InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Between the Wasteland and Sky ❯ Rushed Friendship ( Chapter 3 )

Between the Wasteland and Sky

Chapter 3: Rushed Friendship

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"Sorry Gramps, I can't have my lesson today!" Kagome exclaimed while running past her grandfather's house.

The disappointed elder sighed and walked back into his hut. "Perhaps she isn't meant to be a shaman………" He mumbled to himself.

Kagome blasted past the sleepy villagers, kicking up a cloud of dust. As she past her neighbors she heard them curse the morning and the energy of youngsters. She smiled to herself; none of them were morning people.

Reaching the hut that the boy was staying in, she turned on the brakes and looked around cautiously. Outsiders who no one knew much about were not the best people to be spending time with. Or at least in their eyes.

She stepped inside and looked around for the newcomer. He wasn't there! He wouldn't of left without thanking her would he?

"I brought bagels, want some?" The boy appeared right behind her carrying a box of fresh baked bagels. Kagome nearly jumped out of her clothes.

"Don't do that! You nearly scared me to death!" Taking in what he said, she replied, "Bagels? I didn't know they made them this early."

"Yeah the lady was very nice. She told me to help myself and insisted that I don't pay for it." He put one hand behind his head and looked sheepish. "Actually I don't even have any money."

Kagome and the stranger walked into the hut and plopped down at the wooden table. Before Kagome could ask him anything, the stranger voiced, "Why am I the only one staying in this hut? Aren't there others here?"

"No the family recently passed away………it was tragic really. The husband died of a bad heart and the wife died from shock when she woke up and found him dead."

The boy got that sad look back in his eyes and he looked away. Once again Kagome found herself wondering what had happened to this poor boy that had left him so torn.

"Won't you even tell me your name? I'm just dying to know even the smallest detail about you. All I know right now is that you ran from something." The last part had been a guess and Kagome hopped he'd confirm it or tell her she was wrong.

"I wasn't running. I was just………moving on. But I can't tell you my name. If you knew………you'd be just like the others." He sighed regretfully.

"What others? And no matter what your name is I won't hate you. I have trouble hating anyone, even these baka villagers! I won't tell anyone if you don't want them to know." Kagome pleaded.

The boy eyed her suspiciously. After a moment he shook his head. "I won't tell you my name………not yet at least. I don't even know who you are all that well."

Kagome sighed and gave up. "Alright, don't tell me then. I'll just have to refer to you as………" A rumbling nearby cut off Kagome. The boy and Kagome dashed out of the hut in time to see a small, black, tank-like car drive to the outskirts of the village and screech to a stop. Two dirty looking men dressed in scraggly clothes hopped out and went to the rear of the car.

"Kagome, I thought this was one of the small towns. Cars are rare, why would anyone bring one here?"

Kagome didn't answer, but ran off in the opposite direction. "Where are you going Kagome?" The boy called out.

"I'll be right back! I'm just going to take some precautions!" She yelled back to him before disappearing around a corner.

The young man sighed. What was she doing? And what was he going to do? He really shouldn't get involved with what looked like the beginning of a robbery, but he couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

A crowd of villagers had formed near the edge of town. The boy swore under his breath. There were too many people around for him to openly fight the raiders, if that's what they were. There could be casualties and he wasn't going to take that risk.

His feet padded on the barren ground and he took off for the crowd. When he was only a yard away he slowed down and walked calmly towards the car. The crowd saw him approaching the strangers and fell silent.

"Strangers what business do you have with this village?" His voice seemed to boom in the silence.

The taller man spat at the ground and sneered at this new threat. "My business is not yours. Last time I checked people didn't have to check in with white-haired weirdoes every time they went somewhere."

The boy said nothing else, merely took a step forward and shifted into a fighting stance, ready for anything. The man had a katana strapped to his waist and his right hand twitched slightly towards it. His partner reacted similarly.

"Would you fight innocent travelers like ourselves with no reason? We don't want to spill blood when we don't have to." The shorter man's voice carried less confidence.

"Now wait a minute can't we just settle this peacefully? No one has done anything wrong. Let's just stop before someone gets hurt." An elder man stepped forward.

"Just take whatever they have and let's get out of this town in the middle of no where." A voice from inside the car called out.

The boy stiffened as the taller man unsheathed his katana and charged at him. `Her we go, brace yourself' he instructed himself.

At the last minute he heard the familiar `twang' of a bowstring and an arrow appeared in the man's chest. He looked from the direction the arrow came from and saw Kagome standing on the roof of a hut, a fierce look in her eye, her bow cocked. The young man had a vision of someone else, but he shook his head to clear the thought.

The other man jumped into the car, deciding this was too much trouble for one village. The boy called out to Kagome, "So that was your precautions!"

Kagome relaxed and smiled. "What no thanks? You wouldn't be standing there if it weren't for me!"

"Oh I'm not so sure about that!" Ignoring the awed crowd, he climbed up the ladder to the top of the hut. "How did you learn to shoot? And where did you get a bow? They are rare!"

She grinned. "It was my grandfathers. He made it when the forests were still around. He taught me to shoot at a young age."

The boy looked into her eyes fiercely. "If I tell you a secret, will you promise not to tell anyone?" She nodded and he continued. "My name is Inuyasha."

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Well I know some parts of that were a little bit rushed and/or confusing, but I'm a little pressed for time. I hope you all enjoyed it! Next chapter should be coming either tomorrow or Thursday if I'm too tired. And now for questions:

Warcrafter: AU stands for Alternate Universe. ^^

Cheers!

Isuki-chan