InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Romancing the Past ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Inuyasha is not mine, or any of its anime series or manga.

Author's Note: Thank you so much for all of your feedback and reviews. I appreciate every one of them. I only wish that I had more, but I suppose that is for the fact that I only have one chapter. But here is the second one, and it would not have been out today if it wasn't for demon angel. Thanks for your effort!

Kagome's eyes widened as she heard the low growl released from the back of his throat. Okay, that was new. What was wrong with him now? Only seconds ago he was aggravating her with his lack of manners, and then suddenly he was glaring at her with unbridled fury and baring his fangs, making her wonder if she would have been better off with that dragon. Had she said something to upset him? She didn't think so. And she doubted that it had something to do with what she had said earlier to him. It was only one sentence, a question really; she didn't think that it was entirely offensive. So just what was going on, and why was he giving her venomous glares?

Kagome took a step back, uncertainty flashing across her features. She didn't really know this guy, she realized again taking another step away from him as his rumble increased in volume. It was wrong to think that he was semi-decent, but she had believed it as she watched him eliminate her previous attacker. He couldn't be all bad if he had saved her, right?

His hair seemed to stand on end as he approached her with extreme caution. His hands clenched and unclenched, as if he was afraid that he would destroy her before obtaining some answers. He spoke calmly, but Kagome could tell that he was attempting to mask his anger but failing miserably.

"Where the hell did you get that?!"

Kagome looked down at her necklace and rose the small jewel to observe it. It was still shiny and pink, it still had that glow inside of it. She suddenly was aware of the thought that he objected to her possessing it. Her hands clutched the pendant and held it to her chest protectively. "It was a gift."

Inuyasha's eye twitched. 'A gift? A fucking gift?!' he fumed. That little jewel was the basis of so many events of his life, the object of his hopes and dreams, and somebody had just given it away? And to someone who obviously couldn't protect it? Any and every demon would be after her now, with the jewel's scent and power being released back into the air after fifty years. At least with Kikyo the demons had some fear of her, for they knew her skill and what she was capable of doing if any threat crossed her way.

'Kikyo. . .'

If the jewel was supposed to be burned with her when she was cremated, how was it possible that it still existed? The concept was inconceivable, yet there it was, hanging from this little girl's neck as if it hadn't been destroyed, hadn't been touched by flames. It was just sitting there mocking him.

Something was not right about this whole situation.

And Inuyasha was going to get some answers, even if he had to terrorize her to do it.

"Who gave it to you!" he shouted at her, deciding to break his thoughts. His mouth curled up in the slightest increment as he watched her jump back, startled. So edgy. Well, that would only help his inquisition.

Kagome's brown eyes narrowed when she saw his smirk. He enjoyed the fact that he was making her nervous and she wouldn't allow him to find any satisfaction in scaring her. Her spine straightened and her lungs took in deep breaths to calm herself as she centered a full glare on him.

"Where I receive things is none of your business! I don't even know you, so why should I tell you anything?"

"Alright, little girl, I've been patient. Either hand over the jewel or else I'll have myself a new scratching post." 'There. That will make her give it up' , his mind told him. He didn't want to hurt her, actually, but threats made any situation easier.

Kagome's eyes widened at his sudden statement. So he wasn't unlike that other demon that wanted something from her, enough to kill her to get it. But why would this creature want a little pink necklace?

Wait a second. . .

He didn't know about her pendant until now. What was with this necklace, anyway? Kagome could only guess that it was the reason that the hideous dragon came after her in the first place, and now, this uncouth creature was threatening her as well. She doubted that either of them had any good intentions with it, so handing it over was out of the question. This. . . 'world' (she had no other name for it) was puzzling her sanity, making her feel strange and disoriented. However, she had no intent on giving anythingof hers to anyone in this barely-believable place, at least not until she figured out how to leave it.

Her voice was quiet and hardly audible. "No."

Inuyasha almost gasped in shock. No? She actually refused him? She was cowering in fear a moment ago before he stepped in the fight and now she wasn't afraid of him? He sniffed once and frowned. There was no scent of fear on her. It was as if she wasn't scarred at all. This girl was insane. She had to be. There was no way that he could say something like that, to a human no less, and not get at least a squeak or something.

But he did say that he would take it, so he supposed he would have to.

"So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" Inuyasha asked, his claws extending. "Fine by me." He took another step, his hand reaching out to yank the desired item from her.

"No!" Kagome shouted as her eyes shut tightly. Was this such a good idea, she wondered while waiting for his sharp nails to strike. Now she was afraid. Every nerve in her body prepared itself for intense pain.

But then Kagome felt something unusual happen. All of the tension that had been building up in her body suddenly seemed as if it had been unleashed, releasing from her body and leaving her calm in its wake. And she didn't feel any pain at all. Surprised, she cracked open one of her eyes, anxious to see why she had felt no discomfort.

His hand was still reaching out, his eyes wide again in shock. What had happened? Why didn't he hurt her, why did he stop? The questions in her mind came full force and she opened her mouth to ask them, but found herself cut off at his voice.

"What the hell was that, bitch?" he shouted at her, his hand falling to his side.

"I don't know. . .?" Kagome opened another eye, staring into his confused yellowish-brown ones.

"What do you mean, 'you don't know'?" he demanded. "You just hit me with some kind of energy! It hurt like hell!"

Okay, this ride was getting worse and she wanted to get off. What energy? It came from her? "I don't know! It never happened before. . .if it did happen," she said under her breath, certain that he wouldn't hear her.

"Are you calling me a liar?"

Well, so much for that idea.

"Look you, I'm still having difficulty trying to believe this whole thing. I never shot anybody with anything, and if I did do it, then I'm glad that I did it to you. It's not like you didn't deserve it. And as for my necklace," her hand tightened around the pink jewel again. "It's not going anywhere!"

"Hmph! We'll see about that!" And with that, his hand flew out again in another attempt to grasp the protected jewel. Inuyasha saw her also extend a hand in an effort to try to stop him. The same result came as it did the last time.

This time, she saw it. It was a purplish kind of light, lavender like, that engulfed her hand and blasted its way towards him. When it made contact, the energy sunk into flesh and left a plume of smoke in its place. It did look painful, Kagome had to admit, but then again she wouldn't know since it had never happened to her before.

Inuyasha recoiled, pulling back his hand and shaking it. It hurt like a bitch, but he was far from admitting that. His eyes narrowed. "And you still have no clue what just happened do you?" he asked in disbelief.

"Uh. . .bad karma?" Kagome stared at her arm. How had she done that? She couldn't deny it now. But then this proved that she wasn't in a dream; she could feel the energy emerge from her hand. It was as if she had now became Kami's little plaything, a Barbie doll being pulled from her own little playhouse and put into a group of G.I. Joe action figures. A totally different environment, completely new and confusing. And the purple energy? Well, that was like Barbie actually settling down and having kids: unbelievable.

Her hand lowered slowly, her eyes never falling from his. He cocked an eyebrow questioningly. "Look, as I said before, I don't know what's going on. When I do, I'll be sure to get back to you." She turned from him and started walking away.

"Hey, stupid!"

She whirled around. "What?! I don't want to talk to you, if that's the tone you're going to use."

"Fine by me. I just thought you would want to know that you're walking in the wrong direction if you want to get to the village." Inuyasha crossed his arms, another smirk crossed his face.

"Rude, overbearing, selfish lout," she murmured under her breath as she moved past him, obviously fuming.

Inuyasha, on the other hand, sported a shit-eating grin. "What?" he taunted as he followed her. "I didn't quite catch that. . ."

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

They had both reached the village. Kagome was still clueless on how she had actually made it there without strangling the silver-haired boy. For the length of their trip, he kept arguing with her, insulting her until she had no choice but to yell back at him. He was making this difficult and Kagome knew that was his intention. She wouldn't act upon it though. She was stronger than that.

Inuyasha, however, could say he was thoroughly enjoying this. He was testing her to see where her breaking point was, since she obviously was trying hard to contain her anger at him. She was lifting his spirits, he had to admit. It was slowly taking his mind off of his earlier depression.

'If only she didn't look so much like her. . .'

Sure, she smelled different and there were contrasts in her face, but Inuyasha could still painfully see the resemblance. It was her scent and those differences that made him curious about this girl and kept him from lashing out at her. As far as he knew, she wasn't from around here, from some far away country that he could barely pronounce. Which meant that she had no idea that she reminded him of her.

But was that a bad thing or a good thing?

Had fate tried to make up for itself? Did it plan to send him a memento of the woman that he had lost? What did all of this mean?

"Hello!?"

Her voice finally registered to his ears. He looked at the girl who had her hands placed on her hips, a half-annoyed and half-curious expression on her face. A delicate brow was arched as she regarded him.

"What?"

"Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to stare?" Then she threw up her hands in the air. "But I'm forgetting who I'm talking to. You've been gawking at me for at least five minutes."

Had he really? He didn't notice. But he was not going to allow her to say something like that to him without a fight. "Please, bitch. Who would want to stare at something as ugly as you?"

Kagome gasped and gaped at him for a moment, then turned and stomped away from him, her small hands in fists. How dare he say that to her? She couldn't wait to get home, to be rid of that bothersome male.

"Is that you, Inuyasha?" a small voice called out.

The person in question turned to see an elderly lady shuffle towards him. "You know anyone else that looks like me?" he asked with sarcasm. "What do you want, Kaede?"

Kaede peered at the young girl standing a few feet away from him. She was wearing peculiar clothing and yet, there was also something so familiar about her. "And who is your friend?"

"Hey! Does this piece of trash look like--"

"My name's Kagome," the girl interrupted him, extending a hand to the old woman. "I wouldn't go as far to say that we're friends. Real friends wouldn't have any desire to kill one another," Kagome said as she turned back to him and shot him a murderous glare.

Inuyasha crossed his arms and turned his nose up at her with a "keh". Kaede directed her gaze back at him.

"You tried to harm her, Inuyasha?"

"Yes, he did. And all because of this!" Kagome thrust out her necklace to show Kaede, whose brows shot up in wonder.

"Yeah, you're probably thinking the same thing I was thinking," Inuyasha said as he watched the old woman turn the jewel over in her hand.

"Amazing. How can the Shikon no Tama be back into the world after fifty years?" Kaede voiced her opinions aloud, astonished.

"What? This thing is fifty years old?" Kagome took the necklace back from Kaede and examined it herself.

"Older than that, child. But it was said to have been destroyed five decades ago." the elder woman turned and started to hobble away from them. "Come with me, and I can tell you about it. We should not talk about such matters in the open."

Kagome started to follow her but then she took into account of the boy named Inuyasha trailing as well. "Who invited you?" she demanded.

"I can go wherever I damn well please, bitch." He moved past her to duck inside of the hut that Kaede went into.

She must have stared at the straw mat of the door for a few minutes before a fiery look formed on her face. Did he just call her a bitch? What was that all about? She seethed with rage as she made her way inside of the small hut that both of the people went into. Kaede handed her a bowl of stew upon her arrival and anger instantly forgotten, she took it gratefully. She had skipped dinner to fall down a well and it smelled so good. She was about to dig in, that was, before she turned her eyes to a certain dog-boy who was inhaling the food at a mile a minute.

"Avert your eyes, child, or you will lose your appetite." Kaede suggested as her chopsticks picked up a cooked vegetable and held it to her mouth.

"Did you say something, you old hag!" Inuyasha asked as finished his meal and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "I've got more table manners than you!"

Kaede sighed as Kagome frowned at him. "Why can't you show the least amount of respect for your elders?"

"Inuyasha shows respect to no one. He has always been this way."

"Keh, whatever," Inuyasha said shifting himself to laying on the floor with his back turned to the two females, oblivious to the fact that Kagome was glaring daggers at his back as she chewed her food.

"Now, about the Sacred Jewel," Kaede began, setting her utensils down on the floor beside her. "It can grant unlimited power to those who possess it, demon and human alike."

"Demon?" Kagome interrupted. So that was what the dragon thing was, and that was what it was after. "I never thought that there were any just walking around and terrorizing people."

"Not all demons are bad, Kagome. There are some who do not harbor any malicious intentions or desire of the jewel."

A snort came from Inuyasha's direction. "Speak for yourself, Kaede. There are plenty of us other bad demons to make up for all of the weak sissy demons out there, too."

Regardless of Inuyasha's statement, Kaede continued. "But if the jewel were to fall into the evil possession of a demon or human, chaos will reign over the world and would be difficult to stop."

Great. Just great. Why did she have to have the one thing that everything evil wanted? "I didn't even know this much about it. It was given to me as a present."

"From who did you receive it?" Kaede asked.

"A. . .friend gave it to me. But I don't think that he knew about this either. But if it was destroyed, then how come I have it?"

"That is a mysterious thing, Kagome. The last guardian had perished and wished for that jewel to be cremated with her. In reality, the Shikon no Tama should not exist."

"The last guardian died? What was she like?" Kagome asked, her interest sparked.

"Kikyo was a powerful miko. She successfully protected the sacred jewel for many years, until. . ." Kaede's attention was directed towards the dog demon's back.

Kagome followed her gaze. "What? He killed her?!" she half-exclaimed.

Inuyasha's ear twitched. With a raised eyebrow and fearsome eyes, he turned slowly and faced the old woman, his voice calm and cold at the same time.

"What did you say?"

If Kaede was phased by it, she did not show it. "Did you, or did you not kill my sister for the Shikon no Tama, Inuyasha?"

"What the heck are you talking about? I never even sliced a claw on her!"

A thoughtful expression formed on the old woman's face. "That is peculiar. Kikyo told me seconds before she died that you were the one that sent her in the afterlife. Are you sure you did not--"

"I think I would remember killing the woman I--" Realizing what he had just revealed, he turned and stormed out of the hut.

Kagome watched the whole thing with a confused expression. How could he not remember murdering someone? What just happened?

"Kagome, have you any idea of how long you are to stay in this village?"

The girl in question shook her head as she rose to look out of the window. "I wish I could go home, but according to Inuyasha, there's no such thing as Tokyo around here."

"Tokyo? I have never heard of it."

A wry smile crossed Kagome's lips. "Why am I not surprised?" She turned to look at Kaede again to mention something about the well taking her to this strange place, but a pile of objects caught her eye. It had wooden figurines, beads and metal items, all shaped in a unusual way. She picked up one of them and studied it. It was a strange necklace with violet beads and what looked to be tanned teeth of some sort of animal. The beads were shiny, but the fangs were dull. She held it up to Kaede. "What's all of this stuff?"

Kaede looked at the item that she was holding. "Those are aids to my miko powers. That particular item is a subduing necklace. One word will have the bearer fall under a subduing spell."

Kagome could have sworn she felt a light bulb brighten over her head. A wicked smile crept across her face.

"Oh, Inuyasha!"