I'm Yours
To my Reviewers:
ivanacindy: Thanks. Kagome calls Inuyasha Stupid and Jerk so many times it's practically her pet name for him, so I thought it was appropriate.
K-tyRose: Hmmm (insert review in google translation) Aww how sweet. Umm...(translate message using google) Muchas gracias! Me alegro de que te guste! *Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it!*
FuedaleWarrior (Guest): I'm glad you think so, because that's what I was going for.
Aggie12: Thank you so much. As for your question...Maybe. *wink wink*
Thank you all for your fantastic reviews. And a special thanks to: Provider of odd things (AN: awesome name by the way), K-tyRose, soliea0death, Shiranai Atsune, lilsam150, TH34-H0LM3N, annona20, artificialfreedxm and all my other readers for your love and support.
Now let's start the show!
Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Not me, so no sue.
Chapter Three: Getting to Know You
"Has your swelling gone down, Kagome?" Kaede asked her older sister, before they began to search in a nearby field for some healing herbs that reduced swelling. Kagome's ankle had swollen so badly that she ended up using all the herbs.
"Yes, it's much better now," she assured, "I'm more embarrassed that it happened then anything else. Luckily Inuyasha was there to help me or it would have been a lot worse."
Kaede gave a sour look, "I don't like him," she admitted.
Kagome looked at her sister in surprise, "Kaede," she said sternly, "That's not a nice thing to say."
"Kagome, he's a half demon," Kaede stated, not feeling sorry in the slightest.
"A half demon who saved both your sisters from trouble," Kagome reasoned, "And he has a name, Kaede," she reminded him.
Kaede shook her head, "Kikyo always said that if it looks like a demon, it's called a demon. So if it looks like a half demon, it's called a half demon." Kaede had begun looking up to Kikyo more and more since her spiritual training had been progressing.
Kagome sighed at her sister's logic. Of course Kikyo would say something like that. 'But that doesn't make it right,' she thought to herself. "Well in that case, I guess I'll just call you 'little girl,'" Kagome replied, knowing how much Kaede hated being called that.
Immediately Kaede gave a look of annoyance, "I'm not little! Don't call me that!" she yelled at her sister.
"Why? It's what you are and how you look," Kagome argued in a monotone voice. Kaede wanted to defend herself from the nickname but couldn't' think of a good enough come back. That's when her big sister knew that she got her point across, "Now do you understand?" Kagome asked her little sister. Kaede eventually nodded yes and mumbled an apology. "Good. Now let's see if we could find that herb."
The two girls began their search silently.
A little while later, Kaede had spotted them. "Kagome look," she called to her sister, proud that she had found the right thing all by herself.
Kagome turned and smiled at her sister's excitement, "Good job, Kaede." Kagome began to walk her way over to her sister to help gather up the rest of the herb.
That's when she felt it.
An evil presence was nearby.
Enough to make Kagome's hair stand on end.
"Kaede watch out!" Kagome tried to warn her sister about the danger.
But it was too late.
A half injured centipede demon emerged from its hiding spot in the long grass and flew into the air. It screeched in fury that it was caught. Kagome quickly made her way to Kaede's side, who was frozen in fear of the demon.
"The Sacred Jewel," Mistress Centipede hissed at the two human girls, knowing that these two girls shared the same blood as the priestess that guarded the Shikon no Tama.
Kaede screamed in fear as the centipede demon began to charge at them.
"Run!" Kagome ordered her sister, as she grabbed Kaede's arm and began to run.
Mistress Centipede chuckled at the human girls' pathetic attempt to escape. "I'll take you both hostage," the centipede demon taunted as she chassed Kagome and Kaede. "Then I'll get the Shikon Jewel from that priestess, Kikyo."
Mistress Centipede morphed her mouth to reveal her large demon fangs.
"Kagome! Kid! Get down!" said a voice, startling both the girls.
Kagome instinctively fell to the ground, dragging her little sister with her and shield her with her body.
"Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" Inuyasha yelled his attack as he sliced through Mistress Centipede, ending her existence once and for all. "Keh," Inuyasha snorted unimpressed, "Like I'd let a weak demon like you steal the Jewel."
Kagome lifted herself up before looking at her and Kaede's savior gratefully, "Inuyasha." That's when she quickly noticed something else, 'He actually used my name for once.'
The half demon looked over and saw that both the girls were alright.
Kaede was speechless after what she had just witnessed. All her life, she had been trained by Kikyo to never trust any form of demon. Of course, Kagome was more trustworthy towards demons who called them her friend. Kaede used to think that Kagome was being foolish. 'But...That half demon just saved us,' she thought to herself. Her young mind didn't know what to make of this. 'So which of my sisters are right?' Kaede wondered, 'Kikyo or Kagome?'
"You can't be left alone for five minutes can you?" Inuyasha commented smugly towards Kagome.
"Hey, it doesn't happen to me every day," she retorted back and quickly smiled at him. "Still, thank you for saving us," she said appreciatively.
Kaede gave a polite small bow in gratitude, "Umm, thank you...Inuyasha."
Kagome glanced at her sister and gave a small pleasing nod.
Inuyasha still wasn't used to being thanked by anyone and completely went on the offensive. "Keh, you're both wrong. I just don't want anyone else to have the Sacred Jewel. That's all."
Kagome gave a skeptical look, "Oh really?"
Inuyasha nodded yes but Kagome still had her doubts. She had only met Inuyasha a few times but she could tell that he wasn't as bad as he claimed to be.
Kagome's attention was suddenly drawn over to Kaede, who was getting close the remains of Mistress Centipede. "Kaede, don't touch it," she warned sternly, not trusting the demons aura at all.
Kaede quickly took a few steps back, "Why not, Kagome? It's dead."
Kagome could still feel a shimmer of the centipede demons evil aura. 'Kaede should be able to sense it too. She's trained longer than me.' Shaking her head of the thought, "It's dead...But it may not stay that way."
Kaede kept her eyes on the demon corpse, being cautious in case it began to move again. "Then what do we do?" she asked a little terrified.
"I'm sure Kikyo will think of something," Kagome assured her little sister, "Kaede, go find Kikyo and tell her about this. I'll stay here and make sure the demon doesn't wander off."
Kaede nodded in understanding and quickly ran off to find Kikyo.
Inuyasha was silent throughout the exchange. Mostly staring at Kagome and her actions throughout the whole ordeal. Her body had stiffened as she stared down the remains of Mistress Centipede. Since he was a half demon, Inuyasha could feel the centipede demons aura and knew it wasn't completely dead. 'She could feel it too?' Inuyasha kept eyeing Kagome, still unsure of what to make of her. "How?"
Kagome turned to him and raised her eyebrow, questioning whatt he meant.
"How can you feel its aura?" Inuyasha finished his question.
"Oh," she said mildly stumped by the question. "I have a little spiritual training, that's all...I'm not a priestess though if that's what you're getting at," she added the last part in defense. Kagome didn't want him to think that she was tricking him in any way.
Inuyasha snorted, "Keh, I figured out that much," he stated. It was clear that Kagome wasn't a priestess, but she had the skills of one. 'I wonder why that is?' he thought to himself.
His comment made Kagome's face instantly fall. It was quickly placed with anger as she snarled in defense, "I know I'm not good enough to be a priestess! You don't have to rub it in my face!"
Inuyasha was slightly surprised by her outburst, and immediately began to yell back at her. "I didn't mean it like that, stupid! I just meant...Keh, forget it!" he finally gave up in frustration.
"Fine!" Kagome replied back just as irritated.
Silence fell between the two over the next few minutes. Kagome eventually ended up sitting on the ground with her knees tucked in front of her, as she kept an eye on Mistress Centipede. Inuyasha stayed standing with his arms folded, ready to fight against the demon again if needed. However, the aura of Mistress Centipede slowly began to weaken, making him relax slightly.
"You don't have to stay with me," Kagome said, finally breaking the silence between them.
Inuyasha snorted at the suggestion, "Keh, yeah right. From what I've seen, you're always getting into trouble. Someone has to look after you," he said as if it were obvious.
Kagome wanted to stay mad and argue with him, but she knew it was no use.
He was right.
She always had to be saved.
"I know, Kagome admitted quietly, "I'm too weak to look after myself."
Inuyasha heard her words with his sensitive hearing. He felt a little guilty after hearing her say that.
Sure Kagome wasn't strong but she wasn't a weakling either.
In fact, she was brave.
Inuyasha had seen Kagome's bravery twice already. Once trying to heal Kikyo and just now when she was protecting Kaede. 'Doesn't she realize that bravery is strength too?' he wondered.
Eventually, Inuyasha kneeled down beside Kagome, in his usual sitting position.
"How's, uhh, your ankle?" Inuyasha suddenly asked, wanting to change the obviously uncomfortable subject.
Kagome glanced over at him, surprised that he cared enough to ask about that. "It's better," she assured, "But I'll probably regret running like that later," she admitted half joking.
"Feh, not like you had a choice," he retorted.
"It was worth it," Kagome said without any sign of regret. A minute or so passed by before she hesitantly spoke again, "Can I ask you something?"
Inuyasha shrugged, "I guess."
"Where have you been staying?" she asked him. Kagome had noticed Inuyasha hanging around the area but knew that there were no available huts in the village. "I mean, I know you want the Jewel so you're probably close by. But where are you staying?"
The half demon looked at her in confusion, "In one of the trees," he said as if he was talking to a halfwit.
However, it wasn't that obvious to Kagome, "Don't you have a home? Or a family to go back to?" she asked him. 'Or are you alone?' Kagome thought to herself.
Taken aback by her questions, Inuyasha gave an irritated look, "Will you shut up. It's none of your business anyway."
Kagome realized she was prying too deeply and nodded, "Sorry," she apologized. But at least suspicion was confirmed.
Inuyasha was all alone.
She didn't know why, but the thought of him being alone was upsetting to her.
Silence fell between the two again. Neither of them knew what to say.
It took a while for Inuyasha to calm down from his outburst. Then he finally found the courage to ask a question that's been bothering him ever since he came to the village. "So," he said getting Kagome's attention, "Why did you stop your sister from killing me?" he asked in curiosity.
This time it was Kagome that gave a look that said that the answer was obvious. "Because it wasn't right," she responded simply, Inuyasha turned his eyes over to her in attentively. "Kikyo...she feels like she can never truly belong in this world. Because of her duty to protect the Jewel, she thinks that she can never have a normal life. Like meeting someone and having a family of her own. No matter how much my family and I tell her otherwise...In a way, you and Kikyo are both kind of similar." Inuyasha turned his full attention to her now. "You want the Jewel to become full demon right?"
"Keh, of course I do," he said smugly, "I need to be stronger."
Kagome shook her head, "No, you want to belong somewhere." Inuyasha raised a brow, "A half demon has no place in either world," Kagome quoted her father and sister's words. "That's what monks, priests, priestess are all taught. But Inuyasha you want a normal life too, don't you?...That's why I think you and my sister are similar."
Inuyasha was momentarily stunned by Kagome's statement before he snorted, "Keh, your sister needs to stop whining. We all have our own cross to bear."
Unsure of how else to take his suggestion, Kagome gave a half laugh, "Yes, I guess that is true." Inuyasha wasn't exactly a word smith but he did get his point across.
Inuyasha's ear moved slightly at hearing Kagome's laugh.
It was a very pleasant sound.
Of course, Inuyasha didn't voice these thoughts.
Kagome's smile faltered a little, still thinking about Inuyasha not having a home. She didn't like the idea of him not having a roof over his head, especially since the nights were getting colder.
Kagome tried to think of an idea on how to fix the situation but was having a hard time with it. Her family's hut was crowded enough as it was with five people. She also doubted anyone in the village would volunteer to take Inuyasha into their home. 'If only there was a place he could,' Kagome paused mid thought as a sudden idea came into her head. 'Hmm maybe Inuyasha could stay there,' she thought in mild excitement, 'It actually might be perfect for him.'
Inuyasha eyed Kagome suspiciously, as her face gave a plotting expression. 'What is she up to now?'
Suddenly, Kikyo appeared with a few of the village men with a cart. The priestess eyed the half demon for a moment before blessing the remains of Mistress Centipede.
"What are you going to do with them?" Kagome asked her sister.
"We'll take the demons remains to the Bone Eaters Well," Kikyo answered after she was done. "Mistress Centipede won't be able to use her powers in there."
Kagome nodded, having the knowledge of the Bone Eaters Well.
Giving one last look to Inuyasha she bowed to him, "Thank you for saving my sisters," she said before leaving with the men to the Bone Eaters Well.
Inuyasha grunted at the cold woman's gratitude. He was getting a little irritated by being thanked by all these women...but only a little.
"I should head home too," Kagome told Inuyasha a little regretfully. "I'll umm see you around, Inuyasha."
Inuyasha watched Kagome begin to walk away, slightly disappointed that she had to go. He never really just sat around and just talked to someone like that. Especially over things that were a little personal. "Kagome," he found himself calling out to her, "Come back here tomorrow."
Kagome turned around and looked at him curiously, 'He wants me to come back?'
The half demon began to lightly blush, "Uhh I mean...There's something I want to give you."
She gave him a small suspicious look, but it quickly faded into a smile. "Alright, I'll come. Actually, I wanted to give you something too."
Inuyasha's eyes widened in excitement, "The Sacred Jewel?" Kagome gave a small chuckle and shook her head no. He pouted in response, "Fine."
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"Why were you alone with him?" Kikyo asked Kagome after Mistress Centipede was thrown into the Bone Eaters Well.
Kagome rolled her eyes, "Inuyasha wanted to stay just in case the centipede demon regenerated. I didn't have any weapons to defend myself."
"That's not what I mean," Kikyo retorted, "Don't forget what Inuyasha is, Kagome."
"I know he's a half demon," Kagome snapped at her sister, frustrated about getting the same lecture ever since Inuyasha made his appearance known. "But I also know that he isn't as bad as you claim him to be." Kagome, once again, explained why she thought the half demon and her sister were similar. "Maybe if you both actually sat down and talked with one another, you wouldn't think so poorly of him."
Kikyo watched as Kagome stormed off back to their home, her face remaining emotionless. The priestess knew her sister had a little bit of a temper but she had rarely been the receiver of its wrath. In fact the last time Kikyo was scolding Kagome it was when she began meeting up with Shippo and his father.
The thought of fathers made Kikyo think of her own, 'What would you have me do?' she wondered.
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The next day, Kagome told her family that she was off to meet with Inuyasha.
Kun-lun told smiled and told Kagome to tell Inuyasha that she says hello. Kaede and Souta told her to be safe.
"Kagome," Kikyo called to her sister as she went out the door.
She sighed loudly, waiting for Kikyo's lecture, "Yes?"
Instead, Kikyo handed Kagome a beaded necklace, "Take this."
Kagome looked at the beads suspiciously, sensing the small amount of spiritual power inside them. "What is it?" she asked, never seeing such a thing before.
"These are the Beads of Subjugation," Kikyo stated in monotone.
At hearing the name Kagome rolled her eyes and gave the beads back, "Kikyo, I don't need these." She didn't know much about the Beads of Subjugation but just by the name, she guessed what they would do.
"Just listen," Kikyo interrupted, wanting to explain her reasoning. "I know you trust...Inuyasha," she forced herself to say his name. "But I just want you to be careful. These beads will help keep Inuyasha in check, just in case something happens." She gave the beads back to Kagome, "All you need to do is say a trigger word and he'll submit to your command," Kikyo explained.
Kagome didn't like the sound of that at all. 'I don't want to command Inuyasha to do anything,' she thought to herself. 'I want,' she paused, once again wondering what she did want from him.
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Inuyasha waited, almost impatiently, for Kagome to arrive.
"Inuyasha," Kagome called out as she made her way to their meeting spot, "Sorry, I'm a little late."
The half demon shrugged, "Feh, It's fine. Here," he said handing her something really small.
"What is it?" she asked him.
"There's no point in me keeping it," Inuyasha said, "I figured I might as well give it to you."
Kagome took the item from him and looked at it curiously.
It was a small sea shell holder.
Slowly she opened the delicate shell and saw a red colored lip rouge inside.
"The only thing left I have of my mother was this and the Robe of the Fire Rat," Inuyasha confessed gesturing to the shell holder.
Kagome looked at the rouge in amazement and smiled, "It's a beautiful color," she complimented before looking back up at Inuyasha, "So your mother was human?" Inuyasha nodded yes. Kagome recalled his words and her smile faltered, "And she's...Oh Inuyasha I can't accept this," she said trying to give the shell back to him.
Inuyasha raised a brow in surprise, "Huh? Why not?"
"It's your mothers. I can't take something that precious from you," Kagome said feeling guilty.
Inuyasha blushed lightly and turned away in slight embarrassment, "Keh, it's not a big deal. The Robe of the Fire Rat is useful enough. It's all I need."
Kagome gave a skeptical look, "A need and a want are two very different things," she pointed out.
"Don't worry about it," Inuyasha said before turning back, "Anyway, didn't you say there was something that you wanted to give me?"
Suddenly remembering, Kagome nodded. "Right. Umm the thing is, what I'm giving you is not exactly something I can carry. I'll have to show you where it is."
"Show me?" Inuyasha asked in confusion.
"It's about a mile south away from the village," Kagome admitted before giving an innocent look. "We'd get there faster if I rode on your back, again," she suggested, hoping he wouldn't be mad.
"Man," Inuyasha said in annoyance before he kneeled down to let her on his back, "What a pain."
Kagome got on his back like she had before and pointed in the direction for them to go.
Inuyasha ran and jumped, from their meeting spot all the way to the destination that Kagome wanted.
"We're here," Kagome told Inuyasha making him stop.
Inuyasha stared at the small hut, which was obviously abandoned by its poorly kept state, with a small clearing that was surrounded by the trees of the forest. "What is this place?" he asked her.
Kagome jumped off Inuyasha's back and walked backwards towards the hut, so she could continue to face him. "Before my parents married, this was where my father had lived," she explained, before turning around and walking up the stairs to sit on the porch of the hut. Kagome wore a big smile as she did so.
Inuyasha silently followed her until he stood in front of her.
"When I was younger, my father had to train Kikyo to be a priestess, so he and I didn't spend much time together," Kagome continued before looking around the hut's clearing, "But when we did, he'd bring me here. To our own special place, where we could do whatever we wanted. Miles away from everyone...As if it was our own little world," she admitted before she blushed lightly in embarrassment, "I know it's silly, but that's what it felt like."
Inuyasha shook his head, "Doesn't sound silly to me," he admitted as he looked around the hut and clearing. "But why did you want to show this to me?" Inuyasha questioned.
"Because I want you to have it," Kagome admitted.
Inuyasha gasped in surprise.
"You said that you've been staying in a tree. And since you're obviously not leaving until you get the Jewel, which won't happen by the way," she added with a teasing smirk, "You can stay here."
The half demon inspected the hut briefly. Even thought it was messy from dirt and dry dead leaves, it was in good shape. Definitely livable. "Kagome...Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly, as if expecting this to be a trick.
She nodded yes, "I figured you might like it here. None of the villagers ever come here. I'm pretty sure most of them have forgotten about it, so you won't be bothered. And there's a river not too far from here too."
Inuyasha's mind was going a mile a minute. For so long he'd been on his own. Never staying in one place for too long. But now, Kagome had given him something that he'd never dared dreamed to have before.
A place to call home.
"Kagome...I," he couldn't form words.
She pulled her hand out to stop him and showed him the lip rouge he had given her. "Inuyasha, you gave something very special of yours to me. It seems only fair that I do the same for you," Kagome said while smiling at him.
Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk back at her. He was learning very quickly not to argue with Kagome about things like this.
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The next hour or so was spent with the both of them cleaning out the hut.
Later they rested, sitting on the porch of the hut. Inuyasha leaned up against the wall next to the entrance while Kagome sat with her back against the outside pillar to face him.
She pulled out the rouge again to look at the color once more, "This color is so pretty. I don't know if I can wear something this bold."
Inuyasha shrugged, "You don't have to wear it if you don't want to," he reminded her.
Kagome gave him a mild glare, "But it was a gift from you. Of course I'll wear. But it might have to be on special occasions though...Your mother must have been very beautiful to wear a color like this."
He nodded in agreement, "She was to me."
Kagome couldn't help but smile, "What was she like? Your mother?" she asked curiously, tucking her legs in front of her and resting her chin on her knees.
Inuyasha turned his gaze away from her and looked up at the sky. He usually didn't like talking about his mother. But for some reason, the thought of telling Kagome about her didn't seem as bad. "She was very kind and gentle," Inuyasha said while remembering the few memories he had of him and his mother. "She liked music too. Loved singing to me all the time."
This made Kagome chuckle, "So the complete opposite of you," she said noticeably teasing him, "Mr. Rude, Rough and Quiet."
He sent her a playful glare, "This Mr. Rude, Rough and Quiet, saved your ass on more than one occasion remember," he pointed out.
Kagome put her hands up in mock surrender, "Okay, okay. You're right."
Inuyasha grunted before he smirked, "What about your old man? What was he like?"
She pondered for a moment, wondering how to explain her father. "He was strict and formal when it came to his priest duties...But at home he was different." Inuyasha raised a brow in confusion. "It's hard to explain, but it was as if he kept his real self-locked away during the day, and when he was at home he was free to be himself. He was kind and caring. And a little silly even," she chuckled at the memories. "My mother would tease us by saying she had two husbands. One that she had to share with the village and a special one just for her."
Inuyasha hesitated to ask his next question, "How did...How did he die?"
Kagome's smile faltered and took a few moments to answer, "He was killed by a demon attack a few years ago...It was just a normal patrol around the village, he let his guard down for a moment...And then he was gone," she said while she wiped a small silent tear that went down her face. Inuyasha winced slightly at the sight and the smell of the salty tear. "What about your mother? What happened to her?" she asked with concerning interest, as she wiped the tear away.
He didn't answer for a moment and looked away from her again. "She died from an illness," he finally told her, "I was just a kid when it happened."
Kagome frowned at the thought, "Who did you live with afterwards?"
"No one," Inuyasha answered simply, "I was on my own."
This made Kagome straighten up, "Yo-you were alone?" she asked surprised.
Inuyasha shrugged, "It wasn't a big deal," he lied to her and himself. He didn't want to think of the hell he went through those first few years of surviving as a child.
In that moment, Kagome saw Inuyasha in a whole new light, "Inuyasha...You're amazing," she praised. Inuyasha turned back to her shockingly. "You survived all these years on your own at such a young age. Not everyone can just do that. I know I couldn't do it," she admitted.
Inuyasha snorted, "Keh, of course not. You're just a weak human."
Kagome pouted at his comment, "I'm trying to give you a compliment."
"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha said in pretend annoyance.
Kagome sent him another playful glare before realizing how the sky was now turning orange.
It was sunset.
She and Inuyasha had spent the whole day together.
"Oh it's already so late," she complained, "I have to go," she told Inuyasha in regret.
For brief moment, Inuyasha wanted to protest in her leaving. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was starting to like having Kagome around. Instead he said, "I can take you," he offered avoiding her gaze, "Only if you want to, though."
Kagome shook her head no, "Thank you but I actually want to walk home...It's been awhile since I've walked home from this place. I kind of want to do it one more time." Inuyasha nodded, but Kagome didn't miss the look of disappointment in his eyes. "Don't worry, I'll come back for a visit. That's what friends do, right?"
Inuyasha's eyes widened slightly at her question. 'Friends,' he repeated to himself, 'We're friends.' That thought alone had lightened his mood a little. "Ye-yeah," he hesitantly admitted.
Kagome smiled, glad that Inuyasha admitted that they were both friends in his own way. "Good bye, Inuyasha. I'll see you soon," she said to him before leaving.
Inuyasha nodded and waited till Kagome was out of ear shot to finally speak, "Bye Kagome."
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Once Kagome was out of sight, Inuyasha took one last look from the outside of the hut before going inside.
Neither of them saw nor felt the presence of the small spider demon nearby, in the bushes.
The spider had been careful to keep his existence hidden ever since that priestess, Kikyo, had tried to kill him along with his other demon brothers.
The spider had followed the priestess home, wanting to kill her along with her family in revenge.
Instead, the spider found out about the Shikon no Tama.
With the Jewel, the spider wouldn't be the weak demon he was now.
He would be invincible.
But obtaining the Jewel was going to be tricky. He had sent a few demons a head to try to retrieve it for him, but none of them succeeded because of Kikyo.
No, the spider needed to try a different tactic.
"Inuyasha and Kagome," the spider wickedly muttered as a plot began to form in his mind.
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The next day, Kikyo and Kagome were patrolling the borders of the village once more.
"You didn't use it," Kikyo scolded Kagome once she told her that she didn't use the Beads of Subjugation.
Kagome shook her head, "No. And I have no reason to do so."
"Kagome," her sister muttered in frustration. Kikyo knew Kagome's kind nature would cause problems one day, "Inuyasha just wants the Jewel."
"I know that," Kagome said raising her voice a little. She was getting tired of her sister reminding her of that every day.
Inuyasha mentioned it to her often enough so she'd never forget.
But that didn't matter to Kagome.
Inuyasha was her friend, and she wasn't going to use the Subjection Beads on him.
The two girls were so in depth with their conversation that they didn't see the man on a horse on a nearby ridge.
A man who was aiming a bow and arrow towards them.
"I've got you priestess," the man named Rasetsu muttered as he pulled the bow back, aiming for the guardian of the Shikon Jewel. "Now die," he said before releasing the arrow.
Kikyo and Kagome didn't know the arrow was aimed towards them.
But Inuyasha did.
The half demon appeared from his spot in the tree and caught the arrow before it hit its target.
Both the women turned and gasped in surprise.
"Inuyasha," Kagome said startled.
The half demon glared at Rasetsu on the ridge in anger, before he jumped with his demon agility up the cliff to stand before the man.
Rasetsu's horse was startled by the half demon's presence that he threw his rider off and ran, leaving Rasetsu to his fate.
"Who are you?" Rasetsu demanded from the half demon, "What do you want?"
Inuyasha glared at the man, "A human," he identified by his scent. "You've got some nerve trying to cut those girls' lives short. Are you after the Shikon no Tama?" he guessed.
Unafraid of the half demon before him, Rasetsu got back on his feet and drew his sword out to attack. "Enough," he said in irritation before raising his sword to attack, "Now die you demon!"
Inuyasha blocked the attack of the sword with the sleeve from the Robe of the Fire Rat.
The sword's blade broke in half the moment it touched the demonic robe.
The discarded blade flew into the air before landing in Rasetsu's eye.
Rasetsu screamed in pain before he pulled the blade out of his now blind eye. "Damn you!" he yelled before holding his wound with one hand.
Inuyasha cracked his knuckles, ready to use his claws on this lousy human.
"Inuyasha," Kagome called out to her friend with worry.
The half demon cursed in his mind. As much as he wanted to teach this human a lesson, Inuyasha knew that Kagome wouldn't like it. "Count yourself lucky," he warned the human before jumping off the cliff and landed in front of Kagome and Kikyo.
"Are you alright?" Kagome asked Inuyasha in concern.
Kikyo was more direct, "What happened up there?"
Inuyasha shrugged, "Feh, nothing I can't handle."
The priestess sent a small glare towards him, "I trust that you wouldn't do anything violent in my presences and my sister's."
Inuyasha snorted in reply. Kikyo turned and began to walk away from him. She was beginning to lose track of how many times this half demon has helped her family. 'And for that alone I am grateful,' she thought in mild acceptance.
Kagome gave a small chuckle.
"What's so funny?" Inuyasha asked her folding his arms into his sleeves out of habit.
"I think my sister is starting to like you," Kagome stated.
Inuyasha gave a small blush of embarrassment and turned his face away, "Sh-shut up," he replied irritably.
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Rasetsu continued to hold his wounded eye as he stumbled away from the cliff.
He couldn't believe what had happened.
Rasetsu was told by a friend of his on how easy it would be to kill that priestess and obtain the Shikon no Tama. He trusted this friend since he was helping them with some demons that supposedly held treasure in their homes.
But Rasetsu quickly realized that this friend had been deceiving him.
He wanted Rasetsu to get caught and he wanted him dead.
It became even more apparent when Rasetsu returned to his fellow band of thieves' camp and found them gone.
Rasetsu glared at the camp site before cursing his friend's name, "Damn you, Onigumo!"
I honestly went back and forth on the chapter title between 'Getting to Know You' and 'You've Got a Friend in Me'. (Dorky I know but still.) I think the first choice works better. So what do you guys think? Next time: Kikyo asks Kagome for help. Inuyasha gets angry (Shocking) and old friends return.
Till Then My Readers