Well, this sucks. I barely got any reviews last chapter (and I'm just writing barely in case I actually get one or two…). Well, here's what you probably wanted: the big go ahead in the plot! We get to meet our favourite half…well, full demon in this story!


Chapter the Third

The Enchanted Castle


Kagome screamed.

"Whoa!" The thing fell backwards.

Kagome stared at it. It was a little boy. He had orange hair, blue-green eyes, pointed ears, tiny fangs, little fox feet, and a bushy fox tail.

Kagome and the child's eyes locked. For a moment, everything was silent.

Suddenly, both of them shrieked, and the boy dashed out of the temple and out of sight.

Kagome's hand moved to grasp her chest. She could feel her heart pounding under her palm. That boy…that demon…he'd scared her.

Although, Kagome mused, a small smile gracing her lips, He didn't seem all that bloodthirsty if you ask me.

She knew that it was time for her to set off again. That wolf sure had knocked her off trail.

Maybe she should've let him escort her to the next village.

Still, Kagome's pride and fear of demons had overtaken her common sense…

Again.

She stood up, pulling her heavy bag over her shoulder with a grunt. Kagome staggered forwards, attempting to get used to the weight of the bag again.

How in heck had she carried it last night?

Kagome finally got the weight shifted enough so that she could walk comfortably and sauntered out into the sunlight. Kagome raised a hand up to her eyes, shielding them from the brightness.

She let her eyes get used to the sunlight before she blinked and took in her surroundings.

In front of her was a splendid old castle.

Kagome blinked, turning back to the temple. Apparently she was in the farthest back left corner of the grounds, since she could only see the grand walls of the castle. For some reason, the cold, stony building was perfectly intact.

Curiosity overtook her as she walked forwards. The walls that bordered the grounds were horrendously kept, which rang strange for Kagome as she glanced at what seemed to be a perfectly preserved relic of a castle.

She brushed her fingers along the wall as she walked, a brief spark of energy tickling her fingertips. Kagome wrenched her hand away, staring at it as if it had grown three more fingers.

"What was that?" She asked herself, glancing back up at the battlements of the castle that stood above her.

Overcome with the desire to go inside, Kagome made her way towards the entrance of the castle. It was so big…it felt like it took her close to four hours to actually reach the great oak doors that loomed over her.

The hairs on the back of Kagome's neck stood up in warning, and she hesitantly pushed on one of the great doors.

It creaked as she opened it. The noise echoed throughout a grey and dusty entrance hall. Kagome imagined what it must've looked like all those years ago when it stood in its prime.

The stairs, from the look of them, were marble. The intricately carved wooden railings arced beautifully along the sides of the two identical staircases that led to higher, main floor. A dusty old purple and gold carpet ran along the centre of the room and split into two smaller carpets, each running up the middle of the staircases.

Kagome was awed at the building. She'd not even seen all of it and was utterly left in shock.

How was it that a castle so beautiful could be abandoned like this?

"Wow, this place is so…enchanting." Kagome breathed, smiling and twirling around in the room.

"That's one way to describe it."

Kagome stopped. It was a voice…a female voice…

Out from the shadows on the balcony stepped a woman, she was dressed in the armor of knights, and she had curious purple eyes and two green tattoo marks on each cheek.

Kagome also noticed the fangs and claws.

"Y-You're a d-demon!" Kagome shrieked, stepping backwards towards the door.

The girl's eyes seemed to harden for a second, "Yes. I am…" She said softly, though her voice rang clear in the beautiful hallway.

"I understand if you are afraid," The girl admitted, sounding almost amused, "I- we are used to it."

"We?"

The girl nodded, "Yes. I am not alone here."

"Sango, who is here?" A young voice asked, and orange hair popped up from under the railing, "Y-You're that girl! That woman who scared me!"

Kagome couldn't suppress it. She'd scared a demon? Kagome was thrust into gales of laughter, clenching at her sides for support.

The little boy cocked his head in question, "What's so funny?"

Kagome managed to settle herself down for a minute, "It's just…I've grown up hearing about demons being fierce monsters, but I guess…" She smiled, "The village tales were wrong."

"I have a tail!" The boy cried excitedly, "See?" He turned around, wiggling his little fox tail at her.

Sango, the demon woman, started to come down the stairs, "I'm Sango." She held her hand out once she reached a sort of hesitant Kagome.

"Nice to meet you Sango, my name's Kagome," Kagome smiled shyly and shook the woman's hand.

"I'm Shippo!" The fox boy squealed and hopped onto Kagome's shoulder, "I'm a fox demon, but I used to be a-"

Sango cut him off by picking him up, "Okay Shippo. I'm sure this girl wants to be on her way to wherever she decides to go. We needn't keep her here."

"Oh, that's okay," Kagome admitted sheepishly, "I'm sort of lost."

"Well," Sango frowned, deep in thought, "I haven't left the castle in so long…I doubt any of us would be of any assistance."

"So exactly how many of you are there?" Kagome asked.

"Well, there's me and Shippo here," Sango began, "Then there's Miroku, Koga…"

"Koga?" Kagome froze, "Does he leave the castle a lot?"

"Yes. He's the cook," Sango replied, not noticing Kagome's horrified expression, "So he goes out to search for herbs and spices. He's not here right now, but he'd be your best bet for help out of this forest."

Kagome sighed, "I met him. He flirted with me and I freaked out. I sort of ran…ended up in a temple off in the back of the castle grounds."

"Really? That sure does sound like him. He's not that bad though. Ayame's his woman; so he's not really searching for a wife or anything."

Kagome felt relieved and curious at this point, "Really? Who's Ayame?"

"She's one of the maids. Ayame's a sweet girl. I doubt she'll be here at the moment, she's all the way at the south wing if I know that girl."

"Well, who else lives here? That can't be all of you!" Kagome found Sango quite interesting. Maybe this demon wasn't as bad as Kagome thought…

Sango began to look very uncomfortable, "Well, there's one more…" She trailed off.

Shippo gulped and climbed onto Kagome again, "Please Sango? Don't say anything…"

"Who's this 'one other' person?" Kagome inquired, this 'one more' person catching her interest.

Suddenly the door was violently shut, and an angry voice was heard from a corridor nearby.

"I told you to stay the hell out of my room! Damn it!" The male voice roared.

At this point, a man came scurrying down the stairs and towards them, "Sorry, sorry!" He called back up the stairs.

"This is Miroku," Sango said. She pointed over her shoulder at a man dressed in monk's garb, a green tattoo across the bridge of his nose and eyes that were a light yellow. He too had fangs and claws. Another demon.

The man stopped, smiling at Kagome, "Why good day." He got down on one knee, "Would a woman as beautiful as you care to bear my children?"

Kagome turned red and Sango punched the man in the head.

"Will you ever learn?" Sango muttered, disgusted.

Miroku rubbed his offended head, "Anyways," He gave Kagome a curt nod, "Why is a human here? Isn't that a little," He added the next word at a whisper, thumbing over his shoulder, "dangerous?"

Sango shrugged, "She just needs directions."

"When have we ever let a human in just for directions?" Miroku seemed quite worried and anxious over Kagome's presence.

"Why the hell do I smell human?" That voice from before boomed.

Miroku twitched, "Too late."

Sango seemed to stiffen also, "Kagome, you'd better get going now…"

Kagome wanted to do as she was told, but something froze her to the spot.

Out from around the corner came a man. He was dressed in black breeches and a loose black shirt. He had a black cape on too, one that was red underneath. He had blood red eyes and blue slits that Kagome assumed served as pupils. He had long fangs, talons, and a purple stripe on each cheek. He had long silver hair and dog ears that crowned his head.

"What the hell is that?" He asked, pointing accusingly at Kagome.

Kagome opened and closed her mouth silently, gaping at this mysterious demon. She quickly found her voice though, "I'm a girl you jerk!"

Sango, Miroku and Shippo seemed to stare at her in shock. Maybe she shouldn't have talked back to him…

He leered at Kagome, "For a human woman," He spat, "She's sure got quite the attitude."

This guy sure rubbed her the wrong way…Kagome couldn't help herself, "Well you know what mister! I'm going to-"

"Inuyasha," Miroku told the man, cutting Kagome off, "Lady Kagome is not staying. She just needed help finding her way to the next town and…"

"Well she knows what we are now," Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, a smirk on his face, "So she's not going anywhere."

"B-But Inuyasha!" Sango protested, "She's just a human girl! She's not going to do anything to harm us."

"How do you know that?" Inuyasha yelled, sweeping down the stairs, coming closer to them, "For all we know she's a demon slayer."

"For your information," Kagome snapped, drawing Inuyasha's attention, "I'm a priestess!"

He smirked darkly, "Even better."

Kagome was taken aback at his words.

Oh man…

Her and her big mouth…


End of Chapter


Hooray! We meet Inuyasha! Finally, some plot movement. Good. Well, it's time for you to do your part…

Review!