Chapter 6: Choice of Power

The group had managed to move Inu-Yasha to a small hut near the edge of town.

The old woman who owned the hut spoke to them as if she trusted hanyous more than demons and humans combined. Surprisingly, she knew the group by status if not name, Sango, the last of the great slayers; Miroku, a cursed monk; Kagome, a gifted young miko; Inu-Yasha, hanyou and prince of the dog clan; and Kiame, head of the hanyou order within the wood.

Kagome was glad that the old woman hadn't mentioned that she was the carrier of the Jewel; although, she thought the woman knew that too. Kagome's thoughts didn't wander for long. Inu-Yasha was hurt and he was her first priority.

Shippo finally arrived in the town. His friends' scents were everywhere. …Might as well wander around. Shippo thought to himself. He smelt Inu-Yasha's human blood and knew that Kagome would be needing herbs for him at least to last him till morning.

Bandaging Inu-Yasha's wounds didn't take long at all; after all, they were use to bandaging him by now.

With Inu-Yasha safely tucked into the corner, Kagome began to question the old woman about the crimson demon.

"That hanyou…" The woman began.

Those words hit Kagome hard, no wonder Inu-Yasha was protecting her …she was just a child, a hanyou child.

"…has lived in this village for many years. She insisted upon caring for the white dog when it collapsed in the street. It saved a child and killed a vicious demon and that had been terrorizing the village. We found out later that he was a hanyou. Kiva was excited and now is completely infatuated with his presence. They spent the entire day together wandering the village. Then a few hours ago…all hell broke loose. The villagers already blame Kiva with the loss of their loved ones. With another demon hanging around, it was only a matter of time before they tried to kill Kiva again. Although that boy does got some spunk." The woman was quite happy with that last comment and went back to her cooking, ignoring the next set of questions from them.

Shippo ended up in the market and most of the villagers were giving him a death look. Shippo tried to keep his head down while he fetched various herbs. Some of the villagers were tracking him and decided that a demon didn't need to heal itself.

"Hey you, demon…drop those herbs and leave the village."

"I need to help my friend."

"You need to help no one." The villagers stated and reinforced by launching weapons at him.

Shippo took off.

"Uh…" Inu-Yasha moaned.

"Inu-Yasha!" Kagome exclaimed plopping down right next to him.

"…Ka…go…me?" Inu-Yasha exhaled.

"Oh Inu-Yasha, I'm so glad you're okay. We didn't mean to… I mean we didn't…"

"Uh. Kagome…" Inu-Yasha uttered.

"Yes Inu-Yasha."

"…The demon…Find her…"

"Inu-Yasha…" He fell asleep. Kagome thought as she ran her fingers through his dark bangs.

Kagome turned her gaze to Miroku and Sango. "We have to find that demon."

"And where do you suppose we start."

"Sango's got a point. That demon could be anywhere."

As Shippo ran through the village, he began to wonder why the villagers were chasing him. He finally got tired and ran into an alley to hide for a while. The villagers had stopped chasing him, but Shippo didn't know how long that would last. He needed to find his friends. Inu-Yasha was hurt and his friends… "Huh?" Shippo snapped to attention. A soft whimpering sound had snapped him from his thoughts.

Shippo followed the whimpering like a bread trail. For once he was glad that he was so small, while ducking through holes in fences and squeezing through small passages. Shippo finally stopped at a small hole in the end of an alley. All he could make out in the hole was a red figure in the dark shadows.

"Hello?" Shippo asked. He wanted to know if the whimpering was coming from the figure inside the hole.

The whimpering stopped and a glowing pair of red eyes stared dead into his own.

The look the figure gave to him sent chills up his spine.

Shippo fluffed his tail and stepped back. The figure scared him.

The creepy pair of eyes closed and the figure disappeared into the shadows.

Shippo wasn't sure if he should follow.

"We have to rid our village of those vial things. All the demons must be destroyed!"

"Yeah."

"We're with ya."

"Hi. My name is Shippo. What's yours? You look funny. What type of demon are you? I'm a fox. Do you live around here? I'm just passing through. Have you seen my friends? I'm looking for a miko, a slayer, a monk, a cat demon, and a female dog demon. I know they're around here somewhere. We're all looking for our friend…he's hurt. He's a dog demon too. His name is Inu-Yasha…"

Shippo only stopped talking because the demon's magenta eyes lit up when he mentioned Inu-Yasha's name. She just stared at the little demon.

Shippo waited for her to respond. When she didn't he hesitantly asked, "have you seen him?"

The demon slowly nodded her head.

Inching closer, Shippo could now see the tears in her eyes. She'd obviously been scared by something…Shippo wondered if she'd seen what happened to Inu-Yasha or if the villagers attacked her; considering the weak human scent that lingered around her, he guessed that the villagers were to blame.

"…Then help me find them." Shippo pleaded with her.

She closed her eyes and shook her head. A tear escaped her eye as she turned her head away.

Shippo wanted to stop her from leaving but he didn't know how.

She stood up to leave. She was just a bit taller than he was.

What did Inu-Yasha see in her that he was missing? If she knew Inu-Yasha, then Inu-Yasha saw something special about her, what was it? He needed to find out. Shippo addressed her carefully. "Did you know Inu-Yasha?"

The female demon diverted her gaze. She wasn't sure if she should answer him. "I knew him." She finally etched out with no emotion. "That was before he destroyed himself so that I would live."

Shippo's eyes sprung from his head as his mouth dropped to the ground. "He would never… Inu-Yasha wouldn't… He's not stupid enough to…"

"I know what I saw. He was attacked by a monk, a miko, and a slayer. With them were two demons, a cat and a dog. There's no way he survived."

Tears formed in Shippo's eyes. It was bad enough he lost his father, losing his closest friends hurt just as much if not more. Inu-Yasha couldn't be gone. He was the strongest of them all.

"You'd better stay close tonight little fox demon or the villagers will eat you alive."

"I don't see how you expect to find that demon when all the villagers are out to kill her."

Kagome ducked her head from the doorway. She knew Sango was right. There was nothing they could do with the villagers rampaging through the area. "Um… Inu-Yasha told me to find her. If we can't find her…" Kagome clinched her fists tightly. "…then we'll have to stop them." She concluded spinning on her heels then stomped out the door.

Sango and Miroku glanced at each other and shrugged. Sango and Kirara followed Kagome out while Miroku and Kiame stayed behind with Inu-Yasha and the old woman.

"I don't understand." Shippo etched out. He couldn't believe that the others would attack Inu-Yasha. "I don't believe it." He stated more sure of himself. Shippo shook off the thought. They wouldn't do that at least not on purpose. "They wouldn't." Shippo stated again. "Come on. I'll prove to you that they didn't."

"I'm not so sure, little fox. I think you'll be very disappointed if you go after them."

"I have to… I have to know what happened. Don't you care? I thought you liked him. If Inu-Yasha sacrificed himself like you say he did then you at least owe him that much."

The little demon didn't like the fact that Shippo had a point but wasn't about to argue. She did want to know. And she did feel like she owed him this simple request at the very least.

The villagers surrounded the small hut. Sango and Kagome started making a scene. Sango wanted answers about the young demon and Kagome wanted to know why they were attacking Inu-Yasha.

The crowd drew Shippo's attention. He knew he had to stay out of that group. What caught him attention was Sango's weapon flying through the air. He didn't understand why, but it had to be something since Sango was such a calm person.

Shippo snuck through the back alleys with the little demon on his tail. He had to get back to the group without being spotted by the villagers.

"Uh…" Inu-Yasha moaned.

"Inu-Yasha?" Miroku asked.

"Sango hits hard. …Uh." Inu-Yasha commented sitting up while holding his ribs.

"Yeah, she sure does." Miroku stated rubbing his cheek then the back of his neck.

"Well you deserve it, you pervert."

Inu-Yasha leaned against the wall still holding his ribs; Miroku could see the pain in his face.

Shippo and the little demon, Kiva, snuck through the alleys inching their way closer to the unruly crowd. They turned a corner to see villagers standing there. The villagers raced at them, weapons in hand. Shippo and Kiva fled. Hurdling fences and sliding through holes only attracted more attention to the two fugitives.

"This way…" Kiva stated disappearing into a hole in a hut.

"Where are we?" Shippo asked.

"Somewhere safe, at least …for now."

"Who's there?" A strong voice demanded.

Shippo heard a soft growl in the dark. "Inu-Yasha?" He whispered. To him, it sounded like Inu-Yasha's normal growl, but earlier he had smelt Inu-Yasha's human blood.

"Show yourself!" The voice commanded again.

Shippo decided that hiding would do them no good. He had to find Kagome and the others. He knew where Sango was or had been. Shippo stepped from the shadows into a dimly lit room.

"Shippo?" A familiar voice asked.

"Huh?" Shippo questioned.

"I see you found your way back to us." Miroku stated stepping from the shadows.

"Inu-Yasha?" Shippo asked Miroku a little winded from running from the villagers.

"What runt?" Another familiar voice answered.

"Inu-Yasha!" Shippo cheered racing over to him.

"What is it runt?" Inu-Yasha inquired as to Shippo's mood.

"I brought a friend. Can she stay, Inu-Yasha? Please…"

"Who?" Miroku asked.

Shippo turned his attention to the darkness where a red figure stepped from the shadows.

The old woman was the first to speak. "Ah Kiva I see you're home. You remember Inu-Yasha. These are his friends."

"Some friends." Kiva replied coldly.

The young demon's comment brought a smile to Inu-Yasha's face.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

Inu-Yasha nodded standing up. While trying to stand Inu-Yasha braced himself against the wall. Miroku could see the pain shooting through his face under his dark locks. Inu-Yasha shouldn't have even been able to sit up let alone get up and walk around.

"Inu-Yasha?" Miroku asked.

"I'm fine." Inu-Yasha answered confidently. "Besides, the sun will be up soon."

The low hum of a growl faded. Kiame stood up. "I'll get the miko and the slayer."

"They have names." Shippo defended them.

Sango and Kagome hadn't made much progress in determining who this young demon was. No one wanted to talk.

"Miko… Slayer…" Kiame called to them.

"Yes Kiame?" Kagome answered.

"Inu-Yasha is awake and the little fox demon has brought the other demon."

"Shippo found her?" Kagome asked.

"Well Shippo is small and agile." Sango answered.

Kagome and Sango arrived at the hut as the sun was rising. Inu-Yasha was standing outside. "Inu-Yasha?" Kagome asked racing to his side.

The light hit his still figure.

Inu-Yasha looked at Kagome with his soft amber eyes. "Kagome. This is Kiva." Inu-Yasha introduced them. "That's Sango and Kirara."

The little red demon smiled shyly at the young miko and young slayer. That was when Kagome noticed their similarities. Both she and Inu-Yasha wore red hatoris over the classic pants design of the Warring Era. Her face was more demonic than his, but her shy blush matched Inu-Yasha's embarrassed look. With Kiame near Inu-Yasha's side, the three almost looked like a family. Kagome felt herself blush; she was jealous.

"Inu-Yasha…" Kiame started. "Why don't you stay with us?"

"No. Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, Shippo, and I are going to kill Naraku and reassemble the Shikon No Tama. Right Kagome?"

It took a moment for Kagome to realize that Inu-Yasha was talking to her. "Hmm!" Kagome replied with a nod.

"Then take the teardrop jewel with you."

Inu-Yasha looked at the jewel. He didn't know how to use it and even if he did he couldn't control it. After using it, he was thrust into his human form. This was not the power he yearned so badly for; besides, Kiva didn't need the jewel; maybe he didn't either.

"I don't need it." Inu-Yasha replied sternly crossing his hands beneath his hatori.

Kiame clasped her claws around the jewel. "Very well."

Kagome stared at Inu-Yasha. With all the times he'd spoken about having power from the Shikon Jewel, she'd never have expected him to turn down such a powerful item. Inu-Yasha lifted his eyebrows at her stare. Kagome caught his look and smiled at him then clasp onto his arm sinking her face into his shoulder. Inu-Yasha looked at her before becoming embarrassed. His face changed shades.

Kiame realized that this young miko was more than just an item to Inu-Yasha. She belonged to him. Somehow her strange qualities softened his rough shell. Kikyo couldn't even do that.

The group thanked the old woman before taking off. Inu-Yasha and Kiva did not leave with the group.

"Go with them." The old woman stated. "There is nothing left for you here."

The little demon stood next to Inu-Yasha contemplating leaving this place, her home.

Inu-Yasha spoke with the woman before turning to leave. The little demon did not follow. Inu-Yasha joined back up with the group as they set off. Kiame excused herself and disappeared.

"So…" Kagome inquired as to what Inu-Yasha had spoken to Kiva about.

"So what?"

"What did you two talk about?"

"I asked her to join us or Kiame and her hanyous."

"And…?"

"…and she didn't want to leave. Why are you so concerned?"

"I'm just curious."

The group stopped talking because a red dart flew through the trees and landed in front of them. Inu-Yasha cocked his head to one side. "I changed my mind." Kiva answered shyly hoping the offer hadn't expired. Inu-Yasha smiled then brushed right past her with the group slightly trailing behind.