InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Mitsukaitou: Blade of the Angel ❯ Chapter 3

Shippo awoke in Kagome's arms.

Huh. She must have moved me in the night, he thought, remembering falling asleep at the foot of her sleeping bag. As he was breathing, Shippo noticed something strange about Kagome's scent. She had demon blood. Kagome's normal scent was over it, but... the demon blood was never there before!

"Hey!" he shouted, effectively waking this Kagome imposter. She looked at him groggily. It wasn't like Shippo to be so rude to her. "You're not Kagome!" he shouted accusingly. Before he could continue, Kagome put a gentle hushing hand over his mouth.

"It's me Shippo. You can ask me anything to prove it. But as to the demon blood you smell, it's a bit complicated, um," she looked for a way to explain what had happened in a way that Inuyasha wouldn't become the most loathed figure in the small kit's life, "I was running out of blood, so Inuyasha gave me some of his, since he's a hanyou, you smell demon blood." Shippo's eyes widened.

"Are you mates?"

"NO! No, not like that! But, that's not important right now. What's important is that I am Kagome." Shippo gave her a trusting look.

"Okay Okaa-san" She smiled. Shippo sometimes referred to her as "Okaa-san," but he'd made it a bit more of a habit lately. Shippo wanted to go back to sleep, but he found that he would be alone in doing so.

"Miroku, where's Sango?" asked Kagome, from where she was changing behind some thick shrubs, having not seeing her friend around camp.

"She went to the river to take a bath, I believe." He replied to a fully clothed Kagome.

"Thanks." Kagome said with a wave as she headed in the direction of the stream.

When Kagome arrived, Sango was just finishing dressing. Kagome noticed, with great satisfaction, that her feet made no noise as she walked.

"Hey!" she greeted Sango. Her friend, in surprise, jumped.

"Hi. Sorry, I was going to wake you, but Inuyasha said to leave you alone since you had a bath last night." Sango gave a curious glance, not fully wanting to ask why Inuyasha would know. She'd hoped for an explanation, and she got it.

"About that...don't tell Miroku until Inuyasha's not around, he might feel uncomfortable if he thought you knew."

"What is it Kagome?"

"Last night..." Kagome explained the occurrences to her closest friend.

"So, he thinks we'd look down on him?"

"For hurting me." she nodded. "But I said you wouldn't, and you shouldn't."

"I don't! It must have taken a lot of control, for both of you, to do all that. I don't think I could." Kagome smiled.

"Another thing. I hate to leave you guys, but...I think I'm going to clear out."

"Travel on your own?"

"Yeah. Give me a few weeks, five weeks at the most, and I'll work my way back to you. Nothing permanent" Sango's face turned from alarmed to relieved. At least it wasn't for long.

"Okay. Is there anything I can do?"

"Two things, actually. Inuyasha and Shippo will be able to sniff me out; try to keep them off my trail. The other thing I'd appreciate is if you could show me how to make a gas mask."

"Sure. That'll be easy. When are you leaving?"

"Late tomorrow night. However, I'm going back to my time today to stock up, so you won't see much of me today."

"You're really strong Kagome, and I'm not talking about youkai blood or miko powers or anything like that. Don't ever let anyone ever tell you something different. Okay?"

"Alright. Thanks Sango. I honestly believe that you are as well, far beyond me. I could never live through the suffering that I know you have. I'm going to leave now. I should be back soon, five hours tops."

"Sure thing. I'll go back and get some things we need for the mask today. It's time I visited them anyway." Kagome looked at Sango sympathetically. It had to be hard to go back. At least she would have Kirara with her. Kagome looked at Sango a moment longer, and then took off running towards the well, human speed.

"Bye Inuyasha! I'll be back later today! See you then!" she called to the hanyou as she bolted for the well.

"Hey now, I didn't say you could-"

"SIT!" and with that, she was gone.

Now then, what will I need..? She pondered as she leapt up from her side of the well, noticing that she would no longer need the rope ladder, which previously aided her. Well, I need to tell my mom she has a demon for a daughter. Nothing I have clothing wise is right for that era, I should buy a kimono, and shoes, I should pack light, I won't have anyone to help me now. Maybe I shouldn't have anything extra..? I could live with just a one yukata. Okay, I can do that. She ran into something hard, and realized that it was the door to her home. She giggled feebly to herself.

"Mom! I'm back!"

"Oh, hi sweetheart! It's been so long! What now, three weeks? Is something unusual about you? You seem...different."

"Oh, um, actually Mom, I should tell you..." for the second time that day, Kagome relived the night's events. Her mother looked a bit stunned.

"I see. So you're a half demon now?" She asked weakly.

"Not quite. The...situation, um, straightened itself out before then. But, I'm going back to the past soon. And I won't be back for, maybe three months."

"That long?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry, but I really need to work things out now. I mean, Inuyasha looks so...guilty when he looks at me. I can't stand that. And if I just avoid him by staying here, he'll come after me. So, the only place I can hide from Inuyasha and slash or make a positive difference is in the past. You understand..?"

"Yes Kagome. I really do. I'm proud of you, how you're taking this. It shows real strength."

"So I've heard. I'm going into town for a while, I should be back soon. I just have to buy something to travel in that isn't so...conspicuous as what I have now." Kagome said, jogging out of the door, purse in hand.

Hmm...She thought. Summertime. I suppose short sleeves will do. She flipped through racks of yukatas. She stopped on one and pulled it out to inspect more thoroughly. It was jade green with the palest of frost blue thread creating the symbols for the word, "Wind" in a very small font near the right shoulder. The sleeves stopped just after the shoulder, appropriate for the weather. She quickly slipped it on. Truly appropriate to the era, it was full length, and exposed nothing. However, should she move quickly, a slit running to the mid thigh was revealed on each side. Perfect for flexibility, which would be mandatory, with the plans she had in mind. Satisfied, she changed back into her modern clothing and bought the yukata, as well as a pair of closed in shoes she'd found to match it. She then went to a nearby accessory store to get a bag more suited to the time she would be living in. She found a strong, gray canvas messenger-style bag that would fit just what she needed within it. She sighed with relief as she left the city for her house.

As Kagome entered her home, she was met with a great mass of red. She looked up innocently into the eyes of Inuyasha.

"Hi Inuyasha." She said cheerfully.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"What do you mean, 'what are you doing here?' This is my house! What are you doing here?"

"You know what I meant! I'm here to take you back to where you belong."

"Who says I don't belong here?"

"Me!"

"Too bad! I had planned on coming back today, but maybe I should stay here for a while!" Inuyasha growled at her.

"I'll drag you back, you know I will!"

"And I'll beep you until you can't stand!" he looked at her, knowing she would sit him clear through to the other side of the Earth.

"If you don't come back tonight I'll force you."

"I'd planned on being back in another three hours. If I'm not, you can drag me, kicking and screaming, to your heart's content."

"I have permission?" he asked with a doubtfully hopeful expression and tone.

"GO! I'll see you later Inuyasha. Really, you need to learn to trust me more!" Inuyasha glared at Kagome and snorted, but left nonetheless. Kagome sighed deeply.

"Mom, where's Sota?" Kagome asked through her sigh.

"He spent last night at a friend's house. He should be home soon. Can you wait for him?"

"Of course! I'm going to spend as long as I can here."

"And if Inuyasha makes good on his threat to haul you off?"

"He can live a few extra hours without me." Kagome's mother grinned. Her daughter truly was amazing, though she may not have known it yet. That was when Sota came into the house.

"SOTA!" Kagome squealed as she ran to her brother and hugged him tightly.

"Kag...o...me...let...go..." he choked out with the little air he could pull into his lungs. Kagome grinned sheepishly.

"Sorry. I missed you so much. I'm going to miss you!"

"What do you want?" he sighed.

"Cover for me. You have to get to my friends before Grandpa does. I'm at summer school in China or something, okay?" Sota sighed.

"Sure, whatever. How long will you be gone?"

"Until school starts."

"Wow! Mom, can I have her bedroom?"

"Sota!"

"What? It's not like you'll be using it!"

"Yes I will! All my stuff will be there!"

"Fine, fine, I give up. Your room's all covered in cooties anyway."

"I'll give you a ten second head start midget."

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! HELP! HELP!!" Sota screamed, running from his advancing sister. Inuyasha watched from a nearby tree as the pair emerged from the house. He'd leave before her, like always, then fume at her for being late, like always. Only now she could smell him. She stopped a moment and looked towards him, but the continued to chase on after her brother.

See you later, Kagome... he thought as he leapt down and made a dash for the well.