Kikyo looked at the Hanyou who was standing in front of her. He was smirking at her, cracking his claws and slowly coming towards her. His puppy dog ears twitched, she guessed, in anticipation. He stopped until he was at least ten feet from her, and he folded his arms.

"You protect the Jewel?" he asked her, growling.

"And what if I did?" Kikyo asked, her bow and arrow ready.

"Well, lets just say you wouldn't want to be," the Hanyou said.

"Hanyou, why do you want the Jewel? Are you after power?" Kikyo asked him quietly.

The half demon cringed at being called 'Hanyou' and he growled more at her. "What else would I be after, Miko?" he sneered. He didn't wait for an answer and jumped at the Miko, claws ready.

Kikyo calmly, but quick, lifted her bow and aimed an arrow at the Hanyou, who stopped right in front of the arrow, its tip pointed to the top of his head. "Well, Hanyou, it looks like you won't get it."

The half demon shrugged and quickly thrust his hand, pushing the arrow aside. With his left hand he aimed a punch at the Miko's face, but she had jumped back, drawn another arrow, and it was coming right for him. He wasn't quite able to dodge it. It caught his left sleeve, pinning it to a tree. He turned and growled at the Miko.

"Do not try any longer, Hanyou, for it could be worse," Kikyo warned, putting her bow away, turning away.

"Stop calling me Hanyou!" the half demon yelled. He tried grasping the arrow out, but it was wedged deep into the tree. Even he was having a hard time getting it out.

"Watch yourself, Inuyasha," Kikyo said over her shoulder.

"Watch yourself, Kikyo!" Inuyasha retorted, growling loudly at her. He was still struggling with the arrow. He finally pulled it with all his might out of the tree. He fingered the small hole in his haori. He sighed and looked after Kikyo. She was nowhere to be seen. He sniffed the air. He couldn't even smell her anywhere close, but her scent was still fresh. He supposed he could follow after her, but she would be expecting that. He would try tomorrow.

Kikyo sighed when Inuyasha headed home. He would be most troublesome. She was already tired of all the low level demons. They were easy to beat, but they kept on coming, and she was getting worn out. Having a almost human like half demon after the Jewel might even make her fail her job. She would need help.

She found a caravan headed to the castle in the East Lands. She would request to the king the help of a Miko. She had been hearing that the Princess Kagome was training to become a Miko, and that she was probably the best choice. It would be hard for them to let their Princess go, but Kikyo figured that it would be a chance for the King and Queen to make an alliance with the East Lands.

Kikyo was grateful that the great dog demon, Sesshoumaru, was not after the Jewel. He would be one she probably couldn't handle. Sesshoumaru liked to keep to himself, hidden away in his castle. All the humans around the West Lands were afraid of meeting up with him, and if they did, they probably wouldn't come out alive. The alliance that the King might want to make better assure the dog demon that he will not be bothered with the humans.

Kikyo walked into her small hut that she shared with the older miko, Kaede. Kaede was preparing herbs quietly in the corner, and she seemed to sense that Kikyo was getting stressed.

"What is it, child?" Kaede asked Kikyo.

"I can't keep up with this, Kaede," Kikyo murmured and buried her head in her hands.

Kaede sighed and wiped her hands. She got up and walked to Kikyo, placing her hands on her shoulders. "Kikyo, I trust that you will make all the right choices, and I think it was wise of you to ask for assistance. If I were younger, I would help you."

Kikyo sighed. "I know… but I just wish…Oh never mind," Kikyo mumbled.

"What?"

"That I could be… myself… instead of this almighty Miko who can defeat any demon that comes her way."

Kaede grabbed a brush and untied Kikyo's hair, letting her long black hair fall down her back. She started brushing her hair with soft strokes. "It'll all change, you just wait and see."

Kikyo nodded and fell silent.

Next Day

Kikyo had her broom in her hand, brushing all the stray dirt in the hut. She heard a small scream, and she rushed out, grabbing her bow and arrows. She felt no surprise when she saw Inuyasha striding towards her, a murderous look on his face.

"Kikyo, I told you to watch yourself," Inuyasha spoke loudly, raising his hand and cracking his knuckles.

Kikyo raised an arrow at Inuyasha. "I told you the same thing. Leave," she commanded him.

Inuyasha brushed it off. "I wasn't quite paying attention yesterday. But don't worry; I'm quite attentive right now."

"Is that the only excuse you can come up with for yesterday?" Kikyo replied in a calm voice, her voice hardly having any emotion.

Inuyasha growled.

The villagers had begun to arrive beside Kikyo, all their arrows drawn and pointed at Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, you have set your plan quite stupidly," Kikyo said. "This is your only chance to leave."

Inuyasha grinned. "Really?" He then disappeared into smoke, and when the smoke disappeared, a young kit fox was standing there, running away as fast as he could.

Tricked? Kikyo thought, but then heard a shout behind her. She felt someone grab her around the waist, and she was whisked away from the village. It was Inuyasha who was holding her, and she groaned. She put her bow under her arm, and put her hand on the arm around her waist. Through her arm, she was putting her Miko purifying powers. Inuyasha's clothing began to peel away, and soon it got to his skin, seeping in and burning his skin off.

Inuyasha yelled and dropped her to the ground, the ground being about ten feet below her. She landed in a roll, standing straight up when she stopped. She immediately aimed an arrow at Inuyasha, who was kneeling on the ground, holding his arm.

The villagers were not far away, and arrows were already coming straight towards Inuyasha. He was able to dodge them, and Kikyo held up her hand to the villagers to make them stop. "Inuyasha, you will not be able to get far at that level of skill," she said to him.

Inuyasha rubbed his arm and backed away a few steps. "It seems I have underestimated you," he said.

"Seems so," Kikyo replied calmly.

"I won't do the same thing again," Inuyasha said and jumped away into the trees.

A villager walked up to Kikyo. "Do we go after him?" he asked, his bow and arrow ready.

Kikyo shook her head. "No," she said, "He will not bother us for the rest of today."

They all walked back to the village, and Kaede was walking towards them, holding the young kit fox that had played the part of the fake Inuyasha. The kit fox was trying to gnaw her arm, but he couldn't reach up far enough, for Kaede was holding him by his tail. He finally just crossed his arms and glared at everyone around him.

Kikyo leaned down so her face was right in front of the kit foxes. "What's your name?" she asked him, a small smile on her lips.

The kit fox turned a shade of red and mumbled something that she couldn't hear.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you," Kikyo said.

"It's Shippo."

Kaede shook her head. "What should we do with this young kit fox, Shippo, then?"

Shippo, upon hearing that, tried to struggle greatly out of Kaede's hold.

"I don't think we have to worry about him again," Kikyo said, taking Shippo from Kaede. "Promise, Shippo?"

Shippo nodded his head vigorously. "I'm sorry! He had threatened me!"

"Sounds like him," Kikyo said, believing him. She put him on the ground. "Go back to your family."

Shippo gave a smile and scuffled off.

"Are you sure, Kikyo?" Kaede asked.

"He's young and nothing to worry about. Baby youkai kit foxes aren't normally dangerous," Kikyo replied. She left it at that and headed for the hut to continue her sweeping.

For the rest of the day, she did her normal activities. She received news at the end of the day that a demon need exterminated in a few villages over. They told her they needed her immediately, so she headed over there by herself in the dark. It would probably take about two hours of walking, so she rode a horse to save time.

It was dark that night. She kept the horse at a trot for awhile, then switched back to walking. The wind was blowing light, soothing her from all of today's events. She thought about Inuyasha. She could have easily killed him and gotten rid of him today, but something… something held her back. When she looked into his eyes, she saw that they were filled with tons of sorrow and pain. She couldn't strike the final blow. She felt that Inuyasha was trying to prove himself in life… because he was a Hanyou, and not accepted anywhere.

She sighed.

The wind blew harsh against her back, making her tingle. She sat straight up, senses alert. Something wasn't right. She pulled the horse to a stop, and slowly started to grab an arrow.

"Come out," she said into the darkness.

Nothing answered.

"Come out," she repeated again, this time louder.

"You know, Kikyo, it isn't wise to travel alone at night around here," a voice said behind her.

Kikyo slowly turned the horse around to face who had spoken to her. "You never give up, do you?"

Inuyasha gave a grin, his fangs showing. "Why are you traveling at night?"

"Trying to be friendly now?" Kikyo asked him.

"Just curious," was the reply.

"I don't suppose you're the demon they want rid of," Kikyo said.

"Why would I bother the humans?"

"Why are you talking to me right now?" Kikyo asked harshly. "Why did you follow me?"

Inuyasha looked away and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm guessing you know why I'm here."

Kikyo raised her arrow at him. "Then let's get it over with," she said and let the arrow loose.

Inuyasha easily dodged it and ran at his full speed towards Kikyo. "That's pretty low for a Miko," he yelled at her.

"I'm here to exterminate all kinds of demons. Negotiating is not on my list," Kikyo said quickly, drawing another arrow and firing it at Inuyasha who was closing in. She let it loose, aiming at his sleeve. The arrow whizzed faster than he could dodge, and it pinned him to a tree. She let loose three more arrows, aiming for the other sleeve and pant legs. She soon had him pinned to the tree, unable to get loose.

Kikyo put her bow down and turned around on the horse.

"Why don't you ever finish me off, Kikyo?" Inuyasha yelled at her.

Kikyo sighed. "Just don't ever come near me, Inuyasha. You're making me waste my arrows."

The demon she had to exterminate in the village was easy to defeat, and she stayed in the village to rest for the night. She left early in the morning, heading back to her home village. It still seemed like night, for it was raining harshly and a thunderstorm was brewing.

She shivered against the cold. She hadn't expected for it to rain.

Just then, she heard a rumble of thunder behind her. It wasn't coming form the sky. She gasped and turned around, but she wasn't quick enough. She was whacked off the horse, flipping over backwards. She stood up as fast as she could. She reached back for her bow, but… she gasped and looked around. It wasn't there!

She turned back to the demon who was rushing at her. It looked like an Oni who was attacking her. She backed up a few steps, still searching for her bow. She tried to dodge the Oni when it had reached her. She dove to the side, landing in a roll behind the Oni. She had landed right next to her bow. She frantically reached for it, but felt a hand grab her leg, pulling her away from the bow.

The hand gripped tighter to her leg. Kikyo felt her ankle snap and she held in a scream, but the small tears of agony she couldn't hold in. She then was yanked into the air and thrust against a tree, a hand now on her throat. She gasped for air and saw that two Oni stood in front of her.

"You're the Miko who guards the Shikon Jewel, eh?" one of the Oni growled. "Kill her," he commanded the Oni holding her throat.

Kikyo tried to get the hand off but she could barely even move. She began to lose consciousness and then she slumped against the tree. "Help me," she murmured to no one in particular.

She then felt relief once the hand around her throat was yanked off, and she crumpled to the ground. She looked up to who had saved her.

She tried to speak, her voice coming out in a croak. "Inuyasha…?"

Eh… seem ok? Thank you for the review and please people, I would like to see what you think, so please review!