Fragments
Deeper into the well
Kicking up a dust cloud as he comes skidding to a halt Inuyasha waits for Kagome to stop coughing before grabbing her wrist and dragging her towards the village center "The old hag is waiting for us. Lets find out what she knows so we can go."
Wrenching her arm away from Inuyasha, Kagome scowls and yells "I can walk on my own thank you. I don't need you to drag me through town."
"Well stop being so slow and I wouldn't have to." Inuyasha snarls back. Something had begun to start nagging the back of his mind and he couldn't figure out what is. It was beginning to irritate him.
"Inuyasha…" Kagomes tone becoming one of warning. "Si…"
"Oh, Kagome and Inuyasa ye have finally arrived." Kaedae's voice cuts in before Kagome can finish her command.
"We would have been here sooner if Kagome wasn't such a slow poke." Inuyasha retorts folding his arms and turning away from Kagome.
"Inuyasha SIT!" Her voice ringing out across the village.
Surprise barely had time to register on Inuyasha's face before the power of the beads sent him crashing face first into the earth. Quickly pulling himself up, his face covered in dirt, Inuyasha turn to Kagome and begins shouting. "What the heck did you do that for?"
"Inuyasha, you're hopeless." Kagome sighs.
"Hopeless? Hey what do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. You are completely hopeless."
"Ahem. If ye two are done with your quarrel perhaps we can discuss the matter of the individual standing at the well." Kaedae coughs, interrupting the pair before they could get too entrenched in their argument. Though Kaedae did have to agree that Inuyasha was hopeless when it came to understanding other people's feelings, or his own for that matter.
"Yeah, what gives? He hasn't done anything but stand by the well right? So why are you so worried? Seems like whoever this guy is he's harmless." Inuyasha replies quickly, trying to keep Kagome from 'sitting' him again.
"Aye, but I have a strange feeling about this one. He has been standing by the well for two days now without moving an inch."
"Come on old woman, no one can just stand in one place for two days straight. Maybe somebody is playing a prank and put a statue up there."
"Inuyasha, listen to Kaedae. She's usually right about this stuff." Kagome says, softening her tone. If Kaedae was having a bad feeling about this guy then he was more then likely going to be trouble.
"Inuyasha, villagers saw this man walk to the well. So he be no statue."
"Fine, so he's not a statue. What makes you think he's a demon?" Inuyasha grumbles, knowing he's already lost the argument. Not that he ever would admit it.
"Well as ye said yeself, no one could stand in one place for two days. But mayhaps a demon could." Kaedae responds, slowly making her way towards the edge of town.
"Come on Inuyasha, let's just go and see already. Weren't you the one in a rush to find out why he's out there?"
"Yeah but that was before I knew all we had to go on was the old bats bad feeling."
"I'll tell you what." Kagome smiles, getting a sly grin on her face. "If you go I'll make you some of those noodles you like so much."
"Really?" Inuyasha responds enthusiastically. "Ok then, what are we waiting for?" Turning he begins jogging towards the well.
Kagome laughs a little as he starts jogging away from her. He was so easy to manipulate into helping, just offer him some instant noodles and he was putty in your hands. Walking to the side of the building she grabs her bike and cycles after Inuyasha. "Hey, wait up already. You might need my help."
Inuyasha suppresses a smile before he turns his head and tossing his hair back shouts. "What would I need a slow poke like you for? You'd only get in the way." Turning his head he allows himself to snicker a little. That sure would get Kagome pedaling faster, even if it might earn him a 'sit' from her.
Kagome pants and mutters under her breath as she pumps her legs harder to try and catch up with the speedy half demon. I'll get him back later for that. Steadying her bike along the dirt road she manages to get some speed as she exit's the village. After a few minutes she manages to catch up to Inuyasha.
"Finally, I was starting to worry you'd never catch up." Inuyasha teases.
"Well I certainly am not going to let you run off on your own. Who knows what kind of trouble you'd get into."
"I am not a baby Kagome, I can take care of myself."
I doubt he'll ever change. Kagome muses as she pedals faster, pulling ahead of Inuyasha. Turning her thoughts away from Inuyasha she ponders the mystery they soon would be facing. Why would a demon hang around the well? Normally they go straight for a town if theirs one nearby.
Looking out from his vantage point, the tall figure catches the glint of metal in the distance. It was too little to be villagers armed with their improvised weapons, causing him to slightly relax his grip on his weapon. Setting it back in it's sheath he decides to wait, no need to resort to violence first. It was unlikely whoever approached him would be reasonable and surrender their jewel shards but it was possible. A sudden gust of wind causes him to grab his hat to prevent it's escape. Turning his head he scans the surrounding woods and land. Something about that sudden burst of wind felt, unnatural. Shrugging his shoulder he banishes the concern from his mind, better to worry about apparent threats. Hidden ones would make their presence known soon enough.
Looking up ahead Kagome stops her pedaling. Kaedae was right, someone was standing by the well and he certainly wasn't a small person either. His dark colored robes, flapping lightly in the gentle breeze, even from this distance they were obviously similar in design to Inuyasha's. That didn't surprise Kagome. What surprised her was the sense of dread she was feeling from this guy. Inuyasha stops beside her as the gust of wind washes past them. His ears suddenly pivot forward as his entire body stiffens. I don't get it. This guys has almost no scent to him. Beyond the scent of steel I can't detect him by smell. Leaning in close to Kagome, Inuyasha whispers to her. "Something's wrong, I should be able to tell if the guy is human or demon by his scent from this distance."
"I know what you mean Inuyasha. There's something wrong with him, I can feel a slightly demonic aura to it but I don't think that's entirely it." Kagome whispers back. "I can't put my finger on it though."
"Well at least I know he's a demon now. That'll make things simpler." Cracking his fingers Inuyasha smiles as he begins walking up the hill. "If he causes any trouble I'll just beat him up."
"That's you answer to every problem Inuyasha." Kagome shakes her head as she follows alongside him.
"Yeah well it works."
Reaching the top of the hill the pair get a closer look at stranger waiting for them by the well. Both Inuyasha and Kagome are forced to look upward due to his height. Cracking his neck the figure turns his head down. It is hard for them to tell but there was something wrong about his skin, it didn't look to be the right color. Turning so that he is facing Kagome, his posture makes it clear that he is paying no attention to Inuyasha. A quick flash of blue from underneath the hat briefly illuminates his face. Even after the flash his eyes continue to hold a dull glow.
"Those clothes. Those are not the clothes of this time" His voice is deep and almost devoid of inflection. In it's own way it was far more sinister for it's lack of emotion.
"But… how?" Kagome freezes in place. I know my school uniform is different from the clothes of this time, but how does he know that? And where have I heard that accent before. It's hard to hear, but it's there.
"It doesn't matter how he knows Kagome. I don't know who you think you are buddy but you better not have any ideas about hurting her or else you'll regret it." Inuyasha snarls, his hand on the hilt of the Tetsusaiga.
"Deimos." Is his only response.
"What was that?" Inuyasha snaps.
"My name, is Deimos. Turn over your jewel shards and there will be no need for any trouble." His tone never changes, even as he places his hand upon the hilt of his own weapon.
"Sorry to disappoint you pal but if want my jewel shards then you are in for more trouble then you can handle." Inuyasha boasts confidently, unsheathing the Tetsusaiga.
"This was expected. It is… unfortunate you will not cooperate." Deimos replies drawing his own weapon. Taking a low guard he waits for Inuyasha to make the first move.
Rushing forward Inuyasha leaps upward bringing the Tetsusaiga above his head, using both arms to power its downward swing. As the sword comes crashing down on Deimos's head he doesn't budge an inch. "Too easy!"
The sword slices through the straw hat easily, cutting it neatly in half as it falls towards Deimos's head. An earsplitting, at least to Inuyasha's sensitive hearing, clang rings out as Inuyasha feels the blade smash on something far more solid then the expected flesh and bone. He barely recovers in time for the shock of the noise and impact to avoid the swing of his opponents equally large blade.
As the hat falls away Deimos's face becomes visible for the first time. Under the full light of the midday sun his skin glinted like recently forged steel. His large, deep blue eyes still held a slight luminescence and his hair was a deep rust color. But as the wind blew past the trio it was clear it was unmoved even by the strongest breeze. Looking into his eyes sent a shiver down Kagomes spine. There was no pity or compassion in those eyes but neither was there hate or sadistic glee. Those held nothing. It was like looking into the eyes of a man whose soul had died.
"What the hell are you?" Inuyasha screams, trying to get some feeling back into his arms.
Kagome takes a step back and suddenly notices three glowing fragments that she hadn't noticed before. "Inuyasha, be careful he's got three jewel shards."
"I will offer another chance to surrender your shards." Deimos quietly warns.