Author's Note:
I know the first two chapters was probably hard for some people to get through. I'm still carrying on though, even though there's not much followers or likes to this story. These characters are speaking loudly to me and I want their story out. You'd be surprised what I have in store for them. Let me know what you think. Feel free to leave a review ;)
The sunlight broke over the horizon, stirring the land to life. Morning dew stuck to the leaves and to the roof of the shrine as the sound of birds chirping stirred him awake.
Inuyasha's ears twitched. He opened his eyes, golden orbs taking in the roof of some room he was in. 'What happened?' He took a breath and knew he wasn't alone.
"If you make any sudden moves, hanyou, I will kill you." Inuyasha's left ear twitched. He knew where the man sat to his left, could hear the beat of his heart and each breath he took. He smirked. 'A human? Where the hell am I?'
"Where am I?" he asked, testing his voice. Inuyasha felt perfectly fine, trying to remember what happened last night. He felt like he should be dead or at least on the brink of death, which confused him as to why he was lying here perfectly ready for a fight with this boy.
He sat up slowly, looking around to see the man who spoke to him sitting in the corner of the room, his weapon that looked like a sickle made of bone, held tightly in his right hand. The man had long black hair that was tied up high in a ponytail, much like his own, but only hanging down to his shoulders. Inuyasha took in his appearance. He wore a dark purple hakama with a black haori that had no sleeves tied with a green obi. He had no shirt under his haori and was kneeling, looking relaxed but Inuyasha knew better. The boy was ready to strike if he made a move. Inuyasha chuckled, "Relax. You look tense."
"No fun and games, hanyou." His attention was pulled to his right where he heard a woman's voice. This woman was kneeling just like the man and dressed in a pink kimono that had two different shades of pink. She wore a green skirt tied around her waist as she sat there, glaring at him as if looks could kill. 'Jeez… what's her problem?' The woman's hair went down her back and he couldn't help but notice the wakizashi sitting on her lap in plain view, daring him to make a move.
Inuyasha chuckled, closing his eyes and shaking his head in disbelief. Just when he thought he was on the brink of death, he wakes up to this joke.
Suddenly the shoji door slid open, making him jump up, grabbing the hilt of his sword. 'Huh? Tessaiga?' Inuyasha felt on his waist and torso, now noticing that he didn't have his sword. He growled at the intruder, seeing an old woman dressed in miko robes standing in the morning light.
Inuyasha gasped, suddenly remembering what happened. He had a flashback of the miko that he encountered in the field, remembered her brown eyes as she stared at him, pointing her arrow at him. His eyes then looked down and there she was. The miko from last night, the one that threatened him to leave… she lay on the futon next to the one he was lying on. He stared at her, confused and dumb-struck. 'What the hell is going?'
"Inu-hanyou," Kaede called, snapping the demon's attention towards her. She saw the glitter in his golden eyes and gasped, recognizing his eyes. Those golden eyes reminded her of the inu-taiyoukai who killed Kagome's parents. She took a step back, only making Sango and Kohaku even more wary. They sensed her apprehension and Kohaku moved so that he was on one knee at Kagome's feet, ready for the hanyou's attack. Sango stood up slowly, grabbing the hilt of her wakizashi, glancing back at Kaede.
"Kaede…" she called. "What's wrong? Do you know him?"
Kaede regained her composure, though her eye never left the hanyou. He regarded her with a confused but wary stare. It was obvious he had never seen her before, and she knew he wasn't the inu-taiyoukai. He wasn't a full-fledge demon and he didn't have the purple markings on his cheeks. But still… what a strong resemblance.
"No," Kaede said, now even more confused as to why Kagome healed him. 'Surely she would have seen the resemblance of the two…' Kaede just didn't understand, and wouldn't, until Kagome woke. But until then… she had problems that needed attention and one of them was securing this hanyou.
"Hanyou, what are your intentions here?"
Inuyasha sputtered, glaring at her and pointing his finger at her. "Me?! You were the one who brought me here, baka!"
Sango turned and glared at him. "Don't call her that."
Inuyasha looked at her and glared. "I will call her whatever the hell I want. What the hell am I doing here to begin with?" He looked down at the sleeping miko and then back up again at the old hag outside. "And where is my damn sword?"
Kaede smiled and placed a hand into her haori, drawing out an ofuda. "It's in a safe place." Her eyes went to Sango. "Sango, Kohaku," she called, "I need the two of you now. We have problems." Sango turned to look at Kaede and knew that it was a demon attack. But she hated leaving Kagome here with this demon.
Kohaku turned around, looking surprised at Kaede. "Kaede… what about Kagome? We can't leave her here with this hanyou."
Inuyasha blinked and looked down at the sleeping miko. 'Kagome…' That was her name. He gazed at her and watched the rise and fall of her chest.
"Kagome will be fine here. She needs to rest and she will rise when she is ready. But until then, I will seal the two of them in here so that I don't have to worry about him terrorizing our village." Sango and Kohaku looked back at the hanyou just as Kaede grabbed the shoji doors. The two of them got the hint as Inuyasha just stood staring at them, confused as to what they were doing.
Kaede closed the doors as the two of them came out and placed her ofuda across both doors, sealing them shut together with a spell. 'He won't be able to get out.' "Let's go." Sango and Kohaku both followed her towards the village to deal with the problem.
Inuyasha blinked as the sunlight was shut out and their shadows disappeared from the shoji. He growled and stomped up to the shoji.
"Oi!" he yelled and went to grab the shoji but was shocked instead and he retracted his hand. The pain was brief but it only made him angry. 'That old hag sealed me in this damn room!' He couldn't believe that he was trapped in here, without his weapon, with this stupid miko who was sleeping as if all that happened didn't just happen. He pounded his fist on the door, hoping to break through it, but was only zapped each time and he left no damage in his frustration.
"Argh!" he said, stomping around the room looking for another way out. He tried the other two shoji doors, but even those two were sealed and would zap him whenever he touched them. It seemed like whatever she used on that door worked around the whole room. Inuyasha huffed and crossed his arms, furious that he was stuck in here.
Closing his eyes, trying to calm his anger, he took in a deep breath and breathed in the miko's scent. 'Kagome…' He opened his eyes and his golden orbs softened when he looked at her. Her scent did something to him as he felt something inside of him shifting. He didn't know what it was about her, but something about this woman was drawing him to her, making him curious.
Inuyasha moved towards her, sitting down and crossing his legs, facing her right side. Her hands were lying on top of each other on her stomach. She wore her miko robes that he remembered her in last night. Inuyasha inhaled again, taking her scent deep into his lungs. 'She smells like jasmines…' There was something else in her scent that he couldn't put his finger on but he closed his eyes and inhaled her scent again, unable to stop. Immediately his body relaxed and he gazed down at the miko in surprise. 'What the hell?' The strange thing about it was that he felt his demon instantly calm from her scent, remembering she had the same effect on him last night. He was so amped up from the rock demon and hungered for more bloodshed, but when the wind had changed and her scent came to him, his blood instantly calmed and his demon was pacified. Inuyasha blinked, staring down at her bewildered.
He thought of who she was. From the way the woman and the man guarded her, it was as if she was someone of importance, besides the fact that she was a priestess. Obviously the old hag was a priestess too since she wore the clothes that signified her title. Inuyasha just folded his arms in his haori sleeves and stared at the miko, taking in her face.
She had short bangs that covered her forehead and her hair was long, but draped over her shoulders and lying on the floor beneath her. Her face, though, was of serenity. He leaned closer to her, getting a better look at her face. Her skin looked soft, her lips were plush and her long eyelashes rested on her cheeks. Inuyasha found himself captivated by her, and his captivation of her only made him even more intrigued at his reaction towards her. He spent his time sitting there and staring at her, working out all the feelings she was stirring up in him and why.
With a deep breath, Kagome opened her eyes and gazed up at the roof. She recognized it was her room. 'How did I get here?' But her thoughts were scattered when she felt someone close to her. Her eyes moved to her right and there he sat, the hanyou that she had healed last night. She froze, gazing at him with surprise and wariness, her body tense.
He just stared at her, blinking his golden orbs and not saying a word. 'What is doing? Why is he staring at me like that?' she thought, now getting uncomfortable at his attention.
Kagome looked away and moved to sit up, remembering last night's events. 'I saved him. And Kaede and the others brought us back.' She was grateful for them, or else she and this hanyou would still be out there, unprotected. Kagome pushed her hair back over her shoulders, now free of the hair-tie, and she sat up, turning her head so that she could look at him. He continued to stare at her, his eyes unreadable but focused.
She glared at him, "What are you staring at?" she asked him, surprised at her boldness. This was the first time she actually interacted casually with a demon, even if he was a half-demon. The fact that she was sitting here, in her room, with him was even more of a shock to her. But for some reason, she didn't feel threatened at all at the fact that she was alone with him. She was just confused as to what happened and why he was in her room.
Inuyasha blinked and glared back at her, snapping out of his thoughts. "Hmph, what are you staring at?" He noticed the fire in her brown eyes and thought she looked beautiful. Inuyasha recoiled back, shocked at his own thoughts, scaring Kagome. He shuffled away from her, his back hitting the wall and causing it to zap him. He cursed and turned to glare at the wall, as if looks could kill.
Kagome was taken aback at his action, staring at him now a few feet from her. 'What was that all about?' She wondered why he was so jumpy. More to the point, Kaede had placed a seal around her room. But why? Maybe to keep the hanyou in? Kagome sighed and moved to stand.
Inuyasha heard the shuffle of her clothes and turned to see Kagome standing up. She smoothed out the front of her miko robes and then turned to look at him.
"Do you know why Kaede sealed you in here?"
Inuyasha chuckled and stood up, placing his hands on his hips. "If I knew, do you think I would be sitting here with you having this discussion?"
Kagome bit her lip, wondering whether or not she should trust him. Maybe Kaede sealed him in because she didn't want him to harm the villagers. That made her look at his waist and she noticed he didn't have his sword she remembered from last night. 'They must have disarmed him for their safety.'
Inuyasha suddenly realized what Kagome said and arched an eyebrow at her. "You're stuck in here too. I heard that old hag say she was sealing the both of us in here so I wouldn't terrorize the village."
Kagome smiled to herself. 'I was right.' She looked up at him and took in his figure. He actually looked like a human, except for the dog ears that remained on his head. She couldn't help the small giggle that came out of her lips. When she saw those ears twitch her way, she could only giggle again.
Inuyasha crossed his arms, now getting irritated. "What's so funny?"
Kagome shook her head and waved him off. "Nothing."
'Hmm… I feel so comfortable around him. Maybe I should get to know him so I can figure out why I feel so drawn to him.'
Kagome settled for having a conversation while she waited for Kaede and the others. They were obviously busy if they had to seal them in here and not have to worry about the hanyou.
She turned around and went to the opposite side of the room, sliding down the wall to sit cross-legged, watching him expectantly. "So… what's your name?"
Inuyasha was taken aback. 'Wh…What?' He watched her get comfortable and felt like he was in some sort of strange dimension. 'What are we having tea now?' He didn't want to be here with her like a caged animal. But on the other hand, he did. For some reason, he wanted to talk to her, to hear her voice. Her voice was soft and sweet, and her laughter…
With a snort, he went to the opposite wall and sat down, careful not to lean against the wall. "Why'd you ask?" he said, looking across the room at her.
It was like they were in a dueling match, one where they would have to outsmart the other to win. It was a strange situation for a miko and half-demon who seemed comfortable with each other.
Kagome smiled and tilted her head. "Because I want to get to know you. You're the first demon that I've actually sat down with and had a conversation."
Inuyasha smirked. "Are you saying I should feel honored, miko, that you haven't killed me yet?"
Kagome frowned, hearing the disgust in his voice. "No… that's not what I meant," she tried.
"Pfff, whatever. When that old hag gets back, I'm gone. So no need for introductions." That said, he turned his face from her and closed his eyes, pretending that he wasn't paying attention to her. But he was now able to focus on her breathing, the way her heart beat and the way he sensed her apprehension and agitation.
Kagome watched as he dismissed her. 'Why am I trying to get to know him? He's a demon.' But that's what fascinated her so much about this whole situation. The fact that they were here, in her room, sealed alone together was a shock. The events that transpired last night were even more a shock. She had to get to know him to find out what it was that she was so drawn to. But if he wanted to leave, she wouldn't stop him. She knew what it felt like to be caged.
Without second thoughts, she stood up, and he still kept his eyes closed, though she watched his ears following her movements. Kagome turned from him and opened the shoji door. Inuyasha suddenly swung his head up and saw that she had released the seal. Of course being a priestess, she would be able to break the spell. But he was shocked that she would even do that.
"You can leave if you want," Kagome said, turning around and heading back to her spot across from him. "I won't keep you here. I know what it feels like to be held against your will." With that, she sat down and pulled her legs towards her chest, resting her hands and chin on her knees. Secretly, she hoped he wouldn't leave. He intrigued her, and her reaction to him intrigued her. Inwardly she gasped. 'Is that why… why I'm so drawn to him? Because I know what he feels like being trapped?' Kagome had a pensive look and stared at the futon in front of her, trying to understand her thoughts.
Inuyasha turned and looked at her, wondering if she was losing her mind or not. But what she said made him stop. He really was thinking about leaving, finding his sword and leaving this stupid village. What was strange was that he didn't feel like taking his anger and revenge out on those who brought him here. For some reason, he didn't feel angry at all, probably because of her scent and the fact that his demon was calm. But besides that, Inuyasha didn't want to leave here. His instincts told him to stay. This woman was something, meant something, and he needed to find out what it was. 'And she said she knew what it felt like to be held against my will. Does that mean she's being held in this village against her will?' he wondered.
After a quiet minute, Inuyasha took a breath and broke the silence. "Inuyasha."
Kagome blinked, looking up across the room at him. She was confused at his statement. "What?"
"Inuyasha. That's my name."
Kagome blinked, smiling at him. She watched as he smirked and that caught her off guard. She brought her head up, reading his eyes. She saw his loneliness, his playfulness and his desire to fit in somewhere, anywhere. Now she realized the reason why he was so quick to die last night, so ready for a fight of life and death with her. She realized the reason why she was so drawn to him, and it frightened her.
Kagome turned her head and gazed at the outside sunlight shinning on the stone. "My name is Kagome."
Inuyasha raised his eyebrow, wondering why she looked at him with wide eyes and then suddenly looked outside. He nodded his head even though she couldn't see him. "I know." She turned back to him now and he chuckled. "The old hag said that was your name."
Kagome nodded with a smile, "That 'old hag' is Kaede. You should be more respectful to her. She is your elder."
Inuyasha chuckled again, this time he couldn't contain it. Kagome watched him as he let his guard down, blinking back her surprise at hearing his deep chuckle tug at something deep within her. "If only you knew how old I really am."
This made her curious. "Really? How old are you?" she asked, finding herself relaxing too. She leaned back against the wall and rested her head against it, her legs falling to the ground in front of her as she rested her hands on her lap.
He noticed her demeanor change and his eyes burned, but she couldn't figure out what he was feeling. "You wouldn't wanna know."
"Try me," she said with a smirk. Kagome wasn't one to be surprised by much. She witnessed the most gruesome sight, her parents' mangled bodies, and felt like nothing now could really frighten her any more than that.
Inuyasha arched an eyebrow. "I'm two hundred years old," he informed her, watching her expression. Her eyebrows arched but she wasn't acting hysterical, which he was thankful for.
"Really?" she asked. "How old were you when you reached maturity?"
Now he was curious as to where her questions where coming from. "Hungry for information?" He blinked when he noticed her blush. She was actually blushing. Inuyasha didn't know what was happening between them but whatever it was, he was enjoying himself. "You intend to use it against me?" he asked, though he knew she wouldn't.
She glared at him, hurt that he thought that of her. "No."
Inuyasha smiled, proud that he knew she would say that. "I became a fledgling when I was ten. Since then, my physical appearance changed slightly every ten years, until I was one hundred years old when I reached maturity. I don't know when I reach full maturity. My father said it varies for all demons, even in the same bloodline," he said with a shrug.
Kagome's eyes widened at the information. 'One hundred years old?' She never really thought about a demon's age when they were trying to kill her. "So at ten you were considered a teenager?"
Inuyasha shook his head. "No. I was sexually mature by the time I was ten." Now she really was blushing and Inuyasha drank it in. Watching her cheeks turn pink made him smile, the way the color rushed to her face and gave her a glow. He chuckled. "But I looked like a teenager all the way up until I became a hundred. My physical appearance changed. My body developed and filled itself in, becoming more defined. I guess I look what you call, mid-twenties?" he asked, shrugging off his question.
Kagome tilted her head, wondering how he knew the human terminology. She wanted to ask about his parents but saw that he shrugged off his own question. 'Maybe he grew up around humans and that's how he knows the comparisons?' But then he mentioned his father and how he advised him on the growth development of a demon. Did that mean his father was a demon and his mother was a human?
"Inuyasha?"
His ears perked at the sound of his name coming off her lips. "Yeah."
"Was your mother a human?"
Inuyasha's eyes hardened and she saw him immediately shut down. It was as if she could see a physical wall come between them and his aura changed, guarded and angry. "Why do you ask? She's none of your concern."
Kagome noticed the look in his eyes and she backed off, sensing this was a hard subject for him. She lifted her head off the wall and placed her hands in the air. "I'm sorry if I offended you. I just wanted…"
"Whatever!" he said as he got up and began pacing around the room. She could feel the tension radiating off him and she inwardly hoped he didn't run out and leave. She brought her legs towards her and crossed them together.
"Inuyasha…" she said softly. With that, Inuyasha stopped pacing and turned towards her, his eyes softening as he gazed at her, calming down. "I'm sorry. Please sit. I want to talk to you. I like talking to you." There, she said it. She waited for his reaction and noticed the way he visibly relaxed. That is, until his ears perked and his head turned towards the door, growling.
"What is it?" She flared out her aura and felt the others coming. 'Oh… he could hear Kaede and the others approaching.' His hearing must be amazing. She relaxed, though she wondered why he wasn't.
Kaede, Sango and Kohaku all came into view as they were shocked to see the shoji opened. Kagome smiled at them as she stood while Inuyasha just postured and growled.
"Old hag! What the hell was that all about, sealing me in here? That freaking thing zapped me!"
Kagome giggled, covering her mouth, knowing that he was being serious. She watched as he turned to her in bewilderment. She cleared her throat and pressed her lips together, trying not to smile. He just glared at her and turned his attention back to the three outside.
Kaede looked between the two, wondering what happened while they were gone. "I see that you were set free. So I do not know why you are complaining or even why you stayed," she pointed out.
Inuyasha froze, sputtering, and then turned his face from her, crossing his arms. "Baka!" was all he said.
Kagome giggled and walked forward greeting the three. "Kaede-san, Sango-san, Kohaku-san. Was there a demon attack?" she asked, figuring out that was why they left.
Kohaku nodded, eyeing the hanyou warily, not wanting to put his guard down. "We were called to help."
"It seems like they are being drawn perhaps by last night's events," Sango said, giving Kagome a suspicious and worried look. Kagome smiled reassuringly at her.
"I'll explain everything later. Everyone… this is Inuyasha. Inuyasha, you know Kaede, that's Sango and that's Kohaku," she said, pointing to each. Inuyasha didn't even look at them and she sighed, shaking her head. What happened to the unguarded hanyou that she was talking to a few minutes ago?
Kaede arched her eyebrow, shocked that Kagome seemed so relax in his presence. "Child, I want to talk to you about last night. But before then…" she looked at the hanyou. "What are we going to do about Inuyasha?" she asked, using his name.
Kagome blinked, looking at Sango and Kohaku who looked ready to battle with him. Even Inuyasha snapped out of it and now took on a defensive stance, but it wasn't directed at her. She shook her head, holding up her hands to them. "No. We let him go." The others looked at her for a minute, but it was as if they already knew that she was going to let him go.
"I had a feeling you would say that," Kaede said, shaking her head with a sigh. "Well, Inuyasha. Your sword is out here against the wall."
Inuyasha quickly moved outside to retrieve his Tessaiga, securing it against his hip, under his obi, now feeling a little bit more relaxed that he had his weapon. He walked down the steps into the sunlight, smirking at the three of them. He knew they wanted to kill him, could see that they didn't trust him at all. That didn't matter; he didn't trust them either and wouldn't mind killing them if they made a move. But he had his sword back. No sense in staying.
He couldn't stop himself. Inuyasha turned around and noticed Kagome in the middle of the doorway, her hands clasped in front of her, smiling at him. She looked different, maybe because it was daylight and not nighttime. She stood there, her brown eyes looking at him, but he didn't think twice. Inuyasha leapt into the air, landing on a tree branch and bounding off into the forest.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-
Kagome held in her sigh, watching as Inuyasha jumped into the nearest tree and in a flash, his red figure was gone. She already felt the loss of him, missing the no-sense conversations they had. She felt like she could be something she was not with him, someone who didn't have duties or special powers. With him, she felt like… a normal woman. Kagome flushed, remembering their conversations and how she blushed, which of course he had to notice.
"Kagome," Sango called out, making her way up the stairs. Kagome seemed to be dazing off and she worried if it had something to do with that hanyou and maybe he did something to her. She reached for Kagome's hands, snapping her friend out of her thoughts. "Are you okay? Really okay, Kagome?"
Kagome smiled and nodded. "I am, Sango-san. Really I am. I feel much better than I did last night after I healed him."
"Which is what I wanted to talk to you about, child," Kaede said, walking up the steps and into the room. They all walked in and sat down, Sango sitting next to Kagome and Kohaku sitting between the two girls and Kaede so that he faced all three of them. The three friends all looked at each other and then towards Kaede, waiting for her.
Kaede regarded Kagome seriously. "Kagome, do you know who that hanyou was?"
She shook her head. "No. He told me his name is Inuyasha."
"And you just met him last night?"
Kagome nodded her head slowly, wondering why Kaede was doubting her words. "Yes."
Kaede watched Kagome's expression carefully. "Kagome, did he remind you of anyone?" she pried, wanting to know if Kagome saw it too.
Kagome sat up straighter, knowing where Kaede was going. She would have to face the memories of her past, which always made her emotional. "I know what you're getting at, Kaede." The inu-taiyoukai's face flashed in her mind as she remembered his golden eyes filled with retribution. Sango grabbed Kagome's right hand and squeezed for support. She turned her head to smile in thanks to her. "The inu-taiyoukai that killed my parents," she said, turning back to Kaede. "Inuyasha has the same eyes and hair. I thought the same last night when I first saw him. I knew I recognized him but I had never met him before, yet he seemed so familiar. I don't know how to explain it, but I felt like I was drawn to him. And of course I thought of the inu-taiyoukai. But that isn't him."
Kaede nodded. "I know it's not. He is a half-demon. But still… doesn't it make you wonder if maybe Inuyasha knows the demon that killed your parents? Maybe we could have gotten some information out of him."
Kagome never thought of that. She frowned, her eyes going to the ground, thinking. What would that accomplish? She and Inuyasha had a wonderful talk, no matter how short it was. She really enjoyed his company and never regretted saving his life last night, even though it meant putting hers in danger.
"It doesn't matter, Kaede. I did what I did because I thought it was the right thing to do. I wanted to save him, so I did."
Kaede frowned, wondering how Kagome would take this. "Yes, Akira told us what happened to him last night. And he mentioned that Inuyasha, 'the dog-eared demon' he said, had saved his life."
Kagome looked up into Kaede's eye, soaking in her words. 'Inuyasha saved Akira's life? Is that why I felt like I needed to save him? Because deep inside… he's good?' She could only imagine that's one of the reasons why she felt she needed to save him. For some reason, she just could not release her arrow. She couldn't kill him as he stared at her with the promise of death in his eyes.
"Kagome…" Sango said, catching the girl's attention. "What spell did you use last night? That had to be a strong incantation for you to have used so much power that it drained you," she said worriedly.
Kagome smiled and squeezed Sango's hand, seeing the compassion for her safety in Sango's dark brown eyes. "I had to draw on the natural forces around me. When I used the healing incantation it didn't work. Inuyasha had extensive wounds to his abdomen. His ribs were broken, some pierced through his skin, and he had internal bleeding," she said, remembering the sight of Inuyasha's body as she placed her hands on him and tried to heal him. She shook her head. "It didn't work. And so I had to call on the natural forces that I had, which was Tsukuyomi-sama."
Kaede nodded her understanding, fascinated by Kagome's knowledge and power. This child, since she was young, knew much more about life and the natural forces around them more than Kaede did at her age and experience. Even though she was a miko, Kaede knew that she would never amount to the level that Kagome was. And she really never aspired to. That type of power, the burden that Kagome carried, Kaede wouldn't want it for herself. Nor for Kagome.
Kaede sighed, catching Kagome's attention again. "Kagome, I trust you and your judgement. If you felt the need to heal that hanyou and let him go, then so be it. We won't press you any further on that matter."
Kagome nodded her thanks, looking to Kohaku. He was quiet this whole time, keeping his head down and just listening to them. She frowned, wondering what was bothering him.
"I need to get going," Kaede said, as she stood up and everyone began to stand with her. "I need to check on Akira. He seems to be doing fine, but his father is worried about him." Kagome nodded as Kaede left the room and headed out of the shrine down to the village.
Kagome, Sango and Kohaku walked out into the sun and wandered towards the front of the shrine.
"Kagome we sent the children home. We told them you weren't feeling well," Sango informed her.
"Oh, thanks Sango. I can't believe I slept in that long."
"Well, you did use a lot of your miko energy," Sango reminded with a grin. She regarded Kagome intently, watching as the girl seemed contemplative. She sighed and placed her hand on Kagome's shoulder to stop her from walking. "Are you sure you're okay? I've never seen you heal a demon before."
Kagome turned her head forward, staring at the ground. She raised her hands, lifting her palms to look at them. "I know." She remembered the way Inuyasha's aura had fought hers last night, two opposites opposing each other. Then she remembered his aura getting stronger and darker, more ominous. She remembered the sinking feeling it gave her as she tried to coax the demon within him. "He fought me… his demon," she confessed, hoping the others wouldn't take it the wrong way. "When I tried to heal him… his demon protected him and was fighting my miko energy."
Kohaku watched Kagome intently, listening to what happened. "It was like I hit a wall and then his demonic energy fought me off. I had to coax his demon, speak to it and persuade it that I was there to heal Inuyasha…" She wondered where he was now, remembering when he walked outside and turned around to look directly at her. Kagome remembered looking into his eyes as she felt a pang of sadness wash over. As soon as she did, she smiled to hide it, encouraging him to leave if that's what he wanted. And he did. Without saying anything, he was gone before her eyes and she was left with sadness, taking a gulp of air as if she never knew she was holding her breath. She didn't know what he did to her, what he made her feel, but she had the whole day to figure it out.
"Well whatever the case," Kohaku said after the silence stretched on. "We need to prepare in case he returns." Sango and Kagome both looked at him. "He's a demon," he reminded. "He knows what you did, Kagome. He'll be wondering what kind of powers you have and he'll come back… they always do."
Sango nodded her head, frowning at her brother. Kohaku had a point. Every demon that came to their village, acting formal and tamed, would come to do business or to just travel through. They were the ones who acted like humans, either putting on a front to gain access into a village or really thinking they, a demon, could be 'civil'. And one after the other, whenever they realized that Kagome was special and something about her called to their blood, they would always come back. They would always try to capture her. And Kohaku and Sango were the ones to eradicate the demons, as it was their specialty. 'Humans aren't any different', Sango thought, frowning at her brother.
"I know," Kagome said smiling at Kohaku. "If he does, we'll be ready. I know his aura now and I can sense him when he's near. If I feel like he is really a danger to the village, I will be the one to kill him."
This made Kohaku was shocked. Kagome never claimed a kill, especially one where they expected the person to return only with the intention to harm her. But Kohaku saw that Kagome was serious and didn't want any questions.
"Of course," he said, looking at his sister. "Let's go, Sango."
Sango nodded and hugged Kagome briefly before following Kohaku out. "We have to go back out to the field you were in last night and check for any seekers." They called demons who would take advantage of a dead demon's body or the aftermath of a battle 'seekers'. Those were usually weak demons, feeding off of anything and everything to gain power.
"Ok. Be careful." Kagome waved as the two left the shrine and she was left alone. The quietness of the forest around her brought peace to her soul. But her mind was far from it. She sighed and closed her eyes, unable to stop thinking of that hanyou. 'Maybe I should do some meditation,' she thought, turning around to head into the honden.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-
The ground beneath his feet were soft and firm as he raced across the land, jumping up into a few trees just to feel the wind hit his face and flow through his hair in its ponytail. Inuyasha smirked as he thought of those stupid humans, thinking they could cage him and seal him in some room. 'Hmph. Pathetic humans…' Inuyasha never trusted anyone. Those humans would be at the bottom of his shit-list for some time. But all he could think about now is running, to flex his muscles and feel his power flow through his body. He felt alive. He felt better than he did the previous day and he couldn't figure out why, but he physically felt better than he ever remembered. He felt like he could take on an army of demons.
Before he knew it, Inuyasha ran into an open field and stopped, his hair whipping in front of him at the suddenness. He was standing in the area he had fought that rock demon last night. The huge rocks still remained dug into the ground as he remembered the demon blasting into pieces from that miko's ofuda. 'Kagome…' Her face flashed into his mind and he was taken aback. 'Why do I keep thinking of her?' he thought, walking forward, hoping to clear his mind by moving around.
It was the only thing he knew to do. Keep moving. People, both humans and demons, were always behind him persecuting him and hunting him down for what he was. And he could never stay in one place for too long. Sometimes he was able to blend in and gain people's trust and acceptance, but he never trusted them back. Never.
Walking towards the boulders, Inuyasha looked over each one as his mind wandered. That miko, Kagome. She was beautiful as he remembered the events from last night that happened here. He replayed everything that happened, remembering the little boy and then Kagome showing up. She really was a sight to see in action. Her eyes were focused, determined, and her body was steady, her hands fluidly using her weapon as if it was a part of her body. She was born for battle and he realized that he admired her fluid grace and lack of fear last night when they fought together.
Inuyasha placed his left hand on a rock and stopped, reaching with his right hand to his side where he remembered pain. 'I was injured.' Now that he remembered the pain, he remembered getting hit on his side and his ribs breaking. There was so much blood but he had pushed the pain and his injury out of his mind so he could defeat the demon. 'That's right! I was injured and then she showed up.' He remembered her words, telling him to leave these lands, and how he got angry and irritated that she threatened him. They regarded each other out here, waiting for the other to make a move. And then it happened. Inuyasha's eyes widened as he was hit with the memory of her scent. 'I caught her scent on the wind… It had the same effect on me.' Even as they were regarding each other, waiting for the attack, once he took in her scent, his whole body calmed. Which had freaked him out. How could her scent do that to him, in the middle of a battle?
Inuyasha then remembered how she threatened him some more, but he never took her seriously. She didn't release her arrow yet, which meant she didn't intend to kill him or she would've done it already. But then he remembered darkness. 'I must have lost consciousness from the loss of blood.' The next thing he knew, he woke up in that room with those humans and the miko lay next to him.
He gripped his side, opening his haori and hanjuban to reveal his chest. Inuyasha took a look at his abdomen, shocked. His skin was perfectly healed. He placed his hand on his side where he remembered some of his bones had pierced his skin, his ribs were broken and he was bleeding uncontrollably. He was a hanyou and he would've healed on his own, but not that fast. Not overnight especially with the wound that he received. It would've taken him about two weeks and lots of herbs. He has been in many battles and received his share of wounds, both minor and major. And he always took care of himself; living for two hundred years had its benefits. He learned what he could from masters of medicine and after trial and error, he knew what plants to use for his wounds. Inuyasha stared down at his fair skin, marveling at the fact that he felt brand new with no scars and his ribs were perfectly intact. Bones take a long time to heal. But his ribs felt fine. 'Did she do this?'
For the life of him, he couldn't remember if Kagome had helped him after he fainted. But what he did remember as he floated in darkness was the feeling of warmth that started in his soul. He remembered feeling a strange, warm sensation, something that reminded him of his mother's arms. It brought about something within him that he never thought he'd feel before. That woman, she stirred up feelings in him that he never knew he had.
Inuyasha's ears twitched as his expression changed and his body grew rigid. He smirked knowingly and closed his haori, coming around the rock to see the man and the woman that had been with him in the room coming towards them. They both were flying, riding on top of what looked like a saber-tooth cat demon. He noticed the flames on the cat's feet as she ran through the air, coming towards him with her riders. She had two large fangs protruding out and a distinct marking on her forehead and at the end of both of her two tails. He jumped on top of the rock to get a better view and to show them they weren't alone. The woman and the man were now dressed in their battle attire. Inuyasha blinked. 'They're demon slayers.' It made sense now, their demeanor and cool attitude back in the village. They were the village protectors, coming out to check the battle site for any seekers. Inuyasha huffed, realizing that his day would get interesting.
Sango blinked as she looked ahead, seeing the hanyou that had just left their village standing on a rock. "Kohaku." Her brother shifted behind her.
Kohaku stuck his head around and looked over his sister's shoulder. "I see him." He watched the hanyou, wondering what his intentions were and why he was still in the area. '"I will be the one to kill him"'. Kagome's words rang in his mind, reminding him that he couldn't kill the hanyou. That is, unless he felt like his own life was in danger. Kohaku smirked.
"Kirara!" Sango yelled, and the firecat responded by going faster. Kirara was Sango's loyal friend, a firecat demon. She was given to her by her father when she was six years old as a birthday gift and Sango has loved Kirara ever since. Kirara fought with her in every battle with Sango and she trusted Kirara with her life.
As they got closer, Sango called out. "Half-demon! Why are you here?" she asked, Kirara stopping just close enough to the hanyou to avoid an attack. She already had one hand holding her Hiraikotsu against her back.
Inuyasha smirked and looked up at the two. "Nice cat."
Kohaku shifted and jumped off Kirara, landing gracefully to the ground in a crouch and standing to look up at the hanyou. "Kagome let you go. Yet here you are, back where we first found you," he said, grasping his Kusarigama in his right hand and holding the heavy weight at the end of his weapon in his left.
Inuyasha looked down at the man, taking in his stance. He smirked, realizing that these two must be related because they both had the same personalities and appearances. The man, Inuyasha remembered as Kohaku, had on a black-leather suit that clung to his whole body. There were green demon bone plates that looked burned into the leather on his shoulders, elbows, knees, and in front of his lower abdomen and groin. The same went for his sister he remembered as Sango. She had the same outfit on, her hair now was high up in a ponytail with a pink rice paper hair-tie, and her demon bone plates were pink like her kimono was.
Inuyasha smirked, placing his hands on his hips as he regarded the guy. "Let me go? I was there because I wanted to be, until I left that is. And I can go wherever the hell I want."
Sango glared at him and moved Kirara to the ground next to Kohaku as she got off and stood next to him. "What are your intentions?" she asked, taking a defensive stance.
'What is it with these two?' he thought, wondering why they were so hostile and quick to get rid of him. He could tell they wanted him gone, long gone from here, since he had first woke this morning. He thought it was just because he was in their village and made them uncomfortable. Now that he was out here in the open, he didn't see any reason why they would still want him gone, unless they were like those humans who hated him and hunted him down.
"What's it to you? I thought you wanted me out of your village," he pointed out with an arched eyebrow.
Sango looked up at him impassively. Kohaku was the one to speak. "We want you gone, away from our village and to never return. You're not welcome here."
Inuyasha smiled, closing his eyes. Those were the same words the miko used on him last night. What was it with this village? They were obviously hiding something if they all told him the same thing and were so desperate to get him far away. "Well, sorry to burst your dreams but I ain't leaving. I have some questions to ask your miko." He already had decided that he wasn't going to leave. He had to figure out this reaction he got from Kagome and why he felt like he wanted to see her again.
"Is that so?" Sango asked, Kirara sensing her agitation and growling at the hanyou. "Well, maybe we might just have to make you leave, then." Her feet began to move, Kirara following behind her, but Kohaku stayed where he was. She needed to give the both of them room for a fight.
The sound of Kohaku's chain moving was the first sign. The Kusarigama went flying in the air, whizzing straight for Inuyasha's head. But the hanyou was fast, moving out of the way as the bone sickle hit empty air and Kohaku yanked the weapon back to him, his eyes moving.
"Hiraikotsu!" Sango yelled, flying her bone boomerang into the air. She kept her eyes on him when he jumped off the rock from Kohaku's attack. It was her turn now. She flew her weapon at him, watching as it quickly spun around and around, going where Inuyasha was about to land on another rock. He smirked and jumped again, his silver hair flying around as the Hiraikotsu whizzed past him and hit the rock he was just on. The shards of rock went flying as Hiraikotsu got embedded into the rock. Sango ran towards her weapon as she saw Kohaku jump over her head, heading for the hanyou. She left him to it and ran as fast as she could to get her weapon and help him.
Kohaku was on Inuyasha once he touched the grass. But Inuyasha already prepared for his strike. He turned around and brought the Tessaiga still in its sheath up to his face, smirking confidently at the boy. The Kusarigama struck the Tessaiga's sheath with a scraping ring. Kohaku grunted, disappointed that he wasn't fast enough to catch the hanyou off guard. And Inuyasha caught the look.
"Too slow, kid," Inuyasha said, using the Tessaiga and with force, he pushed Kohaku back with it. The boy went skidding along the ground but kept his footing. Inuyasha was impressed at these two, seeing how well they're trained. But he wasn't in any mood for a fight, and he wasn't too keen on killing them. In a sense, they did sort of save him and still didn't kill him when they had the chance this morning. Which made him even wonder more about how he was here, feeling physically strong, and how he ended up in that room instead of waking up here in the field. If Kagome did heal him, then she must have taken him back to her village to do it, with these two watching over her.
Sango grabbed her Hiraikotsu, the rocks falling away from it, snapping Inuyasha out of his thoughts when he heard the sound. He regarded the two demon slayers and placed the Tessaiga back under his obi. "I'm leaving." That said he took off before the two of them could say anything. Kohaku and Sango watched as Inuyasha ran towards the forest, his speed impressive for a half-demon, and within a few seconds he was gone.
She turned to Kohaku, watching as he straightened and placed his weapon back in its sheath against his back. "What was that about?" she wondered.
Kohaku shrugged, his eyes gazing at where the hanyou was last seen. He was going in the direction parallel to the village, so maybe he was really leaving the area. Kohaku sighed and turned to the rocks littered on the field. "Let's stay here for a couple of hours."
Sango nodded her agreement as she strapped Hiraikotsu against her back. They would have to wait and see if any demons would come. It would be better to take care of them now, outside of the village, before they got too close and attacked the unsuspecting village. Plus, she wanted to see if there was anything around they could use for their weapons. "Ok." Kirara moved up to her, rubbing her head against Sango's shoulder. She looked up at the firecat and smiled, reaching up to rub Kirara's head in affection. The three of them walked towards the rocks, intending on spending part of their day here.
-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-'-
Kagome took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She opened her eyes. Her body felt like lead, heavy and stiff. 'What time is it?' she thought, wondering how long she had meditated. She sat cross-legged with her palms flat on her knees, sitting on a soft, decorative cushion that was blood red, matching the Tori gates. The honden was a small shrine house, big enough to fit the praying altar and her. It wasn't small where it felt like she was suffocating, but it just fit her comfortably. Kagome looked down at the incenses that were burning, three small clay pots holding one incense burning in each. She went to her knees, her body aching with each movement, signaling to her that she had been praying for a long time. Slowly, Kagome moved next to the incense and blew them out.
She got to her feet, stepping off the cushion to look at the altar in front of her. It was decorated with hanging white cloth and ofudas with kanji written on them hung on a string draped over the top of the altar. Each ofuda had the names of the five Gods on them. The altar was a burgundy red, smaller than the altar in the haiden, and this one didn't contain the bell or the offering plate that was in the main shrine. The altar had a Wisteria bonsai tree in the center, only a foot tall. Kagome smiled down at the plant, clapping her hands twice and bowing towards the altar.
She took a breath and smiled as her eyes gazed at the beautiful Wisteria bonsai. She remembered when she first saw something so beautiful.
A man had arrived at the village a few days after they had lost everything. The ground was still black in certain areas but Kagome and the others were doing their best in rebuilding their home with the available hands they had. The first thing they started with was the dead. Kagome had performed her prayers on all the bodies that they had found and collected, all in one area. She wanted to give them a proper sending and then they could start on digging graves for each body. But there were so many bodies, it took them a few days and the bodies began to stink and rot.
A monk had entered their village, shocked at the remains of the village. Everything was in heaps of rubble stacked in certain areas. Kagome remembered seeing him walk up to them while they were burying their dead. His eyes were wide, his face shocked, as he watched them. What a sight to see: five children and three women burying the bodies of the villagers that were all lined up in front of each grave they had dug for them. He couldn't count the amount of bodies there were, but from what he saw, it was a massacre that happened here.
Kagome remembered how generous the monk was, saying his name was Monk Miyatsu. He was a traveling monk, helping those who needed it, and he said he was willing to help them. Of course, Kaede accepted his help, being the only man they had. Though he looked to be middle-aged, he was well fit and helped them place all the bodies into their graves and refill the soil on top to seal their resting area. Each grave was marked with a stone that had the names of each person it stood for, Kohaku being the one who engraved each stone.
Once they had buried their loved ones, Monk Miyatsu had agreed to stay with them for however long it took them to build them a few homes. He stayed for a week, helping them to cut trees, fashion logs and mats to build their huts. Within the week, Kagome felt like he was included in their 'family' and loved when he would swing her in the air, reminding her of how her father would do the same. Monk Miyatsu reminded her of the father that she had lost and she treasured him for that. He was her male figure in her life.
But then they were done building. Only two huts were built and Kaede had told Monk Miyatsu that those two were all they needed for now, grateful that he had stayed to help them in the short amount of time. Monk Miyatsu had mentioned that he had a family to go back to, a grandson who he took care of like his own son. Kagome could tell he loved his grandson very much the way he talked about the boy, and she knew she couldn't beg him to stay, no matter how much she wanted him to. He reminded her of what it felt like to move on, to forget about the pain that suffocated her each morning when she awoke from nightmares and the sorrow that made her cry herself to sleep every night. She cried the day he left the village, telling him how much she would miss him.
She remembered his smile, the way he went to his knee in front of her and pulled out a Wisteria bonsai that he had in his straw basket against his back. Her eyes widened and she was struck at the plant's beauty. She had never seen anything as beautiful as that in her whole life. The Wisteria bonsai was a cute little tree, about a foot tall, with its roots sitting in the soil of the clay pot. And the flowers were in full bloom, draping down from the branches in all its delicate glory. The flowers were a rich lavender, a mild but sweet smelling fragrance coming from the many flowers that draped down in teardrops and decorated the whole tree.
"This is for you, Kagome," Monk Miyatsu said, smiling at her. "I want you to have this."
Kagome reached out for the pot, her eyes dazzled by its beauty as she took it from him. It was heavy for her small hands, but she loved the gift. "What is it?"
He smiled. "It's a Wisteria bonsai. It's a small plant that grows only so high compared to a plant in the ground. But it requires a lot of love and a lot of attention, which I know you'll give to it."
Kagome nodded her head enthusiastically, her eyes shining with tears.
He knew Kagome didn't want him to leave, he could see if in her eyes. But she never begged him to stay. "I have to leave, Kagome-chan. I cannot stay." He looked to the side, unable to look at her from his shame. "I am cursed." Kagome gasped, her eyes widening. He looked back at her with a sad smile. "It's alright, I have accepted my fate." He glanced at his right hand that had prayer beads wrapped around his clothing panels that covered his palm. "I don't want to put you in harm's way, either. I must leave. For you."
Monk Miyatsu smiled reassuringly and placed his hand on her forehead affectionately, pulling his traveling basket back over his back. "I will miss you, Kagome-chan." That said, he turned and walked out of the village, leaving her behind with tears streaming down her face, holding onto the bonsai as if it was his hands she held on to.
Kagome blinked, snapping out of her memories. She smiled lovingly down at the Wisteria bonsai on the altar. She remembered the day the bonsai Monk Miyatsu had given her had died. Over time and many demon attacks, she just couldn't keep up with caring for the tree. After a year, the bonsai and its beautiful flowers withered up and died. She cried and cried, not even Sango could console her. Her heart was broken because this bonsai represented more than just a gift. It was her lifeline. It showed her how beautiful the world can be, how some people are worth trusting and how life goes on even after all the deaths and sorrow. The tree gave her happiness in her world full of sorrow.
Then, when she had cried while hugging the tree, one of her tears hit a branch and it immediately began to grow within seconds in front of her eyes. The branch was alive, sprouting green leaves from a bud to full growth, and then draping lavender flowers fell from the branch. She was shocked and amazed, and that was the first time she realized she could heal not only humans but plants and animals. She had broken the branch off and dumped out the soil, putting in fresh soil and a little bit of water. When she planted the branch back in the soft soil, nothing happened. She watched and waited, but nothing happened. Then, Kagome placed her hands on the soil and closed her eyes, praying for the tree to grow and show her its beautiful flowers to her. Slowly, she felt her aura shift and she knew something was happening. She opened her eyes and watched with childish delight as the small branch grew roots, branching out along the soil, and slowly grew a trunk with many branches. Then slowly the flowers budded and bloomed before her eyes. It was the most spectacular thing she had ever seen, a tree growing like that right before her eyes. A miracle.
Kagome smiled as she reached out and touched the Wisteria tree on the altar, lifting one of the stalk of flowers with her index finger. This tree has been with her since then, the same tree she had replanted the first time. She never replanted it or had to prune it. With her powers, she was able to control the tree's life cycle. It bloomed all year round, every day, or whenever she came into the shrine. She would pray for it to bloom while she was there to give her soul peace. 'So beautiful…' she thought, sighing.
Turning around, Kagome opened the shoji and walked outside. Harumi was sitting on her heels to the side of the shoji facing her, looking up as she came out.
"My Lady Kagome, how was your prayer?" Harumi asked, rising to her feet with a welcoming smile.
Kagome smiled and tilted her head. "Nice. Long," she murmured as she turned and noticed that it was night. 'I was in there since this morning.' She shook her head with a smile, knowing it wasn't the first time she meditated all day, and began to head onto the stone steps. Harumi followed behind her. She wasn't ready to head into her room as she wasn't tired. Her body was stiff and she needed to walk around, feel the ground beneath her feet and stretch out her muscles. She had meditated the whole day, and throughout that time she was able to figure out why she was so drawn to Inuyasha.
"Harumi," she called, catching the girl's attention. "Can I be alone?"
Harumi bowed. "Yes, Kagome-sama." That said, she left, going to find something to do around the shrine before she was needed again.
Kagome sighed and began walking again. She gazed around the outside of the shrine, looking at the red painted roof that matched the Tori gate out front. 'Inuyasha…' Her mind couldn't stop thinking about that hanyou. Where was he? Was he okay? Was he injured by another demon? Her mind ran with situations that he could've gotten himself into. Kagome shook her head, placing her hand over her racing heart.
'What is this that I feel for him?' She was definitely drawn to him on an emotional level. Even though he tried to hide it, she knew that Inuyasha was just like her. He didn't trust people, which was obvious. Being a half-demon, she could only imagine that it came from people in both worlds, humans and demons, hating him. He was never able to fully let his guard down anywhere with anyone, much like her. He was sad, that she saw in his eyes last night. She saw the same sadness and loneliness that she felt in her heart, deep within his golden eyes. When she looked into his eyes, he reminded her of what she felt inside. From this morning, she knew that he was two hundred years old and he didn't like feeling trapped or held against his will. Kagome smiled to herself. 'Not like me… though I feel like it sometimes…'
The moonlight brightened the stones so that she could see where she was walking without a lantern. She went to the side of main shrine where there was a small patch of grass with decorative stones and small trees. There were two stone benches on opposite sides of each other on the grass. She made her way to small garden, walking slowly to the benches, sighing to herself. She didn't want to sit. Kagome looked up at the sky, marveling at how many stars there were, wondering if Inuyasha was looking up at the sky too.
"Inuyasha…" she whispered, hoping that the gentle breeze would carry her call to him. She placed both hands over her heart and smiled to herself, wondering what was coming over her. Kagome shook her head in disbelief.
Just then, she heard a tree branch next to her move and she whipped around, taken off guard. But what she saw stopped her heart. Inuyasha floated down next to her, his haori sleeves the only noise she heard as he came to stand right in front of her, his silver hair falling around his face. He had his hair down, shocking her as to how full it was when it wasn't in a ponytail. She took in the way his hair gleamed in the moonlight and how his ears stood on top of his head. He looked the same as the way he left, his face catching her attention. His golden eyes were looking at hers with such intensity that she was caught in his spell. She was suddenly aware of her beating heart, too loudly in the small space between them. He was literally inches from her, so close she could smell him. Kagome took a cautious breath, closing her eyes as she smelt him. 'He smells like the woods, fresh, and… him.' She opened her eyes and Inuyasha moved, his right hand moving up. But she could only stare at him, her hands still on her chest, her heart beating against her palm.
Time seemed to fade as he placed his hand on her cheek, and she was suddenly aware of how small she was, how much of a woman his simple touch made her feel. Her eyes fell to his lips and watched as he whispered her name.
"Kagome…"