InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Clarity ❯ A Warm Welcome Home ( Chapter 2 )

 

Chapter 2 - A Warm Welcome Home

 

Kagome stepped into the well-house, the old steps groaning under her weight as she approached the well. Inuyasha silently walked behind her, not pushing his luck with her patience. She still hadn't completely forgiven him for the embarrassment he'd put her through this morning. Breakfast had been silent, save for utensils clanking noisily against the bowls. Mrs. Higurashi had, as always, provided everything that they could possibly use on the other side of the well, and, with some unwanted help from Inuyasha, Kagome had stuffed most of it into her trusty yellow backpack.

 

`That bag is gonna break her back one of these days…' he thought as she heaved the bag onto the ledge and hefted her legs over the side.

 

She launched herself forward without warning, falling into the well, her personal time machine between the two eras. A bright pink light illuminated the dark room, signifying the open time slip, and then her aura was gone.

 

Sighing heavily, he perched himself on the edge, staring down into the black hole that would take him home. He fell forward, platinum hair catching the breeze on his descent. A pink aura surrounded him, before abruptly disappearing as he was deposited onto the stiff ground beneath him.

 

Almost immediately, all of his muscles relaxed, his ears were relieved of the racket of the city, and his nose was pollution-free. He leaped out of the pit, and caught up with Kagome, who was just reaching the edge of the clearing.

 

She tried to keep her composure, but cracked when his hand met her shoulder. A shockwave flowed through her body, down to the tips of her toes. She was just as hopelessly infatuated as he was. His every move kept her alert, every touch sent an all-too pleasant chill down her spine, and every word was music to her ears. And he was completely aware of the state that he put her in.

 

`That has got to be cheating or something!' she screamed in her mind as he blocked her path, rooting his feet to the ground in front of her. She resisted him, but with a hand gripping each of her shoulders now, she had nowhere to go.

 

“Kagome, look at me.” he requested gently, coaxing her gaze toward his face with a slight nudge to the chin. She looked up, but her eyes didn't focus on Inuyasha - they focused past him.

 

“Inuyasha…” she whispered, grabbing his own shoulders and twisting his body around to face the unknown visitor, sitting in the tree before them.

 

“Get back,” he spoke quietly and calmly, encouraging her to seek protection behind him. “Who are you?” he yelled at the intruder, the only thing clearly visible about him being his piercing orange eyes. He leapt from the tree, landing weightlessly on the forest floor; Inuyasha rested his hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga.

 

He stepped forward into the sunlight, moving in a staccato manner, light on his feet, uninhibited by Inuyasha's defensive stance. He wasn't big - no taller than Kagome - and feathers covered his body, except for his legs - covered in rough leather-like skin. He shifted one of his arms at his side - more appropriately wing, plastered with long feathers meant for catching the wind - and he opened his mouth to speak. Surprisingly, his face looked human, framed by downy feathers.

 

“I am Fukurosagi,” he answered, his voice unexpectedly deep for such a small being. He bowed his head in a nod and then glanced up, his fiery eyes darting between Kagome and Inuyasha. “You are Inuyasha, are you not?”

 

“And what if I am?” Inuyasha's fangs were bared now, his lips quivering with the intensity of his growl.

 

“I was merely seeking the hanyou in possession of the jewel,” he said, stepping forward farther, “and it is known around the land that he travels in the company of a powerful miko.” He finished, his eyes wandering down the length of Kagome's body. `It seems that this girl is missing a small fragment of her soul…'

 

“She's none of your concern,” Inuyasha ground out, standing like a shield in front of her. “I'm the one you're looking for.”

 

“Yes,” Fukurosagi replied, taking a step back. “You are.” He then turned tail, and spread his wings wide.

 

“Don't you dare just fly away like a scared little canary! If you're looking for me, then come at me.”

 

Turning back for a brief glance, Fukurosagi's eyes were even more intense now, stabbing.

 

“In due time, Inuyasha, in due time,” he said with a sneer, before flapping his wings and disappearing above the treetops.

 

“That bas-

 

“Inuyasha!” Sango's voice rang through the forest. She emerged, atop Kirara, from the trees coming from the village, Miroku appearing shortly after her - Shippou perched atop his shoulder. “What just happened here?”

 

Kagome, for the first time since the initial encounter with Fukurosagi, stepped away from Inuyasha's protection. “He was after the jewel shards - and came looking for Inuyasha.”

 

“Who?”

 

“Fukurosagi,” Inuyasha answered before Kagome could open her mouth again, “bastard was after more than the jewel if you ask me,” he said, discreetly glancing in Kagome's direction.

 

“What do you mean, Inuyasha?” Kagome asked innocently, apparently not having noticed that the owl's attention had been focused, in its entirety, on her.

 

“He was looking at you like you were a piece of meat, in case you didn't notice!” he almost yelled at her, facing her now, arms flailing angrily through the air.

 

“Inuyasha, was this thing an owl youkai?” Miroku asked calmly, his collected manner never faltering.

 

“Yeah, why?”

 

“Earlier while you were in Kagome's era, he came through the village asking about you. He never showed any violence, but he wouldn't back down around the villagers, either. He stuck around until about ten minutes ago. Apparently he knew you were back.”

 

“Poor bastard picked the wrong guy to mess around with,” Inuyasha snorted, his ears flicking around - more attentive than usual at the moment.

 

“If he wanted the jewel, then why didn't he just come after you?” Shippou asked, jumping to the ground and scurrying up Kagome's leg to sit on her shoulder. “That's what most demons would've done.”

 

“I don't know, Shippou, but that does seem strange.” Sango said. “From all the bird youkai I've experienced, none of them have backed down. Although, I've never come across an owl youkai, specifically.”

 

“I'm afraid that I don't have significant knowledge about owls, either,” Miroku agreed, nodding his head.

 

“Keh, lets just forget about him. Let's go back to Kaede's and get some lunch,” Inuyasha said, kneeling down in front of Kagome, offering her his back. She climbed on without hesitation, and clutched her legs snuggly around his waist.

 

Inuyasha stood tall, and Miroku hopped onto Kirara's back, Sango having never dismounted. Nobody was in a good mood, especially Inuyasha. He ran so furiously that Shippou had to clutch Kagome's blouse to keep from being thrown from her shoulder. All the while, Inuyasha's hands held Kagome's legs gently, his care showing through his actions, actions so slight that even he himself didn't notice them.

 

When he slowed to a walk, Kagome pushed on his shoulder, a silent request. Inuyasha kneeled, and she vacated his back, choosing instead to walk closely beside him. Villagers watched the group walk to Kaede's hut, Sango and Miroku walking a few feet behind Inuyasha and Kagome, giving them their distance. Shippou had a hard time keeping his mouth closed, but somehow pulled it off.

 

They all remained silent, that is…until they approached Kaede's hut, where they were greeted at the door.

 

“Inuyasha, Kagome, I must speak to ye,” Kaede said in a knowing way. Apparently, she was better informed than they were.

 

 

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“So you're saying that this thing has psychic abilities?”

 

“I am not certain child, but many owl youkai have supernatural abilities. The fact that Kagome is a miko alone was probably enough to distract him from his original task.”

 

“And what was that?”

 

“Of that I am not certain, but it would be wise to keep Kagome under close watch, at least until he is taken care of.”

 

“Who do you think I am, woman? This thing couldn't be as much of a hassle as Naraku.”

 

“But this demon is something you have not dealt with before. Ye must watch yourselves and be careful. You do not know what he is capable of.”

 

“Will do hag, now how about you cook us and the others some lunch?”

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome shouted, pointing an evil glare his direction, a clear warning that he should hold his tongue.

 

“Whoa wench, calm down,” Inuyasha barked, “you'll burst a blood vessel or something.”

 

“Osuwari!!!”

 

Leaving an Inuyasha-shaped crater in the floor of Kaede's hut, said hanyou still occupying the hole, Kagome stormed out, cursing under her breath as she stomped toward the outskirts of the village, directly past Miroku, Sango, Shippou, and Kirara.

 

“Such a fool with the ladies, Inuyasha, such a fool,” Miroku laughed to Sango, trying to hide her own amusement behind her hand. Kirara mewed softly from her lap in agreement.

 

“Poor Kagome. Won't he ever learn?”

 

 

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The day had dragged by, but was now coming to a close; the sun reflected off everything in sight. Kagome sat underneath Goshinboku, sheltered by the strong canopy of branches. She had fled here after her petty argument with Inuyasha. He had followed her shortly after with two cups of ramen, one for each of them. Although she still wasn't pleased with his behavior, they had managed to sit together in companionable silence throughout the afternoon.

 

“What's on the agenda for tomorrow?” she asked, not bothering to look up at him; he sat high above on one of the thicker branches.

 

“We should probably hunt down that mangy wolf,” he snorted in disgust, “and if we get the opportunity, we should take that owl out of the picture, too.”

 

“But it's not that simple, Inuyasha,” she sighed, closing her eyes and wrapping her arms around her knees, leaning back on the trunk of the sacred tree. “Like Kaede said, we don't know a thing about this guy… we don't even know if he'll come back.”

 

“If he's after the jewel, we can count on seeing him again soon. Lowlife demons like him are drawn to the jewel like a moth to a flame.”

 

“But what if he's not after the jewel? What if he's just after you or me?”

 

“Are you really that worried about it?” he asked, peering down at the girl below him. She was huddled into a tight ball, seeking warmth.

 

“Wouldn't you be too, if you were in the `weak human' position?”

 

He dropped out of the tree silently, lighting on the ground behind her, the soft spring grass cool under the balls of his feet. With the stealth of a deadly predator, he closed in on his prey.

 

“Not if I had someone who I knew would protect me,” he whispered into her ear, the heat of his breath scorching her skin, his arms constricting around her torso from behind.

 

“You don't play fair,” she replied breathlessly, having had the wind knocked out of her by his surprise ambush.

 

“Now where's the fun in playing by the rules all the time?”

 

“I guess there's not any,” she panted as he pulled her against his chest, sitting comfortably in his lap. She found the weight of his head on her shoulder to be calming, and she was content to stay there as he rocked them back and forth.

 

The wind blew, only a soft breeze really, and carried with it the refreshing scent of spring blossoms. Kagome's nose could even pick up the scent of blooming wildflowers. But from somewhere in the distance - far out - Inuyasha could pick up the scent of a demon. One that they had met earlier that day. Fukurosagi.

 

He turned his head so that his nose was in the junction of her neck. She reclined her head, giving him complete access to her porcelain flesh. He nuzzled it a bit, but abruptly pulled away.

 

“I didn't realize the magnitude of your relationship, hanyou.”

 

`How the hell did he sneak up on me like that? It smelled like he was at least a mile away.'

 

“Did you come back just so I could have the pleasure of killing you this time?” Inuyasha threw back, unwilling to give away confidential information. Fukurosagi stood at the edge of the forest directly in front of them.

 

“On the contrary, Inuyasha, I am merely watching the security walls around the jewel crumble. You don't know what you do to this poor creature,” he smirked, referring to the girl who now sat behind Inuyasha, listening intently to the conversation before her.

 

Inuyasha stood, unsheathing Tetsusaiga when he gained control of his balance.

 

“Who the hell do you think you are? What do you know about me? Nothing!”

 

Fukurosagi chuckled, stepping forward, unaffected by Inuyasha's obvious defensive stance. He spread his wings wide; they must've had a span of at least eleven feet.

 

“You have a big mouth… maybe you should learn the appropriate time to use it, half-breed,” he yelled, rage flooding his eyes, turning blood red.

 

By now Kagome was standing behind Inuyasha, clutching the back of his haori in her hands. Watching the chaos unfold before her, she dashed to the base of the tree for her bow.

 

She managed to get a firm grasp around it, but couldn't reach her arrows before being lifted off the ground by a furious gust of wind, generated by the flapping of Fukurosagi's enormous wings.

 

“Kagome!!” Inuyasha rasped out as she slammed into the trunk of the sacred tree, knocked unconscious on impact.

 

“You bastard! You're gonna pay for that… she doesn't deserve it.”

 

“Maybe not… but you and your companion possess something that I want. Now hand it over like a nice puppy and nobody gets hurt.”

 

“Nobody gets hurt? Nobody gets hurt? What the fuck are you playing at?”

 

“I am merely taking what I seek,” he said glancing at Kagome, the jewel hanging from the limp chain around her neck.

 

Inuyasha had had enough, and he bolted forward, swinging Tetsusaiga in a wide arc.

 

“Kaze no Kizu!”

 

The wind scar burst from the blade, but Fukurosagi took flight, avoiding the blast.

 

“Is that the best you've got, Inuyasha? I was really hoping you might provide a challenge for me…”

 

Inuyasha launched forward again, adamant building on Tetsusaiga's blade. Shooting into the air, he swung the fang with all his might.

 

“Kongousouha!” Inuyasha exploded, sending a massive wave of diamond-like spears tearing through the air like bullets toward Fukurosagi. They tore at his wings, feathers floating brokenly to the ground, but he remained in the air after the attack had subsided.

 

“You have tried my patience, hanyou, now suffer!” he yelled, swooping down and tearing open Inuyasha's chest, his talons vicious weapons. Inuyasha wore four long gashes up his chest, one hooked in his side, and he ached everywhere. He winced in pain as he stood, clutching his side, but he hobbled forward to Kagome. Fukurosagi it seems fled without warning, leaving the clearing blood-splattered and ripped to pieces.

 

“Kagome,” he begged, brushing the back of his hand against her cheek. “Kagome…”

 

Her brow furrowed, and her eyes fluttered open. “Inu…yasha…”

 

“Shhh, I'm here,” he reassured as he stroked her cheek with his thumb now. She struggled to sit up, and he pulled her into his warm embrace, his blood soaking the front of her blouse.

 

“Inuyasha… the others… Kaede. Take me back… to the… village,” she coughed out, no real damage done to her fragile body, just a lot of internal pain and bruising.

 

“I will, Kagome, I will… hold on.” He picked her up gently, trying to keep the pressure of his arms off her back.

 

`Don't worry, Kagome. You'll be alright. I'll kill that monster… I'll kill him for what he did to you.

 

With Kagome in his arms, Inuyasha started back to the village, leaving a blood-trail in the grass the entire way.

 

 

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“You are injured severely, Fukurosagi. What happened?” Fukurosagi limped forward, his wings tucked away, useless after flying so far with such damage. He kneeled before his master, bowing his head low before speaking.

 

“It seems that I underestimated the power of the hanyou. The girl - that miko - she protects the jewel.”

 

“A human? What was the difficulty in getting the jewel from a pathetic human?”

 

“The hanyou protects her with his life - as if she were his mate.” His lips curled back in a snarl, repulsed by the thought.

 

“Are you saying that if we get through the hanyou, we have a straight path to the girl?”

 

“Precisely.”

 

“Well done, Fukurosagi.”

 

“Oh… there is one more thing.”

 

“What is it?” he inquired, his eyebrows arching high.

 

“The girl… she has a gap in her soul. A fragment of it is missing - somewhere else… in someone else.”

 

Ryuukai's face morphed into a distorted grin, and he chuckled maliciously.

 

“Even better… get back at him with the girl. It's perfect! You have done well… you are free to go for the night.”

 

“Thank you, master Ryuukai,” he mumbled, bowing low before removing himself from the dank corridor, leaving the dragon to wallow in the filth of the cavern that he called home.

 

Watch your back, Inuyasha. Your love for that girl is going to be your downfall. Now… to locate the remainder of her soul…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- 6 -