InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ I've Got Your Back ❯ Preface ( Chapter 1 )

I've Got Your Back

~ Preface ~

"I dare you!"

"No!" the little girl practically screamed at her younger brother.

He stuck out his tongue. "I double dare you!"

She crossed her arms squarely over her chest and shook her head so much her long ebony strands flew about her. "No! You can't make me, Souta!"

Souta rolled his eyes. "Is my big sister afraid of a well? A dark well?" He flapped his arms and his other friends laughed as he bocked like a chicken. "Chicken!" he shouted and others joined in the chanting.

"I am not!"

"Are so!"

"Am not!"

"Prove it! Go in!" He retorted, pointing to the dark well house.

She sighed, glancing over at it. It seemed to loom above her, beckoning to her small frame. How did she get into this situation? She was the older sister! Granted she was only nine, but still! And her mother would worry…! The guests would… She looked over at her home, at the shrine she and her brother lived with her mother and grandfather. She saw the lights, the people milling about and heard the music…

Tonight was a celebration; a party to celebrate her first win at Japan's Youth Fighting Exi… Ex… well, she couldn't even remember now. She huffed. Wasn't her fault… Word was too big.

"Kagome is a chicken! Big chicken! You're no fighter!" Everyone laughed around her as Souta went on. Didn't grandfather tell her she had to face her fears when they got her? What was the harm in going into the old well house…?

"Fine!" she said, no longer caring. "I'm not doing 'cause of you either! I'm doing it to prove to myself that I'm not afraid." She nodded at that comment and turned to walk over to it. Stupid brother. She'd show him. She walked across the creaking wood floorboards, the red pants of the shrine outfit brushing across in a soft whisper. She nervously placed her hand on the doors, pushing them open with a creak and stared down into the dark room.

She stopped a moment… It was so dark, so quiet. She could barely make out the stone well at the bottom. What if there was a demon down there? What if her grandfather's stories were right? No! Demons don't exist! She chastised herself and moved down the old steps, holding onto the rail for moral support more than fear of falling.

She stopped at the bottom, and then slowly moved towards the well. Her hands touching the cold stone as she pulled herself up to look in. Some of her ebony strands fell forward and she forced them aside to gaze down. It was dark and smelled of something she couldn't place a word on yet. Green vines crept down the sides that seemed to have been growing for years.

She scratched the back of her neck and suddenly gasped as she felt her ribbon come untied. Without any warning the ribbon that held her medal fell off her neck and was dropping into the well. She reached out, crying out as she lost her balance unexpectedly, yet some how managing to retrieve her prize at the same time. "Oh, n-." She expected to feel the pain from a hard fall but for some reason didn't. She opened her eyes, seeing the glow of many colors around her and then the stone walls of the well as she felt herself land on soft cool dirt. She blinked…

Was that her imagination? Had she just blanked out and then poof, she was ok? Oh weird, she thought. She suddenly heard voices and remembered the party and her brother… Souta! Oh, he was gonna get it. This was his entire fault. Little brat. She grabbed onto some of the vines and started to climb her way out. It was kinda difficult, but she managed to get her way to the top. What she saw made her almost loose her grip and fall again…

Where was the shrine? Her brother? The walls to the well house and… and… everything! She suddenly felt lost and tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. Oh, no… where was she? She pulled herself out and dropped to the ground. She was surrounded by land and forest. Trees were everywhere, but… it was dark and that only added to her advancing fears. "Souta…" she whispered, "Mom…?" She clutched her hands tightly to her chest and she dropped her knees and sniffed, trying to fight back tears. She shouldn't have listened to her brother. She should have gone home, went back in the house and ignored him. Her mother had always told her never to jump at every dare. And she had, and now she was stuck somewhere that wasn't home. She sniffed, wiping at her nose on her lovely white sleeve of her outfitting. Who would help her…? Was anyone even here…? Where ever here was…

She was about to completely break down when she heard voices again, like earlier when she had first started to climb out of the well. She saw lights and thought she heard more than one person. People! Maybe she could get them to help her find her way home! She stood up then, her fears dashed away as she moved towards the light and voices. Her small feet were bare and padded across the grassy earth as she was stepping to the forest. She narrowed her eyes, pushing past a few bushes. It hadn't seemed so far away when she'd first started. But… she guessed it now it had to be as she got deeper into the forest.

She pushed back a few more bushes as she came onto a little village; people were going about, talking and smiling. Small lights dangled from home to home. It all seemed too ancient, a place lost somewhere in the past. There was music and drums, people were dancing and talking. They all wore clothes that were no longer seen in her time accept at special parties and in shrines. She moved forward and started to look around. She wanted to ask for help… She really did. But, something in her gut told the little girl if she did, she had more problems on her hands than finding her way home.

Kagome looked up as she saw a beautiful woman rush past her. She wore an elaborate kimono. It was embodied with little cherry blossoms and green vines with a dark coloring. The silk material of it told her she must be married to a noblemen or… a concubine of one. Such clothing was expensive, perhaps she a lot of money herself. Her hair was long and black, reaching her waist in perfect strands. Kagome blinked and found herself following after the older woman. She hid behind a small hut as she saw her stop and talk to a man.

"Have you seen Inu Yasha, my son?" Her voice was laced with worry as she held the man's arm with her small hand. "He was with me only a moment ago… long white hair…?"

The man frowned, and then nodded gruffly, "The little half demon, you mean?" He voice was like venom as he spat it out. Hate etched across his face caused the older woman to blanch and release his arm, her face then washing over in anger.

"Yes, that's my son. Have you seen him or are you here to merely insult me?"

Kagome gasped. A half demon? Demons don't exist… do they?

The man rolled his eyes and jutted a thumb in the direction behind him, "He went into the forest a short while ago with a few other kids."

Kagome watched the woman nod and sigh as she man left.

"What am I going to do? I'll have to get someone to help me… I can't go in the forest by myself…" She turned then, dashing off towards the center of the village, her kimono billowing somewhat behind her.

Kagome blinked. Dangerous? She looked to where the man had pointed. She'd go find the woman's son! Maybe she would help her if she did! Kagome dashed off, intent on finding the young half demon.

………………………… …………………

"Leave me alone!" Inu Yasha growled as he pushed away the older demon boy. They'd lured him out of the village, promising friendship. He'd thought he'd found a kindred soul… people to talk to. Turned out they'd only wanted to make fun of him and probably beat him to a pulp. He'd show them!

The tallest of them snickered, "What're you gonna do if we don't, human tainted trash? Cry?" They laughed, all three of them.

He growled again from his open sprawled state on the ground. He looked up at them. The eldest had long dark hair and yellowish eyes like that of a feline. The other two were smaller and appeared to be twins of two opposite genders. They had green hair and dark colored eyes he couldn't really distinguish. All of them wore the same outfitting. It was a short sleeved shirt with dark colored pants and black boots. The twins seemed to be close to his age, however the oldest looked more about fourteen in human years. Sometimes you could never tell though.

"No!" he finally shouted in defense and moved to stand, only to be pushed down by the shorter female.

"Stay down, dog. We're not done with you!" She hit him squarely in the nose and laughed as he fell back.

"Stupid trash. I can't believe you're the bastard relation to Sesshoumaru."

Suddenly the eldest's laughter was cut short as he fell to his knees and opened his mouth as if to cry out. A blinding light enveloped him and he suddenly disappeared. In his place stood a small girl.

Inu Yasha was stunned silent as she frowned she gazed at the other two, her tiny fists on her hips. "Leave him alone! Go away!" She shouted, angry. What site the small human was… Her long black hair falling just past her shoulders and kissing her face in tiny wisps. Her chocolate brown eyes were narrowed and her lips formed a frown. Without question the other two demons fled. And he was left staring up at her. Again, he continued to watch her. He was too young to admit she was pretty, her soft face and features somewhat drawn into a worried frown for the moment. She wore an outfit suited to a young priestess, the lower half a fiery red with a blinding white top. The pants of it billowed out to match the sleeves in their wide, vast length.

She sighed as she gazed down at him, reaching out to help him up as she now smiled.

He blinked, and then frowned. "I didn't need your help, you know!" But, he took her hand anyway, blushing as he did. It didn't suit him well to be caught in a situation. And to have such a small thing creature come to his rescue!

She laughed as he said this, her hands reaching up to rub his ears. "How cute!" She ignored his rude comment. "I wish I had ears like these!" She smiled at him.

He blinked again, shocked as she did this, but didn't stop her for some reason. Perhaps he found it soothing in some odd manner? "Why'd you help me, eh? And how'd you do that?"

She stopped and placed her hands behind her back as she bent down cocking her head to the side to stare up at his face. "I don't know. I just got mad because they were being mean to you. And…" she paused, thinking as she stood strait again. "Well, I jumped at the big guy and then this light came out of my hands," she stared down at them before looking at him again. "Then he disappeared."

Inu Yasha scratched his head, "But… why did you help me? Don't you hate me?"

"Why would I?" she stated it as if it were the most obvious answer.

He stared openly, gaping with his mouth open in surprise, "Well… because I'm half demon, that's why!"

She laughed at him, "What a silly reason to hate such a nice person who has," she pointed to his ears and poked his nose, "such cute ears and a pretty face."

He blushed again, "I'm not pretty!" His hands were placed on his hips in to further land his point home.

"Sure you are!" She began to walk around him, touching his hair and his shirtsleeves as she examined him. "And such a cool outfit! I bet it totally protects you! Way better than my uniform for afternoon class." She frowned as she faced him again. "Why were those kids picking on you?"

The young half demon wiped the dirt off his red outfitting and ran his fingers through hair to clean if debris. He sighed, "Its because I'm not a full blooded demon… But, if I were I would have beat them good!" He balled his fists up, growling in frustration. "They always make fun of me…"

"That's so mean! Just because you not all demon?" She frowned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Yeah… and I can't really protect myself because they're so much stronger," He sniffed, wiping his nose as he tried to hide the fast coming tears.

Kagome felt immediately bad and pulled him into a hug as she tried to remember something from one of her movies she saw. Something really cool that the hero had said to his best friend! Oh… what was it? The she instantly remembered as it came off her lips, an open promise to a new friend. "Don't worry, Inu Yasha. I'll have your back anytime."

He was surprised by her open affection and paused only a second before embracing her was well, burying his face in her neck, this new human girl who barely knew him making promises without a second though. "But… why?"

"Because, you're my friend." The answer was simple in its small reply, no questions, and no difficult reasons. Something innocent and pure as the child who had spoke it.

He sighed. Why was she nice? Why didn't she make fun of him and laugh him as all the others did? Human and demon alike, they both hurt him. Whether it was with words or blows. And though his mother tried, he knew she wouldn't always be able to be there… But suddenly, it felt right to have a friend. Someone to alleviate his pain. "Thank you," he spoke softly.

She pulled back, smiling at him with her large chocolate eyes.

He blinked, and shook his head as he spoke, "How do you know my name? And what's yours?"

She smiled, "Its Kagome! Oh! And your mom was looking for you! You reminded me! That's why I came looking for you. She went to get help, but I came anyway."

"She is? I'd better go." He moved to leave, tugging her along, loath to have his new friend leave him.

"Wait!"

He turned, suddenly surprised to find her pulling back to stop him. "What?"

"I need you to help me get home." She sighed as she rubbed her hands up and down her sleeves worriedly.

He nodded in understanding, "Where do you live?"

She frowned, "Well, it's a long story…"

"Tell me, I've got time."

She took a deep breath as she began, "Well, I was outside of my house and my brother Souta was bothering me. He kept daring me to go into the old well house. So, I did. But, when I went up to the well and looked in, my ribbon for my medal became untied and I fell in trying to catch it! This light came all around me and then I was at the bottom. So," she paused a moment as she was trying to catch her breath, "I crawled out and here I am somewhere else! I don't know how to get back…"

He stopped to think a moment. It was unusual for thing like this to happen he guessed. So he thought a moment, his small fingers touching his chin. Then he had an idea. "Did you trying going back down into the well to see if you'd go home?"

"Well… no," she replied thoughtfully. It was so obvious… why didn't she think of that before. Even her little brother could of thought of that! "You think we could go try? The well isn't far from here."

He nodded, turning around and motioning her to climb on his back.

She paused, "I won't be too heavy will I?"

"No way, I can carry you. I'm half demon aren't I?" He winked at her and smiled as she laughed while climbing onto his back. "Hold on."

Kagome wrapped her arms tightly wound his neck and her eyes widened and he sped through the woods and dashed away from trees just seconds before hitting. "Wow! You're so fast!" She smiled even more. "Do you know where the well is?"

He nodded as she came into the clearing, the well soon coming into view. He slowed down just as they reached it and allowed Kagome to get off. She walked over to the well, peering in to it dark depth of it and looked back at him with a worried expression.

He came next to her and looked down also. "It looks creepy… but, I know you'll be ok, Kagome."

She nodded, not saying much as she turned to hug him, "I'll miss you, Inu Yasha… I'll try to come back someday. You won't forget me will you?"

He smiled and returned the hug, "Of course I wouldn't. You saved my life." Maybe he was exaggerating. But, she had saved him from getting beat by three demons. "And you did promise to have my back… so, I'll have to see you again, right?" He pulled back, looking at her soft brown eyes.

She smiled then, nodding through her unshed tears. She turned to get up on the well, but suddenly paused and turned around, leaning over and giving him a soft peck on his cheek. She laughed softly and then turned and got up on the well, "Goodbye, Inu Yasha," she whispered softly.

He blinked in surprise and touched his cheek where she had left her sweet affection. A blush tainting his features a soft wind rustled his white strands. He watched with wide eyes of uncertain happiness and blooming love as she disappeared down the well in a single leap. He barely had a chance to lean over and call her name as she fell into the shadows and light.