The Race For Kagome
By: LadySol
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I think this goes without saying, I don't own Inuyasha and Co. although I do own the good ol' boyz Korii, Mael, and Kentai. You may borrow them if you so wish, all I require is recognition, so don't go stealin' and claimin' em as yerz! Got that!? Umm, okay point made. Anyway, enjoy the ficcy.
Chapter 5: History of the Inju
Kagome woke up to the heat of a body next to hers. Warm hands ran over her stomach lovingly. Kagome snuggled in closer to the warmth. The feeling of safety was undisputable and she found herself ignoring the rational part of her brain which was telling her that this wasn't right. Kagome stretched luxuriously and felt the hands still and the arms wrap tighter around her. She almost laughed. As if she was going anywhere. Kagome was dreaming. She had to be. She only felt this good in her dream with Inuyasha. So, naturally, this had to be it. Oh, but this felt better than before. Kagome smiled and turned to face her companion. She was met with a pair of blood red eyes.
Kagome froze. Inuyasha's demon eyes stared back quizzically at hers.
"Fear me not." His voice was low and almost ragged sounding. It made her shiver.
"Inuyasha?" Her voice sounded strange to her, she hadn't expected it to be so quiet.
"Whatever name you wish to give me, I accept." Kagome began trembling. What was wrong with Inuyasha?! Kagome's eyes darted to his hip where Tetsusaiga should've been tucked away safely. It wasn't.
"I have told you once already, bitch, to fear me is to be foolish." Bitch!? Who did he think he was talking to!? Kagome felt her face heat up. Shoving away from Inuyasha she sucked in as much air as her lungs could hold.
"INUYASHA SIT!" The tell tale 'thwack' of the Hanyou's face to the wooden floor was the next thing heard. Wooden floor? Kagome's eyes darted around the room. She knew this place! This was Kaede's place! As if on cue, the door to the room slid open and the old Miko stood with her bow ready. Behind her Sango and Miroku stood, concerned looks on their faces.
"You WENCH! Whaddya hafta go and do that for? Huh!?" Inuyasha's angry amber eyes departed from the floor and captured her gaze. Kagome had never been so glad to see those angry, accusing eyes before.
"Kagome!" Kagome turned just in time to catch Shippo's flying form.
"Kagome, I was so worried! When Sango and Miroku found you unconscious and Inuyasha was all demony! I didn't know what was gonna happen!" Kagome found herself ignoring Inuyasha as he peeled himself off the floor and instead comforting the wailing kit.
"Shh, Shippo. It's okay, I'm here now." Shippo looked up, tears spilling over his face. Red splotches dotted his nose and cheeks. Kagome's heartstrings were tugged violently. The poor thing had been crying for hours before she woke up.
"I though you were gonna leave me! I don't want you to go! Please momma don't go!" Kagome jerked slightly. Oh my god, she thought, he's regressing to when his parents...Oh god. Kagome slid to the floor, rocking the kit back and forth.
"Shh, Shippo I promise I'm never gonna leave you, okay?" Shippo continued to scream fitfully into Kagome's stomach, clutching at her as if he was afraid she'd disappear any minute and leave him to his misery. Kagome jumped when she felt someone behind her. Her eyes locked with Inuyasha's for a second before returning to the terrified kit. Kagome didn't argue as Inuyasha pulled her into his lap and as he molded himself to her back, resting his chin on her shoulder. One hand reached around to stroke Shippo's hair and they began rocking in unison.
Sango and Miroku looked to each other, their eyes expressing just how helpless they felt. They hadn't been any help during the fight with Sesshomaru. If they had arrived a minute later at the cave...Whatever happened to Kagome obviously affected Inuyasha deeply. It affected him enough to remain in an intelligent demon form from the time of their arrival to when they arrived on Kirara at Kaede's.
"Don't worry Shippo, I won't let her go anywhere, I promise." Shippo glanced up, his sobs receding to quiet snuffles.
"You p-promise?" Inuyasha shifted Kagome so that her side was against his stomach and pulled Shippo in so that he was pressed securely between the two of them.
"Definitely. Now sleep." Shippo did just that. It was if Inuyasha's command had knocked him out. But, before he nodded off he managed to mumble,
"love you, mamma, papa." That right there sealed the deal. Both Inuyasha and Kagome locked eyes, knowing full well that they had just signed some sort of agreement both towards Shippo and each other. Oddly enough, that didn't bother them.
"Perhaps now that all is settled, we can get things properly sorted out." Kaede's voice came like the guiding light through the fog. Sango and Miroku entered and seated themselves to the right and across from Inuyasha and Kagome. Kaede seated herself, completing the small circle. Sango was the first to speak.
"You guys...What happened?" The question was whispered but Sango's feeling of helplessness echoed through it louder then any gong Kagome had ever heard.
"I think I can best answer that question." All eyes turned to the center of the circle.
"Myoga? When did you get here?" Miroku prodded with the tip of his index finger. The tiny flea youkai huffed.
"I've been here all along you nitwit! I don't always run from danger like you claim!"
"Shhh! Quiet down, you want to wake Shippo?" Kagome's scolding brought Myoga back to reality.
"As I was saying, it's obvious that Kagome has been transformed into an Inju Youkai." Inuyasha leaned forward.
"Inju, that's a word I remember Sesshomaru using. What's that?" Myoga bounced over to Kaede's knee and seated himself.
"Hmm, yes well, I suppose Sesshomaru would recognize the signs. But before we get into that I must know, Kagome what happened in Midoriko's cave? All eyes turned to her and Kagome could practically feel the weight of them.
"Well, I um, went to see her." Kagome didn't look at anyone as she spoke. She just kept stroking Shippo's hair.
"Why?" Kagome felt her defenses rise.
"Why does anyone go to see Midoriko, Myoga? I needed someone to talk to. Someone who wouldn't talk back, only listen." Kagome felt tears prickle at the corners of her eyes.
"Only she did talk back." Myoga's eyes widened.
"She spoke to you? What did she say? What did you say?" Kagome felt the tears building and tried blinking them away.
"I told her...stuff. Personal stuff about how I felt." Inuyasha reached up and wiped away a tear that had begun trailing down her cheek.
"Kagome, this is important. What did you say?" Kagome took a deep breath.
"I told her that I was scared about the coming battle with Naraku. I...asked for help. She told me that it was done and the last thing I remember was being lifted into the air and a lot of pain. Then I saw Inuyasha's face...That's all I remember." Liar, her mind screamed. Who cares, she screamed back.
"Oh Kagome! You don't know how lucky you are! Midoriko has blessed you, truly!" Myoga was bouncing up and down enthusiastically waving his arms about.
"What are you talking about?" Myoga bounced to Kagome's knee.
"What a genius that woman is! By changing you into an Inju youkai, well have allies crawling out of our armpits!" Kagome stiffened.
"What did you say?" Myoga froze.
"You mean you didn't know?" Kagome bit her cheek lightly.
"Explain." Myoga sat down, mystified.
"Well, Inju youkai are legendary. It is said that they are never born, only created by beings in the heavens. Which I guess we now know is true." Miroku leaned back against the wall feeling this might be a long tale.
"Legendary how, Myoga?" He asked, prepared to absorb the information.
"Well Inju youkai are in a sense, mutable. When claimed by a youkai they then take the form of that very youkai and become one of them."
"Claimed?" Sango asked shifting nervously. This whole ordeal was unsettling.
"Mated, for lack of a better word. For example, if that wayward wolf, Kouga were to show up and physically join with Kagome, she would then become a wolf youkai as well." Kagome blushed while Inuyasha growled. Myoga, oblivious to his warnings continued on.
"Then Kouga would also instantly gain immortality that would last until Kagome herself died. Or so the legend goes." Everybody's eyes widened a bit.
"Wait, immortal? Kagome basically becomes another Shikon Jewel?" Sango's hands twisted against the fabric of her kimono. Miroku's eyes opened.
"How do you mean, Sango?"
"I mean that's the reason everybody's after the jewel isn't it? Power so that they cannot be killed. Screw picking up pieces of a lost jewel when you could just kidnap someone, ne?" The familiar feeling of ice running down her spine returned to Kagome.
"Well, it seems Sango is a step ahead of me," Myoga cleared his throat,
"to mate with an Inju youkai is to combine powers, drastically enhancing the mate. Just like having your own jewel at all times. At least until Kagome is killed."
"Then the youkai is killed as well?" Myoga sighed.
"I'm afraid not, Miroku. The youkai would go on living and aging as it would as if Kagome had never existed." Sango scoffed.
"Sounds like the mate gets the better end of the deal."
"On contrary. Should the Inju choose to mate with someone very powerful they would have an unstoppable ally willing to protect them at any costs. It's the ultimate self preservation. Having someone willing to die for you who literally can't die. That's why the lightning. The Earth was informing all eligible youkai of the birth of an Inju. I'm sure most thought it was fabled until now." Myoga's eyes brightened.
"That's what I was talking about earlier. With Kagome as an Inju, we could use this to our advantage-" Kagome finished for the flea.
"To use me as a bargaining piece to gain allies who want immortality in the battle against Naraku?"
"Yes! I mean, no, not like that-"
"Save it." Kagome stood up abruptly, causing the sleeping Shippo to roll completely into Inuyasha's lap. Kagome was out of the door and out of Kaede's hut running at her new youkai speed before anyone could think the otherwise.
