3.
Miroku was telling a story, gesturing wildly while talking. Inuyasha was considering moving away from his range because he was seriously afraid he could get hit by the other boy. Kagome and Sango were both listening to Miroku and giggling. Inuyasha was simply sitting beside Kagome on the picnic blanket, enjoying the sunny Saturday afternoon in the park. There were a few kids and their parents playing nearby, but no one was bothering a foursome gathered around a big basket full of food. It was a perfect day.
Until she came. She walked towards them purposefully, her full hips swaying as she went. She moved with an unparalleled grace, and had the face of a China doll. Both Kagome and Sango tensed and grew silent when she knelt on the edge of the blanket and smiled at the two Higurashi girls. She looked similar to Kagome, but smelled much different. Her eyes were bright and cold like a block of ice.
"Hello," she said, her voice like a silver bell. Inuyasha lowered his ears, he could hear in her voice she was angry and tense, but also confident and determined.
"Kikyou," Sango hissed. "What do you want?"
"What are you doing on Higurashi grounds?" added Kagome.
Inuyasha's ears immediately laid down when he glared at the girl dressed in an uniform of a private school. She looked at the people in the park around them and leaned forward on her hands and knees to pluck up a rice cake from the basket without invitation. She smiled a little wider when she caught Miroku's eyes glued to her butt and arched her back a little more before resuming her kneeling position. Miroku glanced at a glaring Sango and lowered his head, looking mildly ashamed.
"My family lost something special, a family heirloom," Kikyou said and started to eat her stolen cake. She wasn't whispering, but wasn't too loud, as though she didn't want strangers overhearing her.
"Oh? That's a pity," Kagome said tersely and shifted to sit a little closer to Inuyasha. He had to ball his fists to prevent himself from reaching for her and enveloping her in his arms. He could see how tense and uncomfortable she was. She was still not to her full strength after their battle with a group of mikos who had tried to take over Higurashi domain after coming to Tokyo from a different city. All the Higurashi mikos were still regaining their powers, which was why the four friends were lazing around in the park rather than being at school. Inuyasha didn't like the smell of this situation.
"Yes," Kikyou lowered her head and glanced sideways at Inuyasha. She winked at him and he felt as if a ice cube materialized in his gut. "My family is frantically looking for it."
"We'll contact you if we find it," Sango assured Kikyou in a saccharine tone of voice which barely hid her underlying hostility. All three of the girls looked like the strings of a bow pulled too far and on verge of snapping. Miroku was looking between them with poorly concealed worry. Both boys knew it was against the rules for them to speak to a Bellflower, especially when it was Kikyou; Tsubaki's heir and probably the strongest young miko of their family. Inuyasha stole a discrete glance around, suspecting that there were more of her family members around, observing them and ready to attack the two Higurashi girls. They weren't helpless, all three humans having weapons hidden in folds of their clothing and him having his claws, but they probably were outnumbered. Kikyou was too calm for a lonely Bellflower on Higurashi grounds. But he saw only a bunch of ordinary humans and a few youkai in some distance, enjoying themselves; he couldn't sense any aura or pick any scent.
"Oh, thank you so much, Higurashi," Kikyou sighed. "It is a relief to know that you'll help. We are very fond of our heirloom and would go to drastic measures to reclaim it."
"What was this heirloom exactly?" asked Sango, frightening ignorance. All family members knew exactly what was the object which was gone from Bellflower's Shrine.
"Oh, it was a pearl, pink in color, big enough to fit in a hand," Kikyou explained, her cold blue eyes looking straight at Kagome, who returned the look with her calmest gaze. "A little bird stole it from us. It scratched a few of my sisters and their Helps."
"That's a pity," said Kagome. "You should've been more careful?"
"Maybe," Kikyou turned her gaze to look straight at Inuyasha. "I see you finally got your own Help," she commented. "I must say he's pretty cute. Exotic, even."
Kagome glared and rested her hand on Inuyasha's thigh.
"Is he good in bed? I heard youkai and hanyou are really good playthings," Kikyou grinned and reached her hand as if to touch Inuyasha's ear. The hanyou growled at her, baring his fangs. Kikyou gave him a look full of hate and disgust, but then smiled and looked at Kagome, who continued to glare at her.
"I believe it's not your business what I do with what's mine," the younger Higurashi said coolly. Kikyou laughed.
"Oh, you're right, my friend. After all, I don't walk around and brag about my Onigumo's stamina and prowess. Anyway, it seems you're quite fond of him."
Then her hand sprang forward and caught hold of Inuyasha's beads. Sango gasped and Kagome made a soft noise when Inuyasha felt a different force battle the one inhabiting his necklace.
He looked in Kikyou's eyes and saw her smile widely.
"You bitch!" Sango exclaimed and tried to grab her hand to pull her away, but Kikyou made a gesture with her other hand. Two snake-like youkai wrapped themselves around both Sango and Miroku. They wouldn't last long against the struggling humans, but could buy her time.
"Let go of him!" Kagome demanded. Inuyasha felt cold radiate from his necklace, freezing his muscles. Noises were coming and going in waves and he felt like throwing up. But the most frightening thing was he couldn't move, looking away from Kikyou's face was all he could do. He saw Sango and Miroku free themselves and extract knives from their sleeves while Kagome trembled and gasped for air, mist covering her eyes when she reached her hand for Inuyasha. She had almost grabbed his sleeve when Kikyou gave her order.