Chapter 14 - Fighters

Over the next three weeks, Kagome was floating on air. Not only had the demon attacks lessened dramatically, but she'd been spending time having pleasant and relaxing conversations with Miroku andSango. Sango, as she had predicted, was quickly becoming her new best friend. Again.

However, there were dark spots, in that she had to go home. While Kagome had always valued family, there was just something about jealous, overprotective family members that she had no patience for.

"You went there again, didn't you?" By there, Akane meant Sango's apartment.

"No, actually."

"Sure."

Kagome squirmed uncomfortably. "I was at the mall."

"But still with those weird people – don't deny it!"

"They're good people! They're my friends!"

"Well I don't trust them! There is just something not right here."

Both girls sighed. They'd been having this conversation a lot lately. "Well, anyway. Auntie called."

"Oh. I should call her." And now Kagome felt plain guilty. She'd barely talked to her mother since she gotten to the Dojo.

She wondered briefly, as she waited for someone to pick up, what her mother had been told about her exploits. It didn't matter anyway. Because she would be the one to understand about Miroku and Sango.

"Hello, Higurashi residence."

"Mom! It's me."

"Kagome!" Her mother sounded as happy as a kid who'd been given a trip to the candy store, and then told that school was out for the next week. It made Kagome feel worse about not calling.

"How wonderful to hear from you , dear."

"Yeah...sorry about that."

"Oh not to worry. Now, tell me who these new friends of yours are? Akane seemed quite worried about that."

So Akane had spilled. Oh well. "Oh yeah. Mom, you'll never guess what happened to me – I met Miroku and Sango again!"

"Again? Dear, weren't those your friends from...the, uhm," her mother was reluctant to say it.

"From before?"

"Yes, but it's their reincarnations! I found my best friends again!"

"Oh, I see. Well, I'm very happy for you – but please, keep in mind Akane's feelings too, dear. So how's school?"

#

"I'm. Not. Jealous." Akane swung another punch at Ranma, which he easily blocked.

"Yes you are. You're feeling completely rejected because your own cousin would rather hang out with some random dude she met on the street." Almost lazily, he threw his fist towards Akane. He just hoped she wouldn't notice he was going easy on her.

"I'm not jealous! It's just...I've been trying my best to help her - we've all been trying really hard – and then as soon as this guy appears she just forgets about us! Does she even care that we've been risking our lives for her?"

"Oh yeah, that reminds me. We need to have a meeting."

Akane just rolled her eyes. "You just like lording it over everyone else."

"Yep. Sure do." He paused a moment. "See what I did there Akane? I accepted what you told me. Learn something?"

"You're such a jerk sometimes!" This time she kicked him, catching him in the side.

"And you're a -" Ranma stopped here, a confused look coming over his face.

"Whatever. I'm going to go call that meeting." And then he left the dojo and Akane, who was watching him curiously.

"What was that about?"

#

"Hello again, Kagome dearest," Miroku smiled and slung an arm around her shoulders.

She smiled back up at him. "Remember what we talked about?"

"Yes, yes." Miroku hurriedly removed his arm and Kagome gave him an approving smile. "This winning Sango over thing, is quite a lot of work."

"Trust me, she knows."

The pair were walking through a residential area of Tokyo, where everything was quiet and peaceful. Kagome had barely seen anyone other than herself and Miroku, and felt that if it weren't for the concrete and electric wires, she could have been back in Feudal Japan

A violent roar shook the ground and Kagome sighed.

She definitely could have been back in Feudal Japan.

"Dammit," Miroku muttered. "I hate it when they get like this in public."

Kagome shot him a startled look. "What? H-how do you...How?"

Miroku shook his head, and looked around trying to spot the demon – not once looking up. Kagome saw and screamed, pushing Miroku to one side just in time as a glittering katana sliced the air where Miroku's head should have been.

The both rolled back to their feet, and reached for weapons that weren't there. Kagome made a noise of disgust, in the back of her throat. When had she gotten so lazy? Just because things had been calming down didn't mean the Jewel was no longer a target...

Kagome lurched to one side again, and saw out of the corner of her eye, Miroku doing the same. The demon, a fantastically winged creature with a humanoid body, not unlike a few moth demons she'd encountered, continued to swipe at them maniacally.

"I know you have the jewel, priestess," the demon sneered the title, "so better hand it over, or I'll rip it from your dead body!"

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard that one before!" Kagome yelled back, acting a lot braver than she felt without her weapons.

The demon only laughed, and sped towards her. Her mind went numb. Vaguely she heard Miroku scream, and the scream of tyres against concrete of a motor. Oh dear. She hoped they weren't scaring anybody.

The next moment she'd been flung through the air, to hit against a garden wall. A searing pain shot through her head, and she struggled to pull herself back to her feet. Sango, Kagome thought. When did Sango get here? The older girl brought up her own katana to block the demon sword, and thrust her weight forward to break the hold and cut upwards at the demon's stomach.

Strong hands took Kagome by the shoulders.

"Kagome, you're bleeding," Miroku murmured, trying to check the wound.

"Oh." She said, collapsing.

#

"So, you've finally found me. What now eh? Going to drag me back to that rank old village so you can feel like you've done something good for me?"

"InuYasha, please. I don't presume to know what's best for you, but some things I do know better than you. For instance, I know that you can't possibly be happy being cooped up in such a quiet, peaceful little forest like this."

InuYasha glared at Miroku, who sat leaning against the trunk of the tree he was currently perched in. "How do you know? Maybe I am happy. Maybe I like not having to struggle for my life very single day."

"Maybe not every day," said Miroku, amused for some reason that InuYasha could not even begin to understand. "But you would get bored without a struggle at least once a week. There's no denying it, InuYasha. You're a fighter."

InuYasha's hand itched towards the glorious steel fang at his waist – the one he hadn't had to use in so long.

I feel soooooo bad for not updating in forever! I thank everyone who continues to read, and reveiw! Your support is much appreciated, and believe it or not, does help to keep me writing!