SERIOUSLY EDITED

Okay, this is definitely going to be different. It is a strange idea, and I have no idea where I came up with it, but I like the scheme. Instead of doing my usual AU fic, this is going to be WAY out there… Inu/Kag, of course. Well, not necessarily an Inu/Kag romance, but certainly a conflict between them. I may add romance here and there... but I guess the title kind of gives me away.

Disclaimer:

I don't own Inuyasha or the characters in it, but I DO own everything else. Ku ku ku...

"Hime-sama."

The princess's head turned slightly, looking towards the small intercom. The metal device was but a few feet away from where she resided in her chair, but she did not get up, nor did she answer. She closed her eyes irately, turning her head from the box to face her window, her expression a clutter of dull emotions.

"Hime-sama."

She gazed silently out of her window, the vast expanse of glass stretching the entire length of her wall, revealing a glimmer of ocean life before her. The soft lights of the inner city reef reflected a soft glow through the waters, lying lightly on her features.

"Hime-sama! Are you there?"

Her hands slammed down against the edge of her chair, stiffly standing and strutting over towards the intercom in swift, rigid strides. Pursing her lips for the interruption, she flicked a finger out, pressing the voice button on the tela-communication device. "Yes?" she answered, her smooth, well-practiced tone covering the irritation threatening to burst forth from her voice.

"Hime-sama, our radars have confirmed that a small fleet is approaching the city, just as you had predicted. They appear to not be heavily armed, and seem to only be scouting the area."

The princess was silent. Of course they were approaching the city. Of course they were only scouting the area. Of course it was what she had predicted. That was her job, was it not; to to use her gift of foresight, to protect her people, to uphold the burden of such ridiculous prophecies?

She opened her eyes slowly, watching a school of fish swim by her line of vision, their sliver skin catching a stray ray of florescent light from her room and glittering happily. Her lips turned upwards in a small smile.

"Hime-sama?"

"Yes, continue," she replied, her tone of voice even, sweet, and flawless. It had to be.

"What shall we do?"

She paused, her attention distracted by a soft flutter outside her window. She turned, her long gown swishing lightly against the carpet of her room, her grey-blue eyes softening at the stunning colors of the schools of fish fluttering in the waters on the other side of the circular glass. So beautiful, so elegant… so simple.

"Just as I had planned," she replied, her eyes falling back to focus on the iridescent that was freely glistening outside of her room.

"Shall we take any hostages?"

She closed her eyes, pushing back the weakness in them as she drew in a breath, a vision fleetingly passing by her consciousness.

She stood before the battlefeild, her hands trembling as the clenched the cold hilt of a dagger. They were everywhere. Slumped against abandoned weapons, sprawled upon the ground, hanging from the walls... and blood. It was everywhere. She felt a bile rise in her throat, her eyes trained on the blood on her hands, coated thickly on her blade.

She trembled, raising her eyes from her quivering blade to the smirks of her enemy. A red fog began to cloud her vision as she clenched her fist around the dagger, her trembling now vision tremors as the ground shook below her. They were all dead... They killed them.

They killed them...

Her eyes opened slowly, narrowed, fist clenching as her mind's eye was flooded with the death of her people. Her eyes opened, narrowed and strangely cold as she stared into the dark depths of the ocean. "No." Her eyebrows drew down, curling her expression into bitter animosity. "The same as before. We will kill them all."

She paused thoughtfully, her lips pursed. "Actually..." she said, "I will accompany the attack force personally."

"But, Hime-sama--"

Kagome's finger flicked up and cut the connection before the officer at the other end had a chance to complete his sentence. But as soon as it had overtaken her, the hatred of her grey eyes began to fade, and she felt a cool sensation wash over her as she revisited her previous neutrality.

Was this a blessing? To be able to change her emotions with the slightest provocation? Or perhaps it was, rather, a curse. The curse of her existence. An ironic smile tilted against the soft frown on her lips.

She stood there, her eyes still trained on the fish outside of her window, watching with a slight glimmer of playfulness in her eyes until they swam from view. Her eyes fell sad as she watched their colors blend in with the murky depths of the ocean, her joy fading with their glimmering scales.

Sighing softly, she turned from the glass and walked towards her wardrobe. Was this how she would spend the rest of her life? Locked here, in her room?

Her eyes narrowed. No. This was why she was their princess. She could change it. Her children would not have to be caged as she was, not have to fear attacks on the city day by day, would not have to see their friends and relatives one day and hear of their death or capture the next. She would going to change it.

Kagome's slender fingers brushed over the familiar surface of the wardrobe's engraved handles, grasping them firmly and sliding open the double doors to reveal her armor.

The princess flipped her long, dark hair up in a bun and secured it with a few pieces of long, sharp coral while humming a forlorn tune of the past. The young woman grabbed her amour and pulled it over her almost bare chest, smoothing down the thin, transparent shirt underneath. Her nimble fingers slid over the smooth protection of the silver material, and she snapped the armor shell firmly into place over her breasts.

Kagome drifted over to the pool in the center of the garden and sat down on the edge of her salt-water pond, frowning at her image in the watery mirror. Her amour didn't really protect that much of her bare skin, but was designed that way strictly for better maneuverability. The only thing covering her arms and belly was the tight, silvery shirt that she wore underneath it, slippery and smooth but tough as any armor. She snapped the clasp of her belt, which held a small dagger securely in a small scabbard around her waist. Satisfied with the position of her small blade, she sat down on the edge of the pool.

Her blue-grey eyes stared down at her reflection in the water, frowning softly. How many more years would this battle go on? Ten? One Hundred? One Thousand? It could even end tomorrow, as it was impossible to tell. A strand of obsidian hair slipped forward from her bun, falling into her line of sight. Kagome sighed and tucked it back behind her ear, looking down into the pond mournfully.

Was this her role in life? To follow in the footsteps of her ancestors? To battle? It couldn't be. She wouldn't let it be.

She bit her lip. She always felt so... unlike herself. As if she was playing the role of someone that she was not. She gazed down at her hands, her eyes soft and thoughtful. Who was she? She did not even remember any of her life before her sixteenth year. After two years, the amnesia had yet to wear away, gripping strongly onto her childhood.

She always felt a hollowness about her, but never as strongly as when she was in battle. If she ever felt more secluded and absent of emotions, it was when her fingers grasped the cold metal of a sword's hilt, or the rough texture of a staff.

She was a master of every weapon. It was all she remembered of herself; the gentle swish of an arrow's tail, the twang of a released bow, and the smooth stroke of a sword against flesh.

Yet it drained her. Every time she grasped the rush of adrenaline, her heart clenched. She could not bear death, though she dealt its evil upon every summon. If it would be in her power to win this war without fighting, she may be able to touch the fading gentleness harbored in her soul.

Maybe she was just getting weaker. Perhaps she was loosing her will, her fortitude. Such was common in these times. But not for her. She was not allowed to become weakened by the merciful or tender feelings that was so easily her nature.

With another sigh, she flicked the water with her finger, watching the wrinkles of water ripple outwards from the disturbance she had created. Her reflection wavered. Why was it, though she could see glimpses of the future, that she could not predict or see any of her own future? Perhaps she would not let herself see, in fear of seeing the failure of her race. In fear of seeing the failure of her own life.

Snorting at the image in the water, she swatted it away with her hand, the ripples undulating outwards and breaking against the lilies floating on the top of the clear pool. She shouldn't be crying over herself. Reaching down, she plucked the seashells from the bottom of the pool, and stood. Hanging a collection of sharpened shells from the bottom of her silver breastplate, she grabbed her staff and walked out towards her small party of militia awaiting her outside.

She pulled out a small pill, gazing at it quietly. Quelling a familiar sense of uncertainty with a frown, she put it in her mouth, swllowing the medicine.

Kagome walked out of the thin, liquid-like layer of the dome and immediately began to feel herself transform, a warm sensation flowing through her body. Closing her eyes, she felt her body slowly begin to get heavier as she rebalanced herself with the pressure of the water surrounding her. Her chest began to clench painfully as her body began to reshape her organs to allow her to breathe underwater. As soon as she felt the last shivering reallignment, she took a hesitant breath against the water. No matter how many times she trandformed, it always seemed to shake up her senses a bit.

Noticing one of her generals to her left, she pushed off the ground, swimming towards the browned-haired woman who was securing her hair in a high ponytail. "Sango-sama," she said, getting her attention, "Is the small party of thirty assembled for the sneak attack?"

She hastily pulled the strings of her hair tie tight and placed her hand on her chest, bowing her head in respect. "Hai, Hime-sama."

Kagome smiled at her friend. Even if they were very close and outside of such formalities in private, Sango was still required to recognize her position. Sango brushed her dark auburn hair over her shoulder and continued, her head still bowed. "We were awaiting your arrival before we departed."

Kagome nodded in aknowledgement. "Thank you." Sango lowered her arm, looking up at her with a small smile. She seemed to want to say something... but Kagome knew that it was most likely to be an attempt to dissuade her from coming with them. Kagome, disliking such conversations, whispered to her instead, "Where is Miroku?"

Sango stiffened at the mention of the princess's cousin; her expression falling from her previously resolute expression into a scowl. "Houshi-sama...?" she replied, her tone closed and uptight. She turned away, pursing her lips. "Who knows?"

Kagome slanted her a humored smile, returned with a sigh. Though her friend was in quite a state of denial, her warm relationship with Kagome's cousin was difficult to ignore, even though their sweeter moments tended to end abruptly with a slap. She absently wondered what their last argument had been about. "Where is Kouga-sama?" she asked suddenly, blinking and looking around for her other second in command.

"Here," came a voice from behind.

Kagome turned, her eyes resting upon a familiar figure. "Kouga-sama," she said, smiling softly at his arrival.

He wore a smile, his stance casual and confident as he walked towards her. "Hime-sama." He placed his hand upon his chest, closing his eyes and bowing. "Your beauty shall certainly give us victory," he said, glancing up at her with a smirk as she touched her lips with the tips of her fingers, looking away with a blush.

"As your strength shall give me my own," she replied, unable to hide the flattered smile beneath her plam.

He grasped her hand, head still bowed, and placed a light, formal kiss upon the back of her hand. She drew in a short breath as she felt his lips smile against her skin, her eyes fluttering closed.

Her fingers lightly touched the orb of her staff, gazing at it quietly. There was to be a battle soon. She knew it. She had seen it. She drew in a deep breath, pulling forth a sum of her purification energy to her fingers, watching the orb pulse with a soft, purple hue. She had decided that it would be best to store some of her energy in her staff so that she would not be so drained after a few purification spells. She watched as her energy swirled within the orb, smiling softly to herself as its soft glow lighted her features.

Arms wrapped around her shoulders, and she gasped, her hands tensing against the her staff as she felt warm breath against her ear.

Her eyes softened and she relaxed, fading into his strong embrace. Lips brushed lightly against the soft curve of her neck. A smile lighted her eyes as she turned to look up at him, a hand reaching up to touch the line of his jaw, leaning up to press her lips against his, feeling his hand pull the neckline of her shirt down the curve of her shoulder...

She drew in a sharp breath, her eyes snapping open as her hand slipped from out of his grasp, pink tinting her cheeks as she shied away her memory. "Shall we be going?" he asked, rolling his shoulders back as he gazed casually out into the ocean's depths.

Kagome nodded, quelling the light feeling in her stomach as she spoke, "O-of course." She did not so easily let slip her composure.

Sango turned to her, hefting a large gun over her shoulder. "Let us waste no more time."

He felt his frustration grind on his subconscious as they continued through the water, irately clenching the handle of his underwater speeder. He had lost count of how many times that he had sent a search party after this "Dimentoria". This time, he would personally accompany the idiots himself.

The only damned problem was that they just didn't know where the hell it was.

As they progressed through the sea, Inuyasha heard the soft rustle of something rushing through the water from behind him. His hands itched to touch the hilt of his gun. Something was out there.

He turned to look at his men, motioning for them to stop. There was a quiet hum as he and his party slowed down, their bikes slowing to a halt. His eyes narrowed in suspicion, looking around him, his ears and eyes perked for any sure sign of a Miko.

Within seconds, a light came slicing through the water, piercing the Youkai swimming next to Inuyasha, his blood oozing out of his back and obscuring the water with a dark red haze. His eyes narrowed and he hissed, "Shit."

Inuyasha didn't need to alert the other Youkai as more lasers and underwater bullets barraged the search party, abandoning the bikes. "Everyone look out, they're attacking from all sides!" The water began to cloud with red, and the clarity of his vision slowly decreased until all he could see in the murky waters were shadows.

It wasn't more than two minutes before half of his men were already out of the fight. He continued to shout oreders to his men as they tried to move out of the way of the objects that they couldn't see. With about six men left, Inuyasha was about to sign the retreat when the gunning suddenly stopped. Inuyasha's brow furrowed uncertainly. Where were they coming from? If only he could find their source of attacks, he might be able to escape with the few Youkai he had left. Though he hated such a cowardly solution to a battle, it would be foolish and pointless to stay and fight at thecurret rate of deaths.

Inuyasha motioned upwards for the few who could see, and they cleared out of the blurry haze of crimson into clearer water. He pressed a button on his belt that sent a silent alarm to his troops stationed on the boats above him. Realizing how far underwater they had traveled, Inuyasha grade his teath and wish they would arrive in time to turn the tide of the battle.

Before he could shout out an order to them, they were swarmed by a small band of the allies, finding himself surrounded as they pointed their guns at him. "Put your hands up and drop your weapons!" shouted one of the soldiers, aiming the barrel of his rifle at Inuyasha, who flexed his claws with a smirk. He wasn't leaving without a fight.

The human didn't even have to blink before he slashed through the barrel of the gun and straight through his body, shredding him into pieces as the water once again clouded with blood. He rushed at a second one, his claws ripping relentlessly through flesh, red smearing the water around him and sinking into his clothing. He continued to attack, backed up by the last Youkai left in his party, the attack party of allies slowly dwindling.

Inuyasha continued to fight them off with his claws, slashing through one and rushing to the next. He felt victory at his fingertips, and a smirk slid across his lips. In the second he dropped his guard, unsuspecting arms of an unnamed figure grabbed Inuyasha by the neck and pulled his arms up painfully behind his back. Inuyasha snarled, his lips curling over his fangs as he pulled at the small arms wrapped around his arms and neck, but they surprisingly held tight and strong. "Quit struggling, Youkai, unless you want to die," an icy, femanine voice hissed into his ear. "You wouldn't want that to happen, now would you?"

A growl reverberated in Inuyasha's throat as his ear twitched away from her voice, irritation pulling his lips into a snarl. "Let go of me, bitch!" he snarled, breaking forcefully out of the tight hold and sharply turning around to face his attacker. "Where the hell…?" he hissed, finding nothing but the absence of the warrior. He looked around to find no one, clenching his fists in annoyance. The other allies snickered, holding all of his men in power binds. Inuyasha sneered at the weak Youkai. Dammit.

He pulled back his claws to attack again, when a searing pain shot up his spine, causing his muscles to go rigid in shock. He felt himself fall forward, his nerves stunned as he looked over his shoulder.

The figure brandished a long staff, wearing a confident smirk. Now he could see who it was by their slender, finely shaped figure. The finely shaped figure of a woman. Inuyasha growled. "Kouga," she said, "Escort the prisoners to the Dungeons. Make sure they're blind folded." The water was too clouded to make out the details of her face. "I'll take care of this one."

The one named Kouga nodded. "Yes, hime-sama."

Inuyasha gaped at the woman who had attacked him with suppressed astonishment. This woman was the princess of the Mikos? She looked had barely passed the years by which the humans would label "teenager". But it wasn't her age that shocked him, it was the stupidity of his enemy. He expected her to be tucked away at the city, far from harm, especially if she was their only important weapon. He usually didn't accompany the searches as he detested the rabble that was assigned to them, so she could have been in all of the previous attacks on his search parties and he wouldn't have known. After all, none of them lived to tell the tale. "You're the princess, eh?" he mocked, enjoying the surprised look on her face.

Inuyasha frowned deeply. "I would have never guessed that the Mikos were so pathetic that they would send out their own princess to fight their battles for them," he scoffed, watching her frown. His scowl transformed into a smirk as he continued. "Of course, you are idiots, I suppose..." he spat at the woman, disrespect and spite coursing through his words. He watched as she frowned distastefully, angered by his words.

The princess whipped her staff around; hitting him across his face so hard the impact split his lip. He hissed as the salty waters touched his cracked lip, a small trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth. "I don't know why they sent such a weakling like you to look for Dimetoria," she spat back at him, mimicking his mocking tone.

Inuyasha snarled. "I'm not the weak one, bitch. I could kill you in an instant if I wanted to," He retaliated, furious that he was getting this kind of shit from a woman. It didn't matter though. They weren't far now.

She glared at him spitefully. "You'd better watch who you are talking to, you—" she was cut off when she heard the rustling of the water, the sudden impact of the youki hitting her full-force. "What! More of them? Our radar didn't detect them!" she exclaimed, a shocked look overtaking her facial features. She quickly turned to Kouga. "Knock out the Youkai and leave them! Swim as fast as you can to the city! You and Sango make sure to cover your tracks on your trip back, because more are approaching this way! Be quick and don't be seen!"

She gripped her staff in preparation for combat. This was it. This was her chance to make a difference. "Don't worry about me," she added, her expression turning serious.

"But we want to help you!" Sango shouted.

"If you want to help me, then go where it's safe!" she yelled, her severe expression shocking her two colonels. "I can take care of this! I want you to protect the city if anything happens, now go!" Kagome faced the oncoming enemy.

When her friends didn't move, she yelled with more force, "If you are caught, that will only cause more pain!" Kagome turned to Sango, who was shocked. "Please! Go! I don't want to loose my friends!"

Kouga's expression hardened in defiance. "Kagome, now is not the time to play heroine, dammit!" He had already lost his sister in battle, he wasn't about to loose her.

Kagome's face softened at his concerned tone, but she couldn't allow it. "As Hime of Dimetoria, I ORDER you to go!" Both Sango and Kouga's expression were reluctant, and she knew they wanted to protest.

It didn't matter if they did or didn't though; they had to obey her. With a strained grimace, Sango roughly snatched Kouga's arm and jerked him away from her. "Come on."

He pulled against her grip, glancing over his shoulder at her. Kagome was looking back at him, her expression barely reconizable in the clouded water. She frowned at him, jerking her head in a motion for him to leave. He felt a growl roll up in his chest, but he couldn't disobey her, no matter what they were away from the battlefeild.

Sango tugged his arm again, beginning to drag him away. "Come on, Kouga!" He couldn't leave her. Sango's tugging became more rough. "Kouga, if we don't go now, the waters may clear up and we'll loose our cover!"

His fists clenched, but he finally turned away, merely allowing Sango to drag him away from Kagome as she turned her back to him, fading into the murky waters. "You better not fucking die, Kagome," he whispered, before turning and following Sango into the darkness of the ocean.

Kagome felt a bile rise in her throat as she felt his presence slowly fade. At least she could cover their tracks. "Don't you die on me, Kouga," she whispered, her hands tightening.

A huge party of about sixty Youkai approached Kagome. The Youkai she had previously been fighting smirked as his comrades appeared behind him, his confidence renewed. "There's no where to go, little girl."

What do you think? I was hesitant about the last part, with Inuyasha capturing Kagome in the first chapter and all... I hope that you like the idea! I decided to make it so that Kagome had someone she cared about a lot back where she lives because it adds more flavor to the story. I don't intend to make Kouga a jerk in this fanfiction, so don't come here looking for Kouga bashing or anything like that.

I intend to portray him in character, and not slander him because he's in love with Kagome and everyone wants Inu and Kag to get together. Kouga and Kagome's love is just more profound in this story because she doesn't have anyone holding her back… like Inu cough cough yasha…

Until next time!