To Be Human: Purpose

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Telepathy

Stressed

Three Months Later

Kagome stood in the middle of the bridge. Bankotsu stood behind her as he watched Maro stand in front of her. His helmet was resting at the beginning of the bridge as Kagome held her hands in front of her and prayed. Maro smiled in approval as her Miko ki flowed around her like a fire. It soaked through the bridge and into the river. The water pulsed and sang at the purity. Kagome slowly purified the river until she felt its Kami rise from the depths. Maro watched as the Kami studied her before descending back into the water. Her ki retreated into her body and nature once again quieted. Maro approached her and ruffled her hair.

"You've done well," Maro praised as Kagome softly blushed.

"I wouldn't have been able to do it without you," Kagome humbled herself with a bow.

"Though you have power, remember that you can be your own worst enemy," Maro warned.

"Is that a warning?" Kagome questioned with a soft frown.

"We all have a darkness within us, but remember that there must be light in order for shadows to exist," Maro firmly stated.

"I will be careful," Kagome assured.

"The best intentions can be done with ill will," Maro stressed. Kagome laughed and hugged him.

"Are you done reciting your scroll?" Kagome teased.

"Ah, but I have one last thing," Maro laughed.

"Really?" Kagome asked.

"Really, remember that everything happens for a reason," Maro whispered as he watched her walk away.

Kagome smiled and glanced back before she turned to walk away with Bankotsu. She softly hummed to a tune in her mind and Bankotsu sighed.

'I don't think the darkness in me is that strong,' Kagome thought as they continued to travel.

"Stop humming!" Bankotsu sighed.

"Never!" Kagome shouted as she began to sing.

Kagome laughed as she took off running down the path. Bankotsu grinned and ran after her. Kagome's eyes locked with his before she tripped and landed in a puddle of mud. Bankotsu pointed and laughed at her until she slung a mud ball into his face. He choked on the mud and glared at her. Kagome offered an innocent smile.

Kagome cheered and grabbed Bankotsu's hand as she made a beeline for the village. Bankotsu stumbled a few times before he managed to outrun her and drag her behind him. Kagome laughed and jumped on his back as he ran. He laughed and Kagome grinned.

"So now I'm a horse?" Bankotsu teased.

"Onward," Kagome firmly command as she softly tapped his hip with her knee.

He rolled his eyes but carried her into the village. Kagome sighed as they entered the village; this was her first time back in months. Kagome slid off Bankotsu's back but remained behind him with her hands on his shoulders. The village was unusually quiet for this cool day. She couldn't sense anything wrong. She slid her hand down his arm and gripped his hand as they slowly approached the Kaede's hut.

"Kagome!" A voice cheered.

Kagome laughed as she caught Shippo. The air was knocked out of her lungs and she fell to her rear. Her little kit had grown. Kagome smiled as she tightly hugged him. His tail frizzed out and his face turned red from her bone-crushing hug. He gasped as Kagome squeezed him tightly one last time, before releasing him. Kagome stood up with the help of Shippo and took in his features.

He had grown up to her stomach and his tail was a bit longer. She noticed that he had normal feet. Kagome smiled as she took in what he was saying.

"Inuyasha said you ran off to marry Kouga," Shippo tattled as he grinned.

"She ran off with me," Bankotsu stated as he wrapped an arm around Kagome's waist. Shippo's emerald eyes widened and he gasped.

"Inuyasha! I said pick the weeds not the herbs!" Kaede scolded.

"Keh! Be grateful I'm helping," Inuyasha mumbled as he pulled out another herb.

"AHHH!"

Kaede sighed and shook her head as the hanyou ran off. He jumped across the roofs frantically sniffing the air. Confusion set in when he notice a pink balloon attacking something. Sango and Miroku ran below him to the front the village. The villagers didn't bother coming out, they were used to these confrontations.

"What the hell!" Inuyasha shouted as he quickly unsheathed Tetsusaiga.

"Oh no," Kagome sighed as she pulled Shippo off Bankotsu's head and stepped in front of him.

"Welcome back Kagome," Sango greeted and then glared at the intruder.

"Who have we here?" Miroku knowingly asked as he stepped to Sango's side.

"What the hell is he doing here? And alive?" Inuyasha growled.

"Inuyasha, put your toy away and calm down," Kagome sighed.

"He can't be trusted!" Inuyasha shouted. He knew Kagome could be kind, but this was ridiculous.

"I have to agree with Inuyasha," Sango sighed as she watched Kagome shrug.

"He either leaves now…or he leaves in pieces," Inuyasha growled.

'How the hell am I going to explain this?' Kagome thought with slight panic. Her mind had planned everything, but the introduction of Bankotsu to her friends.

"I refuse to leave," Bankotsu declared with a defiant grin.

"Then I guess you'll be going in pieces," Inuyasha said with a smirk.

"Why would I ever leave the woman I am courting," Bankotsu finished.

The Tetsusaiga fell from the hanyou's hands as his world went still. Shippo had stilled and was now watching the mercenary with a shocked gaze. Sango leaned against the hut with her hand covering her eyes. Miroku had a lecherous grin on his face, as Kagome stood there shocked. The last thing Kagome ever imagined seeing had just happened. Inuyasha's left ear twitched and his eyes rolled back. A cloud of dust went up as he passed out face first in the dirt. Kagome gasped and ran forward to check him.

"Did he die?" Shippo finally asked.

"Miroku, you can drag him into the hut," Sango sighed as she walked away from the scene.

"Why me?" Miroku sobbed to no one.

Kagome had grabbed Bankotsu's wrist and literally flung him into the nearest hut. The hut happened to be the one she shared with Shippo. Shippo bounced in after her; he was still a bit shocked at the new announcement. Sango entered the hut and glared at the man who was currently held down by random cooking items. Kagome had flung him into the pots. Miroku walked in the hut with a look of exhaustion. Inuyasha's head hit the floor as Miroku dragged him up the step.

"What was that for?" Bankotsu demanded as he pulled a pot off his head. Sango tensed, readied to fight.

"That was for announcing to the whole village that we were courting!" Kagome hissed.

"It's true!" Bankotsu growled back.

"I'm a Miko! I can't be courted!" Kagome shouted as Miroku winced.

"You had no objections before," Bankotsu pointed out.

"A Miko can be courted," Miroku offered. He hid behind Sango after he received a glare.

"It's because you're ashamed of me," Bankotsu whispered. "Am I not good enough for your friends?"

"It's not that," Kagome sighed.

"You don't think I'm serious." Bankotsu stated as he stared at her. He knew that he had no wealth or power. Hell, he didn't even have his original body, but he would provide for her. Bankotsu frowned and thought about his situation.

"Please calm down," Kagome sighed.

Sango and Miroku glanced at each other knowingly. Bankotsu suddenly grinned as he grabbed Kagome around the waist. She shrieked as they ran out the hut door and jumped onto her roof. Miroku and Sango followed and watched as the mercenary wrapped his arm around her waist. Kagome began to turn scarlet as the villagers stepped out of their huts.

"What are you doing?" Kagome softly hissed into his ear.

"I'm going to prove how serious I am," Bankotsu whispered as her face blanked.

Inuyasha stumbled out of the hut and noticed that Sango and Miroku were staring at the roof. He tensed when he heard that damn voice. His amber eyes focused on the man holding Kagome around the waist.

"I, Bankotsu, am now courting this woman for her hand in marriage!" Bankotsu shouted as Kagome paled and then turned red in the face.

Inuyasha began to growl as Bankotsu held onto Kagome with a smug look. He looked like he had just won the world. Sango didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for the girl. Miroku shook his head as he listened to the villagers. The younger girls were cooing about how romantic that mystery man was. Miroku grinned and looked over at Sango. She glared at him in suspicion.

"If I did that would you marry me?" Miroku asked hoping to gain insight on to court the woman.

"Yes…but I'd soon be a widow," Sango replied as Miroku nervously smiled at the threat.

Kagome silently fumed about the situation. She removed Bankotsu's arm and as he turned to look at her, she smirked at him. Kagome then pushed him off the roof where she heard stray cats hiss. She wiped her hands clean of invisible dust and noticed a few men wince. Kagome jumped off the roof not bothering to check on her 'courter.' She knew that the fall had done no physical damage. Kagome heard more cat's hissing and turned to face her friends.

"Is it true?" Inuyasha asked.

"Of course!" Bankotsu shouted as he pried the cat from his face.

"I wasn't talking to you!" Inuyasha snapped.

"You are now!" Bankotsu pointed out with a grin.

Kagome buried her face in her hands and sighed. Sango softly smiled, she couldn't help but be amused.

"Inuyasha," Kagome calmly said.

"What?" He snapped at her.

"Leave him alone!" Kagome shouted. Inuyasha stood there in shock; he wondered why she defended Bankotsu. Bankotsu looked smug for a second until he yelped. Kagome had pulled him down to her level by his ear.

"You too!" Kagome growled as she tugged.

"Whipped already," Miroku sighed as he watched the two dejected men.

"Care to repeat," Sango asked as he nervously laughed and backed away.

Kagome sighed as she sat around the fire pit and watched the flames dance. Inuyasha was in one corner of the hut facing the wall with a pout. Bankotsu was in another corner doing the exact same action. Kagome sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Kaede closed her eye knowing she shouldn't have this much stress. Shippo stared at Bankotsu wondering why the hell he was he there.

"So why is he alive?" Kaede finally asked.

"Yes, we saw him die," Sango stated as she glared at Bankotsu's back.

Bankotsu opened one cerulean orb to watch Kagome. Kagome sighed and removed the red sash that held her hair back. She twisted the sash in her hands and inhaled a calming breath.

"I had Enju resurrect him," Kagome quickly blurted.

Miroku had dropped his Shakujou and Sango went still. Shippo inhaled the air and found that it was true. Inuyasha turned around and gazed at her with wide eyes.

"Why?" Inuyasha whispered. He wanted to know why she would have an enemy brought back.

"I…I care for him," Kagome whispered.

"But he's a clay doll," Inuyasha blurted as Bankotsu turned to glare at him. Kagome's lip twitched and her left eyebrow twitched as well.

"So was Kikyo," Kagome pointed out. Inuyasha tensed, he was ready for this.

"But I didn't have her personally brought back," Inuyasha pointed out.

"You still went to her," Kagome hissed.

"She wasn't an enemy!" Inuyasha shouted.

Kagome dryly laughed before she glared at him and said, "Could you argue that when she gave the Tama to Naraku?"

"She wanted to use the Tama to purify Naraku," Inuyasha defended.

"Bankotsu is not an enemy, he owes nothing to Naraku," Kagome shot back.

"Can you trust him not to kill you for that burden you carry?" Inuyasha softly challenged.

"Yes," Kagome firmly answered. Bankotsu's eyes widened at this. She trusted him, maybe not completely, but enough to answer truthfully.

"Is that why you left?" Inuyasha spat as he glared at Kagome. "You just wanted to resurrect a soul?"

"I left to purify myself," Kagome began.

"I'm sure he helped," Inuyasha mumbled.

Kagome's pupils narrowed as she felt her heart constrict in pain. Miroku had glared at the hanyou along with Sango. They couldn't believe that he would accuse her of something like that.

"I'll have you know that I have more respect then that," Bankotsu growled. "I would never taint her vows as a Miko."

"Yet you taint her by existing!" Inuyasha growled.

"You taint her with falsehoods!" Bankotsu shouted.

"I'm only looking out for her!" Inuyasha shouted back.

"You're only hurting her!" Bankotsu growled.

"You are the one that will hurt her…because you are not alive," Inuyasha harshly said.

Shippo looked at Kagome and sighed. She was gazing into the fire with a distressed look upon her. Shippo had to agree with Inuyasha, Bankotsu was not alive. He could never provide for Kagome. If he did, then Kagome would age and fade as he remained forever young in that shell.

"You can offer nothing because you are dead," Inuyasha calmly said.

"I will give her the best," Bankotsu firmly said.

"You can't give her a family," Inuyasha pointed out.

"None of those stopped you from being with Kikyo," Kagome whispered. Inuyasha sighed and gazed at her.

"That's because I knew we would descend into hell," Inuyasha whispered.

Kagome stood up and walked down the hall and to her room. The soft flap of the door signaled she had retired for the night. Sango had stood up and helped Kaede back to her own hut. Miroku watched Inuyasha and Bankotsu; he knew Kagome would be hurt if either got hurt. The two men stood up and faced each other with angry gazes.

"To be human is to have a purpose…you are dead and have no purpose," Inuyasha growled as he turned to walk out of the hut. Bankotsu's voice stopped Inuyasha from exiting the hut.

"I have a purpose," Bankotsu firmly began, "I will live again."

Inuyasha glared at him one last time before he left the hut. Miroku looked over at Bankotsu and shook his head.

"No words?" Bankotsu mocked Miroku.

"If you hurt her…you won't have a quick death," Miroku promised as he left the hut.

Bankotsu glared at the dying embers of the fire. He held his hand in the flames and noticed he didn't feel the heat. He knew it was supposed to burn, and yet he didn't feel it. He removed his hand and clenched his fist. He had a purpose, and he would prove that he wouldn't bring death.

'I will live again and give her whatever she wants.'

Author Notes: