Chapter 5: Unwanted visitors and Dirty Dealings
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but the storyline is mine.
Author's Note: I had some trouble uploading the last one, and ended up loading the non-spell checked version, so I apologize for the dumb spelling errors. Hope it didn't interfere with anyone's reading! And thank you to those who reviewed! It makes it a lot easier to keep writing the story with that kind of support. - ) Hope you enjoy this chapter! Please review and let me know what you think! azami
Last time: Inuyasha and Miroku returned to a semi-awake Kagome, sitting up talking with Sango. Inuyasha couldn't hide his happiness in seeing Kagome awake, and at least somewhat alert. He kneeled down beside her, and took her cheek into his hand, caressing it gently. "Hey there, sleepyhead. You had me worried…" She placed her hand on his and smiled warmly. Sango and Miroku took that as their cue to leave, and rushed out the door of the hut. "Inuyasha, I don't know what happened…" she then said, tears brimming her eyes. He could see the pain and weakness in her eyes, and felt a jolt of anger. He gazed at her, knowing how much he loved this woman, and his expression softened. Inuyasha took Kagome into his arms, cradling her in his lap, rocking gently to soothe her. "Shhh…don't worry about that now…" he murmured. She raised her face to him, and look deep into his eyes. "I love you, Inuyasha…" He stared at her for a moment, taking in the wealth of emotion that rushed through him as he heard her utter those words. "I love you, Kagome…"
He sat with her cradled in his lap until she fell to sleep again, this time resting more soundly than she had in days. As he held her, the contempt he now felt toward Kikyo built, his blood boiling. "I don't care what bond we're supposed to have, Kikyo," Inuyasha growled to himself, "You're not going to get away with this…."
After a few more days of rest and treatments, Kagome was well enough to be up and moving around. She and Inuyasha were inseparable (mostly because Inuyasha refused to leave her alone for any amount of time). Sango and Miroku knew that she was feeling better when they'd hear the two bickering. On the sixth day of her recovery, Kagome emerged from the hut, looking much more vibrant than she had in the past days. Shippo ran toward her, jumping into her arms. "Kagome! You're feeling better!" Kagome giggled, hugging the kitsune. "Yes, Shippo. I'm feeling much better." Inuyasha grumbled, and then turn scold Shippo.
"Hey you little runt! Don't go jumping on her like that! She's not completely well yet!"
Shippo puffed up his chest and shouted back, waving his arms about, glaring at the short-tempered hanyou, "I can see her if I want! And I was just saying hi! Besides she says she feels better!"
Inuyasha growled, "I'm gone thump you, you little twerp!" Inuyasha raised his hand to give Shippo a crack over the head when Kagome spoke, interrupting his attempted attack.
"Inuyasha…..SIT!" She shook her head at him, as Inuyasha crashed into the earth, leaving a hanyou-sized crater in the dirt. Inuyasha raised his head stiffly, and groaned, "I REALLY wish you'd stop doing that!" he grumbled through clenched teeth. Kagome giggled, and then offered her hand to help him up. He looked up at her; her eyes shinned with laughter and a giggled parted from her perfect lips, and he melted. He'd never been able to stay mad at her for long…
Once on his feet, Inuyasha pulled Kagome to him, letting out a low, playful growl. She giggled again, circling her arms around him as he nuzzled her neck. Then, out of nowhere, Inuyasha detected the scent of a youkai, coming upon them quickly. He recognized the scent almost instantly, and scowled heavily. Surely, it was none other than- "Koga! What're you doing here!" Kagome exclaimed, as a whirling dervish of dust stopped short beside them.
"Hey there, Kagome," he said to her slyly with that same old cocky grin on his face.
"Yeah, Koga, what the fuck are you doing here. Come to get your ass kicked?" Inuyasha growled, his fists clenched at his sides.
Koga waved him off, keeping his eyes fixed on Kagome. "Give it a rest, dog boy. I just came to check on MY woman." The wolf demon tribe leader grinned at Kagome, who winced, knowing that Inuyasha was fuming by this point.
"Why you….that's it you son-of-a-bitch! You're going down right now!" Inuyasha withdrew the Tetsaiga, and went into fighting stance. The wolf demon turned toward him and laughed. "On you gonna get me with your big bad sword? How about you put that down and THEN fight you, you pussy!" Inuyasha growled again, "Back….off….Kagome." He spoke with much contempt and anger, and the wolf demon's grin disappeared from his face.
"Better be careful there, fleabag. You might get yourself hurt," the wolf demon growled. Kagome rolled her eyes at the two and sighed. Normally, by now, she would've already SAT Inuyasha to prevent any further altercation, but now that she knew how he felt about her, she couldn't do it. Besides, she was really tired of Koga referring to her as "his woman." So instead, she piped up, in hopes that it would stop them from fighting.
"Koga, I'm fine, really. Inuyasha's been taking great care of me!" she chirped, pasting a bright smile on her face, trying to drop a hint to the wolf demon. Koga eyed her skeptically, and then laughed, "Yeah well I doubt that with this half-wit half-breed." Kagome felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise up, and anger boiled in the pit of her stomach. "Ok, I've had enough of his arrogance," she thought to herself. "Koga, I think you should go…NOW," she said curtly. Koga smirked again, and stepped in closer to Kagome. "You know, I love when you get all feisty like that. I really should take you as my mate soon," he whispered, his overly confident swagger ringing through in his words. Kagome furrowed her brow at him and waved him off, "Koga, I'm not interested in being your mate." She wanted to follow it up with "Besides, I plan on being mates with Inuyasha," but she didn't want to be over-presumptuous, being that they hadn't even discussed that matter.
"Yeah, hear that? Get lost scumbag!" Inuyasha shouted at him.
"Mind your own business, puppy!" Koga fired back at him. Kagome stepped back from him, and spoke again, more firmly this time, "Koga, I really think you should go now." Koga looked at Kagome and smirked. "Mark my words, my love, you'll get tired of the half-breed. When you do…well you know how to find me." Kagome rolled her eyes again as the far-too-overly-confident wolf demon, as he sped off into the distance, finally leaving them alone.
"Why didn't you let me just kill him?" Inuyasha grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. Kagome shook her head, " Because Inuyasha…well…first off, he's after the same thing we are…taking down Naraku. At this point, we could use all the allies that we can get. And secondly, you don't have to kill someone just because they flirt with me!" She sighed, exasperated with his constant need to solve things with violence. The hanyou frowned, his ears drooping with disappointment. "But I'm only trying to protect you. And anyway, I don't like him sniffing around my ma-I mean…um…the girl I love…" Inuyasha gulped down his words, realizing what he'd almost said. Kagome's eyes were wide, as she too had realized what he'd almost said. Inuyasha had almost called Kagome his mate. "Kagome…I…um…," he sputtered nervously. He'd wanted to ask her to be his mate, but there'd be no opportune time to do so. Was now really the right time? Both of them stood there in utter silence, shocked into a sort of paralysis. Suddenly, they were saved by the sound of Sango's voice calling out to them.
They returned to the hut, looking to see what it was Sango was calling to them about. Upon entering, Kagome looked to Sango, "What's up, Sango?" Sango was kneeling in front of the fire pit with the cooking pot set up over it. She looked up to her friends and smiled broadly, "Well, I figure that everyone's probably hungry, so I cooked up some of the ramen you brought back last time." Inuyasha whooped, and hurriedly took a bowl of hot ramen from Sango, "Woo hoo! Ninja food!" He then sat down quickly and began to gulp down the food. Kagome laughed and took a seat beside him, also taking a bowl of noodles from Sango.
Miroku then entered, taking his bowl of ramen, and sat beside Sango. He cleared his throat and shot Inuyasha a look, hinting that they should use this time to address the details of the attack with the girls. Inuyasha looked back at him puzzled, but then got what he was trying to say. Miroku decided to take the reigns, knowing that Inuyasha probably wasn't sure of how to begin the inquiry. "So, Kagome," Miroku started, clearing his throat, "Can you recall anything from the night of the attack? Perhaps an intimate detail that might be a clue as to what exactly transpired?" Kagome looked up at him, cringing a little, but then took a deep breath. "All I really remember is that it was so hot…it felt like I was being cooked alive….and….there was a very faint glow…..almost….pinkish…," she said, her voice dropping off. "Ohmigosh…" she whispered. Inuyasha sense the change in her demeanor, "What is it Kagome?" All three of them were staring at her intently, waiting for her to finish. Kagome looked back and forth between the three of them, and then returned her eyes to the ground. "Inuyasha…," she whispered, "It was the same glow that I see when I shoot my arrows…" She met his eyes and when she saw no sign of surprise in his expression, she knew that he'd already come to the conclusion as to the identity of her attacker. "Kikyo….," she whispered, wavering in her spot. Inuyasha was quick to take hold of her as she fainted dead away.
It was about an hour before Kagome came to. Inuyasha paced back and forth until he hear her emit a small groan. "Ugh…what happened?" she said, squinting her eyes at the bright sunlight. Inuyasha was now kneeling at her side, pushing the hair away from her face. "You passed out," he replied simply, his eyes filled with concern. Kagome pulled herself into an upright position, and pulled her knees to her chest. She sat in contemplation for some time, and the silence made Inuyasha uneasy. "So now Kikyo wants to kill me, huh?" she asked, raising her eyes to Inuyasha. He had trouble bringing words to his lips, but she continued on. "Does this mean that we can't be together? Because…of your…bond…with her?" She looked at him sadly, as if waiting for him to confirm her fears, but instead she found a look of raging anger to have spread across his face. "No," he growled, his voice grainy and cold, "It doesn't mean that. I won't let that happen." Kagome's eyes widened, her surprise evident. "But how will you…" she began, but was interrupted by Inuyasha suddenly rising to his feet. "I'll stop her, whatever it takes. Even if it means killing her." With that he left the hut and bounded off into the forest. Kagome frowned, unsure of why he'd left so suddenly, and though she was tempted to follow after him, instead she laid back down on her matt, let herself drift into a light sleep.
Somewhere near the Northern Mountains…
Kikyo stopped in the midst of a thick haven of trees set upon a steep incline. She could sense Naraku's barrier close by, but was unable to figure it's exact locale. "So what do you want with Naraku?" a voice said, out of nowhere.
Kikyo quickly turned in the direction of the voice, and found her eyes to fall upon Kagura, one of Naraku's incarnations.
"What business is it of yours?" Kikyo replied matter-of-factly.
The Wind Sorceress laughed with indignation and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning into a nearby tree-trunk. "Well, if you reason isn't worthwhile, what makes you think that he's going to waste his time talking to you?" Kikyo stared at her, unresponsive. "I wish to speak to Naraku," was all she said. Kagura smirked, "Well, you're lucky that he's interested in talking to you. Follow me." She then turned toward the castle and headed in its direction. The miko followed her to the border and entered the barrier behind her. Once in the castle, Kagura ordered Kikyo to stay put, and then rushed off through another door leading deeper into the castle. "So…you finally see it my way, do you?" a voice quipped, the tone sending chills up even Kikyo's spine. She turned slowly until her eyes rested upon Naraku. "I see that things are not going as planned with your beloved half-breed. And now you've lost him to a mere copy of your former self…that must really piss you off, Kikyo." Naraku was sporting a menacing sneer as he gazed at the deceased miko. She returned his stare, unrelenting in her purpose for seeking him out. "I wish to enlist your help in destroying that girl, Kagome."
Naraku perched himself on the edge of a windowsill, the moonlight flashing across his sinister face, still showing his trademark smirk. "And what can you possibly offer me that will be of any use to me?"
Kikyo, obviously unaffected by Naraku's aura, stepped toward him. "The guarantee that you shall be able to complete your mission." He looked up at her with interest, "Go on…"
Kikyo launched into the plan she'd been musing over in her mind during her journey to his castle. "You see…if you help me to destroy this girl, then her death will allow for me to rightfully claim Inuyasha as my own, and take him to hell when I should return. In that, this will free you of his troubling you. Also, you will have the remaining shards of the Shikon jewel, other than those possessed by that wolf demon, which I'm sure you could easily acquire. And….Inuyasha's sword…the Tetsaiga. It has immense power…and coupled with what you already possess…you could surely tread forth with no difficulty. Because you are as well a hanyou, you are able to wield it, unlike any full blood youkai." Naraku eyed her, trying to detect any foul play that may be present. He detested the fact that she'd brought up his being a hanyou, he saw her point clearly. "Alright then, perhaps we can work something out." The two then began to discuss what was to come, but were unaware of Kagura standing just outside the doorway, listening to their entire conversation.
"If he helps her to destroy that Kagome girl, and Naraku has possession of Inuyasha's sword, I'll never be able to escape Naraku!" she cried desperately to herself. Kagura had longed wished to separate herself from Naraku's grasp, and wasn't about to give up on obtaining that wish. "I've got to do something…" she whispered. She then took off outside, lifting herself into the air on her feather, in the direction of Inuyasha and the others.
Hmm….what's Kagura up to? Why is she going to see Inuyasha and gang? Perhaps she knows something to help them destroy Naraku...And Kikyo's dealing some dirty deeds, but Inuyasha won't let her get away with it. What's gonna happen? Read next time to find out! Thanks for taking the time to read! Please review! ;) azami