Author's Notes: I know this story seems to be breaking off quite suddenly, but the reason for the trip to the past will make sense when everything's said and done. Just stick with me here!
Broken PromiseThe next day Kamai-sama and a few of her hunters left the village to search for the key element that might mean their win in this war. Presently, the humans were in a territorial battle against the demons who resided on the other side of the river. When Kamai-sama, the leader of the humans, caught word of the presence of a healing beast god in the area, she immediately set out to find it and be granted immortality.
Inuyasha, still stuck in his five-year-old body, struggled against his restraints quietly so as not to arise suspicion amongst the two guards standing just outside his tent. Bending his claws back against the ropes, he slowly tried cutting himself free. Patience wasn't his best virtue and now was no exception.
Growling, he began forcing his arms outward until he got enough room to slash the pole just below his restraints. The crack alerted the guards and they came in with their spears drawn. Acting fast, Inuyasha leaned forward, the wooden pole no longer connected to the ground, and swatted the humans aside with ease.
Freeing himself completely from the annoying ropes, Inuyasha punched each guard unconscious. It was only when he was about to exit the tent, that he noticed the change. In the past when he really was five-years-old, he wouldn't have hesitated to kill any humans that got in his way. Now, after so many years with Kagome, he found he used more non-lethal methods of dealing with them. Smiling, Inuyasha wished he'd met Kagome earlier in his life. But now was not to the time to reminisce. He had to save her before the demons found out what they really had in their hands.
"What are the humans doing?" The lead demon asked his underling.
Getting down on one knee, the wolf-faced demon replied, "A search party has been sent out, but they are not coming for their captured member. Instead they're traveling North in search of some healing god. I overheard one of their conversations and they plan to be granted eternal life."
"We must stop them before they do!" Another demon exclaimed.
Snorting in anger, the lead demon raised his fist. "If we find that god before they do, we will win this war for sure!"
"Yeah!" Cheers went up and a group of them left into the forest. Only one was left behind to guard the human child.
Kagome stayed quiet inside her cell, but had overheard everything. I hope they're not looking after Inuyasha! Where is he?
"Listen, stay here and if anything happens, call me okay?"
"And you'll hear me?"
"Just call and I'll come." He promised with a small smile.
The mere memory brought tears to her already dirty face. "He lied to me. He can't hear me…"
Hearing her sniffling, the demon guarding her turned around annoyed. "Shut up you little brat or I'll…!" His last word was cut off as he slumped to the floor dead.
Gasping, Kagome leaned forward just a little, for fear of putting herself in danger too, and saw behind the fallen demon was her silver-haired hanyou. "Inuyasha! I didn't think you could hear me! I called your name forever!"
Steeping over the demon, who now had three gashes from the back of his neck on down, Inuyasha looked sadly in the cage. "I'm sorry I didn't come for you right away. I couldn't keep my promise to you."
The tears continued to fall, but Kagome smiled all the same. "I'm just glad you're okay. Most of the werewolves left to search after some god."
Blinking, Inuyasha grabbed a hold of the wooden bars keeping Kagome prisoner. "What? That means one of them is bound to find him!"
Kagome tilted her head in curiosity. "What do you mean? Is that god your friend?"
"Yeah." He replied quickly. Standing up, Inuyasha flexed his claws. "Stand back." He told her.
Scurrying to the back of the cage, Kagome hid her head in her hands as Inuyasha used his claws to break the cage open.
Giving her a hand up, Inuyasha looked around and tried to sniff out which direction they went. "We don't have much time. It's almost sunset." It would be much harder to find the healing god in the dark.
"I heard them say he was in the North." Kagome reported, holding on to Inuyasha's haori sleeve. She didn't want to be more than a few feet from him anymore for fear of running into more trouble.
"Come on then! We have to hurry!" Bending down, Inuyasha waited for her to climb onto his back and took off into the trees of the forest.
Kagome closed her eyes as they rushed through the foliage.
Without looking back, Inuyasha spoke to the girl behind him. "If you feel anything, let me know."
"Feel?" She asked. "What do you mean?"
"You'll know it when it happens. Trust me." He stopped to take a few more sniffs of the air. The humans passed this way about an hour ago, but the demons are right behind them. Dammit!
Following their scents, Inuyasha went on high alert just in case they were spotted.
"I think we're going the wrong way." Kagome said quietly.
Stopping once more, Inuyasha put Kagome down on the branch and turned to her. "What do you mean?"
"Your friend didn't go in that direction." She said, scared how she knew such things. Pointing to the side, she said, "He went that way."
Inuyasha could see the worry in her eyes and knelt before her. "I know it doesn't make much sense, but you're a very special girl and that's why I needed your help. You can sense things other people can't."
"Sense?" She asked. "Like how you smell things?"
Turning red in embarrassment, Inuyasha nodded. So she does notice… "Exactly. You can tell me where my friend is without seeing him. Understand?"
Nodding, Kagome looked in the same direction she'd pointed in earlier. "Kay, I'm ready."
The two took off and tried to look around for the healing god. He probably changed direction in hopes of staying hidden. Inuyasha concluded.
"Stop!" Kagome shouted.
The outburst made Inuyasha lose balance and he almost didn't land properly on the forest floor. Letting her go, Inuyasha saw they were in a small clearing. "What is it?" He asked.
"Shhh." She quieted him, making him pout. "He's here."
The response surprised him and he strained his hearing to pick up any noise. "You sure?" He whispered this time.
Nodding, Kagome faced a normal looking patch of bushes. "It's okay. We won't hurt you."
Inuyasha thought Kagome lost it for a moment, perhaps the demons hadn't left her alone like he'd hoped. But just after she appeared to be talking to thin air, the bushes rattled and out came a man. His face had a short yellow beak and his eyes looked like an falcon's. His arms had talons as well as his feet, but his arms had long brown and white feathered wings that draped around him like a cloak. Inuyasha would've thought him an overgrown bird, but the man walked on two legs.
"You must be powerful to have been able to see me." He spoke very carefully and in an even voice. Noticing the hanyou behind the girl, the man crossed his arms. "Strange, you do not seem to be a part of either village."
"We're not." Inuyasha walked over to join Kagome's side. "We're here to make sure they don't kill you."
"Well, you're going to have to get used to disappointment." Just then Kamai came out of the foliage with her hunters. "I don't know how you escaped, but there won't be any second chances."
Jumping in front of the god, Kagome held her hands out to the side. "I won't let you hurt him!" She exclaimed.
"I don't look forward to having the blood of a child on my hands, but this is beyond your comprehension. Move." Kamai took two steps forward.
"You first!" Inuyasha came in fast and dispensed of two of the hunters with blows to the back of their necks. The other two retaliated and ended up being thrown back into a tree, also falling into unconsciousness.
Now all that was left was Kamai and she was anything but happy. "I will not lose to a mere child and a demon mutt!" Roaring, she came in with her staff towards Kagome and the little girl gasped at the hatred burning in the human's eyes.
Inuyasha gasped. "Kagome!"
"G-get AWAY!" Kagome's shout ignited something within her and she began to glow bright pink. As Kamai came charging in, she was bathed in the mystical pink light – making her stop her advancement – and Kagome could see the hatred in the woman's eyes glow.
When the light died down, Kamai fell to the ground unconscious.
"Is she…dead?" Kagome whimpered in fear. How had she done that? What had she done?
Coming over to her, Inuyasha sniffed a couple of times and shook his head. "No, she's sleeping."
"Do you know what you have done?" The healing god came forward. "With your pure emotion, you have purified this human's negative feelings, freeing her from her hatred."
Kagome blinked and looked back down at the woman not saying anything.
Purified? That's what she did to all those demons. It's what's gonna cost her dearly in the future. Inuyasha thought sadly. Then the scent of the demons reached his nose. "We have to hurry. We're not through this thing yet."
The three took off into the forest just as the werewolf demons came into the clearing. "It's around here somewhere!"
Seeing the bodies of the humans didn't seem to matter to the demons. "It went this way!"
Kagome tried to keep up with Inuyasha as he led both her and the healing god away from the demons. We're not gonna last must longer with them on our tails. We're going to have to find another way. Looking behind him, Inuyasha glared at the healing god. "Can't you fly with those things!?"
"Unfortunately no. This is my home and I will not be driven from it." The hawk man replied.
Just then Kagome tripped and Inuyasha skidded to a halt to pick her up. But it was too late. The demons were on top of them and Inuyasha jumped in front of both. "So, it's come down to this?" He knew he didn't have much fighting capabilities, but damn it to hell if he was going to go down without a fight.
Laughing, the three demons who'd managed to find the actual healing god, including the leader, tightened their fists around their axes. "Grant us immortality so that we may crush the humans who have stolen our land from us!" He demanded.
Scoffing, the healing god was unprovoked. "I will not!"
"Then you leave us no choice." The leader sneered.
"No, you leave me no choice!" Inuyasha came running forward and leapt onto the left most demon's shoulders. With a slash of his claws, the hanyou slit the demon's neck wide open and he fell to the ground, clutching the gaping wound.
Leaping over to the second demon, Inuyasha landed behind him. Straining his muscles, Inuyasha managed to pick him up off the ground and threw him back into one of the trees in the same manner as he'd dealt with the humans.
The leader was quicker though and backhanded the hanyou across the face. Inuyasha was thrown to the ground and tried to get back to his feet. The demon raised his axe and attempted to slice Inuyasha in half, but the hanyou rolled out of the way.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted in worry.
"Get him out of here!" Inuyasha shouted to the girl as he dodged another attack.
Shaking her head, Kagome replied, "No! I won't leave you!"
"This is no time to be…" Inuyasha's words were cut off as the last rays of the sun dipped below the horizon. All at once he felt his body drain of all its strength.
Kagome watched in amazement as Inuyasha's hair turned from silver to black, his ears disappeared and before she knew it… "He…looks human."
Inuyasha looked at himself in horror. Not now! Anytime but now!
"Look out!" Kagome shouted in worry when the demon took this opportunity to hit the hanyou with a punch to the gut.
Inuyasha turned to see it coming, but without his reflexes, he didn't have the speed to get out of the way in time. The hit came fast and Inuyasha knew nothing but blackness as he was thrown into the air and landed hard on the forest floor.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome's eyes misted up, but she remained in front of his friend. "I won't let you have him!" Her eyes flicked to the unconscious hanyou-now-human face down in the forest floor. She knew she didn't stand a chance, but if this was Inuyasha's friend, she would not let him down. "Stay back!"
"And just what are you gonna do about it?" The demon hefted his axe in both hands and advanced on the two. "This axe is covered in yudoku. You don't stand a chance." He said more to the god than the girl.
Upon hearing the word, the god stepped back unsurely. Yudoku was deadly to all, even a beast god such as him. "You need not stay here. Leave now and spare yourself, child." The demon god asked.
Kagome shook her head. "No! I won't! Killing for any reason is wrong!" She exclaimed. She was scared, so scared that even if she wanted to run away, she wasn't sure her legs would listen. But she wouldn't let Inuyasha down. Not after everything they'd been through. Instead of being focused on the demon before her, she turned her eyes to Inuyasha once more. Why? Why did this have to happen? She was at a loss as to what she should do.
"Sometimes things happen that we don't understand, maybe don't want to understand, but none the less they happen and we can't let them hold us back."
Kagome gasped as she heard Inuyasha's words in her head. "Inuyasha…"
Smirking, the demon stopped right in front of the girl, towering at least six feet over her. "That's right. You're pathetic friend's probably on a one-way trip to hell as we speak. And you're about to join him!"
Just then, Kagome had a flash of a memory from her father…
Little Kagome punched at her father's hands over and over, putting everything she had into to repetitive moves.
"That's a good girl Kagome!" Her father smiled at her determination and ability to press on even though sweat poured down her face.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to show her all that?" Kagome's mother asked from the bench next to Goshinboku. In the summertime heat, the large guardian tree provided the best shading for the training session.
"Of course. She should at least learn to defend herself." Her father replied. "Okay that's enough. Now I want to show you something I don't expect you to get right now, but in time it could save your life."
Kagome looked up with wide eyes. "What is it daddy?"
Tightening his hands into fists, her father – with his gentle blue eyes and light brown hair – twisted on one foot and kicked into the air. Getting an enthusiastic clap from his daughter, he knelt down once more. "That's called a roundhouse and if you do it right, it can knock an opponent out cold."
"What's an opponent?" Kagome asked with such innocence, even her mother giggled.
With a smile, her father replied, "It's someone who stands between you and the one you care for most. It could be your family, it could be your little brother, it could even be someone more. But if anyone around you is in danger, or you yourself are left with no other options, this move will always be open to you."
Kagome nodded, though she wasn't sure she understood everything her father was trying to explain to her.
Now, it all seemed so clear. "Daddy…"
The healing god's eyes went wide as he saw the girl's aura increase and a bright pink aura enveloped her body again, but this time it was different.
As the demon bent down to intimidate his prey before ultimately killing her, Kagome's head shot up and the fire behind her brown eyes made the leader stop.
"I won't give up!" She shouted defiantly. Spinning on her left foot, Kagome raised her right foot and with the mysterious power flowing within her, she slammed the kick into the side of the demon's face.
The hit lifted the demon clear off the ground and threw him hard into the dirt. His axe flew from his grip and embedded itself into a tree, just above his comrade's unconscious body.
Glaring at his form a moment longer, Kagome relaxed her hands - which unknown to her had balled into fists - and rushed to Inuyasha's side. "Is he…going to be okay?"
Kneeling next to the girl and the hanyou, the healing god smiled gently. "I can help him." Running his hands over Inuyasha's body, the healing god glowed a light blue and that power flowed to Inuyasha's body as well. It was during this interaction that the healing god caught a glimpse of the boy's true intentions. As he finished the spell, a smile came to his features.
Kagome could see for the first time, Inuyasha's red aura blaze brightly getting stronger by the moment, before he moaned and began opening his eyes. "Inuyasha!" She exclaimed and wrapped her arms around his neck as she cried.
Gasping for breath, Inuyasha hugged back, unsure of what had happened.
Standing up, the healing god bowed in thanks. "I owe you both my life." He said, getting both children's attention. "My name is O-Kuni-Nushi." He introduced.
"I'm Kagome!" The little girl smiled happily. "And this is Inuyasha!"
Rubbing the back of his head, Inuyasha got to his feet with Kagome's help. "You're welcome, but there's something…"
"You need not ask. I already know." The response made Inuyasha look up surprised. "I will grant what you wish." Between the man's talons, a dark blue pendant formed with a gold casing and chain. Handing it to the hanyou he said. "Give this to her and fear not. Your mission has been completed."
Not wanting to be over zealous just yet, Inuyasha took the memento and gingerly tucked it safely into his haori. "Thank you."
Nodding, O-Kuni-Nushi turned and disappeared into the forest once more.
"What was that he gave you?" Kagome asked.
Staring at the place where the god had disappeared, Inuyasha blinked back to reality and turned to look at Kagome. "Huh? Oh, I'll tell you later. Come on, let's get you home."
Accepting the answer for now, Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's hand as they walked in the direction of the well that had so mysteriously brought them to this other world.
I don't know if this'll work but I've done everything Amaterasu said to. Let's just hope it works… Inuyasha prayed with all his heart that when he returned, his Kagome would be back to normal. He had only to return this Kagome back home and hopefully everything would be fine. Hopefully.
Author's Notes: I'm listening to "Fate of Awakening Love" and the flash back of Kagome and her father and Inuyasha's words of encouragement are so perfect! Anyway…read on to the next chapter already! Two for the price of one for all you loyal readers out there!