Kagome sank down into the steaming water with a soft sigh. The barrier was up and now surrounded the entirety of the shrine grounds. Needless to say she was exhausted from the sudden strenuous use of her powers after they had lain dormant for so long.
'If demons have it out for me again I should get back into fighting shape...' Kagome felt a chill over her spine despite the near scalding water surrounding her. She'd never had to be the sole protector like this, and if this is how Inuyasha felt in the beginning she understood why he shoved her down the well. If demons came after her family she didn't know what she would do... At least she had gotten the barrier up. It would keep all demons off the shrine grounds, and her family would be safe as long as they stayed here.
'Am I being targeted specifically by these demons? Or is it just a coincidence that I was suddenly attacked out of the blue twice in a row?' And if she was being targeted what could she do to arm herself in everyday life? It wasn't like she could walk the streets of Tokyo with a bow on her back. How could she protect her family when they were off shrine grounds? Would giving them blessed protective charms draw more attention to them and put her family at even greater risk?
A headache began to throb behind her eyes and Kagome sunk lower in the water so that just her nose was above the steaming surface. Frustration bloomed in her chest and she wished now more than ever that she could go through the well and ask the advice of Sango or Miroku. Hell, she'd be ecstatic to see just about anyone from the old times, except maybe Naraku.
'I'll need to get new I.D.s tomorrow.' Both attacks had happened after dark, so she was sure that if she went during the day she'd be fine. Unfortunately she couldn't find her purse or the new heels she'd bought to replace the old ones this morning. She must have left them at the scene of the attack last night. The black-haired miko sank further into the water with a disappointed groan 'I got a really good deal on those, too...'
Koenma eyed the I.D. on his desk with trepidation that the beaming face on the laminated plastic did not warrant. Kurama had made an attempt this morning to return the purse and shoes and perhaps get some questions answered only to be met with a powerful barrier that encompassed a majority of the shrine grounds. A barrier that had not been there the previous night.
To make matters worse there had been an increase in low-level demon activity in the Tokyo area and several more murders had come about because of it. Yuske and Kwabara were chasing leads on that case, but as soon as one demon was dealt with three more popped up to take it's place. The toddler rubbed his temples as he contemplated what to do.
"What else do we know, besides her name and address?" He asked the red-headed avatar standing across from his desk. Emerald eyes shimmered mischeviously as they met his own.
"Well," He held up a high-heel shoe with a smirk, "We know she's a size six."
Kagome reached her senses out at the edge of the barrier just before the red torii gate at the top of the stairs. She couldn't feel anything malicious. Cautiously she set one foot out of the barrier which rippled around her and tickled like spider silk against her skin. The priestess swallowed thickly as she left the safety of the barrier before steeling herself.
'Don't be such a scaredey cat.' She chastised herself as she walked slowly down the shrine steps. 'It's the middle of the day and there are so many people around there's no way that any demons will appear.' Emboldened by her internal pep-talk she nearly skipped down the last few steps before turning towards town. Her green pleated skirt so similar to the one she had worn to the past twirled around the white tights she wore to keep the chill off her legs.
She had felt the demons come back yesterday morning just before eight and test her work, but her barrier held strong. She had gotten it up just in time. Fierce pride burned in her chest and she held a victorious fist in front of her. 'Take that!' She blushed as several passerby gave her odd looks and picked up her pace again.
She turned the corner and came up short with a squeak as she nearly ran into a hard body. Her apology died in her throat as she met the emerald eyes of the one she had nearly bowled over. She flushed as she recognized the unmistakably beautiful face of Shuichi. Her crimson face immediately lost all color as she felt the spark of youkai deep inside the universities's Idol and she took half a step back.
"Ah, excuse me. Higarashi, Kagome is it?" Fear clutched her and she took another step back. She couldn't feel the youkai clearly, but she knew that it was inside him. Was he possessed? The beautiful not-quite demon produced her purse and held it out to her, as if it was a peace offering. The youkai inside of him didn't feel malicious or angry... it was just sort of there.
Cautiously she reached out, keeping her senses sharp for any spike in energy that would denote an impending attack, or sudden ill-will. Her fingers barely brushed the strap when she felt the powerful angry aura from last night closing in from above. Her frightened eyes snapped up to the blur of a shadow and she turned and shot like a bullet back towards the safety of the shrine and her barrier.
She ignored the angry shouts of the people she dodged through. It was gaining on her, gods it was so fast. She felt it directly behind her when she turned the corner and ducked just in time. The wind from its attempted grab tickled the hairs on the back of her neck as she slid around the corner. The shrine steps were in sight now but there was no way that she would make it before it had her.
Several passerby had yelped with surprise when she had skidded around the corner and several were berating her, but Kagome couldn't afford to pay them any heed. She choked on her breath as she tried to push herself even faster before a bruising grip crushed her wrist and Kagome felt her power flare to life and lash out at the strange demon.
"Yamero!" She snarled as her energy escaped her and knocked the youkai back. Freed, she wasted no time in fleeing from the stunned demon and fell, panting, through the barrier as tears burned the back of her eyes. The embrace of her own holy energy swirled comfortingly around her as she held her bruised wrist to her heaving chest and fought the frightened tears that threatened. 'Oh Inuyasha...I wish you were here.'
Soft foot-steps approached her from the stairs and she rolled onto her back and scrambled away from the barrier as Shuichi appeared on the top step just before the start of the barrier. Kagome's eyes locked with his soft expression and she could feel her fear fading, before that faint spark of youkai from within him snapped her out of it and she scrambled back to her house.
She's like a startled hare. You should have let me do the talking Shuichi. Yoko commented from the depths of his mind. Shuichi doubted that it would have improved the situation.
She wasn't frightened until you opened your mouth. He stated.
You think she could sense me? The fox seemed enthralled by the idea.
Well she definitely sensed Hiei. He frowned at the bottom of the stairs where said demon was glowering at the barrier. A soft red burn marred the hand that had grasped the woman and he could feel the frustration lacing his friends already tumultuous aura.
"Are you well?" Kurama asked his friend softly as he placed the purse and bag at the top of the stairs almost against the barrier. His long-time partner in crime grunted acknowledgement. "You frightened her." His friends glare turned to him but there was no real heat behind it.
"Let's go, I doubt she'll be out again anytime soon after that." Kurama turned to the fire apparition only to smile at the empty space he had occupied a few moments prior. The avatar turned his green eyes back toward the empty courtyard of the shrine and a hint of gold shone behind the emerald orbs. Yoko had found himself a puzzle, and a very attractive one at that.
Kagome was angry. She felt like a prisoner in her own home. Her knuckles were white on her clenched fists as she paced the length and breadth of her room. Whatever was going on she was sure that demons were targeting her now. How else would they know her name? What did they want with her? Would they come after her family, too? Thoughts chased each other in circles through her mind as she paced before she let out a frustrated growl and kicked the post of her bed.
"I'm not going to live like this, you hear me!" She shouted at her window, as if the youkai that were hounding her could hear what she was saying. The miko clenched her teeth so hard it was almost painful as she dropped to her knees and fished around under her bed. Her rage was smothered as she pulled out the red robes of the fire-rat and the hard bundle they concealed.
"I miss you." She said quietly as she stroked the bundle in her arms. "I'm such a coward." She sniffed. "Hiding behind a barrier. You'd never hide, not even if you were within an inch of death." Kagome parted the red robes and ran her fingers over the polished hilt of tessaiga She brought it up to her lips and ran them gently along the hilt as she reminisced fondly of the barrier Kaede and Miroku had used to hide Inuyasha from Royakon so many years ago.
"I wish you were here." She murmured to the sleeping sword. She pulled the sword out of the sheath. It used to look like a battered old katana, but once totosai had re-forged it with Inuyasha's fang it's dormant state was shining and new. She smiled sadly as she ran her fingers lovingly over the blade. She could feel a tiny trace of Inuyasha's Youkai from his fang within the blade.
"I'm not going to hide forever." She said more to bolster her courage than anything else. "I just need a game plan..." Her eye slid over tessaiga before she placed it carefully back in the scabbard and on her pink-clad bed. She slid her closet open slowly and blinked at the bow and quiver within. The Saigu-Yumi...almost exactly like the one Kikyo used, but it pulsed sleepily with her power. Not Kikyo's. The bow she used in the final battle against Naraku. She gripped it lovingly and put it next to the tessaiga before digging around for her old duffel bag.
She couldn't wear the weapons openly as she may have in the past, but she'd be damned if she was caught with her pants down again. If these demons wanted to corner her like a damn dog she'd show them exactly how a cornered dog would react. She turned back to the still open closet and the red and white miko garments gathering dust within. Calmly she gathered them up and laid them on top of the two weapons within the large duffel. At least if she was stopped or searched she could tell them she was going to perform a ceremony.
The duffel was bulky but no more so than her yellow pack had been and she'd never been without that in the past. She'd show these demons exactly who they were messing with, and they'd either leave her and her family be, or they'd leave this plane of existence.
A/N
Thanks to all who read and enjoy this fic so far. Please feel free to leave a review to let me know what you are and are not enjoying about the story so that I may incorporate or cut these things in the future. The more feedback and ideas that are thrown around in the reviews the more likely I am to actually finish this story.
Special thanks to Foxgloves I appreciate your feedback on both chapters and will do my best to steer the pairing. Also thanks to KannaKyomu for the review.
