Yay! Chapter seven is here! La la!

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but I do have a whole winamp playlist of Inuyasha opening songs and such.

Last Time: Inuyasha woke with a start, gasping and clutching at his chest where the only scar he retained from all his battles was.

A single gunshot wound from a purifying bullet.

'Kikyou…'

This Time:

By the time Inuyasha got downstairs for breakfast that morning, Kagome was already finishing her food. He grumbled a noncommittal sound as Kaede set a plate in front of him as well. Without even tasting it, he shoveled the whole meal in at an amazing, yet disturbing, speed. When he finally looked up again, Inuyasha was surprised to see Kagome gone from her seat.

"Oi, Baba," he yelled to Kaede, who was in the kitchen, "where'd Kagome go?"

"Kagome left to wander the shrine grounds," Kaede called back, "Apparently this shrine shares the same name as her family."

"So this is…her family's shrine?"

"It would seem so."

Inuyasha turned to look down at his plate. Having so many reminders of her family probably wasn't making anything better for Kagome.

Kagome wandered around the courtyard of the shrine, where the battle with Mistress Centipede had taken just a day before. She sighed, something she seemed to be doing more and more these past couple of days. She missed her family and friends and even, Kami forbid, her clumsy suitor Houjo! Sighing again, Kagome shoved her hands into the pockets of the large jacket Kaede had given her before she went out. Her fingertips brushed against the smooth beads of the rosary necklace Kaede helped her make that morning in an attempt to keep her mind off her homesickness.

Kagome idly stringed another fang-shaped bead onto the thread she was holding. It was a simple pattern that didn't require much thought. Six purple round beads, one cream fang bead, six purple round beads, one cream fang bead, and so on. Kaede had been making idle conversation while stringing her own set of beads; a green and pale blue color scheme.

"Kaede Obaasan," Kagome said holding up her half-completed rosary, "Is there a reason you insisted on my making this?"

"It's a subjugation rosary simply for if Inuyasha gets out of hand…," Kaede replied vaguely.

"What do you mean by 'out of hand'?"

"He may not know his own strength… And he does have quite a temper on him."

"…Alright… If you say so, Obaasan."

And so they had sat there for another couple of minutes, finishing their rosary necklaces and making more idle conversation.

Kagome stared for another moment at the innocent looking string of beads, then shook her head. She couldn't just put a subjugation spell on him.

'Although,' Kagome thought, 'it would look nice on him… He always wears so much red, it would be a nice contrast.'

Closing her eyes and sighing again, Kagome failed to notice the group of rough looking men standing directly in her path.

"Ah! G-gomen nasai!" she stuttered, bowing hastily.

The largest man, a veritable giant and obviously the leader, took a couple unsteady steps towards her.

"You have the Jewel…," he growled out, "Give it to me!"

Then, without warning, two of his henchmen grabbed her by the arms and held her. The leader pulled out a gun, and tried to aim it with his arm waving unsteadily back and forth.

"Oi, Boss!" one of the men behind him called out, "Get her right between the eyes; a perfect shot!"

The men had a brief chuckle before the first shot rang out. Blood flowed from a fresh head wound, and the man holding Kagome's right arm fell to the ground, dying.

"B-boss… What'd you do that for…?"

All the men took a step back from their unstable Boss. He wavered on his feet before straightening some.

"Woops…," he said laughingly "I missed."

Kagome was shoved forward by the lackey remaining at her left.

"Boss, what're you aiming at! She's the one you want!"

"Baka!" Kagome whirled of the man pushing her, "Can't you see that there's something wrong with your Boss?"

Boss prepared to fire again, and everyone took off running. Kagome frantically scrambled for cover as the rest of the gang followed her.

'Here I am,' Kagome thought hysterically, 'playing games,' another shot, 'in the future,' dodge to a new cover and a third shot, 'with an eight foot troll.'

As the fourth shot was fired, Kagome ran to the shrine's storage building, tossing the Shikon away from her as she ran. The next shot was wild, but hit one of the ancient support beams. A wall collapsed, covering the back exit and leaving no choice but to face the giant standing in the doorway. With the gang cowering behind her, Kagome was forced to the front of the group.

The gun was lowered to her face.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut.

And Inuyasha came bursting through the wall just in time to intercept the bullet. Wearing the bright red jacket Kagome had become so accustomed to seeing, he looked to her like a beacon in the gloom of the storehouse.

"Inuyasha!"

Okies, there's the end. Cliffy, yay! I'm so evil. Shattering of the Shikon and rosary up next, promise.

Japanese Words Used: (in order of use)

Gomen nasai: I'm very sorry, polite.

Review and…you know the drill.

Much love,

Miji