InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ LOVE POISON ❯ Dangerous Encounter, A Miko's Nature ( Chapter 23 )

DISCLAIMER: If I owned Inuyasha I wouldn't be writing fan fiction. Rumiko Takahashi owns `em.

 

Ok I have NO IDEA why (mm.org still hates me) but some bits of this chapter appear in italics when they shouldn't be in italics >.< You'll notice the bits that WEREN'T supposed to show in italics when you get there. Sorry about that!

 

PLEASE READ THIS! Someone asked why Kikyou didn't show up with her new body. I thought that was clear but here I go again: CHAPTERS 21, 22 AND 23 TAKE PLACE BEFORE NARAKU'S SPELL. These 3 chapters take place on the same DAY, but the spell takes place on that NIGHT. So technically Kik hasn't obtained her new body yet, Kagura still has all her souls, and they're waiting for Naraku (if you're still confused, go back and read chapters 19 and 20. Ahem…anyway, the spell took place at night, it's on Ch 20. By the end of this Ch, it'll be nightfall so we'll be on the right timeline. But all this hasn't happened yet and Inu-tachi were merely following the trail North Naraku left when he fled the scene once he tricked Kags into believing he was Inu. Which is why Kikyou, Kagura and Sess were missing all this time…Gomen, I hope that's clear now!

 

I'm going on vacation on January 24th and will be back on February 1st. So don't expect any updates till February. Bear with me, onegai! You guys are awesome! Even if some of you hated me for the cliffy…

 

Bad, bad author! Sorry for the delay! To make up for it, this Ch is extra long, action packe, and here's where my wonderful beta came to my rescue, letting me borrow her skills for battle scenes, I would have been stuck forever had it not been for Trusuprise, her incredible patience and HUGE help with this Ch, which was very hard to put together. So I want to give her the credit the adorable baka doesn't think she deserves and certainly does! For helping Inu kick Kouga's butt (poor Kouga-kun, I do love the dense bishi, but he did have it coming…) and helping This YM with this Ch that wouldn't have been written without her immense talent. She pushed me in the right direction and helped this Ch take shape. So…ENDLESS THANKS TO TRUSUPRISE! YOU FREAKIN' ROCK GIRL! I love her to pieces, the best KS and beta Evar, and I owe her so much! Not just as a beta, but as the best friend I've ever had. So I bow down to the talented Trusuprise! *bows*

Endless thanks to the super kawaii Carlitos and the gorgeous Kona, and to the sweet Lizashu.

 

Please please PLEASE review! Feed my muse, make YM a happy author! Thanks to all of you here at mm.org are at the end of the Ch, where I also added a brief explanation I hope will clear some things up for this Ch. Read, enjoy, and don't forget to REVIEW!

 

This Ch is dedicated to KID ^_^ HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!

 

On with the chapter!

 

 

CHAPTER 23: DANGEROUS ENCOUNTER, A MIKO'S NATURE

 

 

Kagome had gotten to her feet, and was about to fling herself between a very pissed off wolf demon and a transformed, possessive and deadly dangerous youkai Inuyasha when Sango stopped her, holding her back by the arms.

 

“Don't fight him! Kouga-kun, run away! ” Kagome shouted frantically, trying to break free from the older girl's strong hold on her.

 

“Kagome-chan…don't!” Sango begged of her miko friend desperately. She looked behind her at Miroku. “Houshi-sama!”

 

Miroku nodded immediately, a serene expression settling on his face, as he closed his eyes and concentrated, forming a bright blue barrier that enclosed the small group.

 

“What are you doing?!” Kagome exclaimed in a voice distorted by suppressed anger. “I have to stop this! Inuyasha will kill him!” She shouted at her friends.

 

Shippo, trying his best not to burst into tears, hid behind a now transformed Kirara. He watched in shock as Sango tried to hold her miko friend back, who was putting up quite a good fight, as she continued to call out to Inuyasha desperately.

 

“Kagome-chan…Kagome-chan please calm down…” The older girl whispered soothingly. “It'll be okay…Inuyasha's never hurt Kouga before…” Sango's voice trailed off.

 

`No, he never has before…but it's different now, and we all know it…' The taijiya thought despairingly, as she somehow managed to put a composed, confident front for her best friend's sake.

 

“Kagome-sama…it is not safe out there…Inuyasha…” Miroku began uncertainly. He swallowed, but his throat felt as if it had been stuffed with cotton. Yes, Inuyasha would kill Kouga this time, wouldn't he? This was not one of their usual, harmless fights…

 

They were most certainly not fighting over a bag of potato chips, and no verbal insults were being traded childishly…Instead, they were currently glaring at each other, Inuyasha's smouldering red eyes glowing with anticipation, Kouga's icy cobalt eyes narrowed to slits.

 

Inuyasha was growling loudly in the back of his throat, his untamed silvery white mane swept up from his back and flowing about his transformed face, whipping at his cheeks, his bangs lifting from his eyes in the heated waves his youki was producing, its power emancipating and almost visible in its steadily growing rage.

 

“I can't stay here.” Kagome declared, her expression fearless and determined, her voice dry and firm. “Let go of me, Sango-chan.”

 

“But…” Sango started, looking around for help. Miroku jumped to Sango's rescue as he spoke slowly, patiently. “Kagome-sama, do you think it is wise to…?”

 

“Yes, I do think it's wise!” Kagome snapped determinedly. Miroku's violet eyes widened in disbelief.

 

“Kagome-chan…” Sango gasped.

 

Shippo let out a tiny squeak of shock at Kagome's brusque tone of voice. It wasn't like her to snap at her friends like that. The young miko's voice had been so…brisk when addressing Sango, and she had just yelled at Miroku.

 

Kagome lowered her head, feeling ashamed of herself. “I'm sorry, everyone…I know you're only trying to help, but…but I just can't leave Inuyasha alone. And Kouga-kun could be killed. I…I have to stop this.” She muttered, averting her eyes from her companions. She licked her parch dried lips and with firm resolution, finally managed to break free from the exterminator's hold on her.

 

“Kagome, don't go!” Shippo begged of her in a tiny voice, as the young miko stepped out of the barrier Miroku had erected, promptly ignoring her friends' pleas, and broke into a run. Heading straight for Inuyasha, with a clear, careless intention of stepping right into the line of fire, Kagome called out the full inu-youkai's name over and over again at the top of her voice.

 

Shippo was fully aware that Inuyasha wouldn't hurt Kagome, but he had seen the now full inu-youkai not respond to a single word Kagome had been shouting at him, and this didn't give the kit much hope. Although he wasn't particularly fond of Kouga, since he recalled the ookami-youkai had referred to him as a `snack' for his wolves, and had even wanted to eat him when he and Kagome had been kidnapped and taken to his den, the kitsune didn't want him to die a horrible death by Inuyasha's hands, either.

 

And Shippo knew Inuyasha, hanyou Inuyasha…didn't really want to kill Kouga. If he were to murder the wolf demon with his bare hands in his full demon form, there was no telling how Inuyasha would react afterwards.

 

Meanwhile, Kagome sensed Inuyasha's youki wavering, the jagged, purple marks on his cheeks fading slightly in response to his chosen's call. Inuyasha scowled in apparent distress, his crimson eyes seemingly unseeing as they flashed gold for a split second.

 

Kagome inwardly sighed in relief as she once more tried to reason with the wolf demon. “Kouga-kun! Run!” She begged again, her voice cracking. “Inuyasha! Please, don't give in! Listen to me!”

 

She saw the hesitant flash of gold cross Inuyasha's bloodred eyes for the second time at the sound of her voice, and hope swelled in her chest. “Inuyasha? Please, Inuyasha, listen to me…”

 

Gathering what was left of his weakened human blood at the desperate sound of Kagome's voice, and fighting his youkai side, as his eyes turned from gold to smouldering red and back again, the hanyou realized gloomily that he was losing the battle…and was reluctant to admit that he was not putting much of a fight.

 

As Kagome's pleas were abruptly replaced by his youkai form's raspy, malicious voice in his head, his demon blood noticed the hanyou's inner struggle and decided to make its presence known.

 

`She's begging for the wolf's life, hanyou! What do you think of that? Look at what you've been reduced to…you're actually so fucking scared the stinking wolf is going to take our bitch away from us, you're willingly letting me out, and I didn't even have to talk to you into it!' His youkai side sniggered. Then his voice lowered to a disdainful hiss. `You fucking coward…if you had claimed our bitch back there, the damn wolf would be backing away and you wouldn't be so pathetic as to let me free, fully aware that you can't handle this as the weak hanyou that you are…There's no fucking way he could have ignored our claim then! But no, you had to suddenly grow a conscience, and turn all noble and shit…'

 

`When you're right, you're right, asshole…' What was left of the hanyou thought sourly. `But she's not our bitch…she's my bitch…and you better make damn sure the wimpy wolf gets the message…'

 

`Oh I will, hanyou…you were right, you know, as much as I hate to admit it…when you were being so damn careful with our bitch back there…I was waiting for you to make the right move…unfortunately, you never did…and lo and behold, now we have a fucking wolf to take care of…back off, you pathetic half-breed…and let me enjoy this. I'm sure you're just dying to lick that wolf's blood off our claws, too…very well, I'll grant your secret wish…'

 

`Oi, I don't wanna kill the bastard! Kagome would hate me…hate us…for that…I just…just wanna teach him a lesson…he will not come between me and my bitch, ever again…' Hanyou Inuyasha thought dimly.

 

His youkai side chuckled in his head. `At last we agree on something. He will learn his lesson. But I can't promise you I won't fucking kill him…'

 

All traces of gold vanishing from Inuyasha's eyes, the inu-youkai bared his fangs at Kouga and flexed his claws, savouring the moment, and triumphantly inhaling the unmistakable, rancid smell of fear coming from the wolf demon, his strong, menacing youki returning with a vengeance, gradually increasing and throbbing around him.

 

“Kouga-kun!” Kagome shouted, sensing hanyou Inuyasha's defeat. “Run!”

 

“I ain't running away from no stinking dog!” Kouga declared confidently, not looking away from his current target. There was no way he, the Prince of the Ookami clan, would run from a hanyou, even if he did smell of a full youkai.

 

Ignoring his instincts and Kagome's plea, Kouga bared his fangs at the inu-youkai, who was currently growling viciously at him. “You think you're so strong, dontcha, mutt? You're nothing but a hanyou! It'll take you centuries to defeat me in battle, you pathetic half-breed!” He snarled.

 

“No! Kouga-kun! Inuyasha! Please stop this, both of you!” Kagome tried again. She might as well have been invisible to both males for the time being, though, since Inuyasha looked up at Kouga from under his silvery bangs, crimson eyes flashing dangerously, a dark, bloodcurdling grin touching his lips.

 

“Half-breed?” Inuyasha chuckled, red eyes narrowing, his dark blue pupils contracting, voice lowering to a raspy whisper. He smirked nastily, his elongated fangs grazing his lower lip. “Wake up and smell the blood, wolf… your blood…”

 

Kouga's cobalt eyes narrowed dangerously at the hanyou, now inexplicably turned full youkai. The stakes had been raised. No longer were they fighting for first blood as they had in the past. They were fighting for life. The time for talk was over…and he intended to get the first blow.

 

Dropping to his hands, Kouga supported his weight on his palms and lashed out at Inuyasha with his feet, using his powerful legs to land an effective blow across the now inu-youkai's torso.

 

Using the inertia of his enhanced speed to propel him, the wolf youkai pushed himself backwards off his palms to land on his feet in a crouched defensive position a few feet behind where he had launched his attack.

 

“No! Please, stop this! Stop!” Kagome cried out, now addressing Kouga in her frantic attempts to stop the fight.

 

“Stay out of this, Kagome. This is between me and dog shit over there. It's been long overdue…” Kouga drawled.

 

Kagome shook her head helplessly. “Don't…” She whispered pleadingly.

 

“Stand back.” Kouga said in what he probably considered a benign tone of voice.

 

Pleased with himself, he smiled righteously as Inuyasha dropped to his knees, taking in air in huge, gasping breaths, trying to recover the wind that Kouga had knocked out of him.

 

“Wanna play, stinking wolf? No running away now, yes?” Inuyasha growled in a low, seething voice once he had recovered his breath. In spite of the blow, a slow, malicious grin touched his lips and camped there, almost as if he was…

 

…pleased…

 

Kouga blinked. Youkai Inuyasha looked, indeed, pleased about his current position and the situation at hand. Kouga's brow furrowed with the effort of deep concentration as he tried to make sense of this unexpected reaction.

 

The inu-youkai had just been brought down to his knees. He could hardly breathe, and Kouga was certain he'd heard the sound of broken bones when his spectacular kick hit home. He'd felt the depression of Inuyasha's solar plexus cave under the weight of his feet at his attack, yet the grin persisted on his rival's transformed face.

 

A confused, but clearly annoyed expression adorned Kouga's handsome features briefly, as his insticts howled and attempted to pry him away from the scene more persistantly than before.

 

Kouga's insticts had never been wrong. But there was always a first time for everything, wasn't there? So he pushed them back as far as he could, and managed a tentative smirk in response to youkai Inuyasha's current facial expression; a manic, clearly predatory glint in his crimson eyes, his lip curling as he snarled at Kouga.

 

“You think this is a game, dog shit?” The wolf demon managed at last, unpleasantly surprised and inwardly wincing at the evident wavering in his voice.

 

Inuyasha uttered a deep throated growl that might have been a chuckle at Kouga's words, but he was still on his knees, although he had regained his normal breathing.

 

“Game?” He echoed, his menacing, self-assured smile widening as he looked up at his prey, confident, yet clearly unfocused red eyes meeting Kouga's cobalt slightly baffled yet equally presumptuous depths as the inu-youkai slowly licked his lips, savouring the wolf's invisible blood eagerly.

 

Soon…

 

Not taking his eyes off Inuyasha, and capitalizing on the injured dog demon, the ookami Prince charged forward, intending to end the fight in one swift attack before his insticts snatched him desperately by his ponytail and dragged him kicking and protesting loudly far, far away from the battle field…

 

After all, it would be best for him to wash his hands of the one who threatened his claim on Kagome and take off with his woman. The sooner the better.

 

A tiny voice in Kouga's head mingled with his screaming instincts, one that could be called common sense, insisted loudly that no matter how strong, hanyou or youkai… someone who had just had the breath knocked out of them, and couldn't even stand at the moment was not supposed to smile cockily like Inuyasha was currently smiling. He was not supposed to be happy about it. He was definetely not supposed to be chuckling manically, and his eyes should not be displaying what could only be described as triumph.

 

Had it not been for the inu-youkai's ragged breathing, Kouga could have sworn that Inuyasha had not even felt the pain at all. And that was, of course, impossible. His bones were broken, a couple of ribs, perhaps even his solar plexus.

 

Even the strongest of youkai didn't feel comfortable with broken bones. It was impossible, damnit! Impossible as a hanyou suddenly turning full youkai in the blink of an eye was impossible…

 

Kouga growled at his own thoughts and pushed this tiny voice as far as he could in the back of his mind.

 

There was no time for thinking. It was either kill or be killed. It was his pride on the stake here, his woman was the prize, and he was not going to lose to a measly dog…

 

Somewhere far away, as if in another dimension it seemed, Kouga could hear Kagome's desperate, urgent pleas to the both of them. He caught the smell of her tears, the unmistakable scent of her fear…

 

Nevermind that. He'll deal with it later. His woman needed to be soothed, and he would be the one to disperse her fears and dry her tears. Kagome, however, was still calling Inuyasha's name, her voice cracked and bordering on hysteria.

 

The time to finish this off was now. Light and quick on his feet as the wind itself seemed to carry him, Kouga smirked cockily, or at least felt his lips pulling into a most confident smirk, positive in his knowledge that the slow dog in his sights would barely see him coming.

 

Hanyou or youkai, Inuyasha was still a dog demon, and no one could beat Kouga when it came to speed and cunning, after all. He was a wolf. And a wolf could not afford to lose to a dog. The insignificant fact that Inuyasha was currently a full youkai at the moment for reasons he did not understand was irrelevant. He would win.

 

But Inuyasha did see him coming. As the inu-hanyou's youkai-red eyes pierced his cobalt ones, indicative of Inuyasha's apparently newfound ability to track his movements, a chill ran down Kouga's spine.

 

Unable to stop his attack, Kouga was left with no choice but to take his chances. Cocking his powerful arm behind him, he prepared to deliver a swinging punch to Inuyasha's head…

 

…only it was Inuyasha's fist which met Kouga's body.

 

“Game?” He heard Inuyasha mumble again between clenched teeth. Kouga's cobalt eyes widened with shock and his mouth hung open slackly as his forward momentum abruptly halted. His knees buckling underneath him, he found that his feet dangled inches from the ground.

 

Finally gaining the courage to look down, Kouga's suspicions were confirmed when he saw Inuyasha's arm through his stomach. Said arm had ran effortlessly through Kouga's powerful armour and flesh as if the ookami-youkai was nothing but a paper doll.

 

Kagome screamed.

 

“Game, you say?” This time, youkai Inuyasha smirked victoriously, blood red orbs glowering with malice and delight. He chuckled darkly. “Yeees, a game…” He spat the words. “That's what death is. And now, little wolf…we play…”

 

“You…how…bastard…” Kouga stammered incoherently. He looked up slowly in utter disbelief to find Inuyasha's crimson depths shining mercilessly down at him. The wolf Prince's cobalt eyes rolled into the back of his head and he blacked out.

 

“Inuyasha! No!” Kagome's voice pierced the sudden, heavy silence that had descended across the battlefield.

 

The young girl's hands covered her mouth in horror as she watched her chosen one brutally kick Kouga's limp body off his still closed fist, where it landed in an almost boneless heap on the dusty ground before him.

 

But Inuyasha wasn't finished with him yet.

 

The inu-youkai's arms bowed away from his body and a demented, toothy grin pulled at his lips as he flexed each finger, causing each of his claws to lengthen. In one, sudden move, he had pounced on Kouga, pinning his unconscious form to the ground as he delivered devastating blows to his body repeatedly. His grin widened as he felt the wolf Prince's blood spill from his body.

 

“Kouga-sama!” Two new voices joined in Kagome's horror as the Prince's retainers came sprinting towards the battlefield.

 

Ginta and Hakkaku, both wide-eyed and panting, finally having caught up with their leader, ground to a screeching halt at the scene that greeted them. Their bodies stiff with worry for their friend and ally, both watched in horror at the sight of the raving Inuyasha.

 

And the blood. Kouga's blood. It was too much blood, the metallic smell of it seemingly permeating the air.

 

Steeling themselves, the two wolf demons searched the battlefield purposefully. They found the hanyou's friends, fear stricken as they huddled inside the monk's protective barrier, each as clueless as the next as to how to stop the rampaging Inuyasha. Then, they found what they were looking for.

 

“Nee-chan.” Each of them whispered, their eyes finally locking with Kagome's distressed, wide-eyed gaze.

 

Kagome frowned with worry at the resigned expressions on the faces of Ginta and Hakkaku. Then, they bowed to her in unison.

 

“No…” Kagome murmured.

 

They knew they didn't stand a chance against the seemingly possessed Inuyasha, but neither could they watch the murder of their leader unfold before their eyes. The motley pair of ookami screamed as they charged forward.

 

“No!” Kagome's shriek pierced the battlefield as Inuyasha's eyes, full of bloodlust, looked up to find Kouga's retainers charging him.

 

The inu-youkai focused on the new arrivals, glad to have a live diversion to the motionless heap that the ookami Prince had become. Pathetic, really. His fun with the wolf demon had been brief, and he craved more blood, itched for a good fight. It had been too damn easy.

 

Meanwhile, hanyou Inuyasha was desperately and hopelessly trying to regain control of his body, and failing spectacularly.

 

`You…you killed him…' He said in a choked, horrified whisper inside his youkai side's head.

 

“Keh. Not dead. Passed out. Too weak for us.” Youkai Inuyasha muttered out loud.

 

This random statement had Ginta and Hakkaku puzzled for an instant, but now was not the time for wondering or hesitation. They were not the bravest of the pack, true, but their loyalty came first and foremost.

 

Inuyasha had clearly lost his mind. And Kagome stood there petrified, tears streaming down her pale face, her eyes blank in her shock.

 

“No…” She gasped, looking from Kouga's limp body to Inuyasha's blood smeared hand, Kouga's blood dripping from his fingers and forming a small, defeated pool where the inu-youkai stood, and back to the unconscious, battered wolf demon.

 

Her voice didn't sound frightened, yet something about it went through Ginta and Hakkaku. It had a tone of dull, leaden terror.

 

Currently, youkai Inuyasha was cracking his bloody knuckles and smirking at his new victims. Ginta and Hakkaku too, with their dedication to both Kouga and Kagome, would meet the same end as their Prince.

 

“Wanna play too?” Inuyasha asked the terrified pair of ookami-youkai with eerie mirth, an almost child-like glee reflected in his crimson eyes at the immediate future unfolding before him. It had dead wolves in it. And blood. Lots of blood.

 

The inu-youkai licked Kouga's blood off his hand in a disturbingly distracted manner and smiled contentedly. “Let's play…” Inuyasha sneered, and rising up on all fours, prepared to meet the retainers head on.

 

“SIT!” A voice screamed in his ear as he felt warm arms close around his shoulders, followed by a familiar weight that knocked him off balance. But it was a force other than that weight that pulled him to the ground mercilessly, slamming him face first into the dirt.

 

Kagome didn't notice that the pull of the kotodoma that hung around Inuyasha's neck wasn't as strong or as immediate as usal, and that Inuyasha had resisted it with an almost comical, puzzled expression that crossed his face before he hit the ground, clearly not having the slightest clue of what was happening to him, but fighting the curse nonetheless and ultimately losing to its power.

 

Silence stretched across the battlefield eerily as Inuyasha remained pinned to the ground, vaguely wondering what could have caused this unexpected turn of events and not liking it one bit.

 

Ginta and Hakkaku rushed to their Prince at once, as Kagome pulled herself to her feet and her companions ran to her side, surrounding her worriedly, Miroku being the first to notice that although the spell had effectively subdued Inuyasha, he had not reverted to his hanyou form…

 

A low, slightly perplexed and frustrated growl caused everyone to freeze and slowly turn to the dog demon. The spell starting to wear off, youkai Inuyasha had pushed his torso up with his hands, his eyes once again homing in on the ookami trio.

 

Kagome tried to slip from her friends' worried circle, wanting to run to Inuyasha, but Miroku grabbed her by the arm. Struggling with the defiant young miko, the houshi held her firmly.

 

“Kagome-chan…” Sango began, her voice barely audible.

 

“Let me go!” Kagome shouted at Miroku.

 

The low growl abruptly stopped as Inuyasha pulled himself to his feet and turned towards his friends. His eyes narrowing at the image of his struggling chosen one in the arms of another male, Inuyasha howled.

 

Sango didn't hesitate. “Kirara, please!” She said, trying to keep calm. “Get Kouga and his friends out of here…take them somewhere safe...”

 

“Nee-chan…” Ginta whimpered as he glanced from his fallen Prince to Kagome.

 

The young miko nodded. “Go, both of you! Take Kouga-kun with you!” She urged, still struggling in Miroku's arms. “Shippo! Get Shippo out of here!” Kagome begged of Sango, who in turn nodded to Kirara.

 

The kitsune was in a state of mute shock as Kirara whisked him away from the danger. Ginta and Hakkaku lifted their leader's unconscious form and lay him on the firecat youkai's back.

 

They looked back at Kagome uncertainly. “Just go!” She screamed. They nodded mutely and climbed onto Kirara's back.

 

Shippo blinked down at the exterminator, seemingly recovering from his shock as he spoke in a tiny voice. “He won't hurt Kagome…” He said. “He won't, I know it…”

 

Sango had trouble believing in the kitsune's words in spite of the conviction in his voice, but nodded just to keep the small fox youkai at ease. “Maybe not, Shippo… but…he doesn't recognize us now. We're not his friends in his eyes…no one is…”

 

Shippo nodded reluctantly and bit his bottom lip. “Be careful…Sango… Miroku… Inuyasha won't hurt Kagome…” He reiterated as firmly as he could manage given the situation, his voice not wavering, but his emerald eyes brimming with tears once again. His unspoken words lingered in the tense air…

 

But he might hurt you…

 

“We will.” Sango said without much conviction. She smacked Kirara's side. “Kirara, now!” She shouted, and the firecat youkai kicked from the ground and flew swiftly away from the scene.

 

“Sango…you should have gone with them…” Miroku said dissaprovingly.

 

“Like hell I will!” Sango retorted fiercely, clutching her faithful Hiraikotsu. “I won't leave my friends, no matter what! And that includes Inuyasha.” She said, trying to keep her voice from breaking.

 

“I thought you'd say that…” Miroku smiled faintly.

 

Kagome was crying now, desperately trying to break free from the houshi's arms.

“Miroku-sama, let me go! Sango-chan, I beg you…don't - don't hurt him! Inuyasha…I have to…” She swallowed. “Just let me go to him!” Kagome's voice rose bravely as she struggled, wanting nothing more to ease Inuyasha's rampage and get the youkai's sights off their friends.

 

“I am sorry, Kagome-sama, but I cannot do that.” Miroku said resignedly, refusing to send Kagome to what he feared would be her death at youkai Inuyasha's hands. He'd have to go through him first.

 

And that was just what Inuyasha planned to do.

 

“Miroku-sama, please!” Kagome begged as her chosen approached. “Inuyasha!” She pleaded, but neither would heed her calls.

 

“Ka. Go. Me.” Inuyasha muttered, and gave Miroku a murderous, smouldering glare. He sniffed disdainfully.

 

So…this pathetic human male thought he could keep his bitch away from him, did he? This human dared lay his filthy hands on his intended mate? Oh, he would have fun killing this one…

 

Sango saw it coming. She let out a scream as Inuyasha's hand shot out with youkai speed. Miroku let out a strangled gasp, as the dog demon's strong fingers closed around his throat, his claws imbedding themselves in the tender skin of his neck.

 

Slowly, the monk felt his weight being lifted off his feet as Inuyasha pulled him from the ground by his neck. “Ka. Go. Me. Mine!” He bellowed.

 

Finally, the houshi released Kagome. “Run.” He whispered, his voice pinched as he pushed her away with all his strength.

 

Running was the last thing on her mind. Having finally regained her freedom, Kagome spun back to her chosen and her friend, fear in her chocolate-hued eyes. “Inuyasha, SIT!” Kagome screamed. “SIT!”

 

But nothing happened.

 

His bloodred eyes staring blankly ahead, that merciless grin plastered on his face, Kagome knew Inuyasha was lost to his youkai side. The color drained from Miroku's face, his eyes began to shut and fresh blood began to spill down his neck from where the inu-youkai's claws had dug into his skin.

 

“Inuyasha, please…Inuyasha, he's your best friend!” Kagome pleaded with the dog demon. And only got a vicious growl in response.

 

“Bitch!” Inuyasha grunted, and glanced at the miko from the corner of his eye. “MINE!”

 

“Yes…yes! Inuyasha's Kagome…I - he was just…” Kagome began helplessly. “Oh Gods, please…stop, please…y-you'll kill him…” Fresh tears flowed freely down the young girl's cheeks.

 

Unfortunately, the scent of her tears mingled with that of her fear did nothing to appease the enraged inu-youkai.

 

“Inuyasha, don't! Please don't hurt him! Miroku-sama is your friend! Look at him! He's your best friend…Inuyasha…listen to me…” Kagome screamed frantically. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sango's movements. “No! Don't hurt him!” She yelled at the taijiya.

 

“I…” Sango started, her knuckles going white as she clutched Hiraikotsu, looking from Inuyasha to Miroku and back to her miko friend. She nodded reluctantly, trusting in Kagome's insticts.

 

Sango approached the monk and the berseker Inuyasha slowly, dropping Hiraikotsu with a dull thump to the ground and holding her hands up in surrender.

 

“Sango! Stand back!” Miroku managed, as Inuyasha's hand squeezed tighter around his neck, lifting him up higher. “Inu…yasha…” Miroku gasped.

 

“Human…you will never…touch her…again…” Inuyasha hissed, and squeezed.

 

“No!” Kagome and Sango yelled simultaneously as Miroku's eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out.

 

“Kagome-chan…” The taijiya said desperately. “Stop him…only you can!” Her strong front vanishing like smoke, Sango broke into a fit of choked sobs. “Save him…” She whispered in a heart breaking voice, so unlike her.

 

“Inuyasha…there are…no enemies…” Kagome whispered soothingly. Inuyasha stiffened and looked sideways at the approaching young miko.

 

He sensed danger. From his bitch? How could that be? He growled low in his throat, and Kagome inwardly cringed.

 

“Let go of him, Inuyasha…” Kagome continued. He narrowed his red eyes at her, dark blue pupils contracting.

 

“There are no enemies here.” The young miko pleaded with him, approaching the now puzzled inu-youkai cautiously, yet purposedly. “Kagome's…Inuyasha?” She asked tentatively.

 

“Only one.” Inuyasha stated, his temporary confusion at the danger he'd sensed from his bitch dissipating in his overwhelming thirst for revenge; his mind directed by a single purpose. There was only one, indeed. And it was him. His bitch belonged to him.

 

No one would threaten his claim, especially not a pathetic human. If the hanyou was as blind and careless as to allow his bitch near other males, he would make damn sure it never happened again…

 

A lesson the meddling wolf had to learn from youkai Inuyasha, merely because the hanyou was too fucking righteous to do it himself, and had willingly allowed his youkai side the freedom to speak out for him.

 

This wasn't about the lesson the full inu-youkai was about to teach this foolish human male who'd dared touch his bitch, either. Because the measly human would not live through it to learn that laying his filthy hands on his intended mate was not a wise thing to do.

 

No, this human's demise would also teach the hanyou a lesson.

 

No enemies? In the inu-youkai's mind, anyone who was not his bitch was a potential enemy. Not a real threat, of course, not to him…but an enemy.

 

And this particular human foe would meet his fate, one the stinking wolf had escaped by dumb luck alone. The hanyou needed to learn his place, too, after all...there was no room for preposterous mercy. Youkai Inuyasha didn't understand that term.

 

With these thoughts burning red hot in his mind, the inu-youkai bared his fangs at the monk. “Only. One!” He shouted once more at the unconscious Miroku, squeezing harder.

 

Sango covered her face with her hands and sobbed. The human female's whimpering was starting to get on youkai Inuyasha's nerves as well, but first things first…he grinned, a manic gleam in his crimson eyes as he took in the human male's deadly pale face, caught the scent of his blood…

 

“NO!” Kagome screamed. Sensing Miroku was on death's door, she had no other option but to throw herself at Inuyasha, her arms snaking around his waist. “No! Inuyasha stop it, stop it!”

 

Kaede's words from earlier that morning echoed in Sango's ears as she slowly looked up, her fingers slipping from her face numbly…

 

…this is a power that is locked within her…

 

Raw, pure white light enveloped the inu-youkai and miko, as the power flowed from Kagome's hands…

 

…she has done this before, however...she was being attacked by a centipede youkai at the time…I do not believe she realized she was doing it…she became frightened…

 

…Inuyasha screamed in sheer agony, and Miroku fell bonelessly to the ground...

 

…A miko will protect those that are helpless, first and foremost. And our Kagome is particularly selfless. Her full potential will only awaken if the life of others is threatened…

 

Sango rushed to Miroku's side, immediately checking his pulse. Miroku's violet, unfocused eyes opened slowly. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. Both the monk and the exterminator stared in awe at the white hot light.

 

“Kagome-chan…” Sango whispered. “Her miko powers…” Miroku looked at Sango, breathing hoarsely, his eyes almost bulging out of their sockets, and mutely, nodded his head.

 

“Houshi-sama…you…you were almost killed…” Sango stammered.

Again, Miroku nodded, but this seemed to be of absolutely no importance as the two humans stared in horrified silence at the embracing couple.

 

They had been enveloped in what looked painfully like lightning. A crackling white light had snaked around their bodies, as Inuyasha screamed in excruciating pain. He shut his eyes tightly and when he opened them, there was no trace of red in them.

 

The inu-hanyou's golden eyes widened in shock as he felt his entire body tense up. Sizzling torture coursed through his being, his blood seemingly no longer life liquid but white, liquid fire pulsing through his veins and scorching his skin, every fiber of his being howling in agony, as the overwhelming fire spread from where Kagome's hands had wrapped about his waist and towards his brain.

 

Something in him…exploded. He prayed to all the Gods it had not been his heart. He screamed and tried to squirm, tried to pull back from the pain, but unconsciously held onto the source of it as if his life depended on it; leaning back against Kagome herself, who apparently had not realized this was her doing, and was temporarily blinded by the white, pure light that had surrounded them both.

 

He could not move. Lightning wrapped around the inu-hanyou and the young miko's bodies. Inuyasha felt as if he was being ripped apart. No one could stand so much agony and survive, he thought vaguely, completely unaware in his blinding pain that he had reverted to his hanyou form, or that his mouth was open in an ear-shattering scream of anguish he could not hear.

 

In fact, he couldn't hear or sense anything. All he could feel was the incalculable pain, all he could see was the white light. He shut his eyes, this action alone causing him pain too, as he saw the blinding light burst behind his eyelids.

 

And, suddenly he heard Kagome's voice.

 

“INUYASHA!” She was screaming, but the pain in his head muted her voice to a faint echo. He tried to focus on her presence, opening his stinging eyes with a tremendous amount of will, but he could make out nothing but the light around him. Dimly, he felt her tense body pressed against his back.

 

“Inuyasha!” Kagome yelled again, this time sobs filling her voice. She was a far away echo, until he felt her small frame pull away from him abruptly, the white light disappearing immediately, apparently being sucked back into her small, now trembling body, as she finally comprehended in leaden horror that she was the cause of his suffering.

 

She stared dully at her own hands, the raw power running through her veins and sparks issuing from her fingertips, her palms and her entire body tingling with the newly awakened miko strength in her.

 

Inuyasha had not stopped screaming for an instant. With one last agonizing shriek of pain, he landed on his back with a loud thump.

 

Sparks still shot out from his unmoving body. It convulsed briefly, as Kagome watched helplessly, the sudden silence and her steadily growing horror descending upon her like a ton of bricks, her spine turning icy cold.

 

Kagome shut her eyes tightly and muttered “No no no no no no…” under her breath over and over again, her hands covering her ears in a desperate, useless gesture of denial. “No, please, no…I didn't…please, I didn't, please…”

 

Her eyes welled with tears and she let out a scream of anguish. She just screamed and screamed. She felt utterly drained and weak, as if the life had been sucked dry out of her. She couldn't breathe, she felt dizzy and her body felt incredibly heavy, her throat was dry, but had she not screamed out loud, Kagome was sure she would have lost her mind. She was not so certain if she was entirely safe from losing it completely yet.

 

Inuyasha…where was Inuyasha? She opened her eyes fearfully and her breath caught in her throat. She looked around, only to see Sango with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open, staring at her best friend as if she had suddenly sprouted tentacles.

 

Miroku was choking for breath, as a painful coughing fit that wrecked his entire body seized him, the marks of Inuyasha's large hands fresh around his throat and the blood where his razor sharp claws had pierced his skin trickling down his neck. He could not speak, but that didn't matter, for the first time he could not think of a single thing to say as he blinked and gave Kagome very much the same awed, terrified look Sango was giving her.

 

“Kagome-chan…” Sango whispered in half terror, half fascination.

 

Inuyasha was laying unconscious a few feet away from the group. Kagome had collapsed to her knees, trying to catch her breath again, her hands tingling, her heart pounding loudly at her ribcage.

 

She'd hurt him.

She'd hurt Inuyasha like…like she had done…

 

Kagome had never been so frightened in her entire life. Was this what Inuyasha felt like, she wondered dimly, knowing that there was a power locked in his blood that he could not control, and fearing it would unleash and hurt her, without him having a saying in it? Her blood boiled with raw miko energy.

 

Inuyasha had been purified…and Kagome had no clue how she had achieved this. Nor did she want to know. She didn't want this to happen again. All she had done, as far as she knew…was…touch him…

 

Did Inuyasha's heart feel as dead as hers was feeling now, his stomach just as heavy with guilt, whenever he thought he could harm her were his demon blood awakened, if he so much as touched her?

 

`I…I just touched him…and then…then what happened? Oh, Gods…Inuyasha forgive me…'

 

Kagome's glassy eyes rested on Inuyasha's still form, finally managing a single word.

“Inuyasha…” She gasped, her voice hoarse. Looking towards the unconscious boy, she blinked away her tears to see clearly.

 

Inuyasha was human.

 

Kagome took in Inuyasha's now midnight black hair. His firerat haori had been burnt to nothingness where her hands had been positioned, and the skin showing through the two burned gaps had been severely singed.

 

He was breathing…oh, thank the Gods, he was breathing…his chest rose and fell in deep, gasping, shallow breaths, his eyes shut tightly, his arms limp at his sides.

 

Kagome crawled over to him, ignoring her two human companions, and wept silently. She shakily moved his head to her lap, her tears falling onto his pale face.

 

“I'm sorry…oh Gods Inuyasha what have I done?” She whispered. She had never wanted to hold him so badly as she did now. But she was so scared, so scared to hurt him again. “I…I hurt you…I hurt you! And I promised you I…”

 

Inuyasha's eyes slowly opened as a tear landed on his eyelid and his now blue depths locked with Kagome's chocolate-hued eyes. “You promised you'd…try.” He panted.

 

“What…what have I done?” Kagome whimpered.

 

“Keh. Baka. You saved the bouzo's life, that's what you did. That was…fucking unbelievable, wench.” Inuyasha coughed and moved his head to the side. “Shit. I'm human, aren't I?”

 

He didn't need anyone to answer that for him as he stared at his raven forelocks and took in his dulled senses. “Oi…Miroku…” Inuyasha called weakly. “You alive?” There was a tinge of fear in his voice.

 

“He'll be okay…” Sango managed in a broken whisper. Miroku looked towards Inuyasha and gave him a tiny, reassuring smile.

It was not the first time he'd been attacked by a full youkai Inuyasha...when the hanyou's human blood had been sealed in the fake tennyou's mirror, youkai Inuyasha had lashed out at him with his razor sharp claws and torn out his robe and good part of his flesh. In his opinion, he'd gotten off easily this time, and like Sango, he had silently sworn to remain along side their hanyou friend, through thick and thin.

 

“You look like shit.” The inu-hanyou said to Miroku.

 

Their tactless hanyou friend. Miroku's smile widened slightly as he shrugged. Then he pointed at the battered human Inuyasha, indicating he didn't look any better than he did.

 

From Miroku's point of view, he would ask Inuyasha to try and kill him more often if it meant Sango would be holding him against her chest like she was currently doing. He thought with interest he could even get away with grabbing her butt and she wouldn't dare slap a dying man…

 

Inuyasha sighed in relief as his fingers shakily rose and his thumb brushed away Kagome's tears.

 

“Don't cry...I hate that…” He said weakly, and offered her a slightly apologetic smile. This only made Kagome cry harder. “Oi! I said don't cry!” Inuyasha's voice rose slightly as he scowled up at the young girl.

 

“I…hurt you…” Kagome echoed dully.

 

“And you saved Miroku's life. You saved me. He would have killed him. Shit…he would have killed him…” Inuyasha said darkly. “Fuck!” Suddenly, he tried to sit up and winced in pain. Inuyasha hissed and grabbed his side. “Broken ribs, damaged solar plexus…I've had worse while being human…” The now human boy muttered.

 

Inuyasha looked down at his blood stained hand and his midnight blue eyes widened in horror. “Oh, shit. Kagome, please tell me I didn't…where's the wimpy wolf?” He looked around wildly and spotted the pool of blood where Kouga's limp body had lay.

 

“Kirara took him and his friends somewhere safe. Shippo went with them. He's alive, Inuyasha.” Sango said slowly, and for her hanyou friend's sake, smiled smally.

 

“Shit…” Inuyasha expressed himself eloquently. “Fucking wolf broke my bones…” He looked up at Kagome who hadn't stopped crying for an instant. “Stop that, damnit! Is he…is he…um…” Inuyasha averted his gaze from the young miko's pale, distressed face. “Is he too…err…badly hurt?”

 

`I told him, I told the bastard not to kill him…' Inuyasha thought angrily, and then to his shame, admitted to himself that this time, his youkai side, as ruthless as it had been, was not entirely to blame…

 

He could taste Kouga's blood in his mouth and he felt ill. His stomach turned. He wasn't feeling at his best either, the purification had weakened him and he felt the sweat running down his face, his head spinning, as he closed his eyes tightly for a moment.

 

There was a silver lining, though, Inuyasha thought grimly…after a purification spell like the one Kagome had unknowingly performed on him…there was no way his youkai side would be speaking to him in his head any time soon…

 

Inuyasha mentally berated himself. How could he have let the bastard out so easily? Why had he given in?

 

`Because…he was going to take Kagome away…I…' Inuyasha thought desperately. There were no excuses. He could probably make up a good reason for this, good enough to ease his own mind, at least, if he could only think clearly, but the heavy weight of guilt settled on the pit of his stomach, and he was going to have to bear it silently and without a single word of complaint.

 

He wondered briefly if he could ever get away with never telling anyone about the fact that he had allowed his demon side to take over him, simply because it was stronger, because he'd wanted to teach the wolf a lesson…because Kagome was his, damnit, and it was about time the wimpy wolf got the message…

 

`What the hell was I thinking? Fucking wolf is annoying as hell…but he doesn't deserve to die…'

 

And Miroku…fuck, he had almost killed Miroku, and the monk sat there in Sango's arms, smiling at him, like he was not to blame for this.

 

Inuyasha winced and his brow furrowed. Something told him a simple apology would do no good…and what was he supposed to say, anyways? `I'm sorry I tried to kill you, I promise I won't do it again'? Yeah, that sounded reassuring. He sighed defeatedly.

 

Luckily, Kagome thought Inuyasha's pained expression was due to his injury and reached out for him, once more laying his head carefully onto her warm lap.

 

“Don't move…” She whispered soothingly, brushing his raven bangs from his eyes.

 

So Kouga had a big, gaping hole through his stomach. Inuyasha knew all too well what that felt like. It wasn't nice, to say the least. But it could have been worse. Much worse. Kouga could have a big, gaping hole through his stomach, and be dead.

 

And now Inuyasha's ribs were broken, and if they weren't, he sure as hell was feeling the throbbing pain his youkai side had completely ignored. It wasn't that bad, really. He'd had much worse…including all of his bones being broken by a hermit the size of a fucking oni who had been several miles over the insanity horizon, and whose body had seemingly been made of solid rock…come to think about it, every time he was human he nearly escaped death, so he considered himself lucky he had gotten away with just a few broken bones.

 

Besides, he had been in his full youkai state when the wolf had delivered the devastating blow, and his bones had managed to heal themselves faster than usual. As a full youkai, Kouga would be completely healed the following day.

 

When Sesshoumaru had punched a hole through his stomach, it had taken Inuyasha three days to heal. And the bastard he had for a half-brother had poison claws, while the inu-hanyou did not. The deadly poison running through Inuyasha's veins back then had been the most painful of the healing process for him.

 

Desperately, Inuyasha tried to relieve some of the guilt and redeem himself in his own eyes. After all, the wolf had found himself in a much more…awkward… situation, years ago, when Kagura had beaten the living daylights out of him and taken his Shikon shards from his legs.

 

Inuyasha had almost felt sorry for him then, he'd looked so pathetic. Almost, but not quite. Then again, Inuyasha himself had been human that time, too.

 

Shit, he didn't know if he could take this. He'd been human the previous night, damnit! And now he was trapped in this useless, weak body again, his senses dulled, incapable of smelling Kagome's unique scent properly, which was driving him insane, and feeling physically ill to boot.

 

He tried to focus on Kagome's aura as cold sweat ran down his face. The now human Inuyasha was suddenly very grateful he was laying down, or he was certain he would have fallen. Inuyasha shut his eyes and felt Kagome's gentle fingers stroke his hair. His entire body relaxed at her ministrations.

 

“You have a fever…” Kagome whispered.

 

“No shit…” Inuyasha mumbled. The purification was taking its toll on him and he began having trouble breathing.

 

“Oh, Inuyasha…please forgive me…” Kagome murmured in a heart-breaking voice.

 

“For what? For saving the bouzo's life? Idiot.” Inuyasha breathed, without opening his eyes. “You kept your promise, wench. I…” He swallowed painfully. “Miroku…owes you his life…” It hurt, just to talk.

 

Kagome let out a choked sob. “Oi, I can't smell it but I can hear you crying, so stop it…” Inuyasha mumbled. “I hate…that…I'm - I'm sorry…Kagome…I'm sorry…” Inuyasha was slipping into unconsciousness slowly but surely. The hanyou now turned human turned his head, and the blissful darkness claimed him despite his silent protests.

 

Kagome looked up at Miroku and Sango. Sango was supporting the monk as they made their way towards them slowly. Miroku coughed painfully as he leaned his weight on Sango, and offered Kagome a grateful smile. “I…” He coughed again. “Kagome-sama…you saved my life…” He croaked.

 

Kagome shook her head. “I don't know…how it happened…I-I didn't mean to…I couldn't have, I'm not that strong…h-how…” She stammered, biting her lip.

 

Not fully conscious of it, she stroked Inuyasha's face tenderly, forcing herself not to cry. “He's burning up…” She whispered, more to herself than to her companions. “I…I did this to him…” She murmured.

 

Sango considered a brief explanation on inu-youkai's instincts and how they would behave towards any grown male and their intended mates was in order. As she spoke slowly, Kagome noticed she slapped away Miroku's wandering hand a couple of times as the recovering monk tried to grab her butt. To keep his mind, and particularly his hand from wandering, Sango suggested that Miroku explain what Kaede had told them earlier about Kagome's now unsealed miko powers.

 

The young girl listened intently and when the monk was through, she shook her head. “But…how can I know it won't happen again?” She asked.

 

“You can learn to control it, Kagome-chan…” Sango said slowly. “You didn't mean to hurt Inuyasha, your blood reacted because you wanted to protect not only Houshi-sama but you wanted to save Inuyasha from himself…”

 

“The spell on the kotodama…it didn't work the second time…” Kagome thought out loud.

 

Sango and Miroku exchanged a worried look. “We don't know the reason behind that…” Miroku admitted wearily. He looked at the unconscious Inuyasha. “Kagome-sama, do you think perhaps it would be a good idea to take Inuyasha with you back to your country? He's human and it's broad daylight…” He began.

 

Sango nodded. “He's - not well. He can't even walk, I think the only safe place for him right now would be there…with you.”

 

Kagome bit her lip and nodded her head. “But…he will be angry when he comes to…he will still want to go after Naraku, even in his human form…” She said in a low voice, a concerned frown marring her features.

 

The three humans sighed wearily as they looked down at their stubborn hanyou friend.

 

“He'll only get himself killed if he stays here…” Miroku said carefully. “Mushin's place isn't far from here. Sango…do you think you can go there and bring Hacchi with you? That way, Kagome-sama and Inuyasha can rest and they can return to the Bone Eater's well faster.”

 

“Houshi-sama…will you be alright?” Sango asked Miroku, her brow furrowing in concern. Miroku smiled widely. “Ah, Sango my dear, you are worried about my well being…” He sighed blissfully, his hand once again trying to make contact with the exterminator's behind.

 

This time, she did slap him in the face. “You're well enough.” Sango muttered, hiding a relieved smile. “I remember the way. I'll be right back. You guys stay put.” She said, then realized Kagome and Inuyasha were obviously not going anywhere.

 

The young miko looked like she could barely keep her eyes open, and indeed as Sango turned to leave, Kagome leaned her head back against the bark of a tree, and promptly fell into a deep, dreamless slumber.

 

Miroku sighed in near despair as he watched Sango's figure leave, violet eyes lingering on her butt. “Oh, well. It was good while it lasted.” He said to himself as he sat down next to the miko and the inu-hanyou, now sporting a nice, red handprint on his cheek and looking quite happy about it. But the golden sun setting behind the mountains in the horizon did little to ease his worries.

 

His gaze fixed towards the North and his brow furrowed. “Naraku…” He muttered to himself. Then he realized Inuyasha was barely awake, yet looking at him wearily.

 

“Inuyasha?” Miroku whispered, careful not to awake his miko friend.

Inuyasha sighed and looked away, ashamed. “Miroku…I…”

I'm sorry I tried to kill you…

“I…” The now human boy swallowed.

 

Miroku smiled at his hanyou friend. “Apology accepted. Inuyasha, I know it was not you. Your youkai side was…just trying to protect Kagome-sama…is that correct?”

 

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably, yet he would not look at Miroku in the eye. Guilt swelled in him that his best friend would forgive him so easily. “Kind of. I guess…” He said lamely.

 

“It is getting stronger, is it not?” Miroku asked, trying not to sound as worried as he felt for his hanyou friend.

 

“No.” Inuyasha grunted. “It's my fucking human blood that's…weak.” He winced, as if speaking alone was causing him pain.

 

“Would you care to explain…how this happened?” Miroku asked slowly. He'd heard from Sango and Kagome's conversation earlier that Kikyou had been the cause of it, yet he didn't know how the resurrected miko could have accomplished this.

 

“Keh.” Inuyasha muttered. “I don't know. I mean…I…don't know how she did it…”

 

“She?” Miroku asked tentatively. After all, it would be better for Inuyasha to admit it himself…

 

Inuyasha sighed painfully. “She found me…I swear I didn't go looking for her…I told her to stop…I thought I was…dreaming…and then it was too late…I - I hurt her…” He mumbled, as if he was talking in his sleep.

 

“You are not referring to Kagome-sama.” Miroku said. It was not a question.

 

“I…hurt Kagome, too…” Inuyasha replied weakly.

 

Miroku realized his hanyou friend was probably not fully aware that he was saying this out loud. He looked so lost and defeated, his dark blue eyes unfocused and unseeing, his brow furrowed with the effort it took to merely speak.

 

His dry lips parted, and he continued in a dull whisper. “I don't get it…why…or how…I didn't know…I thought she was - I thought she was Kagome…I was dreaming…and then…it didn't turn out to be a dream. It was a…a fucking nightmare… it didn't make sense…I just…wanted to wake up…but it wasn't…a nightmare…”

 

His blue eyes closed, his chest rising and falling heavily with his ragged breathing. Talking had clearly exhausted him. “It was real…” He muttered before he slipped once more into unconsciousness.

 

The monk sighed tiredly, his thoughts racing in his head as he tried to put two and two together. As the first stars made their presence known in the darkening sky, Miroku felt his own eyelids drooping, and he fought sleep until it defeated him.

 

TBC

 

ANs: Spoilers here! And a quick explanation…I based the purification in this Ch on what Inu experienced at Mt. Hakurei, where the Shichinin-tai arc takes place (eps 102-122, manga volumes 24-28) Just in case you don't read the manga or didn't get that far in the anime, I wanted to clarify this. Inu turns human when he goes through the barrier, and turns hanyou again when Sango and Miroku destroy it. I wanted to point out it takes a lot of power to do this. A full youkai would have been completely purified there, but since Inu is hanyou, his youkai blood was purified, and he just turned human.

 

Thanks to everyone who took the time to review here at mm.org! I luv ya guys! Your support means the world to me! *group hug*

Special thanks to: Cynbad146, Lady_Kagome, Boop, leila-chan, Inuyashas4ever, Tia-chan, ADemonsLove, britbrat, dark irish sorceress, Hanyou_girl142008, artemis the hunter, Sorchan, sailor saturn, iluvsesshoumaru, tinkerbell, Knock-on-Wood, i love kagome, addictedtopajamas and Kitsune Hanyou.

 

Keep `em coming, guys! Please read and review! Your opinions mean the world to me and help me write more. THANK YOU ALL! And thanks in advance for your REVIEWS! ^_^

Until next ch! Love, ramen and pocky!

YM