Nekoyashi
A Feudal Fanfiction
Chapter 2
Hojo was happy he had someone to help him find Kagome. He had no idea where he was or how he got there. A guide was necessary, he thought. Best yet, Nekoyashi didn't waste any time. "Since I'm half nekoyoukai, I'm an expert tracker. First off, you'll need to tell me what Kagome looks like." Hojo replied, "Kagome has a graceful face, her head is shaped like an upside-down egg, she has long, thick, raven-black hair that clumps up at the front of her head, she has brown eyes, she wears a thin, long-sleeved shirt with a green mantle and bow, and a ruffled green skirt, and her eyes have an intense look of innocence." "What's her profession?", Nekoyashi asked. "Kagome is a priestess.", Hojo replied. Nekoyashi made a trilling hum while looking up and placing her finger on her chin. "Then most likely, she's healing someone or exorcising youkai." Hojo stumbled back, startled. "There are Youkai in this place?" Nekoyashi raised an eyebrow at Hojo and replied, "Of course there are. Hmmmm...you're not from around here, are you?" Hojo replied, "No. I'm from Japan." Nekoyashi's eyes flared. "You idiot, you're in Japan! Don't you know your way around?" Hojo glared at her. "There's no need to call me an idiot. This doesn't look the Japan I'm from. Maybe I'm in another dimension..." Nekoyashi heaved up in laughter, then stared at Hojo with disdainful eyes. "You're crazy. There's only one Japan. And this "Kagome" girl is probably just someone you're stalking. You need to get exorcised, or something..."Hojo's whole body flowed with anger for the first time in his life. "I AM NOT STALKING KAGOME! SHE GOES MISSING A LOT AND I'M WORRIED ABOUT HER!"
Back at the village, Kaede heard their yelling. She marched into the forest to see what was going on, and found a young human man in strange clothing arguing with a catgirl. "Not again. I didn't think anyone else could come here from the well." She sighed. "Man, who are you and what are you doing here?" Hojo turned from his argument with Nekoyashi to see a short, stout old woman with a bun hairstyle, an eye patch, and a priestess's outfit. "I'm Hojo, and I'm looking for Kagome.", he replied. The priestess put her hand to her face, sighed, and shook her head. "What is it?", Hojo asked. The old lady replied, "Kagome has joined with a hanyo, a monk, a youkai slayer, and a fox youkai to reclaim a powerful artifact from an evil youkai of tremendous power. I don't sense any sort of power in you, so you had best be returning to the other side of the well before you get hurt." Hojo's head turned downwards, and his eyes saddened. "But, I want to help Kagome." Kaede marched up to Hojo and looked him right in the eye. "The only way you can help is by staying out of the way, You would only be a hindrance to her." Hojo shed a tear, then another, and another. Then he raised his head, and for the first time in his life a fierce look of courage and determination came over his face. "I won't accept that! I will do whatever it takes to be with Kagome! I will train under you, if that is your wish." Kaede replied, "I see that you truly feel for Kagome. I will allow you to train under me so that you can be prepared to fight by her side."
Hojo trained with Kaede for several years. During that time, however, Kagome returned to find him there. She had a look of worry on her face. Hojo was happy to see his beloved, but troubled by the look on her face. "Kagome, I was worried about you and your grandfather told me where to find you. I found out the truth about the reason you were almost always absent from school, and I've been training under Kaede so that I can one day fight with you against Naraku." The look on Kagome's face now turned to a look confused between comfort and fear. "Kagome, what's wrong?" Inuyasha rushed at Hojo and caught him by his collar. "The problem is that Kagome's already taken. Now run off before I rip you in half." At first, Hojo's reaction was a look of fear, but then his face returned to the fierce look of courage and determination and he swatted Inuyasha's hand, pushing himself back out of his grip. Hojo pointed at Inuyasha and shouted, "If Kagome is really your woman, then prove you are worthy of her. We shall have a duel to determine who will be Kagome's man." "Keh," Inuyasha snorted, "I'll take you out with just my claws." Kaede shouted, "Stop! You will not duel in my house! You must find some place outside to duel!" Hojo took up his bow and arrows and he and Inuyasha walked out of Kaede's hut and walked to the clearing near the sacred tree. Inuyasha stood in front of the sacred tree and said, "If you can pin me to the tree behind me with your dumb arrows, Kagome will be yours. But if I kill you or you beg for mercy, I will throw you down the well and seal it off with a boulder." Hojo replied with a stern look of determination and courage on his face, "Very well, monster. I will prove who is worthy of Kagome." Inuyasha leaped into the air towards Hojo and Hojo pierced him with an arrow. Inuyasha pulled out the arrow and swung it at Hojo, who blocked with his bow. Inuyasha swung his claw back and thrust it at Hojo, and he blocked it with his bow. "Keh!", Inuyasha snorted, "Hiding behind that puny bow? I'll rip it apart!" Inuyasha snarled. He unleashed his Iron Reaver Soul Stealer on Hojo, who leaped out of the way and shot an arrow at Inuyasha. Inuyasha smashed the arrow with his claws, only to find out that Hojo had coated it with venom. "Trying to poison me!" Inuyasha snarled, "That doesn't sound like the way of a shinto priest!" Hojo chuckled with a dangerous look in his eyes. He replied, "For Kagome, I'll do anything. That poison should be seeping into your skin pretty soon. And then you'll die, and Kagome will be mine." Inuyasha's whole body seethed and raged with anger. His eyes turned red and his pupils turned blue, he grew fangs, and black and purple streaks formed under his eyes. Hojo shot numerous arrows, but inuyasha just lunged at him, breaking the arrows with his rock hard abs and pecs, and finally ripping his claw and arm right through Hojo.