InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kanzen Chinmoku 'Perfect Silence' ❯ Warning Shots and Introductions ( Chapter 4 )

WARNING: This story is rated R, in this chap there is only violence, but it gets lemony and stuff like that later on….and for any hardcore Kagome fans, be warned, you might not like what happens

Kanzen Chinmoku

Tinkerbell

Chapter 4 Warning Shots and Introductions

"Wait a second." Shegore held out her palm like she was catching her breath, and stopped Kaede from going on.

"So your saying that I am in the Warring States era, Medieval time Japan?"

"Hai." Kaede nodded and seemed a little confused at Shegore's obvious comment.

Shegore put her hand back into her lap, and sat scowling at the crackling fire. Kaede looked at the girl for a moment, and finally let her curiosity get the better of her judgment.

"Child, what is wrong?" Shegore looked at Kaede, her eyes twitching slightly. She then threw her arms in the air and started laughing.

"Oh nothing, I'm just completely losing my mind."

Kaede stared at Shegore like she agreed with her. Shaking her head, Kaede rose with some difficulty, and walked over to a clay water jug by the shaded window. She opened the lid and ladled some of the cold water into a cup on the ground. She then returned to her spot cross legged in front of the fire, and handed Shegore, who had just stopped laughing, the cup.

"Drink. Ye need it."

Shegore reluctantly took the cup and started to drink. After she had fully downed the water, wiping her lips with the back of her sleeve, Kaede asked another question.

"Where are ye from? You seem so out of place." Shegore gave her a smile that left Kaede uneasy.

"You wouldn't believe me, even if I told you." Kaede raised her un-patched eyebrow, as she chuckled slightly.

"Try me." Shegore put the cup down next to the fire.

"Fine." She spoke with warning in her voice.

She shifted slightly, adjusting her clothes, and getting comfortable. Then with a deep breath, she tried to speak seriously, and trying to not sound crazy.

"I came through that well in the forest."

Kaede's face went completely blank, and she shook her head with a heavy sigh.

"Not another one." She mumbled something Shegore couldn't quite hear.

"What?"

"Oh nothing. But Shegore that doesn't surprise me one bit." Shegore seemed confused.

"Why not? I mean, I just popped out of a well 500 years in the past, and 'your' not surprised?"

"Hai…" Kaede looked at her sternly, "Because your not the first."

Shegore pounded her fist into the dirt floor - her eyes locked on to the smoking fire.

"What do you mean? Are time travelers a regular occurrence here?"

"Child calm down. No this is not a regular occurrence, but there has been one before ye." Shegore seemed to relax a bit. "Now please tell me your story, so that maybe I can help you."

Shegore sighed, still very curious and angered about this time traveler before her.

"Lets see, my story." She spoke indifferently like it bored her greatly to talk. "Well I think it would be best for me to first tell you of my profession." Shegore eyed Kaede. "I don't know why, but I feel like I can trust you…" She paused to think. This was always - awkward.

Kaede coaxed her on. "Yes?" Shegore reluctantly started.

"I am a bounty hunter. An assassin. People pay me to kill there enemies, and sometimes even there allies." She lowered her eyes to the ground. " I apologize if that scares you." Though she wasn't sorry at all.

Kaede surprised her. "No it does not. With all the killing and death that happens now a days, it makes sense for some one to make a profit off of it." Again Kaede got to her feet, and slowly retrieved a small teapot to boil over the fire. "Go on."

"Well you see, everything has been going strangely since about a week or two ago. I was hired by a man I had done business with before to kill another man who had betrayed him in some kind of business agreement. Mr. Suzuki, the man who hired me, gave me detailed information on when and where I could find this guy. It was all simple and routine, and I didn't think there would be any problems.

But they set a trap. Some how they new I was coming, they knew my every move, my every trick. And I was caught, which is a very hard thing to do.

To make a long story short, the man I was sent to kill, said that he would spare my life if I killed this girl he wanted dead.

Not having much of a choice, or really caring about what happened to Mr. Suzuki, I accepted the deal. I passed the job off as a cheating wife or girlfriend, and didn't ask much. Again the job sounded simple, but then when I was just about to snipe her…"

"Snipe?"

Shegore tried to explain, "Shoot her with my gun."

"Gun?"

"Just nevermind. I was about to kill her, when she disappeared into this well house." Kaede spit out the tea she had been sipping, and the fire sputtered at the liquid.

"The girl ye were after vanished down a well?" Shegore eyed Kaede curiously.

"I'm not sure if she went down the well. I just went inside, and she was no where to be found. Then I thought that she was hiding in the well, so I jumped in. She wasn't on the bottom of the well, but I found this pink shard of some kind of jewel."

"Ye found a jewel shard?" Kaede was growing more anxious with every sentence.

"Hai. And when I touched it, everything went all fuzzy, and I felt like I was being crushed. Then once it stopped, I climbed out of the well, and here I am….Are you okay?" Kaede sat staring silently at the fire. She was in deep thought, and seemed very concerned. After a moment or two of uncomfortable silence, Kaede spoke.

"Was the girl's name...Kagome?"

"What?" Kaede's voice gained a harsh impatience, as she pleaded with Shegore.

"Was the girl you were suppose to kill named Kagome?!?"

"Yes…I think so. Why?" Kaede got to her feet as quickly as she could, and stumbled over to Shegore. She grabbed Shegore's hands, desperately pleading with her.

"What was the man's name? The man who wanted ye to kill Kagome. What is his name?" Kaede started to shack Shegore by the shoulders. Shegore pulled herself out of the old woman's grasp, and stood up, backing away from her.

"I don't remember. I don't remember his name." Kaede begged Shegore with her wise, old, gray eye.

"Please, ye have to remember."

"I'm sorry, but I don't." Kaede's lips became a thin straight line, and she lowered her eye to her lap. She was about to say something when she heard a terrible, loud, fatal, interruption.

"OSUWARI!!!" The word of submission echoed from outside, and Kaede sighed.

"Oh no."

"What the hell was that?" Shegore had spun around to face the door at the loud scream.

Kaede stumbled over next to Shegore and the door. "It was nothing. Now ye must trust me. Promise me ye will not leave this hut until I come and get ye. Do you understand?"

Shegore nodded "Hai." Kaede placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Now under no circumstances should ye leave. No matter 'what' ye hear from outside." Shegore nodded again.

Kaede quickly opened the door, and slipped outside. Shegore returned to the fire and slumped down on the ground, sitting with her legs crossed. She sighed and started to look around at the hut.

She was still very confused.

* * * *

"What the hell was that for bitch!?!" Inuyasha grabbed Kagome's shoulder, turning her to face him. She pulled herself out from his grip and kept walking, with a pout on her face.

"I did that because you were being mean and insensitive." She turned to scowl at him. "Why do you get angry at me every time I go home? I belong there just as much as I do here. And at least there I'm wanted." Kagome spun on her heels and continued walking towards the village in a huff.

Inuyasha stood staring at her back for a moment. Why 'did' he have to be so mean? Was it really all just as simple as him trying to hide his real feelings?

'But your are needed here Kagome…..I need you." Oh what his heart longed to say, but what his pride and mind choked down. Why did he have to be so stubborn?

"Grrr." He growled angrily, more at himself than anything. 'This is all her fault.' Inuyasha had become very good at lying to himself.

With another growl under his breath, Inuyasha stalked off to follow Kagome. She had been gone so long - he had missed her. So he had thought it would be a good idea to welcome her back at the well, but everything just had to go wrong.

~ ~ ~ ~

The sun shone brightly on the Bone Eaters well, and Inuyasha had a clear view of the bottom.

'Where is she? She's late.' Just when Inuyasha was about to stalk off angrily towards the village, and abandon his plan of greeting Kagome, she popped out of the well.

He couldn't help but stare at her as she climbed out. She wore a pair of very short shorts, which accented her long slender legs. Her hair was up in a pony-tail and thick curls of it cascaded down her back.

"Ka..gome." He whispered. He was awed by her…as always. Kagome jumped fully out of the well, dropped her backpack on the ground, and looked at him. He was looking at her funny, and was completely silent. She became uncomfortable, and didn't understand why he was staring at her. So she decided to snap at him before he got a chance to insult her

"Let me guess Inuyasha. I was just a little late, and you couldn't wait to go looking for more shards, so you were about to jump in the well and drag me back?" Inuyasha was completely surprised by her statement.

'Is that what she thinks?' He took a step towards her and was about to say something when she stuck out her hand to stop him.

"Don't even say it Inu. I am not in the mood to fight right now. God, your so stubborn." She walked passed him, leaving him in the wells clearing angry and dumfounded.

~ ~ ~ ~

Inuyasha kicked a stone on the ground, sending it tumbling through the dirt and grass.

'Even when I try to do something nice, she always has to assume I want to fight. Now who's stubborn.'

He finally caught up with Kagome who was heatedly talking with Kaede. The old hag looked worried, so Inuyasha ran up to them to hear the last of their conversation.

"But Kaede-sama, what is wrong?"

"Nothing, but ye and Inuyasha must leave the village for a day or two, it's not safe here." Inuyasha stepped forward, pushing Kagome out of the way lightly.

"What are you rambling about old hag?" Kaede frowned at him, but then continued.

"I have told ye, it's nothing really, but ye and the others must leave for a while." Kaede started to push Inuyasha by the shoulders backwards towards the forest.

"What is wrong with y…"

"I said LEAVE!!" Kaede yelled at them with a power they did not know she had.

But just when Inuyasha was about to open his mouth and yell back, a metallic boom sounded, followed by a soft moan. Inuyasha spun around - everything was going so fast. He turned to see Kagome unconscious on the ground, she had hit her head on a rock. She bled from the shoulder, but no attacker could be seen.

And then he heard Kaede's melancholy whisper.

"I told her not to leave." He looked at her desperately. What the hell was going on? He was about to yell at the frozen old woman, when he followed her gaze.

There standing in front of Kaede's hut, was a girl. She stood still, staring at Kaede and himself. She seemed confused as she eyed him, frantic, her heartbeat had quickened and her breathing was heavy. Clutched in her hands that were held out before her, was some kind of small metal object, something he had never seen before.

The girl shook her head, and broke off the stare she held on him. She then quickly turned around picked up her bag, and grabbed onto the side of Kaede's hut. The girl started to climb up the side of the hut, and by the time she reached the roof, Inuyasha came out of shock. He turned to Kaede.

"Who the hell was that?!?" The women seemed frozen, sad and unmoving.

"She is from Kagome's world, and she was sent here to kill Kagome."

"Then what the hell were you hiding her for?" Inuyasha leaped from his spot, in another bound he landed on Kaede's roof. Kaede pleadingly called out to him.

"No! Inuyasha wait!"

"Take care of Kagome!" And with that he was out of sight.

* * * *

Shegore leaped onto another roof. Who the hell was that boy with dog-ears? Shegore hadn't wanted to stick around and find out.

As she landed on another roof, she took a peak behind her. That freak with the silver hair, had jumped onto Kaede's hut.

'Shit, he's after me.' Shegore was an excellent trained killer, but when it came to fighting, she was good, but tried to avoid it. Especially if her opponent was a guy with silver hair, fangs, claws, and dogs ears.

Shegore quicken her pace, and ran with all her speed. She was a good 80 feet a head of him, but he was fast, and she wouldn't be able to lose him up here.

Once she landed on another house, Shegore turned and shot once at Inuyasha, hoping to throw him off. It worked. Inuyasha had just about caught up with her, so as the confused hanyou dogged the bullet, he lost his footing, and fell off the rooftop. As he fell, Inuyasha managed slicing Shegore's side with his claws.

"GOD DAMIT!!!" He cursed at her as he fell.

Shegore smiled, paying no attention to the bleeding wound at her side. 'That was easier than I thought.' Quickly, before that dog boy returned, Shegore silently jumped off the roof, not really paying attention to where, or who she was landing on.

Unluckily…no actually, luckily for Miroku, who just happened to be passing by, Shegore landed right on top of him. The houshi was sent hurtling to the ground and in the process hit the back of his head.

Shegore sat on his stomach straddling him, staring at his unconscious body, and wondering if he was al right.

"Sir? Are you okay?" Miroku opened his eyes slightly, only to be met with a beautiful woman siting on his stomach. Because of the recent injury to his head, Miroku was….a little silly.

Miroku reached out a weary hand and stroked Shegore's cheek.

"Oh praise the Gods. Thank you Buddha, for answering my prayers, and sending me an angel." Shegore looked at him curiously.

"Are you okay?" Miroku smiled.

"I am now." He began to stroke Shegore's cheek, and she looked down at him questioningly. "Oh beautiful angel, please do me the honor of bearing my child." Miroku lifted his other hand, and with a sly smile fondled Shegore's butt.

Within a second, Shegore's 9-millimeter was out of her bag and pointed directly at Miroku's skull. He removed both his hands, and suddenly seemed wide awake and aware. He held his hands at his side in defense.

Shegore got up off his stomach, and stepped back a bit, her gun still aimed at his head. Miroku did not know what the thing she held was, but he knew better than to challenge the weapons of the gods,

"I apologize, I was weak. I hope I did not anger the gods." Miroku sat up and held his hand straight sideways in front of his face, in Buddhist form.

"I'm not an angel, you idiot." Miroku opened his eyes and lowered his hand. He looked at her slightly confused.

"Your not?" Shegore shook her head frantically. This just kept getting weirder.

"But you fell from the sky." Miroku lifted a hand to gesture at the sky above them. Shegore dropped her hands to her sides in frustration.

"I did not, I…never mind, I don't have time for this." With that Shegore turned and started running towards the western side of Inuyasha's forest.

Just then Sango ran up to Miroku. She had been talking with some of the villagers about how to get rid of small demons, when she saw a strange girl sitting on Miroku's stomach. After seeing that, she came running.

"Houshi-sama what happened?" Miroku sat dumfounded, staring at Shegore's retreating figure. Sango grabbed Miroku's shoulders, and forced him to look at her. "Miroku, what happened?" He smiled slightly, and his voice sounded dazed.

"I was straddled by an angel." Sango stared at him like he was crazy.

"WHAT?!?" Miroku looked at her blankly, and just when she was about to question him further, Inuyasha came bounding up to them.

"Where is she!!!?" They both looked at him, unsure what he was saying. Sango spoke.

"Who?"

"That strangely dressed girl, with that weird weapon." Miroku stood up, dusting off his robes.

"Oh, you mean the angel." Now Inuyasha looked at him like the priest had lost his mind.

"Fine, whatever, angel. Where did she go?" Miroku pointed his staff in the direction of the forest.

"She disappeared into the forest…But Inuyasha, what's wrong?"

Inuyasha turned to look at the lush, green, shadow filled forest. He sniffed the air - he could smell her blood. An angry growl escaped from the back of his throat, and he started to run off in the direction of Kaede's hut. A side from his boiling rage, Sango and Miroku could tell he was worried about something.

Shippou pulled on Miroku's robe. "Hey you guys. What's going on?"

Miroku started to follow Inuyasha's direction. "Come on Shippou, Sango."

Sango started to walk towards the houshi. Shippou was confused - everyone seemed worried. "What going on Sango?"

"Come on Shippou." The kitsune obeyed and followed them in the direction of Inuyasha.

* * *

Shegore's frantic pace was wearing her down. It was getting harder to breath, and cramping pains shot through her side. The wound at her hip bled freely, and numbness started to spread from that point. It had not been a very serious gash, but all this running opened it up further, and made her bleed more. She had been running aimlessly through the forest for what seemed to be thousands of miles. She had to stop and catch her breath.

What the hell was happening? Who were those people?

Her associate hadn't told her that this girl would be accompanied and protected by a monster. But then again he hadn't warned her about going back through time in a well. And why couldn't she remember his name?

'I must be dreaming' But it didn't matter, that boy with dog ears was going to find her and kill her if she didn't start running again.

* * * *

"KAGOME!!!" Inuyasha slumped helplessly to his knees beside Kagome.

He was in shock.

Sango, Miroku, Kaede, and Shippou stood cautiously at a distance, watching Inuyasha's heart break. They knew better than to interfere at a time like this.

Inuyasha leaned over Kagome, sliding his arm under her neck, and pulling her head into his lap. Even though he was a stubborn, emotion hiding, all powerful, hanyou, tears threatened his eyes as he looked down at Kagome's motionless form.

"Ka..gome." His voice was a broken whisper. "Kagome…please, don't die on me." Inuyasha pulled Kagome to his chest, rocking back and forth, as he fought back his cries of sorrow. Kagome was frail and motionless, bleeding heavily onto his clothing.

Sango took a step towards the shattered hanyou. She did not really know Inuyasha very well, and they had never had a very good relationship, but sympathy pulsed through her as she looked at his shaking body.

She tired to take another step, but Miroku grabbed her shoulder and signaled for her to leave him alone. Even Shippou, who had accepted Kagome to be his adoptive mother, didn't move.

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder at them, his eyes were red and irritated from his battle with tears.

"M..M..Miroku…" his voice was frail and stuttering. "W..We have to save her, before she…dies."

"Anything. We will do anything to save Kagome-san." Inuyasha rose to his feet, holding Kagome in his arms, pressed possessively to his chest.

"You and Sango have to take her to her own time. They might be able to save her there." Miroku took a step towards Inuyasha.

"But can we go through the well? I thought…" Inuyasha's voice snapped in, it was starting to gain back some of it's old stubborn impatience. He was trying desperately to hide his pain, but most of all his fear.

"If you all have jewel shards on you, then you should be able to get through." Inuyasha turned to face the forest. "Come on, we have to hurry." His face was grave and silent, and he started to walk towards the forest. Shippou ran up to meet him curiously.

"But Inuyasha, what are you going to do?" Inuyasha yelled at the little kitsune, but he held no emotion in his voice.

"What do you think?!!? I'm going to go kill that bitch that wounded Kagome." He continued to walk.

Kagome couldn't die. If Kagome died, too much of himself would go too.

All of them, except for Kaede, who was still in a state of shock and guilt, made a somber procession to the Bone Eaters well. No one spoke, and the only sounds were small whimpers from Inuyasha.

They made it to the clearing, and the sun still shone brightly on the well. If they had been there under different circumstances, they would have noted how beautiful the scene looked. The tress rustled softly in the warm breeze, and butterflies darted from flower to flower, that bloomed on the vines that grew from the well.

Inuyasha stumbled to the side of the well, looking from its opening to Kagome's silent face. As he watched her, she suddenly stirred slightly. Kagome slowly opened her eyes, looked up at Inuyasha, and smiled. She weakly lifted her hand, and stroked Inuyasha's cheek.

"Inu..ya..sha." Her eyes closed again, and her hand fell to his chest.

Inuyasha abruptly turned towards the others. "Miroku..take her." Miroku ran up to Inuyasha. He was shaking and looked like he was about to collapse. Miroku placed his hands under Kagome's neck and knees, and pulled her gently out of Inuyasha's arms. He took a step back and looked down at the unconscious girl.

Sango and Shippou, joined him at his side and looked at Inuyasha for directions. His eyes were downcast, and he didn't even raise them as he spoke with no emotion.

"Do you all have shards on you?" Shippou was about to yell out a big 'no', but Sango quickly shoved one into his hand, so he'd shut up. Miroku answered for them.

"Hai, were are all ready." Inuyasha lifted his eyes to them.

"THEN GET GOING!" They all bowed slightly like soldiers given orders by a sergeant, and then quickly gather around the well, still keeping a distance from Inuyasha.

Miroku motioned at Sango with his head, because of his full hands.

"Sango, you take Kagome-san for a moment. I am going to jump into the well and then your going to drop her down to me. Okay?"

"Right." Sango nodded.

Miroku shifted Kagome into Sango's arms and jumped into the well. Before she dropped Kagome's body into the mouth of the well, she looked at Inuyasha for approval. He was unresponsive, so she followed Miroku's plan, and dropped Kagome into his arms.

Shippou then jumped onto Sango's shoulder, and they both leaped into the well.

Once Inuyasha was completely sure that they had gone to the other side, he slumped to the ground, leaning against the wall of the well, and staring at the forest floor.

One solitary tear hit the earth, and Inuyasha threw back his head to scream. "KAGOME!!!"

* * *

Shegore fell to her knees. Clutching her side, she panted frantically as she looked around. She was completely surrounded by trees and it was hard to tell her direction. It was like she was running in circles.

The pain made it hard to think - but what was it about this wound. It was very minor to some injuries she had gained, yet the pain pulsed through her. The gash was deep, and it felt like poison in her body.

Shegore reached around for her bag. She pulled it off of her shoulder and dug through the contents. She pulled out a bottle of heavy strength pain relievers and swallowed three. More than enough to ease the pain, and more than enough to kill her.

As she shoved the bottle back into her bag, there was a rustle. A swaying of the trees that came from no wind. Small groups of birds fled from their perches and nests at the disturbance, and Shegore pulled out another cartilage from her bag to reload her gun.

Whatever was coming her way, was traveling by the trees, and still some distance away.

Shegore pushed herself back onto her feet, and took one last look towards the far away rustling trees.

'I guess dog-boy found me.' With that Shegore sprinted further into the trees. She had new found adrenaline, and a temporary relief from the pain. As she ran, dodging the trees and brush, Shegore pulled out her 9-millimeter and reloaded.

She then abruptly passed through the edge of the trees, and came into an open field.

'Shit' It would be impossible to lose him in the open. Her only chance was to make it to the other side before he caught her, but there was hardly any chance for that.

'I guess I'll just have to fight him.' Shegore waited silently in her hiding place among the trees. The outer rims of the forest shielded her, and she patiently waited for Inuyasha to come out in the open.

He was advancing fast, hurtling with all his might from treetop to treetop. The scent of Shegore's blood was still fresh, and his lust to kill drove him mad.

Inuyasha reached the end of the forest, and he leaped down to the ground sniffing the air for Shegore's presence. As he hit the ground Inuyasha spun around, her scent was right behind him. But as he faced his opponent he had to jerk sideways to dodge the speeding bullet aimed for his head. Inuyasha looked up at her and growled. His rage for her was unmatched with any emotion he had ever felt.

"Why don't you come out of hiding and fight me?" He growled through clenched teeth.

"I'm fine where I am." Shegore stood strong, unwavering, and desperately trying to mask the uncertainty she felt. Their staring contest held for a short silence, until Inuyasha raging curiosity got the better of him.

"Who the fuck are you, and why are you after Kagome?" Inuyasha tried to take another step forward, put pulled back as Shegore lifted her gun to aim at his head.

"I was paid to kill her. She must have been pretty dangerous, or pretty stupid, if she has a dearth warrant on her from such infamous people." Inuyasha growled again.

"Who sent you?!?" Shegore paused for a moment looking at the ground. She then met Inuyasha's burning eyes and answered, slightly embarrassed.

"I..I don't remember." Inuyasha smirked.

"Then maybe I should remind you." Inuyasha pulled out the tetsusaiga, and it transformed into his father's large, powerful fang.

Shegore was taken back by the mer size of the sword, but she wasn't given much time for shock as Inuyasha pounced.

His whole strength and force went into this bound of faith. His eyes glowed liquid gold, and all the muscles in his body tightened.

Shegore dodged his advance and ran to the center of the clearing, only to turn and see him coming at her again. With a leap she avoided his blow once more, and clutched her side in sheer pain.

Inuyasha was tired but driven by his rage, and he propped himself up on the tetsusaiga. He glared at her with pure malice.

"I can see that you have been weakened by my cut." Shegore glared at him, and was ready to run even though he was a good 20 feet away. "You are suffering, yet you go on. I think I know why. I can sense a jewel shard on you, and that is the only thing that is keeping you going." Shegore was confused, and had no idea what he was ranting about.

Inuyasha lifted the tetsusaiga and pointed it at Shegore. "Now I shall avenge Kagome, and get the bonus of the jewel shard." Shegore slowly rose to her feet and rummaged through her pocket. She pulled out the glowing pink shard, and held it up to Inuyasha,

"Are you talking about this thing?" Inuyasha eyed her curiously, surprised that the shard was not embedded in her body. He smiled wickedly.

"Give me the shard."

"Here you can have it." Shegore surprised Inuyasha again by throwing the shard at him, and he caught it out of reflex. He looked at the shard and then at Shegore.

"You are that scared, that you would just give me the shard?" Shegore glared at him angrily.

"What do you mean scared? You do not frighten me at all. I only gave you that jewel shard because it is worthless to me." Inuyasha sneered at her, placing the shard in his pocket.

"You seem so confident, but unfortunately you have not saved your life." With that Inuyasha bounded at her, rising high into the air, and swiftly heading down with the tetsusaiga aimed to slice her in half.

Shegore leaped sideways rolling as she hit the ground. Before Inuyasha could get another chance to attack her, Shegore fired four shots at him. As Inuyasha got to his feet, he was hit with three of the four bullets.

Stunned from the hit, Inuyasha looked down at his pierced body. He had two bullet wounds in his chest near his heart, and one in his stomach above his belly button. He stood there in shock, looking from his bleeding chest to Shegore's indifferent face.

She had seen this a hundred times before.

It was getting harder for him to breath, and he stroked his hand across his chest looking at the crimson blood that stained his palm.

Inuyasha locked eyes with Shegore. She was blankly staring at him, her gun held out before her. As he opened his mouth, she didn't even let him speak.

"I fear no one, and nothing…remember that." Shegore fired another two shots into Inuyasha's chest, and he fell backwards to the ground from the impact. With one last sinister smile, Shegore turned and ran from the clearing, leaving Inuyasha to drown in his own blood.

But as she fled from the battle ground, her pain interrupted her perception. There had been a spectator of this battle, a very pleased witness to Shegore's strength and power. This watcher in the shadows smiled slightly, a very rare occurrence.

"So she fears nothing?" He whispered to no one in particular. The onlooker gracefully descended from the trees he had been perched in, and then proceeded to follow Shegore from a distance. He was intrigued by her, and wanted to know, and have more.

* * *

"I think he went this way!" Miroku called out behind him to Sango.

All three of them had successfully taken Kagome to the other side of the well, and were now desperately searching for Inuyasha, who Kaede said ran off into the forest.

Sango joined the monk at his side, Shippou following close behind. Her face was slightly frowned and she spoke pensively to Miroku.

"Do you think he is alright?" Miroku turned to look at Sango, smiling gently at her and placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I am sure the he is fine Sango-chan. We just have to keep looking." Sango's frown turned up into a timid smile.

"Do you really think so? I mean, it is not like him to get lost, or runaway without reason." Shippou finally caught up with the two, and climbed on to Sango's shoulder, yawning.

"He probably lost that girl, and now he's off sulking." Sango side glanced at the kitsune and giggled.

"I hope that's all that happened."

"Come, we must keep looking." Miroku began to walk further down the wooded path and Sango and Shippou followed quickly behind.

From only twenty feet away, the clearing where Inuyasha lay, stayed masked by trees. The three searched for a while longer, before Shippou mistakenly came across the open meadow. Seeing the battered hanyou laying unconscious in the middle of the field, Shippou called out to Sango and Miroku and then ran to his side.

When Miroku and Sango finally reached Inuyasha side, they were surprised and horrified to see him lying, passed out in his own blood. There was no trace of the girl, but it was easy to guess what had happened.

Just when the group was about to start to move him, Inuyasha stirred slightly. Moaning from the exhaustion weighing down on him, and the pounding in his head and chest, Inuyasha tried to sit up. He attempted to prop himself up on his elbows, but fell back to the ground in defeat and pain.

Miroku was the first to speak. "Inuyasha…are you alright?" The hanyou only turned his head slightly towards the monk, and moaned again - it was getting harder for him to breath.

Sango sunk to her knees next to Inuyasha. "What happened?"

Inuyasha opened his eyes to look at her, he seemed on the edge of passing out again. He was in great pain, but he kept a small smile as he spoke.

"I-Is K-K-Kagome…okay?" Sango smiled down at him, her eyes moist with tears.

"She's fine. They think they can save her." Inuyasha rested his head back on the ground, and closed his eyes - he still had a smile on his face.

Sango rose, and stood next to Miroku, the monk put his arm around her in support, and she did nothing to stop him. The three just stood there for a moment, watching the tortured yet peaceful hanyou.

But when they thought he had finally fallen asleep again, his nose started to twitch. Inuyasha arched his neck slightly, and sniffed the air wildly. His eyes did not open, but he let out a low feral growl.

The others did not know what was wrong, but they did not have the nose he did. A smell lingered on the wind, blown from the trees. A stench that was faint, but distinct, and definitely recent. Inuyasha recognized this smell, and who it was. And right now, it was the last person he wanted to see.

Inuyasha gave another growl, with the distinct name "Sesshoumaru" angrily entwined.

* * *

Shegore's senses reeled, and she knew something was not right. A presence was following her. It was faint, like a shadow or a faded memory lost in the caverns of her mind, but it was there.

She felt hopeless, and spun around in every direction. Her heart was pounding, and for once she experienced the feeling of being the prey.

She was actually scared.

Shegore was so exhausted, and had lost too much blood - she stopped running. She stumbled around the forest, almost falling every other step, and still kept looking around herself frantically, trying to locate her stalker.

But there was noting - only a feeling, and the almost undetectable whisper of delicate footsteps.

Shegore's pace had slowed to a painful dragging of her feet, and she still held comfortingly to the crimson gash at her side. She was in no condition to fight, and feared for her life.

With a desperate attempt at mercy from her invisible follower, Shegore pleaded with the shadows.

"Show yourself!……and stop tormenting me this way!" Her voice was weak and revealed her nervousness. But Shegore was answered with silence, and the softly swaying trees. The light from the canopy was manipulated by the gentle wind, and it fluttered in patches on the ground.

Shegore felt even more helpless and she continued on her limp through the trees - she had no idea where she was going.

Shegore could only imagine what was following her, and she was in so much pain and so tired, she wasn't sure if she cared anymore. She had encounter so many strange things through this short adventure, and little did she know that this was only the first day, of many days, that would change her life forever.

Shegore had only stumbled a few yards when she heard a distinct sound of footsteps behind her. The slight rustle of the leaves and brush, sent Shegore spinning in the other direction. She frantically scanned the end of the woodland, tree enclosed, corridor, but nothing and no one was there.

After she had looked at where the footsteps had sounded, she heard more from directly behind her.

Again she turned around as fast as she could, and this time Shegore was met with something.

A man towered over her. His proud face was decorated with red tiger stripes and a crescent moon. Long, silver hair that glistened in the passing streaks of sunlight, framed his face, and his intimidating golden eyes were staring down at her. He had come from nowhere, and had surprised Shegore to the point that she would have screamed, but she couldn't. She was frozen. She had no idea what he was thinking, because his face was impassive, yet beautiful.

Shegore was awed by him, and his almost divine appearance and presence.

Before she had time to speak, time to react, in one flash of silver, the man swerved behind her, faster than humanly possible. Shegore had no time to turn when he grasped the side of her neck and whispered softly in her ear.

"Sleep." With that, the man put slight pressure on the crook of Shegore's neck, and she fell into darkness.

She fell backwards into his arms, and with a very small and almost unseen smile, the man lifted Shegore fully into his arms, and floated from the ground, flying towards the west.

A/n: Well there you have it, I hoped you liked it and I promise it gets really good from here *rubs hands together smiling wickedly.

A couple points I want to make is 1, Some people might think, "Hey, Inu is pretty strong, why was he taken down by only 5 bullets?" Well you see this is suppose to be earlier in the plot, so he's not THAT strong, and I just wrote it that way. 2. I will tell you what happened with Sango, Miroku, and Shippou when they went to Kagome's time in the next chap, it will be a flashback thing.

That's all, and please review. Arigatou!