2. The Blue Arrow

"I don't know why we brought you along." Inuyasha said. The group was walking down a path in the forest as it grew darker.
"Inuyasha, why are you being so nasty?" Shippo asked. "I like Yori."
"I don't. All she is is another mouth to feed and person to protect. She can't even do anything." Yori had been silent the whole time during Inuyasha's rant. But as the night grew colder, her patience grew thinner. He was arrogant, rude, and above all, a complete jerk. Anger rose in Yori's chest and she had to ball her fists and bite her lip to stop from saying anything.
"So? She hasn't done anything." Shippo continued in her defense.
"And she won't do anything." Yori was shore that was an insult and she balled her fists tighter, her nails digging painfully into her hands. Don't say anything. Don't say anything.
"Besides, what good is she if she's always going to need saving?"
That's it.
"Alright listen here you rude sun of a puppy, I didn't ask you to save me." she snapped.
"Why you little— If I hadn't saved you, that demon would have killed you." The group had stopped moving.
"Well since you were going to complain so much about it, why not let it kill me?"
"Fine. Next time I will!"
"Okay then!"
"Alright!"
"Fine!"
Fine!" With that, Yori walked to the front of the group and smiled, satisfied, when she heard Kagome command him to sit.

An hour later, the group had set up camp and was eating fish around a fire. Yori had just finished hers and started to listen to the conversation.
"But the last time, the Wind Scar wasn't able to penetrate Naraku's barrier." Miroku said.
"Ya, so, what do we do?" Kagome asked. Inuyasha seemed very irritated.
"There's got to be a way to make the Tessaiga stronger." And in the next moment, his eyes popped a little and then, annoyed, he hit his neck. "What the hell? Myoga, what are you doing here?" Yori furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Who is he talking to?
But when Yori looked very closely, she could see a small creature in his hand. Is that a flea?
"Master Inuyasha," It spoke! "If you wish to make the Tessaiga stronger, you must journey to the cave of the demon bats. It is said that their cave is protected by a very powerful barrier and in order to make Tessaiga stronger you must slay the guardian of said barrier and let Tessaiga suck its blood." Inuyasha jumped up.
"That's all I gotta do? Alright then, let's go!"
"Wait, wait, wait," Yori said standing up. "You're going after something called a demon bat?" Inuyasha turned his attention to her.
"Ya."
"And you're gonna kill it so your sword can suck its blood and get stronger?" The whole group was staring at her. The night was quiet save for the flickering of the flame and Yori's angered heartbeat. Not only did the thought of demon bats frighten her, the idea of killing one so a sword could suck its blood was sickening to Yori. Why were they going to let him do that?
"Ya, so what's your point?" Inuyasha said taking a step towards her.
"That's horrible! How can you even think of killing an innocent creature for your own selfish gain?" He scoffed.
"Right now Naraku's the only thing that matters. The life of one demon isn't even a concern." Yori balled her fists together and stared at Inuyasha's back which he had turned to her. Her body shook with disapproval and anger. It was wrong and it seemed like she was the only one who thought so. Kagome hadn't even said anything and Yori couldn't help but wonder why. What was this about anyway? Who was Naraku? His name kept popping up and he seemed to be the motivation for the group's actions. She turned to Miroku.
"Who's Naraku?" Inuyasha twitched and all of a sudden, a dark cloud formed over the group. Yori could feel tension and hostility filling the air and turning a beautiful starry night black and cold. Everyone's face seemed to be masked in pain and hatred. And though his back was towards her, Yori could see anguish in Inuyasha's posture. She could feel the sadness emitting from his soul, his very being. She stared at Miroku.
"Well?"
The monk took a thoughtful sip of his drink and bowed his head before speaking.
"Naraku is a demon who manipulates people into doing things that benefit him. He cursed my grandfather with the wind tunnel and it has been passed down from my grandfather to my father to me. I hope to kill him and rid myself of this horrible power before it grows and sucks me in." He gazed at his hand for a moment before making a fist and turning to Sango, whose hands were shaking, and continuing. "Naraku controlled Sango's younger brother, Kohaku, and killed her whole demon slayer village using him like a puppet. Now he's brought Kohaku back and uses him to fight his sister. And," he looked to Inuyasha. "He also tore Inuyasha and Kikyo apart." Yori blinked.
"Kikyo? Who's Kikyo?" And oddly, it was Kagome who answered. But Yori could tell something was wrong. It seemed as if a shadow had engulfed Kagome's face, and her voice was colored with deep sorrow.
"Kikyo was the protector of the Shikon Jewel. She was a priestess, a guardian to the villages, bust above all; she was Inuyasha's first love. Fifty years ago Naraku turned the two against each other in an effort to steel the jewel. It resulted in Kikyo's death and Inuyasha being pinned to a tree for fifty years." The fire was slowly dying as Kagome's words faded into the night. Why did she tell the story the way she did? Why does she seem so sad? Does she like Inuyasha? Does she love him? I don't see how that's possible because—
"Wait, did you say fifty years ago?" Yori turned to Inuyasha and sensing it, he faced her. "You're over fifty years old?" He smirked at her.
"Try two hundred." Yori's head numbed.
"I can't believe a two hundred year old saved me from a mutant centipede." Inuyasha twitched and unsheathed his sword.
"I look good for my age. It's the least I could say for you." He smirked again, his eyes mocking her.
"You wanna fight?" Yori said, taking a stance.
"You're not much of a threat you scrawny little human." Yori's temper was boiling. She rolled up her sleeves and beckoned him forward with her hands.
"Bring it on dog face." He positioned his sword, his eyes teasing. But what was she doing? That sword could easily slice her in two. But his eyes, oh his eyes. They were like golden promises exploding in the soft white light. They seemed to speak to her, to whisper her name, to tug at her insides; pulling her very soul into the depths of anger and impatience. His soft silver hair touched his face and she thought what the heck? I take karate.
Yori sprang forward and aimed a punch at Inuyasha's face, which he easily dodged.
"Inuyasha no! This is ridiculous!" shouted the monk. And it was ridiculous, but Yori didn't care. As far as she was concerned, this whole day was ridiculous.
Inuyasha swung his sword at her and Yori jumped back into the air. She did a hand stand to catch herself and then crouched down and tried to sweep Inuyasha off his feet with her foot. But he jumped into the air, and raised his sword.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed. But in the second she did, Yori grabbed her bow and one of her arrows and aimed it at the still falling Inuyasha. She released the arrow and along from an odd gust of wind, a blinding yet soft light flew with the arrow. It seemed to be followed by blue sparkle-like things, and it soared towards him at a dangerous speed. Inuyasha dodged the arrow at the last possible second and it missed his head by mere centimeters, taking off only strands of hair.
He landed on the ground and everyone stared at Yori.
"What was that?" Kagome asked.
"I have no clue. It looked like your sacred arrow except it was blue instead of pink." Sango said.
"You could have killed me!" Inuyasha shouted.
Yori scoffed. "That was the plan."
"What was that?" Inuyasha stepped near her.
"You heard me very well."
"Why I oughtta—" But Kagome cut him off.
"Inuyasha," she said sweetly. "Sit." And once again, he was pulled face first into the dirt. Yori stuck out her tongue and sat back down.
"We must figure out what that strange light was." Miroku said.
"What? Have you forgotten that we have to get Tessaiga stronger? We need to find Naraku before anything else!" Inuyasha said from the ground. "We don't have time to waste on this pathetic girl."
"Pathetic girl who nearly took your head off." Shippo said. But Yori had enough.
"So, is that how you feel?" Yori directed the question at Inuyasha. It was covered in needles but Inuyasha's answer was just as sharp.
"Yes." he said indignantly.
"Well, then I'm leaving." Yori said standing up.
"What? Don't be crazy Yori, you can't survive out there." Kagome said grabbing her friend's wrist. She plead with her eyes, a helplessly panicked look that had no effect on Yori. She yanked her hand away.
"No, I'm tired of him. If he wants me gone so badly, I'm leaving." And she turned on heel and ran. Desperate, Kagome tried to follow but before she could, Yori disappeared into what seemed to be rippling air. Despair and anxiety washed over Kagome.
"A barrier?"