowed with a purplish aura around it. It hit its mark precisely, the flute.

As it cracked, the tune soon went array causing the children to drop to the ground holding their ears to block out the awful sound.

"My flute!" Taki stopped playing it, examined the damage my glowing arrow had caused.

"You stupid girl! You will pay for this!" He ran towards me with a frightful look in his eye. With his flute gone, I didn't know what he could do but from that look, it was indeed something to worry about.

On my knees, I shielded my head from whatever blow was supposed to come. But, it never did.

Opening my eyes, I saw the attack I had seen performed so many times. The wind scar. I could hear the youkai scream in agony as his body was consumed leaving behind two jewel shards.

Inuyasha picked them up, throwing them in the air.

"I guess you aren't useless after all." The hanyou said before digging the shards away in his pocket.

Before I had a chance to respond, a small kitsune ran into my lap.

"Kagome what happened? Where are we? Why does my head hurt?" The little youkai was full of questions. Looking behind him I saw the rest of the children, rubbing their head in a similar way.

"Come on, let's go home." I said gathering the rest of the children.

We waved the villagers goodbye, each carrying gifts of food they insisted on us taking. It was growing dark and I was thankful that the way home wasn't long.

"Good job on finding the jewel shards Kagome." Sango said congratulating me.

"Oh it was nothing, I'm only glad I could help." I said growing modest in the spotlight.

"It is truly a great feat to be able to sense the jewel shards. I'm glad we have you to help us gather them all." Miroku added.

Of course when Inuyasha told Sango and Miroku what happened he had to mention I had known that the youkai had jewel shards. At least he didn't mention my glowing arrows, which would have been even harder to explain.

"You never did tell me how you knew he had jewel shards." Inuyasha commented from behind me.

I shrugged saying "I don't know, I just can I guess." That was going to have to be my answer to almost everything I did, I only hoped they would keep on accepting it. I guess the real answer would have been because I have angel powers but I couldn't say that could I?

I could finally see the village in clear view while Inuyasha asked me more questions. I was growing uncomfortable and luckily Sango had noticed.

"Hey Kagome let's go get dinner started. I'm sure Lady Kaeda will be pleased with all the food we received."

I mouthed a 'thank you' to her and we ran ahead preparing the dinner.

After we finished with dinner Sango took me to the hot springs for a much needed bath. We bribed Inuyasha with promises of an extra meal if he would keep Miroku busy. Pulling off my clothes, I quickly sunk in the heated water. It was a very nice contrast against the autumn night air. I leaned against a large rock while my aching muscles relaxed and began to feel better. It felt like they were always tired. Sango relaxed against another rock across from me.

"I haven't felt this good in a long time." Sango said, sinking into the water.

"I agree." Was all I said. "But Sango, I must ask." She raised her brow at me daring me to go on.

"What happened with you and Miroku while we were gone?" I held in my amusement as Sango's cheeks turned a light pink.

"Nothing! Where would you get that idea?" I could tell she was trying to hide her blush and keep a serious face, but a small smile tugged at her lips.

"Okay, I believe you Sango. But it seems like there is something going on between you two."

Her blush grew darker, she tried to cover it with her hands on her cheeks but that just made it more noticeable.

"Is it really that oblivious? I guess being around guys so long I forget how oblivious those things can be." She frowned with her hands fall to her side sighing. "I thought I was better at hiding these things…"

"Oh I'm sorry Sango. I didn't mean to offend you." I silently cursed myself for being so forward.

"No it's not you Kagome." She looked up and gave me a weak smile. "It's… him."

"If you think that Miroku-"

"Shhh, the leach might be near by."

I nodded and started again in a more hushed tone.

"If you think that Miroku doesn't have these feelings for you, then you are quite wrong." I said confidently.

Sango's eyes grew wide. "You really think so?"

I nodded, after watching how Miroku acted towards Sango for so long, you start to pick up on these things. All they both needed was a good push.

"Well what about you and Inuyasha?" Sango asked, with a sly smile.

It was my turn to be shocked, "Uh, what, what about us?"

"Come on, the way he acts towards you. It's clear he has something for you." She winked.

My cheeks slightly burning and I put my arm behind my head. "Oh that, haha that's nothing. I'm sure he will get tired of me soon enough."

"Uh huh." Was Sango's only response.

"It's getting hot in here, don't you think it's time to get out?" I asked, frantic for a subject change.

She agreed and we both dried off and changed back into our clothes.

"Wow that is the first time that I can remember that I didn't catch Miroku spying on me while I was taking a bath." Sango said while waking back to the village.

"Don't get your hopes up yet." I said eyeing a 'moving' bush.

Sango sighed and moved the branches of the bush aside to reveal a hiding monk.

"Oh Sango, don't you look beautiful tonight-?"

SMACK

"Just one time Miroku! One time!" Sango yelled while walking back to the village.

"Where is Inuyasha, isn't he supposed to be with you?" I asked dryly.

The monk pointed to the tree behind him. Sure enough there was the hanyou.

"Inuyasha! You were supposed keep him away from us!"

"I did most of the time didn't I?" He huffed back.

"The whole time was the deal, no food for you!"

"What?! That's not fair!" The hanyou retorted.

"It's penalty fair! You have to keep your whole end of the deal to get the reward!"

"What are you looking at?!" Inuyasha yelled at the monk who had appeared to our side.

"Oh me, nothing. Just watching the 'battles of love'." Miroku said in his calm, cool way.

I could feel my cheeks burning again; I turned around, I hoped before anyone would notice.

"Well, I'm going to bed. Good night!" I said running off to the village. As I ran by I could help but noticed that Inuyasha's cheeks were looking pink as well, it made my heart jump.

Uh oh, looks like our heroes are growing feelings for one another. Haha, like you didn't see that coming. But Kagome is still partly an angel, is that even aloud? Only I know and you will if you continue to read. I will put a tiny hint of fluff in the next chapter I suppose; I don't want anything to happen to fast. It takes away the growing suspense! Remember to encourage me and REVIEW!!!! Thanks again to all my loyal reviewers!!! A writer couldn't ask for anything more!

-Queenofsmiles

To be continued…