InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forgotten Life ❯ Training ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4: Training

 

A swirl of dust approached her…fast. Inuyasha began to growl. He stood still, one hand ready to draw Tetsusaiga at half a moments notice. The cyclone stopped in front of Kagome. When the dust settled, a dashing young man of maybe 19 stood holding Kagome's hands in his. He had claws on his fingers and his toothy smile revealed fangs. He had long, raven black hair pulled into a high ponytail. He wore armor and a short, brown fur skirt. She stared at him in complete awe and when he spoke, his voice was deep and husky.

 

“Yo, Kagome” he said.

 

His eyes left Kagome's and his smile faded as he turned toward Inuyasha. Looking over Inuyasha's shoulder, his eyes met hers and he took a step around Inuyasha towards her. Her knees buckled and it took all of her self-control not to fall and cause a scene as his bright blue eyes pierced her soul and his charming smile sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. The connection was broken as Inuyasha grabbed the man's shoulder and spun him around.

 

“Mangy wolf…what the hell do you want?!” Inuyasha snarled.

 

“Just to see how my Kagome's doing…I see you picked up another human” the man replied.

 

“Kouga…” Kagome interjected to quell the fight that was soon to break out between the two males, “this is Kumiko…she came from my country.”

 

Kouga flashed another gorgeous smile at her, “Kumiko…” he repeated, “Any friend of Kagome's is a friend of wolves…you're welcome in my territory anytime.”

 

Kumiko awoke and sat up. Her heart was pounding and butterflies were still dancing in her stomach. She finally got her bearings and remembered that he had slept in Kouga's room, but he wasn't there. She got up and made her way toward the main cavern.

 

“What a weird dream” she thought to herself, “I wonder if that was how I first met Kouga…maybe I am getting my memories back!”

 

She found Kouga at the front of the cave, roasting a rabbit. He looked up and smiled at her as she sat down on a rock. He handed her a piece of meat before taking a piece for himself and sitting down next to her. She told him about her dream as they ate. She could tell it lifted his spirits. The lines of worry that furrowed his brow began to dissipate. When they had finished their breakfast, Kumiko followed him out of the cave without a word. Kouga led her to a large, flat clearing alongside the river.

 

“Let's just see what we have to work with” he told her and brought his hands together in front of him, palms out, “take a punch at my hands.”

 

Kumiko concentrated and mimicked the fighting stance she had seen Kouga and Inuyasha use.

 

Kouga smiled, “hit me as hard as you can.”

 

Kumiko nodded and punched his palms with her right hand, using all of her might. She gasped as Kouga flew back about 10 feet. He landed on the ground on his back and she ran to his side.

 

“I'm so sorry, my Lord” she said as tears stung her eyes.

 

He looked at her with an expression, not of anger or pain, but one of complete shock. “That was amazing!” he said as he sat up. Then he became much more serious, “no human is that strong.”

 

Kumiko gasped, “I had no idea I was that strong…you don't think I'm human?”

 

“You look human and you smell human, but that was not human strength.”

 

Kumiko thought for a moment before speaking, “we could go ask Kaede…maybe I have a concealment spell or something.”

 

“Who's Kaede?”

 

“A wise old priestess who is a friend of Kagome.”

 

“Well, now that we know your strength, we can continue training. When Kagome comes back through my territory we can get her to take you to this Kaede.”

 

Kumiko was a quick learner. Kouga taught her to punch and kick first and soon she was giving Ginta and Hakkaku a run for their money. Though the two young wolves were cowards in the face of a real enemy, together, in training, they were practically unstoppable. Even Kouga had trouble defeating them both. Soon, Kumiko began training with weapons. Kouga taught her to fight with all sorts of different weapons. Her favorite became staffs and halberds, though she was also an excellent shot with a longbow. Three weeks after she had begun training, Kumiko was just as good of a fighter as Kouga, though he had jewel shards in his legs, but she considered that cheating, so it didn't count. One morning, Kouga woke up with a start and began sniffing the air. Kumiko yawned and sat up.

 

“What is it, Kouga?”

 

“I smell mutt-face…you ready to go?”

 

Kumiko nodded and got up. She went over to the large mirror she had convinced Kouga to get her. She ran a comb through her raven hair and tied it into a ponytail. She tied a brown headband like Kouga's (in fact it was one of Kouga's) around her head. She smiled at him and he rolled his eyes.

 

“Women…” he muttered.

 

Kumiko laughed and took his hand, leading him to the main cavern and out of the den. Outside, she hopped onto his back and he took off toward the road. Kouga pushed over Inuyasha before stopping in front of Kagome and letting Kumiko down.

 

“Yo, Kagome” Kouga said, but, for once, didn't take her hands.

 

“Gods, Kumiko…you look more like that wolf every time we see you!” said Inuyasha, “What's, he making you carry his weapons now?”

 

Kouga pointed at Kumiko's halberd and beamed proudly, “Stupid mutt…that's hers…I've been training her to fight!”

 

“That's great Kumiko!” Sango smiled, “how's it going?”

 

“Great…I finished two days ago!” Kumiko responded.

 

“You finished training in three weeks… that's impossible!” Sango gasped.

 

“She's really strong…inhumanly strong” Kouga interjected.

 

“You mean…she's not human?” Kagome asked.

 

“She smells human to me!” Inuyasha grumbled.

 

“Let her punch you then, dog breath!” Kouga smirked.

 

“Fine with me” Inuyasha boasted, turning to Kumiko.

 

“Hit him square in the chest, Kumiko” Kouga told her.

 

“Are you sure?” Kumiko asked.

 

“He can handle it” Kouga answered.

 

“Come on…I probably won't even feel it!” Inuyasha called.

 

Kumiko assumed fighting stance and punched him with her right hand right in his chest. Inuyasha wasn't braced for such an impact and flew back thirty feet into a tree. Kouga laughed uncontrollably. Even Sango and Miroku had to hide their amusement. Kagome ran to his side, though he insisted he hardly felt it.

 

“That was amazing!” Sango gasped.

 

“Kouga is right, no human has strength like that!” Miroku agreed.

 

“Well, she smells human…I don't know what you guys are talking about!” Inuyasha pouted.

 

“Maybe Kaede will know something…let's get going” Kagome responded.

 

The group continued along the road toward Kaede's village. Kumiko chatted happily with Kagome, Sango and Shippo, showing them her new weapons and talking about the wolf tribe. The boys hung behind them. Inuyasha was still skulking about being “beat down by a girl”, as Kouga so eloquently put it. Miroku was in his usual perverted mood.

 

“You're a lucky man, Kouga…how did you get her to wear that outfit?” Miroku asked.

 

“I made her wear that when she was my servant, but now she won't wear anything else” Kouga boasted.

 

“So, she's not your servant anymore?”

 

“No”

 

“So, what is she?”

 

Kouga leaned in to whisper to Miroku, “I'm thinking about making her my mate when we get back to the den.”

 

“So, you're not gonna mate her unless she really is a demon?” Inuyasha cut in.

 

“No, stupid, I was just waiting for her training to finish” Kouga spat back.

 

“I thought she was finished” retorted Inuyasha, “why not ask her now…afraid she might be a half-demon or something?”

 

“No…I'll ask her right now!”

 

“Good, then you can lay off Kagome!”

 

“Kagome will always be my first woman!” Kouga called over his shoulder as he trotted to catch up with the girls.

 

“Oi!” Inuyasha yelled, causing the girls to stop and turn around.

 

Kouga took hold of Kumiko's hands and looked deep into her dark brown eyes. “Kumiko…no matter what happens at Kaede's, I love you and I want you to become my mate when we get back home.”

 

“Oh, Kouga!” Kumiko said before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately, “I thought you'd never ask!”

 

“Ugh…get a room!” Inuyasha yelled as he continued down the road.

 

Miroku had scooted next to Sango during this scene. “Sango…will you mate with me when we get to Kaede's?” he said, rubbing her backside.

 

A loud smack echoed through the woods on either side of the road. A moment later, Sango stormed off down the road after Inuyasha, leaving Miroku lovingly caressing a red handprint. The others shrugged and followed her. Kumiko was happier than she had ever been. At this point, it didn't matter if she didn't get her memories back. Kouga loved her and she loved him with all her heart. Still, the fact that she didn't even know if she was human bothered her.

 

“What if Kouga doesn't like me anymore? What if I'm a half-demon? Inuyasha's half-demon and Kouga hates him!” she started thinking to herself.

 

“Kouga says he loves me, no matter what…so what if I'm half-demon…at least I wouldn't be mortal” she reassured herself.

 

They traveled all day, but still had another good day's worth to go. Inuyasha found a nice clearing just off the road in the woods. They built a fire and cooked lots of ramen to Inuyasha and Kouga's delight. After dinner, they began to bed down for the night. Kagome rolled out her sleeping bag and crawled into bed with Shippo. She had extra blankets in her ridiculously large backpack for Sango and Kumiko. Inuyasha leapt into the tree above Kagome to keep an eye on her and the wolf. Kouga sat up against another tree and pulled Kumiko into his lap. Miroku took the first watch of the night while everyone, but Inuyasha, slept peacefully.