InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Practice ❯ Practice ( Chapter 1 )

[ A - All Readers ]

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of  their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. In other words, I don't own and I make no money from this.

------------------------
Originally posted to The Inuyasha Fanfic Contest on August 4, 2012 for Prompt #294 Moving Target. It won 1st place.

Title: Practice
Author: ananova
Rating: K
Prompt: Moving Target (The Inuyasha Fanfic Contest)
Genre: Friendship
Word Count: 838
Summary: After spotting Kagome practicing with her bow and arrows, Inuyasha decides to help her out. In his own way, of course. Follows An Act of Friendship which can be found in chapter 55 of Inuyasha Drabbles on my profile.

-----------------------

Inuyasha frowned as he heard the sound of an arrow striking wood as he approached the clearing, followed by Kagome's frustrated cries. He leaped up into a tree just before entering the clearing then stealthily edged forward to peer down at the scene unfolding below. He resisted the urge to snort in amusement.

A target had been set up at one end of the clearing. There were arrows scattered around it, some in the dirt, some in the trunks of the trees near the target. A few had hit the target but most were near the edge, not even close to the center.

He watched as Kagome notched another arrow. “Please,” he heard her whisper. “Hit the mark!” She released the arrow.

Inuyasha shook his head as it just missed the target to hit the tree directly behind where the target was set up.

“No!” Kagome's shoulders slumped. “How am I supposed to be of any help in a fight if I can't even hit the target?” A sigh escaped her and she started to retrieve the arrows, replacing the undamaged ones in her quiver.

Inuyasha watched her actions, the defeated slump of her shoulders and tone of her voice tugging at him. He idly fingered his newly repaired kosode, remembering the act of kindness that had been performed. He sighed, unable to let her remain so defeated.

“Oi,” he called as he jumped out of the tree. He purposefully let his eyes wander to the arrows scattered around the area before snorting loudly. “You're never going to be of any help like this.”

Kagome clenched her teeth and turned away. “I know that, I know I'm not any good at any of this. But I'm trying my best. What more do you want from me?”

“Keh! You're taking to long to aim. You think a youkai's gonna just sit still while you aim? Think again. You want to learn to be of any use then you gotta learn to hit a moving target.” Inuyasha stomped over and snatched the target, holding it in front of him as he began moving back and forth across the clearing. “Well? Come on, I'll even keep it to the pace of a weakling until you get the hang of it.”

Kagome gaped at him for a moment. “Are you nuts?! What if I miss and hit you? You could be seriously injured!”

“Keh! As if you could hurt me with your puny arrows.” A thought occurred to him. “Er, just don't put any of your reiki into them, alright? My haori will stop anything else.”

Kagome still looked at him a bit doubtfully.

“Well, what are you waiting for? I told you already, a youkai's not gonna wait around all day. If this was a real battle you'd already be dead!”

A small smile worked it's way onto her face as she realized that, in his own way, he was trying to help her. She grabbed an arrow and notched it, taking aim.

“Oi, quit stalling already. You have to be quick,” Inuyasha called as he continued to dart this way and that, the arrow harmlessly whizzing past him.

But Kagome didn't allow herself to get discouraged this time. She knew that Inuyasha wouldn't have helped her if he didn't think she could do this. She reached back and grabbed another arrow.

Before too long, arrows were scattered around the clearing again. But Kagome had noticed that her speed at drawing and notching the arrow had increased. And she would swear that she was getting closer to the target. She quickly grabbed her last arrow from her quiver, notched it and fired.

Thud!

Kagome stared at the arrow quivering against the target as Inuyasha lowered it to look himself.

“Feh, not bad wench,” Inuyasha said, a hint of a grin on his face as he examined the target. It wasn't quite in the center of the target but it was a big improvement over her earlier shots. “Just keep that up and you'll improve in no time.”

“I did it,” Kagome said, a bit disbelievingly. Then she squealed excitedly, dropping her bow to race forward and look at the target up close. “I did it! Thank you,” she cried as she excitedly threw her arms around the surprised hanyou before racing to retrieve her arrows.

Inuyasha stared after her, his cheeks a bit red.

Arrows loaded into her quiver again, Kagome retrieved her bow. “You think we can try again?”

“Keh.” Inuyasha retrieved the target, finding his eyes drawn back to the excited sparkle in the girl's eyes as his mind recalled the feeling of her brief embrace. 'Was this what it was like to have a friend?' he wondered, remembering the words she had spoken after repairing his kosode. It was...nice, he liked the feeling. “Let's see what you got!” he called as he held the target up again. Maybe he should get into the practice of being nice more often.