I did not create InuYasha. If I did, I would not be wondering how the heck I'm going manage to pay for an anime con without my parents consent and/or knowlege.
I wouldn't be trying to do as well as I do in school either, 'cause I wouldn't need to worry about the values of merit scholarships...

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InuYasha leapt out of the tree, ready to begin walking back to Kaede's. He did not really want to see Hojo and Kagome together, but if that was the price he had to pay to make sure Kagome was alright and protected, then he would live with it. He doubted he would be polite to Hojo, though. The second he hit the ground, Kirara ran up to him, growling slightly the way she did when she sensed something was wrong.

"Hey, Kirara, what's wrong?" Then he heard Shippo scream, and, a moment later, he thought he heard Kagome's voice yelling something he could not quite make out. "Damn that kit, he's went and got lost, and Kagome got up and went looking for him before she was ready to get out of bed!" InuYasha muttered, and started running in the direction of their voices, coming from the direction of the village, Kirara on his heels. The sounds were getting louder every second.

"KAGOME, MOVE!" That was Sango. InuYasha growled. They had managed to get into trouble without him. Again. He sped up passing the well, and noticing the path of bent and twisted trees that was leading towards the village.

Shit. Something's attacking them! Hang on, Kagome! He ran, following Kagome's scent, and the path of destruction left by whatever was attacking them. He heard Kagome yelp in pain, and started running even faster. There was a noise like something sticky and dripping hitting the ground; InuYasha guessed that Sango had tried to use her Hirakosu.

Where's Miroku and his wind tunnel when you need them? He thought bitterly, running as fast as he could.

"I can't!" That was the monk. "Kagome and Shippo are in the way!" InuYasha made out the sounds of Sango cursing, and a roar of fury from some sort of demon; now that he and Kirara were closer, he could sense the demon's aura coming off it, full force. It was enough that he was not sure that even if Kagome's miko abilities were at full power she would be able to purify it.

"Damn it!" He growled, running towards them.

"INUYASHA!" Kagome screamed, a little ways ahead of him. InuYasha drew the Tetsuaiga, and ran through the trees ahead of him, ready to fight to save his Kagome.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the feeling of slimy, gooey tentacles sliding around her waist. She felt nothing. Slowly she opened her eyes, and stared. The blob demon was 

howling in rage on the other side of a spiritual barrier extending from her left hand that surrounded Shippo and herself. Her eyes widened.

Did Miroku... No, his power doesn't feel this way, and he needs more time to make a shield like this... Kikyo? No, she would never help me if she didn't have to, although this is a lot like her work... Kagome gasped. Did... did I do this? Is this my barrier? It feels sort of like my arrows... and I'm getting more tired by the second... Yeah, I'd say this is my barrier... She gulped. I really hope someone kills that thing soon, because I don't know how much longer I can keep this up...

Shippo was looking around with stunned amazement.

"Kagome... are you doing this?" He whispered.

"I-I think so, Shippo." She said softly. Shippo looked worried.

"You shouldn't be doing this! You're still tired after the fight with the spider demons!" Kagome smiled weakly.

"I know, Shippo, but if I can keep him off you long enough to buy enough time for someone to kill that thing, then you at least will be safe." She told him softly. Shippo looked up at her, and hugged her hard around the neck.

"But you could die! That's happened to mikos who overexert themselves! Remember what's-her-name... Tsukiomi? Look what happened to her!" Kagome smiled at him.

"That's true. But Tsukiomi did what she did to save Hakudomi (author's note: I'm not 100 positive I got that name right...). I'm protecting you, Shippo. If that means that I'm going to die, then, well, I guess I'm going to die."

"NO!" Shippo yelled, and hugged Kagome's neck tighter "You're not allowed to die Mommy!" Kagome's free arm hugged Shippo back.

"I don't want to die, but if that's what it..." She stopped abruptly, then asked hesitantly "Did...did you just call me Mommy?" Shippo blushed, but he figured he had better tell her now, incase he never got another chance.

"Yes! You're my mommy! Don't leave me!" He started crying. Kagome hugged him tighter. Shippo was a little nervous. What if she doesn't want to be my mommy? He asked himself. A voice, which had apparently been spending too much time with InuYasha, gave him the mental equivalent of a club to the top of the head.

Of COURSE she wants to be your mother, you stupid kit! Why ELSE would she be hugging you and nearly killing herself to keep you safe? Shippo opened his mouth to reply, then shut it, not only because he did not have a reply, but also because he realized that he would sound very crazy to answer a voice in his head out loud.



I'm impressed. You aren't as stupid as I thought. It took both Kagome and InuYasha much longer to figure out that talking to a voice in your head is generally defined as crazy. Oh, incidentally, InuYasha should show up with the Tetsuaiga right about... now.

InuYasha ran out of the trees just behind Sango and Miroku, with Kirara on his heels.

"Can't you four stay out of trouble for ten minutes?" He growled, taking in the scene. His eyes widened as they passed over Kagome and Shippo inside her barrier, then he shook his head, thinking that he'd worry about that later. It was a good thing that it was there, though. It would protect Kagome and Shippo from the wind scar. He turned to face the demon, a giant blob. His eyebrows raised, and he turned to look at Sango and Miroku.

"The four of you couldn't defeat a giant blob?" He asked dryly. Sango and Miroku glared, not the least bit embarrassed.

"Kagome shot him with one of her arrows to make him drop Shippo, I hit him with my hirakosu, and Miroku can't use his wind tunnel. I don't think Shippo did anything..."

"I hit him with fox fire to make him drop me over by the well!" Shippo called, his demon ears picking up the conversation. "And would you please hurry up and kill this thing? Mommy's really tired, and I don't think she can keep up the barrier much longer!" The blob demon laughed.

"Mommy, eh? I'll just take eat her too! Once I get rid of this damn barrier." It roared and started pounding at the barrier, sending one tentacle after another speeding towards it. Inside the barrier, Kagome was wincing with each blow.

"Tell him to PLEASE hurry!" She said to Shippo softly. Shippo nodded nervously.

"She says PLEASE hurry, InuYasha!" He yelled desperately. He did not want to lose his mommy, now that he had finally gotten the guts to let her know he felt that way.

Shippo did not need to worry. InuYasha had already started his attack.

"WIND SCAR!" InuYasha roared, slashing the Tetsuaiga down. The blob demon howled as he was destroyed by the wind scar. Kagome's barrier flickered slightly under the force of InuYasha's attack, but held firm. As soon as she felt the wind scar stop, she let down her barrier, breathing hard. Slowly, she unhooked her left ankle from the tree root it had gotten tangled in, and hissed in pain

"Mommy!" Shippo yelled, and knelt in front of her face, looking concerned. Kagome smiled reassuringly at him.

"Don't worry, baby, I'm just tired. I'll be alright." Shippo looked relieved.



"Keh. Can't you get yourself out of trouble without my help, wench?" InuYasha asked smugly. Kagome glared at him.

"InuYasha, sit boy!"

THUD!

"Hey! Is that the way to treat the person who just saved you?" He asked indignantly.

"IT IS WHEN YOU'RE TIRED, YOUR ANKLE FEELS LIKE YOU SPRAINED IT OR SOMETHING, AND YOU DON'T REALLY WANT TO DEAL WITH IDIOTS WHO CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHEN TO KEEP THEIR MOUTHS SHUT!" Kagome yelled. Granted, it was not as loud as she normally got, and did not look as impressive as when she was standing, and directly in InuYasha's face, but it was still enough to make the half-demon back off. He knew better than to mess with Kagome when she was in that mood. Kagome tried to stand up, managed to make it to her knees. She turned to Shippo.

"Shippo, could you pass me my bow?" She asked softly. Shippo nodded, and ran to where Kagome had dropped the bow when she rolled away from the blob demon. He picked up and delivered it to Kagome, who smiled at him. "Thank you, sweet heart. Now, let's see if this works..." She dug the end of her bow into the ground, and tried to stand. It did not work. Her hurt ankle would not take her weight, and neither would her legs. She sighed, and supposed that she should be grateful to be on her knees. Sango walked over to her, Kirara at her side.

"Here, Kagome, let me help." Sango slowly helped Kagome up, carrying most of her weight. Kagome was standing on one foot, to keep off her ankle. Sango looked at her, and quickly decided that they needed to get her on Kirara as soon as possible. "Umm, InuYasha?" She asked hesitantly.

"Keh." He answered, having a feeling he knew what Sango was going to ask.

"Would you help me get Kagome onto Kirara?"

"I will help you Sango!" Miroku said eagerly, rushing forward.

"NO!" Kagome, Sango, InuYasha, and Shippo chorused, and Kirara mewed her equivalent of no emphatically.

"Sure, I'll help you Sango." InuYasha said hurriedly. He might be annoyed with Kagome, but he was not heartless enough to leave both girls to be groped by Miroku. He walked over to Sango and Kagome, and picked her up, with one arm behind her back, and the other under knees. Gently, he set her down on Kirara's back. She smiled slightly.

"Thanks InuYasha." She said quietly. InuYasha looked a bit surprised.

"For what? All I did was put you on the cat..." Her smile widened. ./p



"Well, yes for that, but I was also thanking you for saving Shippo and me earlier... and for saving Sango and me from Miroku just now." InuYasha turned away to hide his grin.

"Keh. I may be heartless, but I'm not that heartless." He pointed out.

"You're not heartless!" Kagome said heatedly, but still not very loudly. InuYasha's smile turned slightly bitter. Kagome did not see this; his back was still towards her.

This is why I love you, Kagome. He thought, Because you were the first to believe I wasn't heartless, and you won't let me believe it, either. I thought that Kikyo believed that about me... but after she came back, I started to figure out she didn't. Not really. She wanted me to be human so I would have one.

You're admitting it! You're actually admitting it! I don't believe it. Well, actually, I can. I haven't really left you much choice. InuYasha bit back a curse. The stupid voice was back. Again. Of COURSE I'm back. What did you expect? You need help to get rid of that Hojo idiot, don't you? InuYasha had to admit that he was a bit happy to have someone on his side. You do have people on your side other than me, you know. The voice told him calmly. Shippo for starters. He hates Hojo. Apparantly, Hojo keeps trying to convince him that he's eating too much candy and he just won't shut up about it. May I suggest talking to him? He is Kagome's kit, after all. He has a lot of influence with her.

Kagome's kit? What are you talking about? He's not her kit! InuYasha snarled mentally. The voice sighed in exasperation.

Haven't you been paying attention? Shippo is calling her Mommy. She's calling him names like baby and sweetheart. What do you think that means? Because I call it a mother-son relationship. She's all but adopted him. Haven't you noticed before now?

Now that InuYasha thought about it, that made a lot of sense. The voice gave its equivalent of an eye roll.

Good. You're not completely hopeless. I was beginning to get worried. And no, I'm not that easy to get rid of. Sheesh, you'd think I was killing you two or something...

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The voice has infected Shippo! Who will be next? Laughs evilly God, I love that voice!

So, ummmm... yeah... that's about it. Oh, and I know Kagome can't make barriers. That's why she and Shippo are going "What the heck?". Honestly, I personally don't see why she couldn't, so, because I am author, I used my power to make her create a barrier! loves being the author!