Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from the creation of this fanfiction story. The ideas within are mine, and mine alone.
Searching for Shelter
Chapter 11
Shelter from Lies
Sesshoumaru smelt the salt on the air as he approached the lone tree that Kagome was sitting beneath. He was surprised to see Kurama there, but not Hiei. He knew that the hiyoukai felt something for Kagome and knew that he was taking the situation seriously. The fact was though; that Kagome was crying and that had him seeing red. Who had hurt her? Whoever it was was going to pay for each tear in blood. He approached the trio slowly, earning a small look from the kitsune and the hiyoukai. Both were aware of his presence as he approached them, and both knew that all hell would break loose at the slightest provocation. This girl was important to the Taiyoukai; more than any of them could ever comprehend.
Sesshoumaru managed to keep himself calm enough to kneel down in front of her, catching her attention as he did so. Kagome blinked when she saw a shadow cast itself over her form and she quickly looked up only to flush and look down again in shame. She lifted her hands to wipe at her eyes, forcing herself to stave off the torrent of silent tears. She didn't need to worry Sesshoumaru—he was worried enough about her. That one pain-filled glance was enough that the Taiyoukai couldn't help but growl darkly. It wasn't a loud sound, but it was enough to put chills on her arms.
"It's okay…it's alright. I'm fine." She felt compelled to speak, to try and ease his anger. Without thinking, her power wrapped around his towering figure. The calming influence was immediate and surprising to him as he closed his eyes a moment at the sensation. It was unlike anything he had felt before in his lifetime and he almost hated her in that moment for bringing him that calm. He wanted to be angry, and he wanted to hurt whoever had hurt her, but she didn't want that. She didn't want to see him fight or hurt anyone, and she didn't want him to be upset, especially over her.
She moved to place a hand on his cheek, just over the magenta stripes that adorned his pale skin. Almost like a child, she stroked his face, as if the touch alone could soothe away the powerful emotions that gripped him. She didn't want to see him get into her battles. He had enough to worry about and he had fought enough in the past. She wanted to protect him, even if he didn't need it. The Taiyoukai wasn't sure how to receive the gentle touch that she was bestowing on him but after a few moments he reached up one of his clawed hands and placed it over her own, stalling her movements. Kagome looked up to his eyes, which opened and she smiled softly, glad that she could see calm there. "That's better." She said, her tone gentle as she moved to stand. He was so tall that even at her height and with him kneeling she barely stood over him. She leaned down to capture his other hand within hers and slowly she pulled him up, not that he needed the help.
Kurama and Hiei were confused at the interaction between the two, but once they saw her calm the irate Taiyoukai it didn't seem to matter. They didn't know she could calm a person down with her power alone but it was an interesting bit of information to have. They were glad that she was there; because they were both sure that no one else could have managed such a feat in calming him. Now that Sesshoumaru was standing, he wrapped an arm around Kagome's shoulders and pulled her close to his form, obviously showing his protectiveness over her, and showing his dominance. He was the alpha male here, even if he wasn't her mate. Kagome flushed lightly before she tipped her head up to smile at him, boosting his ego with that small gesture. She trusted him with her very life and that meant a lot to the demon who didn't gain trust easily. Humans and demons alike feared him, and it was more by Machiavelli rulings that he kept a hold on his lands. He hadn't tried to get his people to love him, but their fear of him did the job adequately and he felt no reason to change his tactics now. Kagome had appreciated the power he had, and she had feared him, but she never ran from him. She always faced him head-on no matter how dangerous or scary it had been for her, and he appreciated that about her. With a tightening grip around her shoulder he looked between Kurama and Hiei, as if asking for the answers he sought. What, or who, had made Kagome cry?
Before either of them could speak, a familiar voice called out from behind them, earning a soft look of wonderment and hope from the miko. Kagome swallowed hard before she turned in Sesshoumaru's arm to look and see if that familiar voice really was who she thought. At the first sight of brown hair and sparkling blue eyes, Kagome pulled from the Taiyoukai to run and nearly tackle the owner of that voice. "Kouga!" she cried out happily, as she nearly offset his balance and took them both to the ground with her running hug.
"Kagome!" he said back with equal enthusiasm as he returned her embrace and held her tightly to his form. Five centuries hadn't changed him much, and while that was strange to Kagome she didn't question it as she hugged him tightly and breathed in the familiar wolf scent that surrounded him.
Hiei stifled a growl while Kurama looked with something akin to shock to the small scene before him. Youko was stunned as he tried to figure out why another powerful leader was so close with Kagome. It was unfathomable. First Sesshoumaru, who was the coldest, and most unfeeling ruler he'd ever known, had shown that he wasn't as he appeared; now there was Kouga, the most powerful wolf leader in the Makai embracing her almost as if they were long-lost lovers. Confusion overwhelmed him as he moved to stand, unable to look away. Not that he could, because the moment he stood he saw Kouga lean over and place a kiss on her forehead and he couldn't help but feel the hot stab of anger and jealousy that raced through him. Kurama thought a lot of Kagome, but it wasn't until this moment that Youko thought more of her, too, and he didn't like that any other male got that close to her. Whatever he was feeling seemed to pale in comparison to the white-hot flash of anger that Hiei felt at that second. His hand was on his katana before he knew it but as his fingers curled over the familiar blade, he saw Kagome step away from the wolf.
Hiei hopped down from his spot and glared openly at the two before Sesshoumaru finally spoke to gain their attention. "What has happened to Kagome?" he nearly snapped out, as he left the miko to reacquaint herself with Kouga.
Kurama and Hiei both looked to the Taiyoukai at the tone of his voice before Kurama answered. "Yusuke hurt her feelings by some things that he said. I don't think it was done intentionally but he has never been the brightest person when it comes to emotions. Especially female emotions."
Sesshoumaru lifted an eyebrow before deciding that he really didn't want to know. The fact that Kagome was smiling and happy now was enough. He'd figure out what was said later and deal with more important issues now. "I see." He replied lightly before he glanced back to Kagome and Kouga a moment. "Who is here right now? Lord Koenma said to expect other friends of yours at this meeting." He asked, earning a couple of confused looks from the two before Kurama again spoke up. Hiei left that part to him as he debated moving forward and intervening between his miko and the wolf. In fact, the idea had merit, so much so that he moved around the towering Taiyoukai to walk towards the two. Kurama gave a side glance to his friend before he looked back to Sesshoumaru and answered his questions.
Kagome had missed Kouga. It seemed like forever and a lifetime ago since she'd seen him, and all she'd known was that he'd mated Ayame and that things were going well for him and his people. Kouga was giving her updates about those she cared about with the wolf tribe, i.e. Hakkaku and Ginta, when she felt Hiei's aura shift and start to move towards them. With a growing smile, one that wasn't missed by Kouga, she turned to look at him and reached out her hand, as if gesturing him forward. "Kouga, this is Hiei." She said, as the hiyoukai came to stand possessively close to her. She didn't seem to mind as she continued, "Hiei, this is one of my oldest friends, Kouga."
Hiei had been surprised when she turned to look at him, but her smile, along with her gesturing for him to come closer, eased a little of his wariness. He didn't realize it before, but he was afraid. Afraid he would do something wrong and she would push him away or hate him. For some reason, that made a sharp, familiar pain arc through his heart. He had been hated and disowned since he was born, just because of what he was. He knew what it was like to be forbidden, what it was to be unloved. For the first time in his lifetime, he had met someone other than his team that cared for him. She cared for him, not because of what he could do, or because he was protecting her, though that was part of it, but because. Just because. A momentary uneasiness slipped through his eyes, one that wasn't missed by Kagome. Her expression softened, before she reached her arm back and placed it on his lower back. She slowly brought him forward, to stand closer to her, more beside her than behind her. She smiled reassuringly at him before looking between Kouga and Hiei, feeling happier than she had in awhile.
He tensed at her touch on his back before he relaxed and nodded lightly to the ookami king. Kouga saw the small interactions between Kagome and the hiyoukai and he lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. He had to fight not to smirk at how his friend had so obviously worked her charm on the reluctant demon beside her. It wasn't the first time that he'd seen her pull someone out of their shell, but he worried about who this demon was. If he was anything like Inuyasha he might just have to exert his authority as King and set the demon straight. Kagome had suffered far too much in the past because of Inuyasha and his inability to choose between her and a walking corpse.
"Nice to meet you, Hiei." Kouga finally said, breaking the silence as he gave a look to Kagome. "So, how's my woman doing?" he said with a small smirk, the term of endearment flowing easily even after so much time had passed between them.
"Kouga…I'm not your woman." She replied with a faked sigh before she smiled back to him. "And I'm doing fine. I've been learning about my power." She said with a grin, obviously pleased with her progress.
Hiei lifted an eyebrow when Kouga called Kagome 'his woman' but at Kagome's obvious dismissal he held back a smirk of his own. He knew that the King of the wolves was mated, but that didn't mean that all mated demons were honorable. "Your miko powers? What kind of things have you been learning?" Kouga questioned, his own smile growing at her obvious pride in herself. He hadn't seen her so proud of herself in a long time, and he had to mentally blame Inuyasha. The inu-hanyou had never treated her as she should have been treated and he knew personally that Inuyasha constantly degraded her and compared her to Kikyou. The fact that she was so pleased with herself now was reassuring.
Kagome's grin widened before she mentally looked for that power within her that sat just simmering beneath the surface of her skin. Slowly, she released her hold on that power, and let it wash out over her skin, through her very pores and had it wrap around Kouga, much like she had for Sesshoumaru just a few minutes before. His audible gasp wasn't lost on Hiei as he watched with awe at the power at her command. He knew that with one change in thought she could purify the wolf king without breaking a sweat. The fact that the king trusted her enough that he let her pour her power over him said something deep about their relationship, something that Hiei didn't want to examine too closely.
Sesshoumaru and Kurama turned when the felt that immense wash of power flare behind them. Youko was speechless at the sheer amount of power that flowed out of the small, human body of Kagome. He had felt her power before, when Hiei was at her mercy, but this was nothing like then. Then, it had been full of fear, and uncertainty, now, now it was warm, and comforting, and full of nothing but purity; gentle, soft, and yet powerful enough that it almost invoked feelings of protectiveness.
Kouga finally found his voice as he whistled softly. "Wow, Kagome. This is…amazing." He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation a moment before he looked to her. "I dare mutt-face to say something about you now. That clay pot couldn't even attempt to match this amount of power." He said, a smirk growing on his features.
Abruptly, her power wavered before she took an uneasy breath to bring it all back into her body, sitting it back in that open space that held her power. Hiei stepped closer to her before he shot a small glare at the ookami. He knew that she still felt inferior to Kikyou, and just mentioning the other woman was more painful than helpful to Kagome's fragile psyche. "Yeah…right." She said, her tone belying her words. She didn't think she was more powerful than Kikyou. And it was more than just power when it came to the undead miko—it was everything Inuyasha wanted and could never truly have again. He expected Kagome to fill those shoes, but there was just too much difference between her and her previous self to ever attempt to be someone she wasn't. Kagome could only be herself, and her alone didn't seem to be enough to satisfy Inuyasha.
That moment of despairing truth made it so she didn't even realize when Kurama had stepped up behind her. He reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, which made her jump and turn to face him. She gave him a shaky smile that made his small frown only deepen. He had heard Kouga's comment, and he thought that it would make her feel better about her progress, not worse, but then again, he didn't know who Kikyou was, and was even more curious now about her past than ever before. "You've been doing really well, Kagome. I've never felt anything like that ever before." He said, trying to cheer her up as he squeezed her shoulder lightly.
Kagome looked to his emerald eyes before she looked to her side to catch Hiei's crimson ones. She knew that they were right. She'd been working hard, and learning so much. For once, she could be proud of her power and what she could do with it. With the last remnants of her upset floating away, she couldn't help but nod, and blink away unexpected tears. She was Kagome, not Kikyou, and she had all this power, and now, finally, she could control it. She wasn't useless anymore, even if she couldn't fight. What she failed to come to terms with, even after all these small and large revelations, was that she was never useless to begin with.
"Thank you…all of you." She finally said, as she looked at each of her friends in turn. Sesshoumaru, Kurama, Hiei, and Kouga—their praise and support was something she didn't know what she would have done without.
"So this be the lass Koenma was talkin' about." An unfamiliar voice broke in; bringing with it a gust of wind that blew everyone's hair around slightly. Kagome turned back to look over Kouga's shoulder, unsure of who the voice belonged to.
"Jin!" Kurama spoke up, as he felt the familiar energy of the wind manipulator. He moved around Kagome and Kouga to walk up towards the red-haired demon with a slight smile on his face. Kagome bit her lip lightly, curious about whom this new demon was. She was reassured when Kurama walked up to greet the almost imp-ish looking demon. "This is Kagome." He said, gesturing back to the young miko, who was moving around Kouga's still form to get a better look at Jin.
"Hello." She said with a small smile and a wave, before Jin moved to hover in front of her. She was startled slightly when she noticed that he wasn't standing, but instead, he was riding a wind current that kept him sitting cross-legged in the air.
He was silent for a second before he gave her a wide grin and said, "Koenma didn't say nothin' abou' you bein' so pretty." His hair moved closer on the wind as if it, too, was interested in the young miko. Kagome blinked widely before she blushed.
"I…well…I'm not really…" she stammered out as she glanced to Kurama and then to Hiei, as if asking for help with how to respond. Kurama just smiled softly, though it was sad, too, as he stepped up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Kagome doesn't think much of her looks, though we all know that she is one of the most beautiful women I've seen in a long time." He said, both defending her honor, adding on to the compliment that Jin had said, and putting in his own personal thoughts on the matter in the open. He glanced to Hiei, and noticed that he was conflicted about the entire thing.
Actually, Hiei was trying which emotion to settle for. He didn't like that Kurama was complimenting Kagome like that, or that he was so close to her, but he couldn't disagree with their comments and he knew that she needed the boosts of confidence, so he was torn between anger and acceptance. Finally, he settled for indifference. After all, getting too emotional over something so simple was unlike him and he found himself directing some of that anger: at himself. He didn't know where these sudden feelings were coming from and he didn't like that. He was in control at all times; being a volatile fire demon had its drawbacks, and one of those was the constant waging war within him. He had it doubly bad because of the koorime blood flowing within him, as well. He had to keep his cool, or things could get really bad, really quickly. Shaking his head of his wandering thoughts, he glanced back as Kagome's curiosity finally broke through her own embarrassment of the situation.
With her blush lightening, she leaned down and hesitantly held her hand towards the space between Jin and the ground. He peered down at her curiously with that same shameless grin on his face as he scooted some air towards her face. She 'eeped' lightly and pulled her hand back. Jin laughed loudly and leaned back on his current of air. "Tis real, lass. Wind is me life, me very soul." He informed her, as she tentatively reached out her hand again. Her eyes met his as she reached out and placed her hand in that space. Slowly, a smile spread on her face.
"It's so warm. It feels almost like…water, except its air." She waved her hand gently through the currents before she pulled it back and stood. "I've never felt anything like that before." She paused, as she looked over Jin and finally took in his facial features. He was still grinning at her, but it was softening at the edges. He didn't expect her to appreciate the power of the wind, but if he'd known her at all, and knew her past with a certain wind witch, he might not have been so surprised. She was suddenly fidgeting and he blinked with slight confusion at her. She was calm just a moment ago, and now her fingers were twitching as she seemed to forcibly hold them back.
"Tis the air. It reflects me!" he said with laugh, before he froze as Kagome reached her hand towards him. Leaning back from her, he gave her a puzzled look before the young miko flushed a few shades of red. Caught in the act.
"Sorry…but…" she looked to his eyes before her sapphire orbs flicked to his very elfish ears. "May I…can I touch your ears?" If someone would have dropped a pin, it would have echoed in the silent clearing before the wind manipulator laughed out loud and slapped his knee playfully. He'd never had anyone ask to touch his ears before, but the way she went about it was so adorable, like a small child. He was endeared by it, as he wiggled each of the pointed appendages lightly.
"Of course, lass. All you needed ta' do was ask." He said with a smirk as he leaned back towards her. She was such a strange human, but he found that he didn't mind her uniqueness. He knew she was a miko, and he expected hostility, fear, or even superiority, but not genuine curiousness and naivety.
Kagome smiled sheepishly before she reached forward and let her fingertips slip over the edge of his very elfin ears. The moment her fingers touched the soft flesh, that grin of Jin's slipped from his face completely. His eyes widened a fraction before his ears twitched, like a small beat of a butterfly's wing. The young miko giggled at the movement before her fingers traced the length and shape of the abnormal ears. Jin's heart was racing in his chest. He'd never had anyone touch his ears before, not like this. His enemies would often try and grab him by the ear to drag him around, something his mother used to do to reprimand him when he was a child, but Kagome's fingers were soft, and gentle. A rare flush crept up upon his cheeks as he looked into her fascinated eyes. She wasn't looking at him, she was enthralled with his adorable ears. She'd been fascinated with Inuyasha's puppy ears when she first met him, but she'd never seen elfin ears before like his before. They were soft, definitely fleshy, like human ears, and warm. They were the warmest thing she'd ever touched. She could feel the pulse of his blood coursing just under her fingertips. After a few moments, her eyes slipped from his ears to his widened, almost startled eyes. Smiling, she let the pads of her thumbs stroke the forefront of his ears, being sure to be very gentle. She knew that his ears wouldn't be like puppy ears. Jin leaned in at the foreign, but pleasing contact as she drew her fingers out to touch the tips of his ears. With a brighter smile, and another light flush upon her cheeks, she slowly withdrew her hands.
Kurama and Hiei both had to hide back growls at the obvious change in scent from their fellow friend. He'd enjoyed that touch of hers just a little too much. Kagome broke the silence, saying, "Thank you. I keep forgetting how warm demon's are. Everyone I've come in contact with has a warmer body temperature than I'm used to. And by the way." She paused, looking sheepish again, "Your ears are absolutely adorable."
Another rare flush crept up on the elfin demons face before he grinned brightly again, saying, "Thank ye. I'ma pretty fond of 'em meself." The small appendages wiggled and flicked back and forth, as if hooked up directly to the happiness that Jin himself was feeling. Kagome watched the small ears with fascination a few moments more before she was distracted by a couple of others cresting the staircase at the shine; one of the people she recognized as Kazuma, but the other two were demons she wasn't familiar with. She was reassured that the orange-haired boy was speaking with the other two, but she did take an involuntary step closer to Hiei and Kurama, just in case. The demons were well-aware of the silent motion and Kurama leaned over her shoulder near her ear to whisper quietly, "The larger man is Chu, and the young child is Rinku. They are friends and allies. You need not fear them." Kagome froze when he whispered into her ear, the sound was close, and it sent chills down her spine. Shaking away her momentary reaction to his warm and comforting voice, she tilted her head towards him and nodded.
Jin turned to greet his friends and teammates and Kagome again watched the flicking of the wind-demon's ears as he spoke. She was ripped from the distraction when a rather deep voice said, "So is this the lil' shiela?" Flushing at her inattention, she looked up to the tall demon's face and smiled before she held out her hand towards him.
"My name is Kagome." Chu looked at her hand before he smirked and took it up in his own, only to draw it up so he could place a gentle kiss on the back of it. A couple of growls filled the air and he smirked more, not fearing the danger that he was flirting with. Her face reddened and she lowered her eyes shyly, not expecting the attention or the gentle action.
His lips lifted from the back of her soft hand before he said, "It's nice to meet your beautiful acquaintance, Kagome." He was laying it on thickly, but even as he spoke he saw the burn on her cheeks and felt the fact that she didn't believe him. She was uneasy and sad at what he spoke, though both reactions bothered him.
"Your flattery is false…" Kagome began softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "…but thank you." He looked up to her downcast eyes before he straightened himself up though he didn't let go of her hand, something of which got everyone's attention. Hiei was seeing red again and he wasn't sure why he was reacting this way.
Kurama was about ready to let Youko loose and damn the consequences, but before either demon could react, Rinku came up and said, "Chu, you're falling on your face. She's not buying what you're selling." His face was full of mischievousness and it caught Kagome's attention as she turned to look at the smaller boy. Silence filled the area before Jin erupted into laughter. That infectious laughter soon got to everyone else as each demon joined in, all save for Hiei. Chu had the gall to look slightly embarrassed before he let her hand go and Kagome smiled warmer to him. He refrained from reinforcing what he'd said to her, seeing as how embarrassed she'd gotten when he said it. She wasn't like a normal woman, human or demon. Women were supposed to eat up compliments like that, but she didn't believe the words to be true. It wasn't just him saying them, it was her own perception of herself, and that nagged at the back of his mind uncomfortably. Shaking it away as he heard her laughter, he smiled back to her and gave a small playful glare to Rinku.
"And who might you be?" Kagome asked, as she turned her attention to the younger boy and the laughter died down.
"My name is Rinku." He said with a grin and he let one of his yo-yo's fall from his fingertips and walk along the ground, very obviously showing off to her. Kagome followed the movement of the strange-feeling toys and she knew that there was something off about them. If she angered him or crossed him she knew that he could seriously hurt her, even if he was only a child.
"Well, Rinku, it's nice to meet you." She said with a grin back at him before she turned to Kazuma. He looked to her with a mix of guilt and happiness as she walked towards him and paused just in front of him. She hadn't seen him in nearly a month and she hadn't heard anything from him either. The same was said of Yusuke and even Kurama, though the kitsune, she had learned, had been taking the night-watch, so to speak. She didn't want to learn if he was avoiding her or if someone was keeping him away on purpose, like Keiko was to Yusuke. However, she couldn't ignore the possibility that he might not want to be there.
The orange-haired man ran a hand through his hair before he said quickly, "Listen, Kagome…I'm sorry that I haven't been around. Sis has had me running crazy. She's started managing the store she's working at—she's needed my help and I just haven't had time to get out here. I hope you can forgive me."
Kagome's eyes looked slightly startled before Kurama stepped up and said, "I'm happy to hear she got a promotion." He smiled softly as if to say his story had merit. He knew what Shizuru was like, and Kuwabara really did love his elder sister.
The young miko's expression softened before she nodded and said warmly, "Of course. You don't have to apologize. I'm just glad that you're alright." And she was. If something bad had happened to him she knew for sure that she'd have blamed herself, especially if it was something demon-related.
The taller man looked relieved at that before he grinned and said, "It's good to see you Kagome. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find my lovely Yukina." He said with a dreamy expression on his face.
Kagome held back a giggle before she nodded and said, "She's in the kitchen finishing lunch." She watched as he walked off and she turned and looked towards Sesshoumaru with confusion in her eyes. He had called this meeting, but she didn't know what it was about, and now that Kazuma was here that completed the team of spirit detectives, and then some, with Jin, Rinku, and Chu there. Before Sesshoumaru could say another word, a cold chill raced up her spine and she spun, feeling the essence of another demon; one she wasn't familiar with. Kurama and Hiei both stepped closer to Kagome before a pale blue head of stiff hair came out of the forest on the other side of Sesshoumaru. She didn't recognize the demon, but apparently the others did, though that did nothing to ease their stances. Jin approached the other demon with a grin as he said, "Long time no see, Touya."
Kagome watched the demon, 'Touya', nod imperceptibly towards the wind demon and then he looked towards the small group of demons near Sesshoumaru. He recognized both the demon lord of the West and even the ookami King, but the girl in the center of these powerful demons was one he wasn't familiar with. He walked forward with purpose and bowed deeply to the Taiyoukai and King. Each returned his bow with smaller versions of their own before they walked forward to greet the ice demon. Kagome couldn't hear what they were saying but then Sesshoumaru gestured her forward and she left the invisible protective shell that came from Hiei and Kurama standing so close. She came up between the two powerful demons and met the coldest blue eyes she'd ever seen. He wasn't angry, but his entire stance said 'danger', 'uncaring', 'powerful'. She looked with uneasiness to the Taiyoukai and King before Kouga spoke up. "Touya, this is Kagome. Kagome, this is Touya. He's the strongest ice demon I've ever had the pleasure to meet, and he's going to be helping protect you from now on." Kagome's eyes widened in shock before she grew angry.
"Kouga, no!" She hugged herself tightly so she wouldn't do something she'd regret. "I'm tired of having other people being forced to protect me. Is that why Jin, Chu, and Rinku are here, too?" she said as she pointed back at the three demons in question. "It's bad enough that Kurama, Hiei, and Kazuma are here. Yusuke has been fighting with Keiko because of this, and I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of the jewel! It's my responsibility! I should be protecting it by myself, and keeping away from others who could get hurt by demons coming after it, not adding more people around me that can get hurt because of it! You and everyone else around me suffered because of it in the past…I don't want anyone else to get hurt!" she said loudly, as tears sparkled in her eyes. Her anger was crossing with her sorrow for everything that had happened in the past, all the people and demons killed because of it. Turning around in a semi-circle to look at the demons all around her, she finally said, "No more! I don't want you guys to protect me!"
"That's right, Kagome. No one else can protect you but me!" a voice called out in the clearing, earning growls from the kitsune, Taiyoukai, hiyoukai, and King. Kagome's face paled as she froze in shock, earning a glance from the ice demon in front of her, and simultaneous looks of confusion from Rinku, Jin, and Chu. They didn't know who the voice belonged to, but those who growled did. Everyone turned to face the newcomer with varying looks of interest, confusion, anger, and fear.
"Inuyasha…" Kagome mouthed soundlessly before the ugly confrontation began.
The hanyou seemed unchanged, even through the centuries. Kagome couldn't help but step forward, as if in disbelief. She hadn't seen him in only a few months, but for him it had been much longer. For a second, his eyes softened before they returned to their former proud glint of yellow. Kagome seemed to miss that as she finally caught up with what he'd said and she shouted out, regaining that wave of anger as she shouted, "Hell no, Inuyasha! You are the last person I want anywhere near me, trying to protect me!"
He looked surprised at her proclamation and those that knew the hanyou and the miko's past held back snickers at her words. The hanyou looked less than pleased as he stepped closer to her and shouted back, "Why the hell not? I know what can come after the jewel, and I've faced down Naraku before. There ain't nothing worse than that bastard out there." He said proudly.
"No, Inuyasha. No." she shook her head softly, as her voice lowered in volume. "I don't want you around me. Period. You don't need to be involved in this. You fought enough in the past, and you paid a lot of harsh prices because of the jewel. You don't need to be here now. I'll take care of it this time." She said, as she tried to quietly will him to understand. In a way, she was still trying to protect him.
"You're not strong enough to protect it by yourself! Only Kikyou was strong enough to do that." He replied arrogantly, and Kagome took a step back, as if she'd been slapped. She knew the words were off-hand; she knew that he probably didn't realize what he'd said, but it didn't lessen the blow to her heart or ego any.
She wanted to say that Naraku had killed her, but she couldn't find it in her to bring up that painful memory for him. She should have retaliated, but it wasn't in her to do so. She wasn't vengeful or arrogant like him, and she didn't want to hurt him. She had loved him deeply at one time, but that time was past. "I am not Kikyou, that's for sure. But I'm not weak anymore, either, Inuyasha." She said softly, willing herself to believe that. She may not have been able to truly fight, but she could shoot arrows and she had her power at her disposal now. That was milestones past her level in the past.
"You'll always be weak, Kagome! You'll never be able to do the things Kikyou did, and that means you need protection. I'll do that, I'll stay by your side and fight off anything that tries to get the jewel." He said, as he took another step closer to her. Kagome felt tears burn at the back of her eyes but she held them forcefully back. The anger and pain within her built, and built, until there was nothing for her to do, but let it out.
"NO! Don't you understand? I don't want you here! I don't want you around! I am not Kikyou, I have never been Kikyou and I don't want to be Kikyou! I am Kagome, god-dammit! KA-GO-ME! I am sick, and tired of you comparing me to her all the time! I may not be prettier, or smarter, or stronger, or even as compassionate as you think she was, but newsflash, Inuyasha! I AM NOT HER! I am powerful on my own, without her, without Midoriko, without anybody!" she said, though she still struggled with how truthful those words might be, she felt her own power stir within her, and each demon backed up in response to the flood of that power washing out in large, towering waves. That hole within her opened and that reservoir of power spilled out of her. Inuyasha watched with confusion, and then with anger as the pure priestess energy of his first true friend came drifting towards him. He would have questioned her power, but now that he saw it, he finally just gave up trying to get into her good graces. He had ulterior motives, and he had, since he'd finally gotten over the grief that had gripped him just after the last battle with Naraku. If she didn't want to be around him, he wouldn't force her. Besides, once he got what he wanted, he would have no use for her.
"You owe me my wish, you bitch!" he shouted, as he glared at her as fiercely as he was able. Kagome at one time would have flinched at that look, but now it just angered her beyond anything she'd ever felt before. The power riding her body made her feel invincible and powerful. She rarely felt powerful. She wasn't strong, she knew that, but she was getting there, and she had a couple of good friends who would stay by her side. It was all she could ask for. At his proclamation, she growled and shouted darkly, "SIT BOY!"
Even after all of this time, the words worked on the rosary still around the inu-hanyou's neck. With the miko power riding her as it was, the spell was doubled easily and the crater formed because of it was no less than three feet deep. With almost jerky movements, she strode forward across the clearing and shouted into the hole, "I don't owe you shit!" she cursed, earning incredulous looks from the spectators watching on in total awe and confusion. Those that didn't know Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship personally were getting a heavy dose of it now. "I sacrificed my friends, my family, my life, my education and my very heart and soul for you, you son-of-a-bitch, and still you want more. I am through taking crap from you and I'm finished letting you take from me. I realize I broke the jewel, but I could have left you in that hell-hole of a past and just came back home. I could have said, "Screw it!" and just let you deal with the aftermath, but I came back, and I scouted, hunted, and otherwise scoured the whole of Japan with you to find them. I faced demons of all colors, races, and strengths, fought death in the face, and spent hundreds of Momma's hard earned money to keep everyone healthy and fed and me in uniforms. I faced the dangers the same as you. I struggled the same. I cried and bled and lost the same as you. Half the time, I was doing it alone because you ran off to that imitation of Kikyou and left the rest of us alone to fend for ourselves!" she shouted as she visibly shook with unbridled rage and despair.
She hadn't noticed when those in the house came out to inspect the noise, and suddenly, the entire group was there, watching as the petite raven-haired girl completely lost control of her emotions. Sesshoumaru knew she held things deep within her; she showed a smile to most everyone and only allowed herself anger when she'd been pushed past her comfortable zone of tolerance. This was unlike anything he'd ever seen from her before and yet he couldn't find himself to stop the events unfolding in front of him. "I am not your whipping girl, and I am not your personal slave! I am not Kikyou, and I am not some weak-willed person that's going to take shit from you anymore! I am not going to be number two to anyone ever again, ESPECIALLY YOU!" she screamed, as dark storm clouds gathered overhead, almost in response to her anger.
Inuyasha shifted and twitched from the impact, unable to move for a few moments; those few moments were enough for him to hear the anger and betrayal in her voice at his words. He hadn't meant to make her so angry, but he wasn't about to back down from her either. He hadn't done it in the past, and he wouldn't do it now. He wanted the wish, and he wanted Kikyou back. More than anything he realized how much he loved Kikyou, though Kagome had treated him far better in her lifetime. Even those realizations didn't change what he wanted; he loved Kagome in a friendly way, but he knew that he'd never love her more than that. Maybe he was a jerk to lead her around for so long, but he would never admit that aloud or apologize for it. If he was a jerk to do so, then she was an idiot for letting him, he figured. Finally he found his voice as he lifted his head out of the crater and looked sharply up at Kagome's glittering white-lined eyes, "You'll never be better than Kikyou, or Sango, or even Miroku or Shippou. You will never be as good as the rest of us and no one will ever want you, you puny, worthless human! No one will ever want you!" he shouted as he hopped out of the hole, now face-to-face with the young miko. "You've been back, what, months now, and you're still a fucking virgin! You have all of these men around you and none of them have touched you. Even in the past, we spent years looking for the jewel and the only one who turned a glance your way was that damn wolf over there…" he said, gesturing to Kouga, who growled, "…and guys wanting to get a look at your panties because of the whorish outfit you wore. Eventually even Kouga ended up finding a better woman and mated Ayame. You're not worth anyone's time or effort except for the jewel. These demons here…" he pointed to everyone else in the clearing, "…are here to look after the jewel, not you. If you didn't have the jewel, they wouldn't be here now, wasting their time with you. Hell, you wouldn't be here because no one would fucking care! You'd still be at home alone, because no one wants an ugly weak human like you!"
The words spewed from his lips in hateful lines that pierced Kagome's heart with needles of pain. Each word was another sharp tip into her already bleeding chest. She knew that he was only trying to hurt her. She knew that the words were for the most part, lies. Maybe she was weak, and maybe she was unwanted, but she wished that someday someone would want her, that someone would love her. He knew the words that would hurt her most, and he always had. As his rant ended, silence filled the clearing and each person made a move to walk forward, wanting to help console her or beat him if it would help the situation. Genkai's eyes blazed with anger, but it was nothing compared to Hiei and Kurama. Even Jin, Rinku, and Chu were sporting looks of distaste at what was going on before them. Kagome seemed like a nice girl, and though they knew why they were there, it wasn't like they didn't mind getting to know the young girl. She was pleasant and courteous to them. It was a welcome change from miko's of the past who tried to purify them on the spot. They didn't know what had happened in the past with her, but they could bet that what the hanyou was saying was untrue.
"I want her."
Kagome turned quickly to look at Kurama as he stepped forward and took a stand beside her, his eyes lacing with gold even as he tried to keep Youko in control. The clearing was quiet enough to hear a pin drop before Sesshoumaru broke the silence, saying, "This Sesshoumaru wants her." He too, moved forward to stand next to Kurama, earning her stunned look as she met his eyes. Hiei, without speaking, moved forward beside her, declaring his intensions without breaking the silence. Kagome's eyes dropped from the gold of the Taiyoukai to the red of the hiyoukai, and she couldn't help the softening warmth that filled them, bringing those tears to light as one fell down her cheek. Jin and Kouga moved together to stand beside Hiei, and then Kuwabara, Yusuke, Genkai, Yukina, Rinku, Chu, and even Touya moved to join the line that had formed in front of the hanyou, who was looking absolutely astounded.
Keiko stood back, her anger almost tangible around her form. She did not want Kagome, any part of Kagome, and she took her stand there and now. She knew it was seen by all present, but she wanted nothing to do with this life, or this danger. She didn't want Yusuke around a strange girl, and she certainly didn't want him in danger because of this girl. She was defiant, and though she knew that it was going to return with some serious repercussions, she did not care. Her pride and high-horse made her feel that it was worth it.
Kagome couldn't speak properly as she struggled to swallow a hard lump in her throat. Her friends, her true friends, and even some who she just met, were standing up for her. It made her feel worthwhile, and the strength in that was impossible to calculate. Her eyes met with Inuyasha's and he finally seemed to get a grip on himself as he said, "You're mine. Mine to do whatever I want with, you selfish bitch. You were mine before you were any of theirs and I will get what I want from you!" he shouted, before he reached forward and gripped her arm. In a flash of speed that no one could really see, she was dragged forward and thrown over the inu-hanyou's shoulder and he leaped back and away from the line of her friends and protectors. He grinned triumphantly at them before he turned and fled into a portal that magically appeared behind him. Hiei leaped forward with impossible speed and strength only to land on the steps of the shrine. The air was empty, and Kagome and Inuyasha were gone.
/chapter
A/N: I know! I'm such a horrible authoress, leaving such a cliffhanger there. I promise the next chapter will be just as riveting, or I hope it will be. The muses are being generous to me lately with this story. I hope you all are enjoying it as much as I enjoy writing it.
Again, keep sending in your suggestions for a main pairing. I'm taking all thoughts and considerations in mind.
Thank you all for your continuing support on this story, and thank you, again, to all you who review, favorite, and watch this story. I especially appreciate the constructive criticism that you guys give me. :) It helps me fix things that I might not notice otherwise.
Kudos, loves!~
animeinvasiongirl aka Sayuri-chan