Disclaimer: Inuyasha is sooo not mine.
Chapter 4
Once outside, the two men stared at the door before glaring at each other again.
"Way to go, bub. This is all your fault, you know, for getting me kicked out," Yuki muttered sulkily, gazing longingly down at the black box in his hand. "If you hadn't come back to harass Kagome again, I'd be up there with her right now and she'd be stark naked with only my engagement ring on! But noooo, you had to come along and disrupt the proceedings." Pushing his yellow locks out of his eyes, he sent the youkai a withering glare. "Be thankful Kagome held me back because I wouldn't have hesitated in letting you have it."
Sesshoumaru felt his youkai want to burst out and teach this arrogant hentai some manners. "Oh, really? I'd like to have seen you try. If you had succeeded in going through with your plans, I would have gladly ripped your insides out and fed them to you. Fortunately for you, Kagome seems to truly care about you, especially since she was willing to stand up to me for your sake. But don't think you're special; she has this habit of taking pity on strays. No doubt she's told you that she'd taken quite an interest in my half-breed brother at one time." He tossed his long ponytail back over his shoulder with a careless flick. "Although, to be fair, she may need your pathetic ass later on so therefore, I shall allow you to continue to exist. I am warning you, elf; do not cross me. I am not known for mercy."
In a swirl of silver hair, Sesshoumaru walked off, leaving Yuki behind to glower at the youkai's retreating back. When he finally disappeared from view, the elf ran a hand through his golden locks and heaved a frustrated sigh. Walking to his motorcycle, he shook his head and straddled it. After tucking the box with the amethyst ring safely back into his inside jacket pocket, he started the engine and drove away from the house.
This was not over by a long shot. Kagome was his. To let some pompous youkai trash from another time period take his woman was unthinkable and the loss would damage his reputation, should it be made known. Yamadera Yuki always got the girl.
ooooooooooooooo
The next day found Kagome and her team ready and waiting at her family's shrine. Her mother, brother and grandfather were there as well, helping the four slayers check and recheck their supplies after they had been delivered.
The four were dressed in their usual outfits of green camoflauge jackets and pants, black combat boots. They also wore camoflauge colored protective vests, from which hung their walkie talkie radios.
Souta was really excited. He loved and admired the elf brothers greatly, and Kagome for one, was glad that her little brother had shifted his hero worship from Inuyasha to them. With the exception of Yuki, they really were much better role models for him than the hanyou. The boy flitted from Yuki to Hiro to Akira and back again, blissful to be near his heroes. He was especially fond of Akira who, in his opinion, made being a nerd look super cool.
As for Akira, he thoroughly enjoyed being the idol of a teenage boy. Kagome knew he'd probably never admit it aloud, but then again, he didn't have to say a word. The satisfied look on his face, accompanied by a pleased blush on his cheeks as Souta hung onto his every softly spoken word, told Kagome what she wanted to know.
Soon, the angry sound of Inuyasha's voice broke the still, early morning air. He was bitching at Sesshoumaru, who walked silently towards them, his amber eyes drinking Kagome in. She looked so fresh and beautiful this morning he thought, easily tuning out his brother's whining.
Kagome cast a glare at the youkai while she rechecked her weapons, sliding them into the leather holsters that were strapped to her thighs. Hiro nudged Yuki and Akira, who looked up at the approaching males. 'They're late,' Hiro mouthed at his brothers and grinned.
Yuki grinned back while Akira smothered a chuckle. Tardiness was one of Kagome's pet peeves.
A dark look settled on Kagome's face as she hefted her pack onto her shoulders. "You two are late. If you cannot prove to me that you can keep up with us, or meet us when we are supposed to meet, we will leave you behind. Understood?" She walked over to her mother and gave her a quick hug. "We're leaving now, mom. We'll be back as soon as we can."
Her mother came over and kissed her cheek. "You be careful, Kagome." She kissed her daughter's cheek. Then she turned to the elves and gave them a small smile. "You boys take care of my baby girl, okay?"
The elves promised to do just that and turned to follow their leader, who was already heading for the well.
When Kagome opened the shed door, she pulled out the bottle containing the single jewel shard and held it tightly in her hand. It glowed delicately within its plastic confines.
She descended the steps and when she stood in front of the well, Kagome looked back at her team and then behind them to Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. "Let's get moving," she declared before jumping in.
The pull of the well's time portal surrounded Kagome, disorienting her for a moment. It was so very strange, feeling this after all these years. Looking back, she saw her boys and the inu brothers behind her. Ahead of her, she saw the end of the tunnel and automatically readied herself for entering the Sengoku Jidai.
ooo
Kagome immediately climbed out of the well as soon as she touched down. The elves were right on her heels.
It didn't take long for the stifling atmosphere to hit her and when it did, she felt a sharp pang in her chest. The heavily tainted aura of the Shikon no Tama was nearby.
She looked around. There were no discernible differences in the landscape as she quickly noted before turning to look at the elves. "Hiro, Yuki, you guys know what to do. Akira's coming with me and we're going to the village," she explained and pointed in the direction they were heading off to. "I need to secure the jewel. If there's a youkai you can't handle, let me know." She grabbed her walkie talkie. "I'm on channel three. Let's go, Akira." Without another word, she and Akira headed off to the village with Sesshoumaru and a very subdued Inuyasha behind them.
On the way to the village, Kagome asked, "How did you guys live with this thing? The jewel, I mean. The atmosphere around here is unbearable."
Sesshoumaru said nothing, shooting a quick glance at his brother. Inuyasha, who kept pace with her quick strides, spoke up. "There was nothing we could do, Kagome. We didn't want Naraku or Kikyo to take it again, so we all took turns protecting it and the village." He paused and then continued quietly, "We had faith that one day you would come back to us and would purify the jewel."
The miko looked over at Inuyasha, whose gaze stayed straight ahead of him. He had never looked so determined and yet, so at peace. It seemed that he had finally matured.
Inuyasha's golden eyes shifted to the side and came to rest on her. He had aged in the past seven years, she thought with a tinge of worry. For an insane moment, she wanted to reach out and smooth the lines from his handsome face, but she did not dare. She would not fall back on her old feelings for him and she reproached herself for even thinking of doing so. There was no way she could ever trust him the way she used to. He had single handedly obliterated her trust in him.
But did she still love him? Perhaps. Maybe a small part of her still did. She didn't know for certain, but the fact that she hadn't blown his brains out when she'd lain eyes on him again proved that she still cared for him, even if only a little. On the other hand, his cruel words to her on that long ago afternoon could never be forgotten. She didn't think she had even forgiven him for that. So how could she possibly still care for him?
Feeling Sesshoumaru's intense gaze on her, Kagome quickly looked away from Inuyasha and scooted a bit closer to Akira, who gave her a quizzical look but said nothing. Should a simple walk be this uncomfortable? Thank heavens she was with at least one person she could trust.
ooo
At last, Kagome, Akira and the inu brothers came to Kaede's village, where she felt the sickening presence of the Shikon grow heavier. What exactly had Kikyo and Naraku done to it?
Inuyasha led them to an abandoned hut at the end of the village. Even the little building itself appeared blackened, so potent was the jewel's evil aura. Kagome stopped before the hut where she bowed her head and closed her eyes. Other than the two standing beside her, she sensed that there were no other youkai in the area. But she couldn't be sure, being this close to the tainted Shikon.
Opening her eyes, she reached up and grabbed her walkie talkie. "Baby Bear, come in."
Hiro's soft voice came in loud and clear. "Baby Bear here. What's up, sarge?"
She pressed down the talk button. "Do you guys sense any youkai in the area?" Her eyes scanned the area around them. Akira did likewise.
Yuki's voice broke in. "Negative that, sarge. Other than those two with you, there's nothing out here."
Kagome nodded to herself. "Copy that, Big Daddy. Sarge out."
Inuyasha scratched his head in bewilderment. "Big Daddy? Baby... bear? What kinds of names are those?"
Kagome replaced the walkie talkie and shook her head. "Nick names," she replied shortly. "I'm going in. Akira, remain out here with Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, please."
Entering the hut, Kagome gasped and clutched at her chest. The light of the jewel was blacker than any moonless night and its foul, festering aura slamming into her with the force of a freight train. The air in the hut seemed to weigh heavily on her and her back began to ache.
The jewel itself was suspended in mid-air, most likely due to Kikyo's spell, which was probably the same spell that kept everyone but Inuyasha away from it. It even had the same gold chain she'd had it on when she'd worn it seven years ago.
Off to the left of the jewel, was an outstretched hand. The hand was attached to an arm that was covered by a long sleeve. The sleeve was part of some robes... a monk's robes. Swallowing hard, she walked over to the living statue of her old friend.
"Miroku-sama," she breathed, staring wide-eyed at Miroku's frozen face. He had been reaching out to the jewel with his dark blue eyes wide open. His mouth was set in a firm, determined line; his dark brows furrowed, as if in deep concentration. Without thinking, she put out her hand and touched his face. His flesh was cool to the touch and felt solid beneath her fingers. Unable to look away from him, she felt her eyes fill with tears. She'd left her friends to battle this alone, she thought miserably, her heart aching fiercely. "You have no idea how much I've missed you, you foolish man," she whispered, cupping her hand against his face.
Taking a deep breath and quickly wiping the tears from her eyes, she turned slowly to the blackened Shikon. Kagome moved her hand and reached for it, grasping the icy little ball in her palm. Crippling pain coursed through her body, but it was only for the briefest of moments. When she opened her hand, the jewel lay sweetly pink and pure in her palm. It sang out with relief. The evil was gone!
She pulled the bottled shard out of her vest pocket and opened it. Removing the shard, she placed it on the nearly completed jewel. It became one with the now purified Shikon no Tama.
Beside her, something heavy dropped to the floor. Kagome started slightly and looked down. Miroku lay in a crumpled heap on the floor, panting. Quickly, she fastened the jewel around her neck and dropped down on her knees beside him. Inuyasha, who had rushed into the hut the moment the evil aura was banished, was by the young monk in an instant, his tired face full of concern. Akira came in behind the hanyou, his green eyes bright with curiosity behind his glasses and behind him was Sesshoumaru.
Pulling Miroku's dark head onto her lap, Kagome gently stroked his hair. He smiled wanly, his eyes closed. "S-sango," Miroku whispered happily.
Kagome looked sharply up at Inuyasha and her chest twinged painfully. Who would tell him?
Inuyasha shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, his eyes full of worry. Instead, he moved away to the other side of the hut and sank down upon the floor.
"I'm not Sango, Miroku-sama," Kagome told him gently, pushing his hair back from his face.
Miroku's blue eyes opened and he looked up in the direction of her voice. He frowned, his dark brows knitting together as he struggled to focus on her face. "K-kagome-sama? Is... is that you?" His voice was hopeful.
Kagome nodded, feeling once again the sting of tears in her eyes. "Yes, Miroku, it's Kagome."
"Our little miko has come back, just as I believed she would." Miroku smiled and closed his eyes, a relieved sigh escaping him. "I can feel it now. The evil presence has gone... from this place..." His smile trembled and he passed out.
As soon as Miroku slipped into unconsciousness, Yuki and Hiro came into the hut. Yuki was holding a struggling little figure by the collar of his shirt. "Sarge, we found this one creeping around the village," Yuki said, giving the boy a shake.
Startled, Kagome looked up. She couldn't believe how much he had grown. "Shippo-chan?" she asked in a hoarse whisper. Don't cry, Kagome, don't you fucking cry!
Shippo had a mutinous look on his face as he was brought forward to face her. After staring at her for a moment, his furious green eyes widened in recognition. "Kagome? Is that really you?" Yuki let go of his shirt and Shippo leapt at Kagome, his arms going around her neck, knocking her backwards on the wooden floor boards. "Kagomekagomekagome!" Shippo cried ecstatically.
Kagome's arms wrapped around the kitsune and closed her eyes. Again, she fought back the tears but this time was unsuccessful. They slid down her face as she clutched the small kitsune tightly to her. "Oh, Shippo-chan! I'm so sorry. I'm so very sorry I didn't come back to you!"
Kagome felt Shippo's small face burrow against her neck. She smiled at the memory of a much smaller Shippo doing that in his sleep.
"It's okay, Kagome. We all know it was Inuyasha's fault."
From his spot on the other end of the hut came a low and muffled, "Keh!" Shippo snickered slightly before Inuyasha continued. "Look here, Shippo, it was partly my fault. Kikyo was mostly to blame, and you all know this, so don't put all of this crap on me!"
Shippo and Kagome both looked over at the hanyou. His face grew red and he stormed out of the hut. Yuki leaned back against the wall, and watched Inuyasha go with half-closed eyes. "So, Kagome, you know this little miscreant? I have to admit he was acting awfully suspicious when we found him."
Shippo swerved around to face Yuki. He glared at the blond elf and bared his small fangs. "What are you talking about, freak! I'm not the suspicious one here!"
"Shippo-chan!" Kagome admonished gently. "Yuki is not a freak! He's just a harmless hentai like Miroku if you must know." She got to her feet and took Shippo's little hand. "Let me introduce my companions. These three men are my closest friends, Shippo-chan. Yuki is the blond one, Hiro is the one with the dark, curly hair and Akira is the one with glasses." She pointed to each elf in turn.
Hiro lifted his hand in a salute and smiled at the kitsune; Akira nodded and smiled shyly, but Yuki only glared at the kit. He did not like the way the little youkai clung onto Kagome; but he wasn't jealous, why should he be? It was obviously just a kid.
Ignoring the fair man's gaze, Shippo cocked his head. "But, I don't understand, Kagome. What are they? I mean, they have pointed ears like mine, but no fangs or claws," he commented candidly. "Are they youkai, too?"
Kagome laughed. "They aren't youkai, Shippo-chan. They're elves." She patted his head and once again marveled at just how much he had grown.
Shippo's green eyes grew huge in his little face. "Wow! Really? I had always thought that elves weren't real, just made up stories."
Kagome was about to reply but she sensed something nearby. Looking over at Hiro, she realized that she wasn't the only who could sense it. 'Youkai,' Hiro mouthed at her.
Kagome nodded. "Okay, you and Yuki get out there and wait for me."
They left in a hurry.
Shippo-chan," she said as she turned and knelt on one knee before him, "stay here and wait for me, okay? Make sure Miroku is kept safe and just in case something happens, Akira's going to stay with you to protect you both. Got that?" Shippo nodded and she kissed him on the forehead before rushing out of the hut.
Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were following the elves in to Inuyasha's Forest. As Kagome ran towards the fields in order to cut it off at the pass, she began to have a bad feeling about the way this youkai's aura felt. She'd never felt an aura like that before. Kagome hoped that it was one they'd encountered before, but her intuition was telling her otherwise.
When she finally laid eyes on it, her heart sank slightly as she realized that her suspicions were right. They'd never fought a youkai like this one. It was a massive creature with what looked like a tough, leathery skin and horrible red eyes. The shard itself was situated in the youkai's underbelly and in order to get to it, she'd need to get past its massive claws.
The moment she appeared, the thing turned and looked over in her direction and as it began rushing towards her, Kagome sensed its purpose. It was after the Shikon no Tama.
There was nothing for it, Kagome thought as she led took off running, leading the youkai away from the village. Yuki would be extremely pissed at her starting without backup, but she didn't care. She was a big girl and was more than capable of taking care of herself. Besides, it was coming for the jewel and seeing as how she was the jewel's caretaker, it was her responsibility to destroy all who wanted to possess it.
When she had led it into the open fields, Kagome readied herself for the battle.
ooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Yuki frowned as he and Hiro ran after the massive youkai. It plowed its way through the trees, heading for a clearing, it seemed. He'd sensed it stop for a moment and then change directions, moving at a faster rate of speed.
"Where's it going?" Inuyasha called from behind them.
Yuki glanced quickly over his shoulder and shot the hanyou a dirty look. "How the hell would we know? We've never been here before!"
"Well, technically..." Hiro began, but Yuki rudely cut him off.
"Shut it, Hiro!" he snapped.
Sesshoumaru, distracted by Kagome's scent early on, had tore off in her direction and was already near her as she led the youkai out onto open ground. When he saw the gargantuan creature coming towards Kagome, he came to stand beside her, not wanting to leave her alone. He had never actually seen her do battle, although he heard many stories of her skills. But then again...
"You don't have to be here, Kagome," he said quietly. "Your mission is completed. I will take care of this."
Kagome shot him an irritated side glance. "Why not? Do you think I'm a weak, useless loser too? Look, you guys wanted me to come here, so I'm here! Why not allow me to help you with a little youkai slaying? It's what I'm good at, you know."
"I did not say that you were weak and useless," Sesshoumaru countered gently. He had not meant to upset her, but he completely understood why she should feel so bitter. He just wished her bitterness was directed at Inuyasha, where it rightly belonged.
"Right. If you say so." She reached for her walkie talkie. "Big Daddy, location!" she barked.
"We're behind this thing!" Yuki gasped out. It sounded as though he was running. "Damn, sarge, it's changed directions!"
"I know," she replied with a smile as the thing got closer. "It's right in front of me."
"What?!" Yuki roared, then ground out, "Don't you dare think about it, Kagome!"
Despite his pleas, Kagome was thinking about it. Exhilaration flew through her at the thought of it. She loved the feeling she got just before the battle... the rush, the anticipation of maiming, slaughtering. The way the blood spurted everywhere, the killing and watching the creature she just mutilated die right before her eyes. It was sheer delight. The roaring of her blood through her veins sent shockwaves of giddy excitement throughout her entire body. Damn, she loved her job!
Sesshoumaru stared hard at Kagome. What the hell had happened to her? He could smell her excitement, arousal even, and it disturbed him. How could a sweet young miko enjoy killing so much?
Kagome moved forward a couple of steps, then stopped as she assessed the creature. There was something odd about the way its flesh looked, she thought as she quickly undid her jacket and tossed it aside. But she didn't draw her weapons, for she'd had a feeling that something was off about this youkai.
Meanwhile, Inuyasha and the others burst out of the forest in time to see Kagome dodge the youkai as it attacked her. Infuriated, Yuki gnashed his teeth together. "Damn it, Kagome! How many times have I told her about being reckless like this?"
Hiro frowned slightly at his brother. "And how many time have I told you to have faith in her? She's one of the best slayers in all of Japan. Just trust her judgement for once."
Yuki ignored Hiro's words and took off running after them.
ooo
As her prey lunged at her, Kagome landed hard on her side but swiftly rolled away, seconds before one massive paw could crush her into the ground. Now that she had gotten a closer look, she saw what was bothering her about the youkai's skin. It wasn't leathery at all, but some kind of hard armor.
Drawing one of her glocks, Kagome fired at it and quickly flung herself down on the ground after the bullet ricocheted off of the armor with a clang and grazed her cheek. 'Shit!' she thought as she slid the gun back into its holster. Cautiously, she got to her feet and took several steps back.
The youkai stared angrily back at her unfazed, and with a trumpeting roar, charged at her. From somewhere past the youkai, a huge ball of fire came hurtling at it and the youkai was suddenly engulfed in flames.
"Kagome! Are you okay?" It was Yuki. He ran up to her and grabbed her by the arms. "What the hell were you thinking? I've told you a million times not to go in by yourself! You wanna get yourself killed?"
Shoving him away from her, Kagome took a few steps back. "And I've told you a million times to stop bitching about that! I'll do what I need to do to kill these things and if putting myself at risk in order to do so is what it takes, then so be it."
Yuki shook his head angrily and advanced upon her. "Not if I have anything to do with it," he growled. He would have taken her in his arms then, but a shout caused the both of them to look around. Hiro was yelling something just as they saw the flames extinguish themselves.
"What the fuck?" cried Yuki in disbelief.
Kagome grabbed his arm and yanked him back as the youkai swung around to knock them down with its tail. "It's got some kind of armor. I've already shot at it, but it's like fucking Kevlar. The bullet just bounced off."
The elf beside her raised his hands to the sky, where a large ball of flame formed quickly. Yuki discharged the fireball at the youkai, but like the last time, the flames were soon extinguished. Yuki shook his head in disbelief. "Are you kidding me? This thing is bullet-proof and fire-proof?" He sounded insulted.
"Of course. The damned thing's got a shard inside it," moaned Kagome as the realization hit her. "Duh, Kagome."
By now they had the youkai surrounded. Hiro and Inuyasha were on the other side of it; Yuki and Sesshoumaru were stationed near Kagome, who watched as the four males unsheathed their swords and began attacking the creature. Clangs of metal against the youkai's armor reverberated in the air and Kagome knew that there was no way they could kill this thing by the usual means.
The youkai turned quickly, its thick tail lashing out at its attackers. It very nearly knocked Hiro off his feet. That in turn pissed off Yuki, who sheathed his blade and drop down on one knee, his hand grabbing a fistful of earth. Slimy black roots shot out of the ground beneath the youkai and proceeded to wrap themselves around it. They secured the youkai, keeping it from moving around.
"Good going, Yuki!" Kagome called out and quickly rushed forward. Once she stood before the now immobile youkai, Kagome put up her hands and placed them on its side. They began to glow with holy pink light...
A trumpeting roar burst from the youkai and with a surge of incredible energy, it broke free of Yuki's hold and knocked Kagome down in the process. She scrambled away but the angry youkai was quicker, despite its large, lumbering size. With one mighty paw, it swiped at her and pulled her closer to it, dragging her along the ground as it did so.
The four males were horrified and could only watch this seemingly invincible creature grab Kagome. Yuki, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru attacked it all at once, but the armor was impenetrable. They just could not get past it.
When they were about to try again, Hiro grabbed Yuki's arm and pulled him back. "Wait! Don't waste your energy on this! We can't get past the armor!"
Angrily, Yuki whirled around. "What?! Kagome's out there with that thing! It could kill her!"
Hiro stared out at the scene, his heart aching. There was nothing they could do, unless they could get past that armor. It would take something with tremendous force to crack that impenetrable shield...
A thought struck him and suddenly, he had the feeling they would win. Reaching up, he grabbed his walkie-talkie. "Rabbit! Come in! Rabbit, can you hear me?"
Yuki shot his brother a hard look, then comprehension dawned in his eyes. Of course!
Akira's quiet, unhurried voice came over the radio. "Rabbit here. Do you need assistance?"
"Yes! Get your ass over here now! We need your help!" Hiro paused, then added, "Kagome's in trouble!"
There was no response from Akira; there was no need for confirmation that he was coming. Akira was coming, alright. Hiro and Yuki could feel it on the soft warm breeze that blew from the direction of the village. Hopefully, they thought, Kagome wasn't hurt too badly... or else everyone else would be. They prayed that she would come around before something went horribly wrong.
Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, even the youkai that held Kagome captive paused and lifted their heads. "What's that?" Inuyasha asked, sniffing the air.
Beside him, his brother shook his head. "I do not know." He scowled. "But I most certainly don't like it."
"You don't want to know, but you'll find out soon enough" Yuki informed them cooly. "Take our advice and stay away from Kagome, okay? Trust me, you'll thank me later."
The hanyou opened his mouth to make a retort, but Sesshoumaru guided him away as Yuki had warned them. "This doesn't feel right, Inuyasha. Perhaps this is an instance where you should do as others say and not act foolishly on your own."
Again Inuyasha tried to speak, but he was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the third elf.
ooo
After speeding through the forest in search of his brothers and Kagome, Akira came to a sudden halt when he saw an unconscious Kagome in the youkai's clutches. She was lying on the ground, unmoving, and there was a thin line of blood trinkling along the side of her cheek. Hiro and Yuki moved even farther away as Akira walked silently up to the youkai. The look on his normally gentle and impassive face was frightening and they both remembed back to the day when their younger brother had killed a man.
It had all been the man's fault; he had been taunting the three elflings, ridiculing them because of their elven blood. Stupid, silly human.
When the man turned on their mother, Akira's face had darkened, his eyes filling with blood, giving him a demonical look. He had thrown up his hands and screamed insanely at the offender, who began roaring in agony and clutching his head...
Wordlessly, Akira raised one of his hands before him. The youkai stood quite still for a moment, then suddenly reared upwards with a scream, its head thrashing about violently.
Yuki looked over and saw Inuyasha ready to dash in and grab Kagome. "Don't!" he yelled at the hanyou and waved his arms wildly. "If you touch her, he'll kill you!"
Nodding his comprehension, Inuyasha backed down, but it was clear that he was uncomfortable leaving her lying there on the ground.
Their mother whirled around and tried to stop Akira, but he turned those horrible eyes on her and she backed away, screaming in shock and revulsion. When he realized that she was no longer a threat, his head whipped around and watched as his victim finally succumbed from having had his brain explode inside of his head...
Blood began flying out of the youkai's nose and mouth and its balance seemed to be off, for it kept stumbling drunkenly over its own feet. Akira's hand clenched itself into a fist and a distinct cracking sound could be heard. Sure enough, the armor on the beast began to crack and split open. Blood spilled out onto the ground and the youkai fell heavily to the ground, unable to stand any longer as its leg bones began to snap like twigs. It was still howling in pain, but the sound grew fainter and fainter until it was nothing more than a whimper.
The noise had brought Kagome out of her stupor and Inuyasha was instantly at her side, despite Yuki's warnings. It wasn't until Inuyasha began helping Kagome to sit up when Kagome realized that the air around them had gone completely silent. Inuyasha's hands, which had been on her arm and back for support, stilled, then flew to his throat and clutched at it.
Her gaze shot to his face and she gasped. Inuyasha's face was turning purple; his mouth gaped open. He gasped for breath.
"Akira, no!" she cried and leapt to her feet. She ran over to Akira and tackled him to the ground, pinning him down bodily. "Stop it, Akira!" But Akira did not appear to be paying any attention to her and Kagome moved up, her knees on either side of his waist. "I said stop! Release him at once!" she demanded in her sternest voice, but inwardly she was shaking badly.
Dear gods, his eyes! She could barely refrain from looking away from those hideous, blood-filled eyes. Just like a demon's... so horrible, so repulsive...
Behind her, she could hear Inuyasha suck in great lungfuls of air. No matter what he'd done to her, she was glad he was alright. No one deserved to die in such a horrific manner.
Akira blinked up at her several times and by then, the blood had receded from his green eyes. "K-kagome?" he asked, sitting up. Kagome moved back so he could do so and ended up straddling his legs.
Kagome nodded, a relieved smile brightening her face. "Yes, it's me," she said, lifting a hand to brush his hair back from his face "Welcome back."
The moment those words passed her lips, Akira's body sagged and he flung his arms around her, pulling her flush against him. "Kagome," he groaned, "I'm sorry. I was just so angry when I saw you lying there..."
She shook her head. "There's nothing to forgive, Akira. You did an excellent job. I'm so very proud of you." She threaded her fingers through his soft brown hair. When he wasn't in one of his rages, Akira was so sweet and gentle, she thought, smiling at him.
Why had Yuki been the one to propose to her? Why couldn't it have been this one? With his silky, chocolate-colored hair and eyes that reminded her of green springtime meadows... Oh, and that smile! A smile that brightened her day whenever he graced her with it; a smile that could look as innocent as child's, yet seductive enough to make her insides flutter madly. Akira may not think so, but to Kagome, he was every bit as gorgeous as Yuki; perhaps even more so since Akira was also a gentleman. In Kagome's book, chivalry and phenomenal good looks beat plain ol' phenomenal good looks anytime.
She wondered, and not for the first time, if she was in love with him. She didn't know really, but she knew for certain that whenever she was in his presence, she always felt so safe and secure.
His head jerked back and he stared wildly up at her from behind his glasses. "Are you really okay? But you're bleeding!" His green eyes narrowed and he turned his attention back on the youkai, whose body was twitching slightly.
She could feel his anger build again, but Kagome pulled back and cupped his face, directing his attention back to her. "No, the job is done, Akira," she told him firmly. Her eyes softened. "But you did an amazing job as always. Thank you for saving me."
Akira's cheeks flooded with color, but he did not look away. For several moments they sat there, with Kagome sitting atop his legs and Akira carefully studying her face. At last, his hand came up and he gently wiped at her grazed cheek. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, his quiet voice skeptical. Kagome nodded and he looked extremely relieved. "Thank heavens," he muttered, pushing his spectacles upwards onto the bridge of his nose. "I'd hate to think what would have happened if you hadn't been."
'Me too,' she thought uneasily to herself as she got to her feet and bent down to give him a hand up. For the millionth time, she found herself wondering what would have happened if he had been assigned to anyone else's squadron. No one could understand him as well as his brothers and herself; no one would treat him as just another person. Akira would have been tormented, treated unkindly and with fear by people who'd never realize just how wonderful he was, or how kind and gentle he was.
Anger burned through her. 'Just like his mother,' she thought furiously. How that woman could turn from her own son when all he was doing was trying to defend her...
She thanked the heavens above that they had been thrown together. At least there were three people in his life who loved him and accepted him just as he was. As Kagome brushed herself off, she saw Akira wince as though in pain and squeeze his eyes shut. Putting her hand on his shoulder, she peered into his face. "Are you alright?"
For a moment he stood there, eyes closed, fingertips gingerly rubbing his temples. "Yes, I'm fine. I think I may have done too much to quickly. I'll be alright in a moment."
Concern for Akira overwhelmed Kagome. This wasn't the first time she'd seen him be in pain after using his powers. She wanted to get him into to see a doctor, but if he didn't wish to see one then there was nothing she could do. But perhaps she or Hiro could convince him to receive treatment. Kagome made a mental note to speak to Hiro privately.
ooo
While Kagome was calming down the scary elf, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru moved over to where Yuki and Hiro were. The other two elves were examining the bloody carcass of the youkai that had just been mercilessly slaughtered.
"Oi," Inuyasha called out hoarsely. "What the hell just happened with him?" He jerked his thumb in Akira's direction, but quickly put his hand down, just in case the elf got pissed off again.
Yuki shook his head, but it was Hiro who answered. "He lost his temper. Don't make that face, Inuyasha. Yuki warned you not to go near her," he told Inuyasha reproachfully. "Akira doesn't have elemental powers like Yuki or myself. He's telekinetic, which means he can manipulate anything he wants with his mind. That's why I called him here. I knew that the only way to defeat this youkai was to get past his armor and Akira was the only one who could accomplish that. Of course, the downside was to get him angry enough to practically rip the thing apart. That's always a tricky matter."
The fair haired elf nodded. "Yeah. He's extremely dangerous when angered so we try not to piss him off," Yuki added, his beautiful face serious. "If he gets angry enough, Akira can do alot of damage. That's why we let him do whatever he wants. If he wants to read manga for a week straight in his underwear and not bathe? Shit, you'd better believe we'd put up with his smelly ass."
"So why is Kagome comforting as though he were a child? I thought that since he was like the rest of you, he'd be a professional. Shouldn't he be able to control his temper?" Inuyasha inquired.
"That's a bit of a sad story there," Hiro answered, shaking his head. "You see, our mother was present when she saw Akira kill a man when we were children. The man was being rude to us, but when he began picking on our mother, Akira changed all in an instant. We had no idea before that day that Akira could do anything like that and it frightened us, especially our mother. She kept her distance from him after that because she was afraid that he would kill her, too."
Yuki nodded. "Basically, Akira grew up without a mother. When Kagome came along, he was a bit hesitant to allow her into his life because by then he'd decided that all women would treat him like our mom treated him. But eventually, he loosened up the more time she spent with him and Hiro and he became friendly with her. He didn't realize how much he had come to care for Kagome until she was attacked and nearly raped while they were out on pass. Even after he came clean about his powers to her, Kagome continued to be his friend. That astounded him, I think, because the last woman he loved ran away from him."
"You mean your mother," Sesshoumaru murmured.
Again, Yuki nodded. "Akira's very protective of Kagome because she's the only woman who's ever shown any interest in him. To him, she is someone to be cherished and he'd do anything to keep her safe. If she's hurt in a battle, he'll lose his cool easily. The mere sight of her blood infuriates him. You know, if it wasn't so terrifying, it's really interesting to watch Akira go from mild mannered to psycho." Yuki grinned, showing perfect, blinding white teeth.
"Shut up, Yuki," Hiro grunted, smacking him on the back of the head. "Anyway, Akira needs to have Kagome around to calm him down. That's the main reason why he's still with us. If the higher commands had stuck him into another unit, they'd find out that nothing can bring him out of his rages. He'd be a risk to everyone around him. But since he's with us, they don't need to know about that. Kagome is really the only one who can bring him back. I can sometimes, but if Kagome's been hurt, it'd have to be Kagome herself to reassure him that she's alright. It puts alot of strain on her, though, but she doesn't mind it. She loves him alot and would do anything to keep him from being locked up."
"Yeah, 'cuz that's exactly what'd happen if the higher ups found out that he can't always control his powers. He'd be locked away and doped up to the eyeballs to keep him subdued." Yuki shook his head sadly. "At one time I actually envied Akira for what he has, but now I'd never want what he's got. I can't imagine losing control of my powers and accidentally killing people I care about. That would tear me apart--" He looked over in Kagome's and Akira's direction. "Especially if I killed the woman I loved."
For a moment, Hiro felt a tremor of doom ripple through him and turned to give Yuki a thoughtful look. Why had his brother's words shaken him so? They'd felt so eerily prophetic.
ooooo
With Sesshoumaru's assistance, Kagome peeled off bloody chunks of the youkai's armor to get to the shard. Inuyasha would have helped, but everytime he came near Kagome, he found Akira's gaze upon him, his cool green eyes regarding him suspiciously. Eventually, Inuyasha backed away and the bespectacled elf relaxed.
"I've got it," Kagome announced suddenly after digging around the dead youkai's belly. She pulled her arm back out and shook it. Between her forefinger and thumb was a tiny Shikon shard. Hiro was ready with his canteen and rinsed her arm of the blood and gore. Then Kagome prayed and joined the shard to the rest of the jewel.
When Hiro turned to poured some water over Sesshoumaru's hands, Yuki chuckled. "Aw, did the pretty boy youkai get his soft white hands dirty?"
"Shut up, Yuki," Hiro hissed over his shoulder at his brother. To Sesshoumaru he said, "Forgive Yuki, Sesshoumaru. I'm afraid my brother has little love for youkai. Pay no attention to what he says."
Sesshoumaru shook his head dismissively. "I care not for what he says, Hiro. His words cannot harm me." He glanced cooly over at Yuki. "Neither can his actions."
Yuki's body tensed. "You have no clue what I'm capable of, you walking pile of youkai filth. I'd suggest you keep your mouth shut unless you want a taste of--"
Hiro whirled around to face his older brother. "Yuki! What's your problem? Sesshoumaru hasn't done anything to you!"
The taiyoukai chuckled softly and Yuki snapped, "Like fuck he hasn't! He threatened to disembowel me!"
"Why would he do that to you, Yuki?" came Akira's soft voice. Everyone except Kagome jumped and turned to regard the youngest elf with varying degrees of nervousness. Akira stared placidly at his eldest brother with some curiosity and pushed his glasses upwards onto the bridge of his nose. "I think the question here is, what did you do to him?"
"Are you taking his side now, you traitor?" Yuki rasped.
With a small smile, Akira shook his head. "No, of course not, aniue, but I know how you tend to... um... rub people the wrong way," he replied delicately. "It stands to reason that you must have done or said something to make him react so strongly towards you."
"Do?" Yuki sputtered furiously. "I didn't do a damn thing!"
"Hmm, if you say so, Yuki," murmured Akira respectually. He bowed to the group and excused himself, saying that he should return to the kit and the unconscious monk. A heavy silence followed Akira's departure and for a long moment everyone stared at Yuki. Kagome groaned softly and shook her head, lifting her hands up to cover her burning face.
"What?" Yuki glared defiantly at all the males present. "What's wrong with you all? Can't an elf propose marriage to the woman he loves? Is that a crime or something? There's no need to make a federal case out of this situation."
"Wait a minute! Marriage? Love? You proposed to Kagome?" Hiro turned on Kagome with wide eyes. "Why didn't you tell me he asked you to marry him? What else have you been keeping from me, Kagome? I thought we were best friends!"
Kagome glared at Yuki. "I had no idea he would ask me to marry him, Hiro."
"But marriage?" Hiro's face was turning red. "All I wanted was for you to throw the dog a bone--"
"Excuse me?" Inuyasha and Yuki blurted out in unison, the former looking confused and the latter, insulted.
"I didn't do anything, Hiro, I swear!" Kagome wailed in exasperation. She hadn't meant to tell Hiro this, hoping instead that it had only been a joke on Yuki's part. She wished now that it had been one of Yuki's practical jokes.
Sesshoumaru broke in with a gentle cough. "Kagome is speaking the truth. She appeared to be completely taken aback when he pounced on her the moment she opened her front door, then asked her to wed him. I must say, as an outside observer, it was a rather pathetic display on his part. It might have been more effective if he'd been subtle about it."
Hiro grabbed Yuki by the wrists when the blond elf's body tensed and moved him away from Sesshoumaru before he could think of attacking the youkai. "Don't be a fool," Hiro hissed, forcing his fuming brother to turn his back on the group. "Sesshoumaru is a taiyoukai. It would be sheer stupidity to take him on alone."
"I... don't... care..." Yuki ground out between clenched teeth.
"Well, you should. Do you want Kagome to see you get your clock cleaned?"
Glittering green slits fixed hard on Hiro's face. "Why do you care?" He paused before he jabbed Hiro hard in the shoulder with a stiff finger. "Throw the dog a bone? What were you implying by that, Hiro? That I'm not good enough for Kagome? That I should be grateful for any affection she throws my way because I'll never have a chance with her...?" Yuki's voice broke and he looked away across the fields. With a sigh, he shook his head dismally. "No, I guess you're right. I'm not good enough for her, am I? Figures."
Hiro shot a concerned look over Yuki's shoulder at Kagome, who passed a hand over her forehead. "Yuki, I never said--"
"Just leave me alone," Yuki muttered irritably, pushing Hiro's hands away as they tried to reach out to him. Keeping his eyes averted, he stalked past Kagome and the youkai brothers, heading in the direction Akira had gone.
When Yuki had disappeared from sight, Hiro's gaze rested on Kagome, who stared off into the distance, a disturbed look on her face. "What's on your mind, sarge?" he asked quietly.
Kagome sighed then shook her head. "I didn't believe him. That he was being serious, I mean. I honestly thought he was just bullshitting me, saying thing I'd want to hear in order to get me to sleep with him." She shook her head sadly. "Not in a million years would I have thought he'd actually have feelings for me."
"Well, you didn't know, so it's not your fault he'd got his boxers in a bunch."
Curious, Inuyasha broke in. "What are boxers?"
Sesshoumaru nudged his half-brother in the ribs with an impatient, "Shh!"
Hiro continued. "And it's also not your fault that he doesn't know how to be subtle. I guess he treated you that way because he thought that's the way he's supposed to show the woman he loves how he feels. He's never been in love before, Kagome."
Kagome was silent for a long time, thinking. During that time, Sesshoumaru grabbed Inuyasha by one ear and tugging him away. "Hiro," she said at last, turning to face her best friend, "how can I tell him that he's not the one I'm attracted to?"
A gentle breeze ruffled Hiro's shiny brown curls. "Who are you attracted to, sarge?" he asked gently, dark eyes studying her. When she looked away, he said, "It's Akira, isn't it?"
"Yes." Kagome gave him a half-smile. "Was I that obvious?"
He returned her smile with a broader one of his own. "I've had ample opportunity to watch the two of you together, to see how you react to each other. I must say I was pretty astonished to see how Akira behaves around you under normal circumstances. For the longest time, I thought it was because he was just really overprotective, but lately it seems that it's more than that. He seems really attracted to you, Kagome. I'd even go so far as to say he's fallen for you."
The miko blushed. "Do you think so?" She lifted her gaze to the skies above and sighed. "But I'm still afraid, Hiro. I'm afraid to give my heart to another and end up having my heart crushed like the last time. I know that Akira wouldn't do that to me, but still... I can't help but be wary."
Hiro moved to Kagome's side and pulled her into a warm embrace. "Smart girl," he said, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, "but you're right. Akira would never do that to you and you don't need to worry about him ever hurting you. You just need to worry about others hurting you because then Akira would hurt them--"
"I hope it never comes to that," Kagome muttered against Hiro's chest.
"I doubt it would, because you'd be there to reassure him." Hiro gave her a squeeze. "He needs you, Kagome, and I believe the two of you would be make an excellent couple."
"What of Yuki? What should I do about him?" Kagome pulled away and stared up at her friend.
Hiro shook his head. "I don't know. I hope that this is just a phase he's going through, but I have a feeling that it might not be. You see, he's been interested in you for awhile now."
Kagome scowled. "He's been interested in making me one of his conquests, you mean. I can't believe he had the nerve to ask me to marry him. I'll bet he's been getting laid every day since we got back to Tokyo."
"Yuki," Hiro said, staring off in the direction of the village, "has grown mellow over the past few years. His number of women has decreased dramatically since you came into our lives." He grabbed her hand and pulled her along, leading her back to the village. They'd walked all the way back to Kaede's village when he leaned over and whispered into her ear, "Yuki hasn't had a woman in over a year, Kagome."
She looked up at him, startled, and he smiled at her, squeezing her hand gently.
So was it true then? Had Yuki told her the truth about wanting to marry her?
Yuki's warm laughter filled the air and Kagome looked around for him. He was standing next to Kaede, listening to the old woman's stories and just the way he stood there made her heart flutter a bit. He truly was the most gorgeous creature she'd ever laid eyes upon.
As she and Hiro came over to where he stood talking with Kaede, Kagome felt a strange sensation come over her while she continued to stare at Yuki. It seemed to come from deep within her, as though something was awakening inside of her soul. The feeling made her feel queasy, but the moment soon passed as she was fine as she and Hiro reached Yuki's side.
ooooooooooooooooooo
Later, when Kagome had finally bathed and changed into clean fatigues, she joined her boys by their campsite next to the river, just outside the village.
Kaede had wanted them to stay in her hut but they gently refused her. Hiro explained that they did not wish to intrude on her privacy and that truly, they all preferred sleeping outside. She had put up an argument but relented when Hiro flashed her one of his brilliant smiles.
Kagome looked on with pride. She was very proud of her best friend. Like his older brother, he too, could charm the socks off young and old women alike. Yuki, on the other hand, could make the female sex lose their pants within minutes of their meeting if he chose.
But Kaede could see through Yuki's slick facade. Having had to put up with Miroku's lecherous antics for awhile, she knew what she was dealing with as soon as she looked upon that devastatingly handsome face. "This one will wreak much havoc amongst the fairer sex," she announced, eyeing him cautiously.
Yuki merely gave her a sexy grin and a wink, leaving Kaede to laugh at him. He was too much like Miroku, to be sure.
When nightfall came, Miroku awoke at last and when he came to, he found Kagome, Shippo and Inuyasha by his side. Yuki, Akira and Hiro were outside by their campfire, watching for any approaching youkai.
Kagome knelt beside Miroku and held his hand while Inuyasha told him the news concerning Sango. Upon learning that she had returned to Lord Kuranoske and wed him, Miroku wept. He learned too, that she had bore her lord two healthy sons.
Cradled in Kagome's arms, Miroku could only lay there in silent anguish, his dark blue eyes swimming with tears. "I loved her. Kami, how I loved her." His voice, a low and raspy whisper, was full of abject misery. "I love her still."
Comforting the monk as best she could, Kagome felt her own eyes tear up... until she became painstakingly aware of a pair of burning, golden eyes fixed upon her when these words were spoken.
She looked up and met Inuyasha's gaze steadily. The look in them nearly forced her to get up and leave the hut. She wouldn't... she couldn't... allow herself to undo seven years of pain and searing depression just because he looked at her with want in his eyes. She'd worked too hard just to throw that all away.
Turning her face from him, Kagome gripped Miroku tighter. "Sango-chan loved you too, Miroku-sama. She had held out hopes that you really would marry her. She wanted to believe your promise... but you did make it difficult at times for her to completely believe in you."
Miroku sat up slowly and grimaced, his hand reaching for hers and interlocking their fingers. "I know I was a complete fool. I was a beast to her. Despite everything I put her through, at least I never treated Sango callously or cruelly if I couldn't make up my mind about staying with one girl." His blue eyes swept over to Inuyasha, who was still staring at Kagome.
Kagome's eyes widened at Miroku's words. She and Shippo looked at each other in shock before turning their gazes at the hanyou, who had finally let Miroku's words sink in.
"That was uncalled for, Miroku!" Inuyasha grumbled.
Releasing Kagome's hand, Miroku got shakily to his feet. "If you hadn't acted like such an ass," Miroku pointed out reasonably, "all of this would never have happened!"
Inuyasha's fangs flashed in the light of the small fire between them. "Don't you dare put all the blame for this one on me, monk! I've already been put through hell every day since Kagome left. I've taken my part of the blame and punished myself for it. But I will not be blamed for Naraku's or Kikyo's part in this!"
Miroku made a show of adjusting his rosary beads on his right hand. "You had, within your power, the means to stop Kagome from leaving us. One word from your sorry mouth and she would have stayed. Therefore," he concluded, spreading his arms in an eloquent gesture, "this is all your fault."
"You ungrateful bastard! After all these years of watching out for you while you slept, this is the thanks I get?"
Miroku said nothing and Inuyasha leapt at him.
Seven years without Inuyasha did not seem to repress her instincts, though. Automatically, she jumped to her feet and screamed, "Osuwari!"
Inuyasha did not make it across the fire. Instead, he dropped like a lead balloon right on top of it, extinguishing it. As the hut was suddenly plunged into darkness, Shippo's small voice said, "Neat. The beads still work."
Silence filled the hut until a small, muffled groan drifted up from where the fire had once burned. "Yeah. Didn't know they would." Kagome shifted and grabbed her flashlight from her bag, which was sitting right behind her. "You okay, Miroku?" she asked, aiming the powerful beam of light in Miroku's direction.
"Yes, thank you, Kagome-sama."
Kagome nodded. A worthless gesture, really, since no one could see it. "Sure, anytime."
"What... about... me..." came a low, hissing voice from the floor.
Kagome shifted the beam of light downwards. It rested on an angry, ash-covered face.
"Does it, by chance, bother you that I pretty much put out this fire with my freakin' face?" he asked, eyes glittering with suppressed fury.
Shippo, who had gotten to his feet and stood next to Kagome, began to giggle. Kagome, too, found amusement in Inuyasha's dirty face and burst into laughter, joining Shippo.
Slowly getting to his knees, Inuyasha heard someone approach the hut and enter it. "Oi! Who are you?" he asked the intruder.
Kagome's laughter stopped abruptly when she felt an all too familiar hand creep slowly up her bottom. Apparently, her molester was back to feeling like his old self. "Get your paw off of my ass," she hissed between clenched teeth.
"That's not me, I swear!" Miroku burst out from the other side of the hut.
Kagome dropped the flashlight and turned on her groper, pinning him to the floor. Yuki's muffled laughter infuriated her even more. She cocked her arm back and let it fly. Her fist violently connected with his jaw. While he laughed between groans, Kagome got up, retrieved her flashlight and back pack and stormed out of the hut.
"K-kagome!" Yuki cried, still laughing and rubbing his jaw. "Wait for me!" He easily caught up to her.
But she wasn't in the mood. He would be very lucky indeed if she didn't try to slaughter him while he slept tonight. "Leave me alone, Yuki," she said, her voice dangerously quiet. Not only had she just been molested, but her head was starting to pound like crazy.
"Kagome, I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself." The words were contrite. The voice saying them was not.
"Don't you dare bullshit me," she ground out. The pounding grew in intensity and she winced. Where the hell had this headache come from?
"I'm not bullshitting you, Kagome," Yuki said gently. "Hey! C'mon, quit walking away from me!"
She had reached their campsite when the pounding suddenly overtook her, the pain washing over her with the force of a tsunami. Her vision began to blur and she staggered, throwing her hands out to search for something to grab onto to steady herself.
"H-hiro," she whispered, hoping desperately that he could hear her. Panic crept into her soul and squatted there, dark and heavy.
"Kagome?" Hiro's voice sounded as though it came from a great distance away.
Squinting, she could just make out his familiar silhouette getting to his feet and coming towards her. Another shadow was with him... a tall shadow with... silvery hair?
She shook her head and immediately regretted her actions. The world spun madly and she stumbled. Suddenly she felt a pair of strong, steel-like hands on her arms, holding her upright. Kagome tried to peer up at her rescuer, but she saw nothing. She could no longer see or hear... only feel. But what she felt was all too familiar.
For a moment, her vision returned. Before her stood a young man, a man she had seen many times before. He was tall, black-haired and infinitely beautiful. He was clothed in the same style she had seen him in before... a white tunic, covered by black body armor with a mirror-like surface. It and the sword at his side reflected the bright firelight.
He smiled tenderly at her. "Niobe," he said gently. He stretched out his hand to her. "I have searched the heavens and the earth to find you. Now that I have found you, you will never leave my side. Come to me, my love."
Kagome felt her body shake with fear. How could possibly have found me?
"No, Thanos! Don't touch me! I shall never return to you! You are the embodiment of pure evil and I wish your black soul to Hades!" she screamed, throwing her hands out in front of her.
Pink light shot out, enveloping Thanos with its radiance. He shook his head reproachfully before vanishing.
Dropping her hands wearily, blessed darkness overcame her.