InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Legend Known, With a Twist ❯ The Journey Begins ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 1: The Journey Begins

 

“Kouga, I don't get it.” Kouga rolled his eyes and looked at his friend, “What don't you understand this time ding bat?”

The younger man stutters as he looks up at the impressive youth, long black hair in a ponytail and swaying in the breeze as his sky blue eyes stared down at him, “W…Well, Kagome told you y…yesterday that if…if she saw you around h…her house again, sh…she was going to…to throw the used water on you.”

Kouga nods “Yeah, so?”

The other man's eyes dart a bit, obviously wishing he were elsewhere, “W…Well then, wh…what are we d…doing hiding in her b…bushes?”

Kouga again rolls his eyes “Because, idiot, she just said that `cause she wants me.”

This statement leaves the man beside him totally confused, only able to get out a baffled “What?”

Kouga sighs before continuing “You see, women love to play hard-to-get. The harder she plays, the more she wants me.” (A.N. Lol, isn't that Kouga's logic for you?)

“Oh…” is all the young man says in reply.

“So, we're going to wait here until she comes out to go to the field to pick those herbs she always does. Then, I'll use my ultimate move to make her my woman once and for all.”

“But Kouga,” the other man slips before he can stop himself “didn't you use your ultimate move YESTERDAY?”

Luckily for him, Kouga doesn't hear a word of it, as his prize steps out of her home and flips some of her long black hair over her shoulder absently before turning and heading for the field at a brisk pace. His prize. In his mind, his woman. Kouga quickly catches up and walks alongside her for a moment before pulling her to him by looping an arm around her shoulders, effectively slowing her down “Congratulations Kagome. I've decided that you're good enough to be my woman.”

Kagome sighs and lifts his hand off her shoulder before speeding up again, obviously used to this, “Thanks but no thanks Kouga. I'm no one's `woman' and I'm certainly not yours.”

Kouga seems not perturbed in the least “Now Kagome, don't be like that. We belong together.”

“Oh really?” Kagome replies dryly “How so?”

Kouga smiles before speaking, he'd obviously practiced for the question “Simple. It's because of nature. The strong belong with the strong. I am the strongest man in the village, and your beauty is as strong as…well…me.”

Kagome sighs inwardly, she'd honestly thought that maybe he'd thought of something more poetic. She should've realized that would take a miracle. “Kouga, we're human beings, not animals. I think we're above `The strongest survive' philosophy.”

Kouga looks at her blankly “Phil who?”

Kagome sighs frustratedly, “Never mind Kouga. My answer is no. Always has been, always will be. When I am `someone's' it will be for love, not because nature says I have to.”

Kouga growls at this “No matter what you say Kagome, you are mine. My woman. And I'll prove it to you if it takes me every last breath in my body.” With that he spins on his heel and stomps off.

After a couple of minutes and no return of Kouga, Kagome breathes a sigh of relief. She was always half-afraid that one day he was going to just take her. She honestly believes he is a good person deep down, just, not used to not getting his way. And when it came to her, that meant he was dangerous. Not in the good, cool way either. Because she did NOT like him that much and she wanted to be able to tell her true love that she was a virgin.

Kagome looks to the sun's position before hurriedly going toward the field. She didn't have very much time to get what she needs to. She quickly gathers what she needs before rushing back home, noticing Kouga and his usual lackey hiding in the bushes. She inwardly sighs, to bad Grandpa had already thrown out the used water. She goes inside and calls “Grandpa! I'm back! We're lucky, I was able to find everything!”

The old man appears in the room from the basement, hands behind his back, droopy mustache swaying slightly, he looks very old and wise, unless you noticed the mischievous glint that never seemed to leave his eyes. “Very good Kagome, and not a moment to soon. Come.”

He moves back to the basement and Kagome follows close behind. The basement is dark and a bit musty from old age, but Kagome had practically grown up down here, so to her it's cozy and warm. “Hey Kagome! Took you long enough! The stuff was about to boil over!”

Kagome puts her basket down, smiling at her little brother, who's seated on a nearby counter near a open fire, before ruffling his hair a bit, “Well Souta, if you would've come with me it would have gone faster.”

Grandpa Higurashi grabs various herbs and throws them into the boiling pot, which was held over the fire by a sturdy rod that protrudes from the nearby wall, while saying “I saw that hooligan take off after you left today, if he bothers you, tell me and I'll deal with it.”

Kagome rolls her eyes, “Kouga isn't anything that I can't deal with on my own Grandpa, don't worry.”

Souta jumps up, “Yeah! And I'll stick to you from now on! So that Kouga better stay away!”

Kagome shakes her head “Oh no you don't, Kouga's bad enough, I don't need you starting fights with…Grandpa! The pot's boiling over!”

With that everyone flies into action to save the concoction. Kagome moves it off the rod while Grandpa clamps the lid on and Souta dives a bowl underneath to catch the liquid that was running down the side. Kagome sets the pot down with a relieved sigh and wipes her brow of the sweat that had come from the work and the heat. “Honestly Grandpa! You should pay more attention! All this for one little vial of medicine that you thought up of and you don't even act like it's important!” she reprimands the old man, who slightly winces before frowning.

“Don't talk like that to your Grandfather! You show respect for you elders, haven't I taught you anything?”

Kagome crosses her arms “I'll show you respect when you start acting your age!”

The old man huffs and turns to the pot, doing various things that to the untrained eye make no sense while his grandchildren look on. As the process ends and the small vial is filled, Souta voices a complaint, “Grandpa, how come I can't come with you to this doctor thing? I wanna see if all doctors are crazy like you.” A comment that earns him a slap in the back of the head by Kagome.

He glares at her, nursing his head as their grandpa explains for about the fiftieth time “Because Souta, you would be bored to tears after the first five minutes. Besides, a house needs a man to make sure nothing goes wrong, and when I'm gone, you're the only man around.”

Kagome rolls her eyes at the testosterone-driven statement. She corks the vial and puts it in his old worn leather bag, saying “Oh yeah, well `Mr. Man-of-the-House', if you don't get going soon you're going to be late.”

Grandpa Higurashi grumbles as Souta rushes to get their horse, Hojo, ready (A.N. Lol, don't worry, I'm not degrading Hojo to being a beast of burden, it'll become clear later on in the story, trust me). Kagome helps heft him up into the saddle before smirking as he rights himself. He looks down at the two saying, “Remember you two, stay out of trouble. Souta, in before dark, probably earlier, because it looks like a storm'' coming in. Kagome...”

Kagome interrupts, “I know Grandpa, now get going! I don't want you getting caught in the storm!” He nods before galloping off. As Kagome watches him disappear into the surrounding forest, she feels strangely excited, like she was watching a new chapter of her life unfold. She shivers in anticipation before shaking the feeling off and going inside to get a warmer shirt before finishing her chores, unaware as the wheels of her destiny start to turn with the rumble that resembles the thunder in the distance.