Hey all,
Um. Okay. So, I guess that whole 'hiatus' thing didn't really work for me. Problem is, I got a sudden unexpected bout of writer's block for the story I was supposed to be working on, and I just couldn't bring myself to labor anymore over my Spirited Away story. Sorry. I guess.
Anyway, I figure cranking out another Bitten chapter should be fun. I like writing this story! It gets me all happy. So, please read and review, and maybe I'll even add ANOTHER chapter RELATIVELY soon! Gee golly wiz.
I don't Inuyasha, or one for the Money, (I figure I don't really have to mention that anymore since I'm totally dumping the idea of following One for The Money's plot, but it's ok.) and enjoy!
*
*Warning- This chapter is kinda violent, but no more than the comic. so. I guess you can all stomach it.
* Bitten
By Rio Grande
Chapter Five: Teamwork and Homicidal Maniacs
*
Kagome wouldn't hesitate to admit that she had no idea what she was going to do once she found Yura again.
She only wanted to make sure no one was ripped to shreds by the demon's hair of doom, of which an uncomfortable amount was now twined around the city like a string of murderous lights on a really big Christmas tree. She also wanted that mentally deranged criminal be put back in jail . but how was she supposed to do that? So far, her training at the FBI had left her with the ability to sit still for an impressive amount of time while meditating on her inner self - a talent she doubted would take her very far when it came to Yura. Kagome knew that she would soon be upon the deceptively attractive woman, her miko senses effectively leading her towards Yura's distinctive aura, but the only good plan Kagome currently had as a way of self defense was miraculously having Inuyasha or Miroku or even Kaede pop up in the nick of time to save her sorry ass.
'I'm going to die,' Kagome realized with a start, breathing heavily as she halted just outside Tokyo Park, a dense area of trees occasionally illuminated by the stray street lamp. It looked incredibly creepy at night, and unfortunately Kagome was positive that Yura was currently in there - she could feel it. Shuddering, and relieved that at least the demon had taken her killer hair somewhere less populated, and was off the streets, Kagome charged forward, keeping a sharp eye out for any hair strands that could potentially decapitate her.
'This is so unbelievable,' Kagome admitted to herself, trotting down the paved road that twisted around the park path; eerily empty benches lining the trail. 'If you asked me a week ago what I thought I would be doing tonight, my answer would have probably been 'hibernating until vacation's over.' I don't even have any finals left this week, and then it's winter break! Yet here I am, running through the park in the dead of night, searching for a homicidal woman who actually has it in for me!' Head spinning, Kagome halted as she reached a large, empty field. The web of hair seemed particularly dense here, and Kagome's miko senses were screaming. Yura was very near.
"Yura! Where are you?" Kagome called out into the night, against her better judgment. And while she got no verbal answer, Kagome did gauge some sort of disturbing reaction from Yura, who was still out of sight. Abruptly, the hair slashing its way across the field began to move, racing towards Kagome and then coming to spiral around her in a threatening way. Kagome screeched in terror, and ducked under hair trying to wrap itself around waist. Getting killed wasn't part of the plan.
Unfortunately, from behind her a length of hair wrapped itself around her ankle, Kagome crying out in fear when it cut into her skin painfully. She fell onto the grass, and began to claw at the ground as Yura's hair started to drag her backwards, more strands wrapping themselves around both wrists and eventually lifting her into the air. Kagome let out another ear piercing screech, desperately praying that someone - anyone, at this point - would come to her rescue.
"HELP!" she cried, as she found herself being painfully held five feet off the ground.
"La! Sorry deary, but no one's going to come to help you now." A singsong voice chimed from behind the raven-haired girl. Kagome sucked in a gasp, head whipping around as she spotted Yura, perched on a tree off to the side, laughing at the girl's predicament. Her hands were performing a complicated version of cat's cradle with a nest of hair, and she seemed to be controlling the deadly strings this way. Kagome narrowed her eyes at the killer, struggling against her bonds - an action that proved to be notably futile.
"Let me out of here Yura!" Kagome yelled threateningly.
"Oh, and why should I do that? Would you hurt me if I don't? You don't really appear to be in a position to make demands with me, Ms. Higurashi. I suggest you stay still, and I will make your death quick and painless," Yura suggested generously. Kagome paled considerably, and took up her struggle anew, thrashing around more desperately than ever. NO! She was too young to die!
"Stop it! Don't!" she cried, feeling blood begin to seep out of the burns on her ankles and wrists from being supported by the razor sharp hair. Yura let out a cold hearted cackle, enjoying Kagome's pathetic show of desperation, hands snapping together dangerously as she summoned a dense collection of hair up, to make a graceful sweeping arc towards Kagome bared, thin neck. Unable to tear her head away from the oncoming hair, thanks to the fact that her chin was being held up by a particularly sharp strand, Kagome closed her eyes and bit her lip, sorely wishing she was able to reach the pepper-spray in her pocket because she would have loved to see Yura in pain right around then. And then the young miko accepted death in her last moments.
.Before a man with long, silver hair and piercing golden eyes, who was wearing a long leather jacket, ripped her out of Yura's confining web. Kagome gasped as she felt the hair holding her up break away easily, now being held close to a very muscular chest as she flew through the air. She came to land gracefully on the grass some yards away, heart beating so fast she feared it would pop out of her chest if given half a chance.
".Inuyasha?" she whispered, wrapping her arms securely around his neck, and staring up at her partner's face. Inuyasha glanced back down, his eyes holding something akin to compassion as he looked over the trembling twenty year old. Kagome let out a relieved sigh and let herself be carefully lowered to the ground, impressed by her own ability to hold back tears. She had thought for sure she was a goner back there! "But how did you know I was-!"
"Here, take my jacket," the agent said coolly, taking off his dark leather jacket that reached the back of his knees, and draping it over Kagome.
"Oh, it's okay, I'm not cold." Kagome said, as Inuyasha appeared to transfer his attention back over to Yura, still sitting in the large tree, observing everything coolly.
"No, it's for your protection. That jacket can shield you against the hair, and it's as strong as any bullet proof vest." He explained, giving her one last, relatively warm glance, before starting forward. Kagome watched him walk away with wide eyes, feeling for a second as though the nice Inuyasha she had known briefly was back, and the cold, stuffy one from the office was once again a thing of the past.
'Why can't he always be this kind?' she wondered distantly, quickly slipping her arms into the sleeves of the leather jacket, which was a lot heavier than it looked, but not unbearable. How come he was only nice to her when she was in potentially life threatening situations? She cautiously began to follow Inuyasha, who was now having a heated discussion with the disgruntled looking Yura.
"Yura, what do you think you're doing!?" Inuyasha started by crying, showing a great deal of tact as he decided that infuriating Yura some more was the better road to take here.
Yura, who was indeed already pissed that her pray with the silky hair had been taken away from her, by the hated demon who had imprisoned her the first time, no less, hissed back in a menacing tone:
"Why, what does it look like Inuyasha? I was trying to kill her and add her pretty little head to my collection." This didn't seem to cool Inuyasha's impressive temper, and he looked ready to pounce at the woman.
"How dare you!! Why come after Kagome - what do you have against her!?" he demanded to know.
"Well nothing, personally. I'm going to kill her as a favor to someone else," she laughed prettily. Kagome, now standing next to Inuyasha again, listened to Yura intently. Who would want her dead, and who would go to the extreme of sending this insane woman after her? Inuyasha too looked quite interested.
"Who asked you to kill Kagome?" he called up to Yura.
"Why, you know him quite well. It was. Naraku," she giggled jovially. Both Kagome and Inuyasha froze at this point, Inuyasha craning his head around to stare at Kagome fearfully. Kagome clenched her fists and bit her lip, not liking this new development one bit.
"Inuyasha, why is Naraku." Kagome paused, eyes widening as she looked at something behind Inuyasha, racing towards him at high speeds. "INUYASHA, DUCK!" she screamed, grabbing the surprised half demon by the shoulders and pulling him to the ground with her, so that the thick collection of hair raced over the couple's heads and slammed into an unsuspecting tree behind them, splintering it and knocking the large oak over.
"Drat," Yura cursed, snapping her fingers, and leaping onto a lone thread of hair, starting to walk towards the fallen duo.
"Kagome." Inuyasha said, frowning as he watched the tree topple to the ground loudly. "You can see the hair?"
"Of course, can't you?" Kagome wanted to know as she shakily got to her feet, Inuyasha lending her a hand. Was it true; was she really the only one who could see the deadly hair, like Yura had said?
"No, not even Kaede can," Inuyasha admitted slowly. "Well, I suppose you are a miko."
"Are you two done chatting? I would like to kill you know, please," Yura said darkly from behind Inuyasha, grabbing a delicate looking sword from the belt at her waist, and raising it threateningly above Inuyasha's head. One of Inuyasha's ears flicked backwards, his eyes never leaving Kagome's face, as he clasped the smaller girl to him and quickly rolled out of the way. Yura cursed as her sword bit into the cold ground.
"Kagome, get away from here! I don't need you in the way when I fight!" Inuyasha said, thrusting Kagome behind him and coming to stand protectively in front of her. Kagome frowned and put one hand to her chest.
"But you can't see the hair!" she pointed out. "You'll be shredded!"
"I beat her before unable to see the hair, and I can do it again." He said simply, as Yura took up an offensive stance a little ways away from him.
"Even without your coat?" she wanted to know, feeling slightly guilty she had taken his bullet proof, super cool leather jacket from him.
"Yes, now go!" he ordered harshly. Knowing better than to mess with that tone of voice, Kagome began to trot slowly backwards, wondering if she should call for backup or something.
"Oh no you don't!" Yura chuckled, summoning up a dense collection hair strands behind Kagome to block the girl's escape rout like a wall. Kagome cried out in fear and dodged them as they rushed at her, Inuyasha roaring in fury and launching himself at Yura as Kagome tried to make it to safety.
"Stop it!" He ordered irately, his long claws sweeping forward to make an angry swipe at the woman. Fangs bared, Inuyasha decided right then and there that he wasn't going to let Yura leave alive this time around. He had been satisfied with her incarceration last time, but apparently that sort of punishment didn't last long with this woman, and she needed to be stopped. Leaping backwards, Yura deftly avoided all of Inuyasha's attacks, a small smile placed onto her features.
"Oh Inuyasha, do you have a soft spot for this girl?" Yura giggled cruelly as she dodged another punch.
"Shut UP!" Inuyasha ordered, leaping high into the air in the blink of an eye, and startling the female demon with his extraordinary speed.
"What?" Yura asked, glancing upwards and trying to see where the hanyou had gone off too. She let out a light gasp when she realized he had landed silently behind her, and had then proceeded to run her through with one of his powerful arms, creating a particularly large whole in her abdomen.
"Ohmigod!" Kagome screamed, covering her mouth as she watched Yura casually glance at Inuyasha's claws sticking out of the other side of her stomach, thick streams of blood running off the half demon's hand. She felt the bile rise to her mouth, and wondered how Inuyasha had the stomach to do that.
"Got you, bitch," Inuyasha said triumphantly, yanking his hand out, and ready for Yura's inevitable surrender. No one could survive being impaled through the stomach-
"I don't think so." Yura laughed gaily, turning on her heal to grab Inuyasha around the neck, and then hold him a foot off the ground, giving off an impressive show of strength, taking him completely by surprise.
-Except for really strong, freak demons like Yura, of course.
"Arghh." Inuyasha growled, grasping Yura's wrist, who didn't even look the least bit perturbed over the fact that she was currently loosing buckets of blood from the wound in her stomach, and trying to yank her hand away from his neck. It didn't seem to be working, and Yura was apparently immune to pain.
'Last time I just drugged her before she could do much harm. but it looks like Yura's got a lot more up her sleeve than we first imagined.' Inuyasha thought heatedly.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out, putting her hands to her face, eyes wide. How could Yura stand after that attack!? What kind of a demon was she?
"Kagome!" Inuyasha choked. "Look in the coat! Look in the coat! I brought you. aghhh." Inuyasha gurgled as Yura tightened her grip around his throat.
As Kagome looked to the inside of the coat for the unspecified item Inuyasha had apparently brought for her, Yura grabbed the sword from her waist once more - smiling entrancingly. just before she plunged it into Inuyasha's side, taking satisfaction in his cry of pain. Blood immediately began to seep through his white shirt, and his hands began to shake uncontrollably.
"Ah!" he gasped, eyes going wide as he was dropped to the ground, the sword being swiftly wrenched out of him. He wasn't as good with this whole quick recovery thing as Yura apparently was. "Damn."
"My, this is fun! And now I will finally have your hair. Inuyasha." Yura sighed, looking down on the vulnerable hanyou. "I've been waiting to have these silver locks for my collection for so long." she purred, leaning forward and wrapping one finger around a lock of his glimmering mane. Head lowered, Inuyasha growled forebodingly.
"Don't get your hopes up, you witch." he said darkly. Then, as quick as a snake, his arm shot up and slashed at Yura's right side with one powerful blow. Instantly the arm holding the demon's sword was ripped off, Yura making a vague, startled sound in the back of her throat as her right arm was plucked from her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed, and she made a little pouting face that forced Inuyasha to recoil.
"Now. That wasn't very nice," she commented simply, as her hair moved around her to pick up the detached arm, and let it move as though it were still connected to Yura's body, the sword clutched firmly in its hand as it made a swooping motion as to attack Inuyasha.
The agent let his jaw drop - when did it end?
Meanwhile, Kagome had found what Inuyasha had brought for her to use in her defense, and almost let out a groan of frustration.
"A bow and arrows? Well gee golly wiz Inuyasha, thanks," she growled, taking out the bow and trying to aim an arrow at Yura's back. She looked up at the fighting couple long enough to watch Inuyasha brutally rip Yura's arm off. Kagome made a little choking sound and averted her gaze, lowering the arrow.
Sure, she had taken archery lessons in high school, but how far would that take her when fighting Yura? The woman had already reclaimed her arm, her hair propelling it towards Inuyasha, once again apparently impervious to the throbbing pain that any normal person would feel when being dismembered. She was even smiling cruelly again. How could Kagome's puny arrows have any affect on Yura?
But the evil woman had just stabbed Inuyasha, and Kagome was determined not to leave him for dead when he had now saved her sorry butt twice. She couldn't let her partner be killed when she was around to do something about it!
Inuyasha threw himself to the side, clutching his deep wound as Yura's alienated arm went flying past him, the sword just barely missing his ear.
'Okay. so she can't be defeated the conventional way.' he thought, getting to his feet and beginning to leap away from the arm as Yura stood in place, the cavernous hole in her stomach in plain sight, giggling to herself as she watched Inuyasha be chased about. 'I'll just have to take her head off. I guess.'
"Yura!" Kagome screamed, letting an arrow fly. Yura turned around, just in time to have the arrow slice her through the wrist, admittedly not the spot Kagome had been aiming for, frowning as she watched the arrow give off a shiny pink light and dissolve the skin around her hand, until it separated from the rest of her arm and fell with a wet, heavy sound to the round. Bringing her stub of an arm up to examine the still shimmering wound, Yura bit her lip.
"You have the power to purify," she said accusingly at Kagome. "I think I see now why Naraku wants you dead. You will have to go," the now completely hand-less woman said casually, her other hand, now also suspended by hair, doing a one handed cat's cradle that forced a great deal of deadly hair to create a hostile spiral of thick tresses around the scared college student. Kagome let out a cry of fear; clutching her bow to her as the hair swallowed her up and she could no longer see anything but the dark cluster of strands trying to suffocate her. She made a desperate clawing motion and was rewarded with a deep slash across her finger. It seemed as though she was quite trapped.
"Kagome!!" Inuyasha yelled, eyes wide as Kagome disappeared from sight, her delicate mortal flesh most likely giving her minimal protection. No! This couldn't happen! He could loose another partner so quickly-!
"Sorry Inuyasha. you look crushed," Yura commented, cocking her head thoughtfully. "Oh well. Don't worry. You can join her, if you like," she offered charitably. "Here, let me help you along."
Leaping forward, with her arm holding the sword in front of her, Yura began to attack the furious Inuyasha once more, smiling maliciously as he appeared to let his temper get the better of him. It really did hurt him to loose that girl. how cute. Flipping backwards, and landing in a crouch, Inuyasha reached for the sword held in the ancient looking scabbard at his side, growling ominously. She would PAY.
"Uh uh uh!" Yura warned, letting her hair zip forward to grab an unwitting Inuyasha around the wrist. "I don't think it would be a good idea to get THAT sword out. I've heard the stories." she said slyly, Inuyasha wishing, more than ever, that he too could see the hair as he felt himself become thoroughly entangled in it. Before he knew it he was being held in a spread eagle position, suspended on all sides by Yura's cursed hair.
'Whatever, it's not as though I can USE the sword, anyway,' he thought darkly, an air of depression hanging off him. Dammit all.
"Now. what would you prefer? A slow death? Or a quick one." Yura wondered innocently, waltzing up to her restrained pray, dripping with dark blood, but otherwise looking no worse for the wear- while Inuyasha was writhing in pain from having the stab wound in his side being stretched out uncomfortably.
"What kind of a stupid question is that?" Inuyasha wanted to know, as Yura stopped in front of him.
"I don't know." Yura said, trailing off as her crimson tinted eyes widened, and she looked off into the distance. "La!" she gasped, spinning on her heal.
'What is she doing?' Inuyasha wondered, narrowing his own golden eyes suspiciously.
"Girl! What do you think you're doing!?" Yura shrieked, as she spotted Kagome shimmying up the tree the demon had previously occupied.
"Ugh." Kagome replied, trembling with effort as she continued to get to the higher branches of the large oak. Behind her, the nest of hair that had entrapped her previously had a rather large hole in it, the edges of which were dripping with pink, purifying miko magic.
'Of course. my leather jacket saved her! And her miko powers freed her,' Inuyasha realized, a broad smile coming over his face as he watched a very much alive Kagome make it to the top of the tree. He didn't know why, but seeing Kagome alive made his heart rest easier. He was truly relieved to have her back, and was glad this girl appeared to be a survivor, who knew how to use her strengths to her benefit. Clever.
"Girl! I asked you a question!" Yura yelled, looking very unruffled as she let the hand hanging near her left ear hurl her sword at Kagome.
"Look out!" Inuyasha yelled, still trapped.
"Eeek!" Kagome, who had indeed burned her way out of her prison with miko magic, screamed, dodging the sword. It was soon embedded in the tree, Yura's hand trying to wrench it out of the bark. Kagome frowned deeply and (closing her eyes.) grabbed Yura's hand, unable to watch as a pink aura formed around her fingers and burned at the limb, as she had known it would. Apparently, demons couldn't take her miko powers, and she was thankful for it.
"Damn you!" Yura screeched as her now useless hand dropped to the ground, sizzling. Kagome smiled grimly and continued to scale the tree.
She didn't know what it was. but. after she had freed herself from her rather hairy prison, Kagome had suddenly sensed something. odd. in the tree Yura had been sitting in just minutes before. It nagged at her until the newly appointed miko found herself sprinting towards the tall form, keeping both eyes peeled for anything unusual.
"There's nothing there! What do you think you're doing!?" Yura continued to yell, leaping onto a lone strand of hair and preparing to swing over to the troublesome girl. What the hell was she trying to pull!? How could she- But before she could reach Kagome, Inuyasha decided to take some initiative.
"If there's nothing there Yura, why are you so freaked out about it?!" he sniggered, tensing his muscles, before snapping the hairs keeping him trapped with a swift, jerking motion, and then proceeding leaping gracefully to the ground. Yura looked down at him with a horrified expression. Well, things had apparently taken a nasty turn for the demon.
"You!" she accused, snarling at the FBI agent. Whipping the sword at his waist out of the scabbard, revealing the same old, rusty blade Kagome had seen him wave at Naraku at the old apartment building, Inuyasha got a predatory look in his eye. Kagome was on to something, and he loved to see Yura squirm. Best to distract the demon some more and keep her mind off Kagome.
Meanwhile, said miko had spotted something in the tree.
It was a . skull.
"Figures," Kagome sighed, daintily picking up the skull and looking it over carefully. Her miko senses were going haywire just staring at it, but she couldn't figure out how it related to Yura.
"NO!" Yura screamed gutturally, rushing at Kagome once she spotted the girl holding the pearly white skull, that had a few dead hairs still attached to its crown. Her eyes had widened terribly, and her mouth hung open as she commanded a group of hair to start forward and aim for Kagome's neck. Kagome screamed, clutching the skull to her, as she realized she had nowhere to jump to, besides down- at which point she would undoubtedly break both her legs. Luckily, Kagome didn't have to make that big decision about what she would rather be - dead or legless - because it was at that point that Inuyasha did something. different.
"STOP YURA!" he commanded in a deep growl, leaping after the demon woman as she attempted to murder his partner, and swung the blade - the Tetsusaiga- the blade that he had never been able to quite master - the blade that had belonged to his father, more or less - the blade that was feared by many a demon for its old reputation, and the blade that. suddenly began to glow oddly. Distracted, Yura glanced back, wondering what could be radiating that powerful aura behind her, nearly letting go of the hair that supported her as she spotted Inuyasha's infamous Tetsusaiga start to transform from an old, corroded and weak blade, into something larger, more powerful, and cleaner.
"YAAA!" Inuyasha gave off a great war cry as he expertly swung the newly formed blade at Yura, smiling in satisfaction as she finally gave out a cry of surprise, bright red blood gushing out of her back, and then collapsing to the ground where she sat, shaking and angry. A newly formed, deep slash made it's way down her back.
"All right Inuyasha!" Kagome cheered from the tree, the hair that had been previously flying at her going limp and collapsing to the ground near Yura.
"I- I can't believe it." Inuyasha sputtered, ignoring the throbbing pain he felt emanating from his side long enough to marvel at his master blade. He had been trying to figure this thing out for ages! And now. now this was what he had been aiming for. The Tetsusaiga, able to kill a hundred demons with one blow. Well. Maybe he couldn't pull THAT little trick off just yet, but with a little more practice. Wait till he told Miroku about this!
'What was it about this situation that finally got the Tetsusaiga to transform into the 'Steel Cleaving Fang?'' The half demon wondered distantly, still staring at his gleaming white blade with awe. 'Was it. this girl? Was it Kagome?' However, Inuyasha was given no more time to think about this, as he felt something sharp and deadly wrap around his neck, with a flick of Yura's detached hand.
"Move and I'll snap your neck off, boy. I know that demon skin is thicker than a mortals, but you won't be able to survive this blow." Yura said darkly, having shakily gotten back to her feet, and staring sadistically at the agent she now had right under her thumb. Inuyasha made a surprised choking sound as he cursed himself profusely for being distracted, and getting into this susceptible position. If only he could see the hair!
From the tree Kagome gasped harshly, eyes wide as she watched little rivulets of blood begin to poor down Inuyasha's neck. He winced, his hand gripping his sword tightly, not close enough to make an effective swing at Yura, unfortunately. Smiling, Yura, bleeding from just about every crevice of her body, turned to look up at the college student.
"Well, what will it be?" she called up to Kagome. "Your partner, or that skull?"
Well, obviously Inuyasha came first, but - but Kagome had a feeling there was more to this situation than met the eye. Why was this skull so important to Yura? Why was she so panicked that Kagome now had it in her possession, and why did Yura bring it with her at all? Kagome's eyes widened as something hit her, and she had a small, spiritual epiphany, her miko powers leading her as she reached for an arrow.
"What are you going to do girl? Shoot me?" Yura laughed, watching Kagome's actions critically. Kagome said nothing; quickly taking the arrow and never letting her eyes stray away from Yura. She knew what to do. She could feel it in her blood.
"Dammit girl! What do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha choked, shaking a bit. Was her plan to let Yura kill him? He really COULDN'T survive if Yura decided to behead him now!
Then, swiftly, proficiently, and while closing her eyes and praying for the best, deciding she would never forgive herself if she let Inuyasha get killed- Kagome plunged the arrow into the skull placed in her lap with all of the strength she possessed- sighing in relief as she heard a satisfying crack.
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Yura howled, as the skull split into two, and her vision began to go dark. Inuyasha watched, barely noticing as the hairs around his neck, as well as all the other that had wrapped themselves around the park, disappeared into thin air, as Yura continued to scream at the top of her lungs, her body fading into nothing as a black power seemed to eat her from the inside out. She was dying. Kagome had done it.
She had killed Yura.
And when the echoes of Yura's scream had finally faded, and there was nothing left of her but her little leather outfit and matching headband, Inuyasha let himself crack a weak smile. His gaze quickly traveled up to his partner, still sitting in the tree and watching the space where Yura had just been, mouth hanging open. And in her hand, from inside the skull, she held a cracked comb. A cracked comb that had held Yura's soul.
"You're a fucking genius!" Inuyasha hooted, leaping up into the tree with a single bound, his precious Tetsusaiga still in hand, and throwing his free arm around Kagome's shoulder as he gave her an enthusiastic hug.
"I-I am?" the shell-shocked girl stuttered weakly. Had she really just done that?
"Yes! You definitely are. I would have never been able to kill that damned woman by just slashing at her some more. How did you know that Yura held her soul in that comb?" Inuyasha pressed. Kagome, blushing from Inuyasha's rare, animated compliments, despite the fact that she felt no pride over her first demon kill, replied hesitantly.
"Well, I just felt it. inside me." she explained lamely, not really sure how to describe the sensation of just KNOWING what to do. "My miko senses or whatever were just telling me that there was something important up here. and then they told me to destroy this comb. It was all luck, really," she admitted.
"Well, thanks, in any case," Inuyasha sighed, now sitting next to her, and smiling broadly. Finally! That battle had gone on just a little too long for his liking, and there had been just a few too many close calls.
"Yeah, and you and your sword weren't half bad either. What's up with it, any- Oh my God!" Kagome suddenly gasped, quickly forgetting about the new Tetsusaiga, which she noticed had reverted back to its old form, and was now nothing but a rusty blade, as she spotted Inuyasha's wound. The slash that went all the way through to the other side of his back. it looked notably painful, and Kagome wondered how he was holding up so well.
'But he can heal really fast, like last time with Naraku.' she remembered dimly, touching the blood soaked cloth of Inuyasha's shirt delicately, frowning. Inuyasha began to look vaguely uncomfortable, not used to people fawning over his wounds.
"Oh, it's nothing!" he growled, shooing Kagome's hands away.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "I know you can heal fast, but I still think I should bandage this wound!"
"I'll be fine," he insisted, folding his arms resolutely. Kagome raised an eyebrow, and deciding she could press the matter later. Right now, she was really too exhausted to do anything besides maybe stare blankly into the distance for a while.
"Inuyasha." she mumbled softly, letting her head drop onto the muscular hanyou's shoulder- the unwounded one, of course.
"Yeah?" he asked, tensing as he felt Kagome's soft, raven hair, brush up against his skin. She was so close.
"How did you find me?" she wanted to know. Why HAD Inuyasha come to her rescue, as she had wanted him to? It seemed too perfect - not that she didn't appreciate it, and all.
"Well, you called me," Inuyasha admitted hesitantly.
"Called you?" Kagome asked, confused.
"I heard you. inside my head. and you lead me here," Inuyasha continued, realizing he sounded like a nutcase. But - it was the truth.
'Oh my God. when I prayed for Inuyasha to come save me. he heard!?' the girl gasped, putting a hand to her mouth and staring at her lap.
"It must have been my miko magic," the girl decided, smiling lightly and relaxing. "You know - this whole being a powerful priestess thing isn't so bad! It's saved me a lot of times now." she pointed out tiredly. "I should. really thank. Kaede and. Miroku." Inuyasha gave off a rare, fond smile as he watched Kagome's breathing begin to fall into an even pattern. Poor human. She was probably exhausted. And she deserved to have a good sleep after all this.
Actually, it was slightly disturbing that Naraku had gotten Yura to come after Kagome. Why had the new addition to the demon FBI suddenly become a target for this killer? Was it because of her purifying abilities? He thought not. more likely; it was to get under Inuyasha's skin. And to weaken and divide the forces that were trying to stop the sniveling monster. Inuyasha frowned and glanced at Kagome once more. he wouldn't let her be hurt, especially when it was partially his fault she was now tangled in up in this mess. She hadn't wanted to join the FBI, and she shouldn't have to be hurt because of it. He frowned lightly as he noticed numerous cuts scattering her form, noting how she hadn't complained about any of them, and instead chose to dote over his own wounds. What an odd girl.
Unconsciously, Inuyasha raised his hand to wipe away a stray drop of blood that had come from the paper-thin slice across her cheek. She was really very pretty. and she looked. so much like. Kikyo.
"OHMIGOD!" Kagome abruptly shrieked, sitting straight up and scaring Inuyasha so that he quickly zipped to the other side of branch.
.And yet she was most definitely not the former Priestess, in so many ways.
"W-what is it?" Inuyasha asked, placing a hand to his chest and flattening his ears. Ye gads that girl could scream.
"Shippou! I totally forgot! I left him alone at the apartment! He's going to be so scared! Oh God this is terrible!" Kagome looked terribly flustered, biting her lip and frowning deeply as she tried to shimmy her way back down the tree, wondering just how far she was from her apartment now. not even one night with the kitsune and already she was acting like a terrible mother figure!
Kagome let out a small gasp as she felt Inuyasha gently grab her around the waist, and hoist her effortlessly onto his back. The girl made a little squeaking sound as she looped her arms around his neck, surprised. What was he.
"Come on, I'll give you a ride home," he joked, leaping from the tree, and traveling in the direction of Kagome's apartment.
"Oh you don't have to do this. really." Kagome said, closing her eyes and trying not to focus on the fact that the physically enhanced hanyou was leaping from rooftop to rooftop at inhumanly fast speeds. "Really."
"No, it's all right. The office is this way anyway, and I guess I'm going to need to check in with the agents investigating Yura now. God. I would have called for backup or something if your cry for help hadn't taken me by surprise," he admitted, wincing a little as he landed badly on a roof and felt a biting pain shoot up his side. Kagome frowned, trying to get a look at Inuyasha's face from her place on his back.
"Maybe you should make a pit stop at my apartment and get bandaged up, hm? You don't have to pretend getting run through with a sword doesn't hurt." She added.
"But it doesn't for a hanyou!. well, not really," he huffed, testosterone levels desperately trying to reach a comfortable level of manliness. He didn't need to be babied! Kagome sighed - she knew his kind.
"Okay, how about this - it would make ME feel better if you would come inside and let me clean your gash. All right?" she tried. This seemed to sit better with Inuyasha's masculine pride.
"We'll see." Translation? Yes. Okay. You win already.
The second the duo landed on Kagome's fire escape, Kagome threw the window open and jumped into her bedroom, eyes darting around frantically in search of her tiny charge.
"Shippou!" she called into the apartment, looking immensely worried. What would Kaede say if she LOST Shippou? However, Kagome needn't have worried, because at that moment a particularly anxious looking kitsune hopped into the room, leaping into Kagome's arms and crying piteously.
"I thought you'd left me!!" Shippou sobbed, burying his head in Kagome's chest. Kagome's features immediately softened, and she petted Shippou's head comfortingly.
"Oh. don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry." Kagome cooed, as Shippou appeared to gradually calm down after being subjected to her soothing aura. Sniffling, he peered over the girl's shoulder, where he spotted an awkward looking Inuyasha still standing by the window, hands stuffed in his pockets.
"You." Shippou hissed accusingly. "What are YOU doing in Kagome's home?"
"None of your business, brat," Inuyasha tactfully shot back. Kagome sighed and exited the room, not needing Inuyasha to upset the baby demon once more. She had just settled his nerves, and didn't need him getting into a fight.
"Um." Inuyasha said hesitantly, wondering if he should follow Kagome, or just leave. He wasn't overly comfortable hanging around in her apartment.
"Come on." Kagome called as she entered the kitchen, groaning as she realized she STILL didn't have any food. "I'll treat your wounds as soon as we've had something to eat. Um. you want something?" she asked politely.
"What do you have?"
".Not much." Kagome admitted.
"No, I got stuff," Shippou said casually.
"What?" Kagome asked quickly, whirling around to look at the little Kitsune, now sitting on a stool in the kitchen, swinging his tiny feet around innocently.
"Yeah, well, I got really hungry. so I just went out and got some ramen for myself," he admitted. "I found some money on your dresser."
"But. I thought you were really young!" Kagome said, unable to understand how someone as tiny as Shippou could actually REACH the ramen in the supermarket.
"I told you, demon children mature faster than human ones," Shippou reminded her as Kagome put a pot of water on the stove, shaking her head.
"Yeah but."
"He's a kitsune Kagome, they have their ways," Inuyasha said sagely, falling onto the couch. Not at all sure what he was talking about, Kagome decided to go get some bandages for her partner while the water was starting to boil.
"Oh, Inuyasha, thanks for your jacket," Kagome said kindly, removing the big leather jacket and laying it next to Inuyasha on the couch. "It really helped,"
"Don't mention it," Inuyasha said, averting his gaze as he unbuttoned his shirt for Kagome, so she could get a better look at the wound. She neatly placed her first aid box on a table near the couch, quickly opening it and at least looking like she had a vague idea of what she was doing.
"Ohhh. that looks like it HURTS!" Shippou said, eyeing the injury with raised eyebrows. "What happened to you?"
"I um. fell down the stairs," Inuyasha said, his expression totally serious.
"Uh hu. and that's what made Kagome two hours late?"
"Yes. Definitely. That would be correct - because it was a really BAD fall!" Kagome enthused, using a dampened washcloth to carefully clean the dried blood around and in the wound. While she was having doubts about just how innocent Shippou really was, there truly was no reason to scare him with tales about Yura. The woman had freaked her out, personally, and she didn't want Shippou staying up with nightmares.
"Riight," Shippou said, rolling his eyes and going to add the ramen into the now boiling water.
"Be careful Shippou!" Kagome called to the little demon, satisfied that the wound was thoroughly cleansed, and taking out a length of bandage. "Say Inuyasha." Kagome commented after a moment, wrapping the bandage around Inuyasha's chest carefully, and trying to ignore the fact that he was very well sculpted. God. six packs were a beautiful thing. "What should we tell everyone? I mean. shouldn't we report this like, now?" Kagome asked, a bit confused as to what the protocol was for being attacked by fugitive convicts and then killing them.
"Well, I'm going to head over to headquarters right now and leave some messages. But, I mean. you're not going to be in trouble for killing her, if that's what your worried about. I would say this was most definitely an act of self defense, AND were officers of the law, so we're doubly safe,"
"Ohh. I'm an officer of the law?" Kagome giggled excitedly, putting the extra length of bandage away, and snapping the first aid case back up.
"Not exactly. You're. temporarily assisting us on a case, so I don't think that makes you a real agent," Inuyasha pointed out.
"Spoilsport."
"Whatever. But, um, thanks . for bandaging me up, and everything. It feels better," the hanyou admitted sheepishly, not used to thanking people very much for, well, anything. But Kagome was one of those rare people where it felt totally okay to thank her for anything she did, because she was just so. sweet.
"Anytime, partner," she said happily, giving off a breathtaking smile as Shippou hopped up to the duo with a pot of ramen that, even though his arms were incredibly tiny, he seemed to be holding with relative ease.
"Hey - you guys want some? Or would you prefer to stare at one another all night? Because we could do that."
*
Around forty minutes later Kagome found herself fondly gazing at the little, surprisingly sharp, kitsune, as he slept peacefully in the pullout couch bed - dead to the world. On his face he wore a small, contented smile, and Kagome got the sense that he was really at ease in her apartment. Good.
"Well, it's been an interesting night, if nothing else," Kagome sighed, collapsing into a chair and smiling sleepily at her hanyou partner as he put his empty ramen bowl into the dishwasher. How considerate of him.
"Yeah, and it's not even over for me. YOU don't have to go down to headquarters and face a bunch of pissed off agents, still trying to figure out where the hell Yura is," Kagome laughed in agreement, sympathetic but not willing to make the trek to the FBI offices with Inuyasha - she wasn't THAT nice.
"Sorry," she mumbled sleepily, absently touching one of the many band- aids covering the tiny lacerations that decorated her body. She hadn't thought much of her little cuts, but Inuyasha and Shippou had insisted she tend to her own wounds so that they didn't get infected and eventually scar. Luckily, Kagome was feeling a minimal amount of pain. It just felt more as though she had encountered a very angry book, and had been brutally sliced numerous times by its pages of doom.
"Hey. Kagome, I meant what I said before. Thanks. For everything. I couldn't have gotten rid of Yura without you," Inuyasha said after a moment of struggling with himself, awkwardly running his claws through his hair and avoiding looking Kagome directly in the eyes. He didn't think he had ever complimented or thanked anyone this much in his LIFE. Not even his ex- partner.
"Well, thank you too, for saving my life - many times over." Kagome replied kindly, looking up at Inuyasha, who had once again adorned his spiffy leather jacket and was preparing to take off into the night. It was hard to tell in the dim lighting of her small, stuffed apartment, but she could have sworn the tough agent had an almost affectionate look on his face. How cute. "And good luck, with the mean agents back at.. HQ." At this point the twenty year old was trailing off though, her eyes firmly sliding shut almost involuntarily. Inuyasha sighed as he looked down upon the girl, realizing she had fallen asleep on him for the second time that night, but finding it physically impossible to frown at her as he realized she was unconscious. He just couldn't get mad at Kagome when she looked so adorable, sleeping with her head on her shoulder, gently snoring.
Unable to resist, Inuyasha lifted Kagome gently into his arms, swiftly heading in the direction of her room. Carefully kicking the door open, and shifting his shoulder against the light switch until it came on, he placed the girl on her bed. Deciding she looked a little cold, just sprawled out like that all alone, he threw a quilt over her, and then stepped back to look at his handy work. Good. She was still sleeping.
And suddenly she looked pretty. really pretty.
So, she wasn't like Kikyo, his partner from days of old. But, Kikyo was the dreaded ex! It was a good thing Kagome didn't act like her! And, besides, he was starting to really like this girl, who was proving to be a good partner - if not exactly cut out for the world of crime fighting. Why should he want her to be like Kikyo? Kikyo had been cold and serious and mysterious and powerful. where as Kagome was kind, and warm and funny and compassionate.
He decided he rather liked her.
So, giving off a truly happy smile for the first time in a long while, the twenty-five year old quietly slid open the window and slipped out into the cold night, easily jumping from roof to roof on his way to the office.
*
"Man Kagome, I still can't believe that Yura came after YOU!" Miroku cried, throwing his arms up as he walked Kagome to Kaede's office, early the next morning. Kagome yawned in acknowledgment, drowsily going over her schedule for the day, and listening to Miroku's rant with only one ear. She was still extremely exhausted from her activities last night, and had been almost relieved when she had relinquished Shippou over to another agent to be cared for, earlier, seeing as he apparently had a surplus of energy just waiting to be used that she simply couldn't deal with. "I mean, you could have been killed!"
Meet with Kaede to talk about attack. and payments. and Shippou.
"And the fact that SHE was sent by Naraku? It's crazy!"
Stay until 2:00 at office and then head over to class at the university.
"You're incredibly lucky you were able to utilize your miko powers to call Inuyasha- I had no idea you were excelling this quickly with your skills as a priestess."
Call Mom and deter her from coming over later that night.
"But, you know, we're all worried about you and Naraku now,"
Pick up Shippou- feed him dinner.
"Kaede said she's going to be taking some extreme measures to make sure you're not harmed by him further."
Got to sleep- waitasec. Extreme measures?
"What sort of extreme measures?" Kagome asked curiously, looking the dashing priest in the eye.
"I don't know, she didn't go into it, but she looked really serious. I'd be worried if I were you, maybe," the priest admitted somberly.
"Perfect," Kagome muttered, knocking on Kaede's door, having reached her office. Miroku waved goodbye and continued on his way down the hall, as Kagome quickly stepped into the well-furnished room, admittedly a bit worried. What sort of things did Kaede plan to do in order to ensure Kagome's safety? She didn't want to look conspicuous around family and friends, but.
"Ah, Kagome, you're here. Good." Kaede said, as she watched the younger woman enter the room and cautiously take a seat in front of her desk. Kaede pushed aside the mountain of paper worked stacked unpromisingly in front of her, so she could properly look Kagome in the eye. "You are all right after last night, aren't you?" the detective started off with, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
"Yes. um, Inuyasha took care of me," Kagome assured the woman. Kaede got an odd look on her face for a second, before nodding.
"Wonderful. So, I assume you realize this means you're going to have to hand in another report. I've already heard the tale from Inuyasha - it sounded like a real bloodbath, and I'm sorry, but I'd love to read what happened from your point of view. Especially with all of those miko tricks you were pulling. You've advanced, haven't you?" the woman asked.
"I suppose. but it's not as though I have any real control," Kagome admitted with a sigh. "I only seem to be able to use purifying powers when I'm near death."
"Better than never," Kaede pointed out. "Do you think anything happened last night that's worth bringing up with me now?"
"Actually, there was that bit about Naraku sending Yura after me..." Kagome said tentatively. At this Kaede got a grave expression on her face and folded her arms with a frown. "It's not like I'm scared or anything, you know!" Kagome quickly assured the detective.
"I'm sure you're not, but I'M still worried about all this. I don't know if I'd be able to forgive myself if I let you get hurt out there - especially when we've practically forced you into this job," Kaede added with a sad scowl.
"Oh, it's all right. really." Kagome said, shrugging. "You warned me about the consequences of taking a dangerous job like this when I first agreed to help out in bringing in Naraku."
"Yes, but I still want to make sure you are kept safe while working with us, and do something that would put my mind at ease - something that would most definitely protect you from Naraku if you were to be involved in an attack like that again. Already last night was cutting it too close, so I want to have something that will ensure your safety 24/7," Kagome, although still sticking by her fears that this new development might alert friends and family to the fact that her job was a bit abnormal, had to admit that Kaede's idea was sounding rather appealing. Her encounter with Yura HAD been frightening, and it would be nice to have the knowledge that it wouldn't happen again. or that she had at least had some form of protection if it did happen.
"This sounds okay to me, I guess. but what do you plan on doing?" Kagome said flatly.
"Kagome, you are a valuable asset to our investigation now, and your safety means very much to us. I know that it would be a very good thing for Naraku if you were to be taken out of the picture, so I only want to do what will make sure you are NEVER taken out of the picture," Kaede said seriously, leaning forward, the light streaming in from the large window behind her darkening her figure. Kagome frowned and nodded, completely agreeing with Kaede. That's right! She had to stay in the picture! Yes!
"So, what are we going to do?" Kagome pressed again.
"Well. I know it's a hassle what with you living with Shippou now, so this arrangement might actually help." Kaede said. "But what I want to do is. I think what would be best for you at this point in time would be to."
"Have Inuyasha move into your apartment as well,"
There was a long, pregnant pause, during which Kagome sat, staring at the elderly detective in front of her with wide eyes and a disbelieving expression. Kaede looked totally relaxed, patiently waiting for the girls' reaction.
"No." Kagome said, regaining control of her vocal cords. "No. I think I'm going to have to draw the line there. Yeah. No. No. We're not doing that."
Kaede's only reaction was to frown ominously.
*
A/N-
Sorry I had to cut this chapter short, but I really should be working on other fics! I don't know if this story is going to go on hiatus for real now, but we'll see. I just can't seem to leave it alone! And this was a pretty nasty cliffhanger, so I might update just because I feel bad about it.
. Kaede seems to be constantly meddling in Kagome's life, and Kagome keeps rolling over for her. so I don't really know what's going to happen next. Well, actually, I kinda do. I know most of you would just love it if Inuyasha and Kagome ended up living together, so I'll do my best, just for you. Anywho, I would really appreciate if you would all review and voice your opinions because I really do take them into account when I write chapters .especially because I have no idea where this story is really going - I only know how it's going to end, at this point. And I keep changing my mind about that, as well!
Well, enough rambling - go and review! Thanks for reading,
Your friend, Rio Grande.
Um. Okay. So, I guess that whole 'hiatus' thing didn't really work for me. Problem is, I got a sudden unexpected bout of writer's block for the story I was supposed to be working on, and I just couldn't bring myself to labor anymore over my Spirited Away story. Sorry. I guess.
Anyway, I figure cranking out another Bitten chapter should be fun. I like writing this story! It gets me all happy. So, please read and review, and maybe I'll even add ANOTHER chapter RELATIVELY soon! Gee golly wiz.
I don't Inuyasha, or one for the Money, (I figure I don't really have to mention that anymore since I'm totally dumping the idea of following One for The Money's plot, but it's ok.) and enjoy!
*
*Warning- This chapter is kinda violent, but no more than the comic. so. I guess you can all stomach it.
* Bitten
By Rio Grande
Chapter Five: Teamwork and Homicidal Maniacs
*
Kagome wouldn't hesitate to admit that she had no idea what she was going to do once she found Yura again.
She only wanted to make sure no one was ripped to shreds by the demon's hair of doom, of which an uncomfortable amount was now twined around the city like a string of murderous lights on a really big Christmas tree. She also wanted that mentally deranged criminal be put back in jail . but how was she supposed to do that? So far, her training at the FBI had left her with the ability to sit still for an impressive amount of time while meditating on her inner self - a talent she doubted would take her very far when it came to Yura. Kagome knew that she would soon be upon the deceptively attractive woman, her miko senses effectively leading her towards Yura's distinctive aura, but the only good plan Kagome currently had as a way of self defense was miraculously having Inuyasha or Miroku or even Kaede pop up in the nick of time to save her sorry ass.
'I'm going to die,' Kagome realized with a start, breathing heavily as she halted just outside Tokyo Park, a dense area of trees occasionally illuminated by the stray street lamp. It looked incredibly creepy at night, and unfortunately Kagome was positive that Yura was currently in there - she could feel it. Shuddering, and relieved that at least the demon had taken her killer hair somewhere less populated, and was off the streets, Kagome charged forward, keeping a sharp eye out for any hair strands that could potentially decapitate her.
'This is so unbelievable,' Kagome admitted to herself, trotting down the paved road that twisted around the park path; eerily empty benches lining the trail. 'If you asked me a week ago what I thought I would be doing tonight, my answer would have probably been 'hibernating until vacation's over.' I don't even have any finals left this week, and then it's winter break! Yet here I am, running through the park in the dead of night, searching for a homicidal woman who actually has it in for me!' Head spinning, Kagome halted as she reached a large, empty field. The web of hair seemed particularly dense here, and Kagome's miko senses were screaming. Yura was very near.
"Yura! Where are you?" Kagome called out into the night, against her better judgment. And while she got no verbal answer, Kagome did gauge some sort of disturbing reaction from Yura, who was still out of sight. Abruptly, the hair slashing its way across the field began to move, racing towards Kagome and then coming to spiral around her in a threatening way. Kagome screeched in terror, and ducked under hair trying to wrap itself around waist. Getting killed wasn't part of the plan.
Unfortunately, from behind her a length of hair wrapped itself around her ankle, Kagome crying out in fear when it cut into her skin painfully. She fell onto the grass, and began to claw at the ground as Yura's hair started to drag her backwards, more strands wrapping themselves around both wrists and eventually lifting her into the air. Kagome let out another ear piercing screech, desperately praying that someone - anyone, at this point - would come to her rescue.
"HELP!" she cried, as she found herself being painfully held five feet off the ground.
"La! Sorry deary, but no one's going to come to help you now." A singsong voice chimed from behind the raven-haired girl. Kagome sucked in a gasp, head whipping around as she spotted Yura, perched on a tree off to the side, laughing at the girl's predicament. Her hands were performing a complicated version of cat's cradle with a nest of hair, and she seemed to be controlling the deadly strings this way. Kagome narrowed her eyes at the killer, struggling against her bonds - an action that proved to be notably futile.
"Let me out of here Yura!" Kagome yelled threateningly.
"Oh, and why should I do that? Would you hurt me if I don't? You don't really appear to be in a position to make demands with me, Ms. Higurashi. I suggest you stay still, and I will make your death quick and painless," Yura suggested generously. Kagome paled considerably, and took up her struggle anew, thrashing around more desperately than ever. NO! She was too young to die!
"Stop it! Don't!" she cried, feeling blood begin to seep out of the burns on her ankles and wrists from being supported by the razor sharp hair. Yura let out a cold hearted cackle, enjoying Kagome's pathetic show of desperation, hands snapping together dangerously as she summoned a dense collection of hair up, to make a graceful sweeping arc towards Kagome bared, thin neck. Unable to tear her head away from the oncoming hair, thanks to the fact that her chin was being held up by a particularly sharp strand, Kagome closed her eyes and bit her lip, sorely wishing she was able to reach the pepper-spray in her pocket because she would have loved to see Yura in pain right around then. And then the young miko accepted death in her last moments.
.Before a man with long, silver hair and piercing golden eyes, who was wearing a long leather jacket, ripped her out of Yura's confining web. Kagome gasped as she felt the hair holding her up break away easily, now being held close to a very muscular chest as she flew through the air. She came to land gracefully on the grass some yards away, heart beating so fast she feared it would pop out of her chest if given half a chance.
".Inuyasha?" she whispered, wrapping her arms securely around his neck, and staring up at her partner's face. Inuyasha glanced back down, his eyes holding something akin to compassion as he looked over the trembling twenty year old. Kagome let out a relieved sigh and let herself be carefully lowered to the ground, impressed by her own ability to hold back tears. She had thought for sure she was a goner back there! "But how did you know I was-!"
"Here, take my jacket," the agent said coolly, taking off his dark leather jacket that reached the back of his knees, and draping it over Kagome.
"Oh, it's okay, I'm not cold." Kagome said, as Inuyasha appeared to transfer his attention back over to Yura, still sitting in the large tree, observing everything coolly.
"No, it's for your protection. That jacket can shield you against the hair, and it's as strong as any bullet proof vest." He explained, giving her one last, relatively warm glance, before starting forward. Kagome watched him walk away with wide eyes, feeling for a second as though the nice Inuyasha she had known briefly was back, and the cold, stuffy one from the office was once again a thing of the past.
'Why can't he always be this kind?' she wondered distantly, quickly slipping her arms into the sleeves of the leather jacket, which was a lot heavier than it looked, but not unbearable. How come he was only nice to her when she was in potentially life threatening situations? She cautiously began to follow Inuyasha, who was now having a heated discussion with the disgruntled looking Yura.
"Yura, what do you think you're doing!?" Inuyasha started by crying, showing a great deal of tact as he decided that infuriating Yura some more was the better road to take here.
Yura, who was indeed already pissed that her pray with the silky hair had been taken away from her, by the hated demon who had imprisoned her the first time, no less, hissed back in a menacing tone:
"Why, what does it look like Inuyasha? I was trying to kill her and add her pretty little head to my collection." This didn't seem to cool Inuyasha's impressive temper, and he looked ready to pounce at the woman.
"How dare you!! Why come after Kagome - what do you have against her!?" he demanded to know.
"Well nothing, personally. I'm going to kill her as a favor to someone else," she laughed prettily. Kagome, now standing next to Inuyasha again, listened to Yura intently. Who would want her dead, and who would go to the extreme of sending this insane woman after her? Inuyasha too looked quite interested.
"Who asked you to kill Kagome?" he called up to Yura.
"Why, you know him quite well. It was. Naraku," she giggled jovially. Both Kagome and Inuyasha froze at this point, Inuyasha craning his head around to stare at Kagome fearfully. Kagome clenched her fists and bit her lip, not liking this new development one bit.
"Inuyasha, why is Naraku." Kagome paused, eyes widening as she looked at something behind Inuyasha, racing towards him at high speeds. "INUYASHA, DUCK!" she screamed, grabbing the surprised half demon by the shoulders and pulling him to the ground with her, so that the thick collection of hair raced over the couple's heads and slammed into an unsuspecting tree behind them, splintering it and knocking the large oak over.
"Drat," Yura cursed, snapping her fingers, and leaping onto a lone thread of hair, starting to walk towards the fallen duo.
"Kagome." Inuyasha said, frowning as he watched the tree topple to the ground loudly. "You can see the hair?"
"Of course, can't you?" Kagome wanted to know as she shakily got to her feet, Inuyasha lending her a hand. Was it true; was she really the only one who could see the deadly hair, like Yura had said?
"No, not even Kaede can," Inuyasha admitted slowly. "Well, I suppose you are a miko."
"Are you two done chatting? I would like to kill you know, please," Yura said darkly from behind Inuyasha, grabbing a delicate looking sword from the belt at her waist, and raising it threateningly above Inuyasha's head. One of Inuyasha's ears flicked backwards, his eyes never leaving Kagome's face, as he clasped the smaller girl to him and quickly rolled out of the way. Yura cursed as her sword bit into the cold ground.
"Kagome, get away from here! I don't need you in the way when I fight!" Inuyasha said, thrusting Kagome behind him and coming to stand protectively in front of her. Kagome frowned and put one hand to her chest.
"But you can't see the hair!" she pointed out. "You'll be shredded!"
"I beat her before unable to see the hair, and I can do it again." He said simply, as Yura took up an offensive stance a little ways away from him.
"Even without your coat?" she wanted to know, feeling slightly guilty she had taken his bullet proof, super cool leather jacket from him.
"Yes, now go!" he ordered harshly. Knowing better than to mess with that tone of voice, Kagome began to trot slowly backwards, wondering if she should call for backup or something.
"Oh no you don't!" Yura chuckled, summoning up a dense collection hair strands behind Kagome to block the girl's escape rout like a wall. Kagome cried out in fear and dodged them as they rushed at her, Inuyasha roaring in fury and launching himself at Yura as Kagome tried to make it to safety.
"Stop it!" He ordered irately, his long claws sweeping forward to make an angry swipe at the woman. Fangs bared, Inuyasha decided right then and there that he wasn't going to let Yura leave alive this time around. He had been satisfied with her incarceration last time, but apparently that sort of punishment didn't last long with this woman, and she needed to be stopped. Leaping backwards, Yura deftly avoided all of Inuyasha's attacks, a small smile placed onto her features.
"Oh Inuyasha, do you have a soft spot for this girl?" Yura giggled cruelly as she dodged another punch.
"Shut UP!" Inuyasha ordered, leaping high into the air in the blink of an eye, and startling the female demon with his extraordinary speed.
"What?" Yura asked, glancing upwards and trying to see where the hanyou had gone off too. She let out a light gasp when she realized he had landed silently behind her, and had then proceeded to run her through with one of his powerful arms, creating a particularly large whole in her abdomen.
"Ohmigod!" Kagome screamed, covering her mouth as she watched Yura casually glance at Inuyasha's claws sticking out of the other side of her stomach, thick streams of blood running off the half demon's hand. She felt the bile rise to her mouth, and wondered how Inuyasha had the stomach to do that.
"Got you, bitch," Inuyasha said triumphantly, yanking his hand out, and ready for Yura's inevitable surrender. No one could survive being impaled through the stomach-
"I don't think so." Yura laughed gaily, turning on her heal to grab Inuyasha around the neck, and then hold him a foot off the ground, giving off an impressive show of strength, taking him completely by surprise.
-Except for really strong, freak demons like Yura, of course.
"Arghh." Inuyasha growled, grasping Yura's wrist, who didn't even look the least bit perturbed over the fact that she was currently loosing buckets of blood from the wound in her stomach, and trying to yank her hand away from his neck. It didn't seem to be working, and Yura was apparently immune to pain.
'Last time I just drugged her before she could do much harm. but it looks like Yura's got a lot more up her sleeve than we first imagined.' Inuyasha thought heatedly.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out, putting her hands to her face, eyes wide. How could Yura stand after that attack!? What kind of a demon was she?
"Kagome!" Inuyasha choked. "Look in the coat! Look in the coat! I brought you. aghhh." Inuyasha gurgled as Yura tightened her grip around his throat.
As Kagome looked to the inside of the coat for the unspecified item Inuyasha had apparently brought for her, Yura grabbed the sword from her waist once more - smiling entrancingly. just before she plunged it into Inuyasha's side, taking satisfaction in his cry of pain. Blood immediately began to seep through his white shirt, and his hands began to shake uncontrollably.
"Ah!" he gasped, eyes going wide as he was dropped to the ground, the sword being swiftly wrenched out of him. He wasn't as good with this whole quick recovery thing as Yura apparently was. "Damn."
"My, this is fun! And now I will finally have your hair. Inuyasha." Yura sighed, looking down on the vulnerable hanyou. "I've been waiting to have these silver locks for my collection for so long." she purred, leaning forward and wrapping one finger around a lock of his glimmering mane. Head lowered, Inuyasha growled forebodingly.
"Don't get your hopes up, you witch." he said darkly. Then, as quick as a snake, his arm shot up and slashed at Yura's right side with one powerful blow. Instantly the arm holding the demon's sword was ripped off, Yura making a vague, startled sound in the back of her throat as her right arm was plucked from her shoulder. Her eyes narrowed, and she made a little pouting face that forced Inuyasha to recoil.
"Now. That wasn't very nice," she commented simply, as her hair moved around her to pick up the detached arm, and let it move as though it were still connected to Yura's body, the sword clutched firmly in its hand as it made a swooping motion as to attack Inuyasha.
The agent let his jaw drop - when did it end?
Meanwhile, Kagome had found what Inuyasha had brought for her to use in her defense, and almost let out a groan of frustration.
"A bow and arrows? Well gee golly wiz Inuyasha, thanks," she growled, taking out the bow and trying to aim an arrow at Yura's back. She looked up at the fighting couple long enough to watch Inuyasha brutally rip Yura's arm off. Kagome made a little choking sound and averted her gaze, lowering the arrow.
Sure, she had taken archery lessons in high school, but how far would that take her when fighting Yura? The woman had already reclaimed her arm, her hair propelling it towards Inuyasha, once again apparently impervious to the throbbing pain that any normal person would feel when being dismembered. She was even smiling cruelly again. How could Kagome's puny arrows have any affect on Yura?
But the evil woman had just stabbed Inuyasha, and Kagome was determined not to leave him for dead when he had now saved her sorry butt twice. She couldn't let her partner be killed when she was around to do something about it!
Inuyasha threw himself to the side, clutching his deep wound as Yura's alienated arm went flying past him, the sword just barely missing his ear.
'Okay. so she can't be defeated the conventional way.' he thought, getting to his feet and beginning to leap away from the arm as Yura stood in place, the cavernous hole in her stomach in plain sight, giggling to herself as she watched Inuyasha be chased about. 'I'll just have to take her head off. I guess.'
"Yura!" Kagome screamed, letting an arrow fly. Yura turned around, just in time to have the arrow slice her through the wrist, admittedly not the spot Kagome had been aiming for, frowning as she watched the arrow give off a shiny pink light and dissolve the skin around her hand, until it separated from the rest of her arm and fell with a wet, heavy sound to the round. Bringing her stub of an arm up to examine the still shimmering wound, Yura bit her lip.
"You have the power to purify," she said accusingly at Kagome. "I think I see now why Naraku wants you dead. You will have to go," the now completely hand-less woman said casually, her other hand, now also suspended by hair, doing a one handed cat's cradle that forced a great deal of deadly hair to create a hostile spiral of thick tresses around the scared college student. Kagome let out a cry of fear; clutching her bow to her as the hair swallowed her up and she could no longer see anything but the dark cluster of strands trying to suffocate her. She made a desperate clawing motion and was rewarded with a deep slash across her finger. It seemed as though she was quite trapped.
"Kagome!!" Inuyasha yelled, eyes wide as Kagome disappeared from sight, her delicate mortal flesh most likely giving her minimal protection. No! This couldn't happen! He could loose another partner so quickly-!
"Sorry Inuyasha. you look crushed," Yura commented, cocking her head thoughtfully. "Oh well. Don't worry. You can join her, if you like," she offered charitably. "Here, let me help you along."
Leaping forward, with her arm holding the sword in front of her, Yura began to attack the furious Inuyasha once more, smiling maliciously as he appeared to let his temper get the better of him. It really did hurt him to loose that girl. how cute. Flipping backwards, and landing in a crouch, Inuyasha reached for the sword held in the ancient looking scabbard at his side, growling ominously. She would PAY.
"Uh uh uh!" Yura warned, letting her hair zip forward to grab an unwitting Inuyasha around the wrist. "I don't think it would be a good idea to get THAT sword out. I've heard the stories." she said slyly, Inuyasha wishing, more than ever, that he too could see the hair as he felt himself become thoroughly entangled in it. Before he knew it he was being held in a spread eagle position, suspended on all sides by Yura's cursed hair.
'Whatever, it's not as though I can USE the sword, anyway,' he thought darkly, an air of depression hanging off him. Dammit all.
"Now. what would you prefer? A slow death? Or a quick one." Yura wondered innocently, waltzing up to her restrained pray, dripping with dark blood, but otherwise looking no worse for the wear- while Inuyasha was writhing in pain from having the stab wound in his side being stretched out uncomfortably.
"What kind of a stupid question is that?" Inuyasha wanted to know, as Yura stopped in front of him.
"I don't know." Yura said, trailing off as her crimson tinted eyes widened, and she looked off into the distance. "La!" she gasped, spinning on her heal.
'What is she doing?' Inuyasha wondered, narrowing his own golden eyes suspiciously.
"Girl! What do you think you're doing!?" Yura shrieked, as she spotted Kagome shimmying up the tree the demon had previously occupied.
"Ugh." Kagome replied, trembling with effort as she continued to get to the higher branches of the large oak. Behind her, the nest of hair that had entrapped her previously had a rather large hole in it, the edges of which were dripping with pink, purifying miko magic.
'Of course. my leather jacket saved her! And her miko powers freed her,' Inuyasha realized, a broad smile coming over his face as he watched a very much alive Kagome make it to the top of the tree. He didn't know why, but seeing Kagome alive made his heart rest easier. He was truly relieved to have her back, and was glad this girl appeared to be a survivor, who knew how to use her strengths to her benefit. Clever.
"Girl! I asked you a question!" Yura yelled, looking very unruffled as she let the hand hanging near her left ear hurl her sword at Kagome.
"Look out!" Inuyasha yelled, still trapped.
"Eeek!" Kagome, who had indeed burned her way out of her prison with miko magic, screamed, dodging the sword. It was soon embedded in the tree, Yura's hand trying to wrench it out of the bark. Kagome frowned deeply and (closing her eyes.) grabbed Yura's hand, unable to watch as a pink aura formed around her fingers and burned at the limb, as she had known it would. Apparently, demons couldn't take her miko powers, and she was thankful for it.
"Damn you!" Yura screeched as her now useless hand dropped to the ground, sizzling. Kagome smiled grimly and continued to scale the tree.
She didn't know what it was. but. after she had freed herself from her rather hairy prison, Kagome had suddenly sensed something. odd. in the tree Yura had been sitting in just minutes before. It nagged at her until the newly appointed miko found herself sprinting towards the tall form, keeping both eyes peeled for anything unusual.
"There's nothing there! What do you think you're doing!?" Yura continued to yell, leaping onto a lone strand of hair and preparing to swing over to the troublesome girl. What the hell was she trying to pull!? How could she- But before she could reach Kagome, Inuyasha decided to take some initiative.
"If there's nothing there Yura, why are you so freaked out about it?!" he sniggered, tensing his muscles, before snapping the hairs keeping him trapped with a swift, jerking motion, and then proceeding leaping gracefully to the ground. Yura looked down at him with a horrified expression. Well, things had apparently taken a nasty turn for the demon.
"You!" she accused, snarling at the FBI agent. Whipping the sword at his waist out of the scabbard, revealing the same old, rusty blade Kagome had seen him wave at Naraku at the old apartment building, Inuyasha got a predatory look in his eye. Kagome was on to something, and he loved to see Yura squirm. Best to distract the demon some more and keep her mind off Kagome.
Meanwhile, said miko had spotted something in the tree.
It was a . skull.
"Figures," Kagome sighed, daintily picking up the skull and looking it over carefully. Her miko senses were going haywire just staring at it, but she couldn't figure out how it related to Yura.
"NO!" Yura screamed gutturally, rushing at Kagome once she spotted the girl holding the pearly white skull, that had a few dead hairs still attached to its crown. Her eyes had widened terribly, and her mouth hung open as she commanded a group of hair to start forward and aim for Kagome's neck. Kagome screamed, clutching the skull to her, as she realized she had nowhere to jump to, besides down- at which point she would undoubtedly break both her legs. Luckily, Kagome didn't have to make that big decision about what she would rather be - dead or legless - because it was at that point that Inuyasha did something. different.
"STOP YURA!" he commanded in a deep growl, leaping after the demon woman as she attempted to murder his partner, and swung the blade - the Tetsusaiga- the blade that he had never been able to quite master - the blade that had belonged to his father, more or less - the blade that was feared by many a demon for its old reputation, and the blade that. suddenly began to glow oddly. Distracted, Yura glanced back, wondering what could be radiating that powerful aura behind her, nearly letting go of the hair that supported her as she spotted Inuyasha's infamous Tetsusaiga start to transform from an old, corroded and weak blade, into something larger, more powerful, and cleaner.
"YAAA!" Inuyasha gave off a great war cry as he expertly swung the newly formed blade at Yura, smiling in satisfaction as she finally gave out a cry of surprise, bright red blood gushing out of her back, and then collapsing to the ground where she sat, shaking and angry. A newly formed, deep slash made it's way down her back.
"All right Inuyasha!" Kagome cheered from the tree, the hair that had been previously flying at her going limp and collapsing to the ground near Yura.
"I- I can't believe it." Inuyasha sputtered, ignoring the throbbing pain he felt emanating from his side long enough to marvel at his master blade. He had been trying to figure this thing out for ages! And now. now this was what he had been aiming for. The Tetsusaiga, able to kill a hundred demons with one blow. Well. Maybe he couldn't pull THAT little trick off just yet, but with a little more practice. Wait till he told Miroku about this!
'What was it about this situation that finally got the Tetsusaiga to transform into the 'Steel Cleaving Fang?'' The half demon wondered distantly, still staring at his gleaming white blade with awe. 'Was it. this girl? Was it Kagome?' However, Inuyasha was given no more time to think about this, as he felt something sharp and deadly wrap around his neck, with a flick of Yura's detached hand.
"Move and I'll snap your neck off, boy. I know that demon skin is thicker than a mortals, but you won't be able to survive this blow." Yura said darkly, having shakily gotten back to her feet, and staring sadistically at the agent she now had right under her thumb. Inuyasha made a surprised choking sound as he cursed himself profusely for being distracted, and getting into this susceptible position. If only he could see the hair!
From the tree Kagome gasped harshly, eyes wide as she watched little rivulets of blood begin to poor down Inuyasha's neck. He winced, his hand gripping his sword tightly, not close enough to make an effective swing at Yura, unfortunately. Smiling, Yura, bleeding from just about every crevice of her body, turned to look up at the college student.
"Well, what will it be?" she called up to Kagome. "Your partner, or that skull?"
Well, obviously Inuyasha came first, but - but Kagome had a feeling there was more to this situation than met the eye. Why was this skull so important to Yura? Why was she so panicked that Kagome now had it in her possession, and why did Yura bring it with her at all? Kagome's eyes widened as something hit her, and she had a small, spiritual epiphany, her miko powers leading her as she reached for an arrow.
"What are you going to do girl? Shoot me?" Yura laughed, watching Kagome's actions critically. Kagome said nothing; quickly taking the arrow and never letting her eyes stray away from Yura. She knew what to do. She could feel it in her blood.
"Dammit girl! What do you think you're doing?" Inuyasha choked, shaking a bit. Was her plan to let Yura kill him? He really COULDN'T survive if Yura decided to behead him now!
Then, swiftly, proficiently, and while closing her eyes and praying for the best, deciding she would never forgive herself if she let Inuyasha get killed- Kagome plunged the arrow into the skull placed in her lap with all of the strength she possessed- sighing in relief as she heard a satisfying crack.
"NOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Yura howled, as the skull split into two, and her vision began to go dark. Inuyasha watched, barely noticing as the hairs around his neck, as well as all the other that had wrapped themselves around the park, disappeared into thin air, as Yura continued to scream at the top of her lungs, her body fading into nothing as a black power seemed to eat her from the inside out. She was dying. Kagome had done it.
She had killed Yura.
And when the echoes of Yura's scream had finally faded, and there was nothing left of her but her little leather outfit and matching headband, Inuyasha let himself crack a weak smile. His gaze quickly traveled up to his partner, still sitting in the tree and watching the space where Yura had just been, mouth hanging open. And in her hand, from inside the skull, she held a cracked comb. A cracked comb that had held Yura's soul.
"You're a fucking genius!" Inuyasha hooted, leaping up into the tree with a single bound, his precious Tetsusaiga still in hand, and throwing his free arm around Kagome's shoulder as he gave her an enthusiastic hug.
"I-I am?" the shell-shocked girl stuttered weakly. Had she really just done that?
"Yes! You definitely are. I would have never been able to kill that damned woman by just slashing at her some more. How did you know that Yura held her soul in that comb?" Inuyasha pressed. Kagome, blushing from Inuyasha's rare, animated compliments, despite the fact that she felt no pride over her first demon kill, replied hesitantly.
"Well, I just felt it. inside me." she explained lamely, not really sure how to describe the sensation of just KNOWING what to do. "My miko senses or whatever were just telling me that there was something important up here. and then they told me to destroy this comb. It was all luck, really," she admitted.
"Well, thanks, in any case," Inuyasha sighed, now sitting next to her, and smiling broadly. Finally! That battle had gone on just a little too long for his liking, and there had been just a few too many close calls.
"Yeah, and you and your sword weren't half bad either. What's up with it, any- Oh my God!" Kagome suddenly gasped, quickly forgetting about the new Tetsusaiga, which she noticed had reverted back to its old form, and was now nothing but a rusty blade, as she spotted Inuyasha's wound. The slash that went all the way through to the other side of his back. it looked notably painful, and Kagome wondered how he was holding up so well.
'But he can heal really fast, like last time with Naraku.' she remembered dimly, touching the blood soaked cloth of Inuyasha's shirt delicately, frowning. Inuyasha began to look vaguely uncomfortable, not used to people fawning over his wounds.
"Oh, it's nothing!" he growled, shooing Kagome's hands away.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "I know you can heal fast, but I still think I should bandage this wound!"
"I'll be fine," he insisted, folding his arms resolutely. Kagome raised an eyebrow, and deciding she could press the matter later. Right now, she was really too exhausted to do anything besides maybe stare blankly into the distance for a while.
"Inuyasha." she mumbled softly, letting her head drop onto the muscular hanyou's shoulder- the unwounded one, of course.
"Yeah?" he asked, tensing as he felt Kagome's soft, raven hair, brush up against his skin. She was so close.
"How did you find me?" she wanted to know. Why HAD Inuyasha come to her rescue, as she had wanted him to? It seemed too perfect - not that she didn't appreciate it, and all.
"Well, you called me," Inuyasha admitted hesitantly.
"Called you?" Kagome asked, confused.
"I heard you. inside my head. and you lead me here," Inuyasha continued, realizing he sounded like a nutcase. But - it was the truth.
'Oh my God. when I prayed for Inuyasha to come save me. he heard!?' the girl gasped, putting a hand to her mouth and staring at her lap.
"It must have been my miko magic," the girl decided, smiling lightly and relaxing. "You know - this whole being a powerful priestess thing isn't so bad! It's saved me a lot of times now." she pointed out tiredly. "I should. really thank. Kaede and. Miroku." Inuyasha gave off a rare, fond smile as he watched Kagome's breathing begin to fall into an even pattern. Poor human. She was probably exhausted. And she deserved to have a good sleep after all this.
Actually, it was slightly disturbing that Naraku had gotten Yura to come after Kagome. Why had the new addition to the demon FBI suddenly become a target for this killer? Was it because of her purifying abilities? He thought not. more likely; it was to get under Inuyasha's skin. And to weaken and divide the forces that were trying to stop the sniveling monster. Inuyasha frowned and glanced at Kagome once more. he wouldn't let her be hurt, especially when it was partially his fault she was now tangled in up in this mess. She hadn't wanted to join the FBI, and she shouldn't have to be hurt because of it. He frowned lightly as he noticed numerous cuts scattering her form, noting how she hadn't complained about any of them, and instead chose to dote over his own wounds. What an odd girl.
Unconsciously, Inuyasha raised his hand to wipe away a stray drop of blood that had come from the paper-thin slice across her cheek. She was really very pretty. and she looked. so much like. Kikyo.
"OHMIGOD!" Kagome abruptly shrieked, sitting straight up and scaring Inuyasha so that he quickly zipped to the other side of branch.
.And yet she was most definitely not the former Priestess, in so many ways.
"W-what is it?" Inuyasha asked, placing a hand to his chest and flattening his ears. Ye gads that girl could scream.
"Shippou! I totally forgot! I left him alone at the apartment! He's going to be so scared! Oh God this is terrible!" Kagome looked terribly flustered, biting her lip and frowning deeply as she tried to shimmy her way back down the tree, wondering just how far she was from her apartment now. not even one night with the kitsune and already she was acting like a terrible mother figure!
Kagome let out a small gasp as she felt Inuyasha gently grab her around the waist, and hoist her effortlessly onto his back. The girl made a little squeaking sound as she looped her arms around his neck, surprised. What was he.
"Come on, I'll give you a ride home," he joked, leaping from the tree, and traveling in the direction of Kagome's apartment.
"Oh you don't have to do this. really." Kagome said, closing her eyes and trying not to focus on the fact that the physically enhanced hanyou was leaping from rooftop to rooftop at inhumanly fast speeds. "Really."
"No, it's all right. The office is this way anyway, and I guess I'm going to need to check in with the agents investigating Yura now. God. I would have called for backup or something if your cry for help hadn't taken me by surprise," he admitted, wincing a little as he landed badly on a roof and felt a biting pain shoot up his side. Kagome frowned, trying to get a look at Inuyasha's face from her place on his back.
"Maybe you should make a pit stop at my apartment and get bandaged up, hm? You don't have to pretend getting run through with a sword doesn't hurt." She added.
"But it doesn't for a hanyou!. well, not really," he huffed, testosterone levels desperately trying to reach a comfortable level of manliness. He didn't need to be babied! Kagome sighed - she knew his kind.
"Okay, how about this - it would make ME feel better if you would come inside and let me clean your gash. All right?" she tried. This seemed to sit better with Inuyasha's masculine pride.
"We'll see." Translation? Yes. Okay. You win already.
The second the duo landed on Kagome's fire escape, Kagome threw the window open and jumped into her bedroom, eyes darting around frantically in search of her tiny charge.
"Shippou!" she called into the apartment, looking immensely worried. What would Kaede say if she LOST Shippou? However, Kagome needn't have worried, because at that moment a particularly anxious looking kitsune hopped into the room, leaping into Kagome's arms and crying piteously.
"I thought you'd left me!!" Shippou sobbed, burying his head in Kagome's chest. Kagome's features immediately softened, and she petted Shippou's head comfortingly.
"Oh. don't worry. I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry." Kagome cooed, as Shippou appeared to gradually calm down after being subjected to her soothing aura. Sniffling, he peered over the girl's shoulder, where he spotted an awkward looking Inuyasha still standing by the window, hands stuffed in his pockets.
"You." Shippou hissed accusingly. "What are YOU doing in Kagome's home?"
"None of your business, brat," Inuyasha tactfully shot back. Kagome sighed and exited the room, not needing Inuyasha to upset the baby demon once more. She had just settled his nerves, and didn't need him getting into a fight.
"Um." Inuyasha said hesitantly, wondering if he should follow Kagome, or just leave. He wasn't overly comfortable hanging around in her apartment.
"Come on." Kagome called as she entered the kitchen, groaning as she realized she STILL didn't have any food. "I'll treat your wounds as soon as we've had something to eat. Um. you want something?" she asked politely.
"What do you have?"
".Not much." Kagome admitted.
"No, I got stuff," Shippou said casually.
"What?" Kagome asked quickly, whirling around to look at the little Kitsune, now sitting on a stool in the kitchen, swinging his tiny feet around innocently.
"Yeah, well, I got really hungry. so I just went out and got some ramen for myself," he admitted. "I found some money on your dresser."
"But. I thought you were really young!" Kagome said, unable to understand how someone as tiny as Shippou could actually REACH the ramen in the supermarket.
"I told you, demon children mature faster than human ones," Shippou reminded her as Kagome put a pot of water on the stove, shaking her head.
"Yeah but."
"He's a kitsune Kagome, they have their ways," Inuyasha said sagely, falling onto the couch. Not at all sure what he was talking about, Kagome decided to go get some bandages for her partner while the water was starting to boil.
"Oh, Inuyasha, thanks for your jacket," Kagome said kindly, removing the big leather jacket and laying it next to Inuyasha on the couch. "It really helped,"
"Don't mention it," Inuyasha said, averting his gaze as he unbuttoned his shirt for Kagome, so she could get a better look at the wound. She neatly placed her first aid box on a table near the couch, quickly opening it and at least looking like she had a vague idea of what she was doing.
"Ohhh. that looks like it HURTS!" Shippou said, eyeing the injury with raised eyebrows. "What happened to you?"
"I um. fell down the stairs," Inuyasha said, his expression totally serious.
"Uh hu. and that's what made Kagome two hours late?"
"Yes. Definitely. That would be correct - because it was a really BAD fall!" Kagome enthused, using a dampened washcloth to carefully clean the dried blood around and in the wound. While she was having doubts about just how innocent Shippou really was, there truly was no reason to scare him with tales about Yura. The woman had freaked her out, personally, and she didn't want Shippou staying up with nightmares.
"Riight," Shippou said, rolling his eyes and going to add the ramen into the now boiling water.
"Be careful Shippou!" Kagome called to the little demon, satisfied that the wound was thoroughly cleansed, and taking out a length of bandage. "Say Inuyasha." Kagome commented after a moment, wrapping the bandage around Inuyasha's chest carefully, and trying to ignore the fact that he was very well sculpted. God. six packs were a beautiful thing. "What should we tell everyone? I mean. shouldn't we report this like, now?" Kagome asked, a bit confused as to what the protocol was for being attacked by fugitive convicts and then killing them.
"Well, I'm going to head over to headquarters right now and leave some messages. But, I mean. you're not going to be in trouble for killing her, if that's what your worried about. I would say this was most definitely an act of self defense, AND were officers of the law, so we're doubly safe,"
"Ohh. I'm an officer of the law?" Kagome giggled excitedly, putting the extra length of bandage away, and snapping the first aid case back up.
"Not exactly. You're. temporarily assisting us on a case, so I don't think that makes you a real agent," Inuyasha pointed out.
"Spoilsport."
"Whatever. But, um, thanks . for bandaging me up, and everything. It feels better," the hanyou admitted sheepishly, not used to thanking people very much for, well, anything. But Kagome was one of those rare people where it felt totally okay to thank her for anything she did, because she was just so. sweet.
"Anytime, partner," she said happily, giving off a breathtaking smile as Shippou hopped up to the duo with a pot of ramen that, even though his arms were incredibly tiny, he seemed to be holding with relative ease.
"Hey - you guys want some? Or would you prefer to stare at one another all night? Because we could do that."
*
Around forty minutes later Kagome found herself fondly gazing at the little, surprisingly sharp, kitsune, as he slept peacefully in the pullout couch bed - dead to the world. On his face he wore a small, contented smile, and Kagome got the sense that he was really at ease in her apartment. Good.
"Well, it's been an interesting night, if nothing else," Kagome sighed, collapsing into a chair and smiling sleepily at her hanyou partner as he put his empty ramen bowl into the dishwasher. How considerate of him.
"Yeah, and it's not even over for me. YOU don't have to go down to headquarters and face a bunch of pissed off agents, still trying to figure out where the hell Yura is," Kagome laughed in agreement, sympathetic but not willing to make the trek to the FBI offices with Inuyasha - she wasn't THAT nice.
"Sorry," she mumbled sleepily, absently touching one of the many band- aids covering the tiny lacerations that decorated her body. She hadn't thought much of her little cuts, but Inuyasha and Shippou had insisted she tend to her own wounds so that they didn't get infected and eventually scar. Luckily, Kagome was feeling a minimal amount of pain. It just felt more as though she had encountered a very angry book, and had been brutally sliced numerous times by its pages of doom.
"Hey. Kagome, I meant what I said before. Thanks. For everything. I couldn't have gotten rid of Yura without you," Inuyasha said after a moment of struggling with himself, awkwardly running his claws through his hair and avoiding looking Kagome directly in the eyes. He didn't think he had ever complimented or thanked anyone this much in his LIFE. Not even his ex- partner.
"Well, thank you too, for saving my life - many times over." Kagome replied kindly, looking up at Inuyasha, who had once again adorned his spiffy leather jacket and was preparing to take off into the night. It was hard to tell in the dim lighting of her small, stuffed apartment, but she could have sworn the tough agent had an almost affectionate look on his face. How cute. "And good luck, with the mean agents back at.. HQ." At this point the twenty year old was trailing off though, her eyes firmly sliding shut almost involuntarily. Inuyasha sighed as he looked down upon the girl, realizing she had fallen asleep on him for the second time that night, but finding it physically impossible to frown at her as he realized she was unconscious. He just couldn't get mad at Kagome when she looked so adorable, sleeping with her head on her shoulder, gently snoring.
Unable to resist, Inuyasha lifted Kagome gently into his arms, swiftly heading in the direction of her room. Carefully kicking the door open, and shifting his shoulder against the light switch until it came on, he placed the girl on her bed. Deciding she looked a little cold, just sprawled out like that all alone, he threw a quilt over her, and then stepped back to look at his handy work. Good. She was still sleeping.
And suddenly she looked pretty. really pretty.
So, she wasn't like Kikyo, his partner from days of old. But, Kikyo was the dreaded ex! It was a good thing Kagome didn't act like her! And, besides, he was starting to really like this girl, who was proving to be a good partner - if not exactly cut out for the world of crime fighting. Why should he want her to be like Kikyo? Kikyo had been cold and serious and mysterious and powerful. where as Kagome was kind, and warm and funny and compassionate.
He decided he rather liked her.
So, giving off a truly happy smile for the first time in a long while, the twenty-five year old quietly slid open the window and slipped out into the cold night, easily jumping from roof to roof on his way to the office.
*
"Man Kagome, I still can't believe that Yura came after YOU!" Miroku cried, throwing his arms up as he walked Kagome to Kaede's office, early the next morning. Kagome yawned in acknowledgment, drowsily going over her schedule for the day, and listening to Miroku's rant with only one ear. She was still extremely exhausted from her activities last night, and had been almost relieved when she had relinquished Shippou over to another agent to be cared for, earlier, seeing as he apparently had a surplus of energy just waiting to be used that she simply couldn't deal with. "I mean, you could have been killed!"
Meet with Kaede to talk about attack. and payments. and Shippou.
"And the fact that SHE was sent by Naraku? It's crazy!"
Stay until 2:00 at office and then head over to class at the university.
"You're incredibly lucky you were able to utilize your miko powers to call Inuyasha- I had no idea you were excelling this quickly with your skills as a priestess."
Call Mom and deter her from coming over later that night.
"But, you know, we're all worried about you and Naraku now,"
Pick up Shippou- feed him dinner.
"Kaede said she's going to be taking some extreme measures to make sure you're not harmed by him further."
Got to sleep- waitasec. Extreme measures?
"What sort of extreme measures?" Kagome asked curiously, looking the dashing priest in the eye.
"I don't know, she didn't go into it, but she looked really serious. I'd be worried if I were you, maybe," the priest admitted somberly.
"Perfect," Kagome muttered, knocking on Kaede's door, having reached her office. Miroku waved goodbye and continued on his way down the hall, as Kagome quickly stepped into the well-furnished room, admittedly a bit worried. What sort of things did Kaede plan to do in order to ensure Kagome's safety? She didn't want to look conspicuous around family and friends, but.
"Ah, Kagome, you're here. Good." Kaede said, as she watched the younger woman enter the room and cautiously take a seat in front of her desk. Kaede pushed aside the mountain of paper worked stacked unpromisingly in front of her, so she could properly look Kagome in the eye. "You are all right after last night, aren't you?" the detective started off with, raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
"Yes. um, Inuyasha took care of me," Kagome assured the woman. Kaede got an odd look on her face for a second, before nodding.
"Wonderful. So, I assume you realize this means you're going to have to hand in another report. I've already heard the tale from Inuyasha - it sounded like a real bloodbath, and I'm sorry, but I'd love to read what happened from your point of view. Especially with all of those miko tricks you were pulling. You've advanced, haven't you?" the woman asked.
"I suppose. but it's not as though I have any real control," Kagome admitted with a sigh. "I only seem to be able to use purifying powers when I'm near death."
"Better than never," Kaede pointed out. "Do you think anything happened last night that's worth bringing up with me now?"
"Actually, there was that bit about Naraku sending Yura after me..." Kagome said tentatively. At this Kaede got a grave expression on her face and folded her arms with a frown. "It's not like I'm scared or anything, you know!" Kagome quickly assured the detective.
"I'm sure you're not, but I'M still worried about all this. I don't know if I'd be able to forgive myself if I let you get hurt out there - especially when we've practically forced you into this job," Kaede added with a sad scowl.
"Oh, it's all right. really." Kagome said, shrugging. "You warned me about the consequences of taking a dangerous job like this when I first agreed to help out in bringing in Naraku."
"Yes, but I still want to make sure you are kept safe while working with us, and do something that would put my mind at ease - something that would most definitely protect you from Naraku if you were to be involved in an attack like that again. Already last night was cutting it too close, so I want to have something that will ensure your safety 24/7," Kagome, although still sticking by her fears that this new development might alert friends and family to the fact that her job was a bit abnormal, had to admit that Kaede's idea was sounding rather appealing. Her encounter with Yura HAD been frightening, and it would be nice to have the knowledge that it wouldn't happen again. or that she had at least had some form of protection if it did happen.
"This sounds okay to me, I guess. but what do you plan on doing?" Kagome said flatly.
"Kagome, you are a valuable asset to our investigation now, and your safety means very much to us. I know that it would be a very good thing for Naraku if you were to be taken out of the picture, so I only want to do what will make sure you are NEVER taken out of the picture," Kaede said seriously, leaning forward, the light streaming in from the large window behind her darkening her figure. Kagome frowned and nodded, completely agreeing with Kaede. That's right! She had to stay in the picture! Yes!
"So, what are we going to do?" Kagome pressed again.
"Well. I know it's a hassle what with you living with Shippou now, so this arrangement might actually help." Kaede said. "But what I want to do is. I think what would be best for you at this point in time would be to."
"Have Inuyasha move into your apartment as well,"
There was a long, pregnant pause, during which Kagome sat, staring at the elderly detective in front of her with wide eyes and a disbelieving expression. Kaede looked totally relaxed, patiently waiting for the girls' reaction.
"No." Kagome said, regaining control of her vocal cords. "No. I think I'm going to have to draw the line there. Yeah. No. No. We're not doing that."
Kaede's only reaction was to frown ominously.
*
A/N-
Sorry I had to cut this chapter short, but I really should be working on other fics! I don't know if this story is going to go on hiatus for real now, but we'll see. I just can't seem to leave it alone! And this was a pretty nasty cliffhanger, so I might update just because I feel bad about it.
. Kaede seems to be constantly meddling in Kagome's life, and Kagome keeps rolling over for her. so I don't really know what's going to happen next. Well, actually, I kinda do. I know most of you would just love it if Inuyasha and Kagome ended up living together, so I'll do my best, just for you. Anywho, I would really appreciate if you would all review and voice your opinions because I really do take them into account when I write chapters .especially because I have no idea where this story is really going - I only know how it's going to end, at this point. And I keep changing my mind about that, as well!
Well, enough rambling - go and review! Thanks for reading,
Your friend, Rio Grande.