InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Soul Exchange ❯ My Hero ( Chapter 2 )

Soul Exchange

My Hero













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The Shikon no Tama.

Probably the most sought after object in all the realms and countries. Demons wanted it for its power... and humans wanted it for pretty much the same thing.

But somehow it had ended up with Kikyo... who had been set the laborious task of protecting it and hiding it from men and demons who wanted its power for less respectable things. She was also trying to destroy it through purification...

That had been years ago. And now Kikyo was long dead and buried... and the location of the Shikon had also died with her. That was the best way to keep it safe... but Kagome needed it.

How many villages had her cousin been too while she'd been nurturing the jewel? Too bloody many... Kikyo liked to get around a lot. And how many places had she passed along the way... places where she could have discreetly hidden the little bead and covered its aura to make it invisible to demons?

Kagome groaned as she dropped to her feet beside the base of a young tree. She felt tired, dirty and she needed a bath more than the Shikon right then. The last village back the way she had come had been less than helpful. When she'd asked if they'd known anything about a Shikon jewel they had rather rudely rebuked her and all but thrown her out of the village.

Well at least it had been a pleasanter send off than her own home village had given her. They apparently didn't like demon, human pairings either. Kouga had left... and now Kagome was stuck with a deal she couldn't back out of.

"I'm such an idiot..." she whispered into her hands.

"I whole-heartedly agree, Baby."

He didn't call her that because he was lewd... he just called her by that nickname to demonstrate how naïve and innocent she was. The perfect reminder of her greatest mistake.

"Go away..." Kagome whispered forcefully, even though her insides froze up with fear.

"What are you doing so far away from home?" Naraku pretended to look around. "What could you be up too... hm? Little Kagome... out in the middle of the woods... all alone... no friends... no family... no love..."

"Go away!" Kagome screamed and seized a fallen branch beside her to swipe it at Naraku. What should have happened in her head was that Naraku would be felled by the blow and curl up and die on the ground... but instead the branch just passed right through him like he was just air. Kagome staggered slightly as the blow failed to hit anything and dropped the branch at once.

Naraku shook his head tutted. "You should know better than to try and hurt me, Baby."

"Leave me alone..." Kagome sank back down the tree and closed her eyes, hoping that if she couldn't see him he would just go away.

"But you're so much fun to play with." Naraku walked a few paces away from her and looked back down the dirt road she'd been travelling along. "This is interesting... looks like you are almost literally trying to follow in Kikyo's footsteps."

Kagome said nothing, though her face was heating up with anger and a mixture of fear.

"What could be the reason for that I wonder?" Naraku looked back at her. "Could it be that you intend to find the Shikon no Tama and then try and use it against me... or better yet... use it to hide from me?"

Kagome snapped her eyes up to him in shock. Could he really read her mind after all.

"I better tell you now that there is no point trying to use such a ploy. I can find you no matter where you go... you can run but you can't hide. You know that, right?"

Kagome stared at him sullenly for a moment before smiling weakly. "Thank you... at least now I know that I really CAN use the Shikon... because everything you spin out is a lie."

Naraku stiffened and glared down at her. "You're a fool."

"Well who just gave the game away?" Kagome shot back.

"Well who just gave the soul away?" he countered.

At once Kagome snapped and shot to her feet. "You tricked me! I believed you would help me! But you've caused me nothing but grief! I hate you."

"Strong words for such a small girl."

"Shut up!" Kagome threw a rock at him, even though she knew it would just pass right through him and hit the tree behind him. "You said we would be together forever! You lied! You broke the deal! I want my soul back!"

"Deals do not take into account petty human emotions." Naraku replied evenly. "I said that you 'could' be together forever. I gave you everything you wanted. I gave you immortal life... I brought him back to life for you... it isn't my fault that you squandered your chance - oh! AND I healed your ankle."

"But he left me!" Kagome yelled hoarsely and began to deteriorate fast into tears. "He said he would be with me forever... and then he left me..."

Naraku cocked his head and tutted with sympathy. "Poor child... aren't yet equipped to dealing with the brutalities of the real world."

"I'm dealing with you aren't I?"

"Nice try Kagome." Naraku folded his arms. "Obviously Kouga is a young man who... who... values his own existence above all others. Including that of his love."

Kagome sniffed quietly.

"What was it again? Another wolf demon who caught his eye?" Naraku smirked. "A little older than you maybe?"

Kagome scoffed and shook her head. "I wish... but he finds the prospect of war more attractive than staying with me."

"Ah... a man of action..." Naraku's smirk widened. "He left you to fight a war with the Inu Youkai I believe... how... interesting..."

"He said 'thanks for the second chance, Kag, but I gotta go fight the dogs or war - see you round in the next life!'!" Kagome sniffed. "Asshole..."

"Is that what he said?"

"Majorly edited though..." Kagome wiped at her eyes. "But in a nutshell... yeah..."

"I'd love to stay here and chat all day and give you my condolences... but I am a busy spirit... I have business to attend to." Naraku started walking away. "You can carry on along your journey Kagome... but be warned... you can't escape me - you belong to me."

Kagome waved.

"And next time you wave use more than one finger please." He told her.

So she used two instead.

"Oh... and wait up for me - because I have a few things I want you to do for me."

"I'm not your advocate!"

"You are." He said before he disappeared into the trees like mist.

Kagome shivered and held herself tighter. She needed to find that Shikon jewel before Naraku met up with her again. If she got her hands on that bead then she could hide forever... she would still be owned by him... but at least she would be like a wild cat with a collar.

And as long as she didn't die... she would never have to see Naraku again, or go to hell. Naraku had been such a moron for giving her immortal life...

But then again she'd been such a fool for taking it...





^_^





"Demon! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"

"Yeah... that's it... run little sheep..." Inuyasha yawned tiredly as the villagers travelling towards him down the road suddenly took off into the woods on either side... leaving everything behind them.

Inuyasha's ears suddenly perked up as he fixed his gaze on the wary looking horse that had been abandoned rather suddenly. It didn't look like a particularly fast horse... but a nice big strong one.

"Oh yes..." Inuyasha chuckled to himself as he cracked his knuckles and started forward.

The big animal fidgeted nervously and started to edge backwards... obviously not being any more fond of demons than its former masters were. It was discreetly looking around for an escape route.

"Oh no you don't!" Inuyasha ran after it as it broke into a short gallop. "Hey - I'm a prince! How can you expect me to walk in the mud all day!"

The horse's answer was the speed up even more...

It was going to be one of those days...





^_^





"It was only a question!" Kagome yelled angrily as she was shoved out of the inn roughly by the burly attendant. He snorted with disgust at her and slammed the door shut.

Kagome looked around angrily and noticed that people who had been staring, quickly diverted their gazes elsewhere and seemed to be keeping their distance.

She ran a hand through her grubby hair and grimaced. She really needed some place to get clean... but all the inns wouldn't take her in. Either because she had no money, or more likely because he reputation had already proceeded her. Kagome's family were merciless when it came to disowning daughters...

"I should have let them kill Kouga..." she mumbled to herself as she dragged her feet through the village... hoping that by the time she came to the next village she wouldn't be recognised as that 'traitor'.

She was willing to give up her family if it had come to that. As long as she had Kouga she wouldn't have been too bothered... but fate had an odd way of twisting things so that they never turn out just the way you really want them. Or more like Naraku liked to twist things around.

'But why did he want me in particular...?' Kagome asked herself as she left the busy little town behind her and moved down the beat down road into the night that would lead to the next.

After all, what was so special about Kagome, other than her abnormal taste in men? Kikyo was the one that everyone wanted - she was the one with the Miko powers and the Shikon. Kagome just had an unfortunate run in with a gang of wolf demons... and ended up engaged to their boss.

There was a muffled sound of conversation and a snap of twigs as someone, or someones moved through the foliage to her side. She stopped short and listened as the conversation and movement came nearer... and she realised it was a group of young men.

It wasn't good to be caught out in the middle of nowhere... and looking back, she saw that the village was a little too far out of her way now to make a run for it. It was best to just keep walking and see if she could go unnoticed.

She could feel her heart thudding against her rib cage... which dramatically increased in tempo when the men finally emerged from the trees and bushes onto the road. She heard their conversation stop behind her and she knew they were looking at her.

She tried not to speed up, trip over, or slow down. She didn't want to do anything that might betray her... but in the past she'd always had Kouga to defend her honour... now she had only herself and Naraku... and a fat lot of use he was.

Soft laughter sounded behind her and she heard the sound of footsteps... coming after her. Kagome swallowed hard and sped up a little, still trying to be discreet. She heard them speed up as well... and realised it wasn't just a coincidence they were going the same way as her, so she broke out into a full-out run.

They came pounding after her, and Kagome spared only a small look over her shoulder before gasping and pushing herself to run faster. There were five of them... she was severely outnumbered... and petrified.

They were closing in on her and at the last moment she threw herself to the side and into the bushes. But she'd underestimated the ground... and soon found herself tumbling down a steep slope to a sea of ferns below her. She just had to bear with it until it was over.

Kagome dropped sharply into the soft ferns and lay there for a moment, winded and unable to move... but as soon as she heard the sounds of shouts and movement above her, she realised she still wasn't safe. As quickly as she could, she scrambled through the thick ferns, trying to use them as cover to make her escape... but she was too slow, and it wasn't long before the five men appeared at the top of the slope looking down on the ferns. Kagome dropped down to the ground at once and stayed as still as she could, praying that she wasn't visible at all.

Apparently she wasn't, since one of the young men pointed around to the other four, and they all split up to search for her.

Kagome let out an anguished sigh... she would be found and cornered at this rate... but maybe if she kept still they wouldn't find her. She started as the sound of thrashing ferns sounded ahead of her and she peered through the thick green plants to see that one of the men was slashing at the ferns with a sickle blade. Kagome blanched, and squirmed as thrashing ferns started behind her as well. They were advancing towards her... and if she didn't move then she would be sliced as well.

Kicking herself mentally for her next move, she bit her lip and jumped up, breaking into a fast run in the one direction that was free of blade or man.

"Get her!" she heard one of them shout and sped up.

But things just weren't going her way today, and as she shot into the trees, a large twisted root appeared from no where, and brought her panicked flee to a crashing halt. She fell with a thud and grazed her chin all over again... just when it had healed from the last time she'd done that.

She'd barely recovered her sense when a boot clad foot shoved her in the side, effectively rolling her onto her back.

"Told ya she was a pretty one."

"Under that grime maybe..."

"She'd fetch a pretty penny at the Brothel..."

Kagome blinked her eyes, trying to focus on the faces above her, trying to comprehend what they were saying about her. "Kouga..."

"She doesn't look that experienced though."

"Maybe we should give her some..."

There was a smug pause as Kagome brought a hand to her brow.

"Turn her over." Was the abrupt order.

Kagome felt rough hands seize her arms and panic shot through her. "Get off! No - let me go!" they weren't going to obey her. "Help! Somebody! Kouga! Help me! KOUGA!"





^_^





Well it was no Royal stallion... but it would do. The warlord he was looking for lived quite far into the mainland, and he didn't plan to walk all the way. The warlord was the last person who had seen his father... chances were he knew something about where the older lord was now... dead or alive.

Inuyasha was certain he was alive...

He wasn't exactly in any rush now because night had fallen and it was the new moon. He wasn't going to be breaking down doors into palaces until morning... so he and he 'noble' steed could take it easy.

Well, at least the horse seemed calmer with a completely human rider now. Inuyasha stifled a yawn with one hand whilst holding the reins loosely in the other. One thing about being human was that he got knackered very easily... three days of non-stop travel were finally getting to him.

The breeze picked up along the road, blowing his dark hair into his face... much to his annoyance. And he dropped the reins all together to momentarily concentrated on pushing it back into a knot at the back of his head.

Just as he was finished he heard a feminine scream pierce through the night. It had sounded very close... and his ride stopped short and shifted nervously.

"Keep going." Inuyasha sighed, coaxing the animal to move with the heels of his feet. It took two steps forward before stopping again.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and looked around. "It's probably a big bear or something... just keep moving!"

The horse didn't move, and they both looked off to the side as another scream and shout sounded. "Get off me! No - let me go!" it was definitely female.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and shook his head, urging the horse to move on. "Move it. It's none of our business."

The horse refused to budge.

But Inuyasha wasn't budging either. He refused to let himself get side- tracked from his current mission. Peasant girls didn't really matter to him.

"Help! Somebody!"

Inuyasha clicked his tongue impatiently.

"Kouga! Help me! KOUGA!"

Inuyasha jerked his head around. Whoever it was knew Kouga... whoever it was was bound to have information of the asshole. Without hesitation (finally) Inuyasha swung out of the saddle and raised a stern finger at the gelding. "Don't let anyone steal you, got that?"

Carefully he picked his way down the steeps slope and looked around for the disturbance. He spotted it across a patch of ferns... five boys crouched around... around Kikyo.

"Kikyo..." he breathed, taken by surprise. For a moment he thought she was alive again... until he realised that that was a stupid notion. He'd SEEN her die. Well... whoever it was knew Kouga AND looked like Kikyo. A spooky set of coincidences? Inuyasha didn't believe that...

"No please..." the girl was crying now. "Please let me go..."

"Not until we take what we want." Was her answer.

Inuyasha carefully trod through the ferns, keeping as quiet as possible.

"Let - me - GO!" the girl bucked hard and caught one of the men in the family jewels with her knee.

The guy gasped and toppled over... but the other four remained unharmed and angered. "You'll pay for that bitch!"

The girl yelped as she received a hard slap to the face before being crushed to the ground on her stomach. By then Inuyasha had seen enough. He came up behind two of the men and soundly clapped their heads together. They collapsed at once... and the other three only needed to look at him to take the hint and send it packing.

They might have been able to take Inuyasha, since he was human after all... but they knew when the game was up.

"Get up." Inuyasha said flatly.

For a moment Kagome didn't dare move. She had barely even registered the fact that she had been saved. By who? She turned slowly and focused dizzy eyes on her hero... "Kouga...?"

Inuyasha's lip curled angrily and he bent at once to grab the poor girl by the neck and haul her up off the ground, backing her into a tree. She gasped and spluttered, clawing at his hand to break free. Something told Kagome that she hadn't been saved after all.

"On the count of three you will tell me everything you know about Kouga. And on the count of five you will tell me why you have stolen Kikyo's face. And on the count of ten I'll decide if I should kill you or not." Inuyasha hissed, tightening his grip somewhat.

Kagome grimaced and struggled with all of her remaining strength... which was to say very little. For once she wished that Naraku would show up soon...