InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Tangled In Love ❯ The Final Shard ( Chapter 3 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Jesachi 
Kagome asks Koga another favor. Meanwhile, Inuyasha encounters the final shard.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Adventure / Action / Hentai / Romance / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.27.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.3K | Visits: 300 | Status: Work In Progress
Kagome asks Koga another favor. Meanwhile, Inuyasha encounters the final shard.
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Adventure / Action / Hentai / Romance / Angst | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 10.27.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.3K | Visits: 300 | Status: Work In Progress
~Chapter Three~
The Final Shard
The first day was rather uneventful. Mostly, they walked. Kirara couldn't carry four people, and so Kagome opted to walk instead. She spent the whole time worrying about Inuyasha, her head down. When night fell, they camped for the night amid trees.
Kagome yawned widely, standing next to the fire that Shippou had started for them. It was much warmer by the fire. It was getting to be cold at night in the feudal era. With a sigh, she sat down in front of the flames and gazed into them, lost in thought. Behind her, Shippou was going through her pack, looking for treats.
"That was rather slow today..." Sango commented quietly, sitting down next to Miroku. "I forget how slow we move without Inuyasha there to carry Kagome."
Kagome said nothing, glancing at Koga, who would surely be able to carry her. She bit her lip. She was asking an awful lot of the wolf demon, and she wagered that having him carrying her everywhere would maybe send the wrong message to him.
But then...they would be able to get to Inuyasha faster.
"Would you?" Kagome asked quietly, breaking the silence that had fallen. "I know it's a lot to ask, but we would move twice as fast..." She glanced up at him, frowning slightly.
Kagome yawned widely, standing next to the fire that Shippou had started for them. It was much warmer by the fire. It was getting to be cold at night in the feudal era. With a sigh, she sat down in front of the flames and gazed into them, lost in thought. Behind her, Shippou was going through her pack, looking for treats.
"That was rather slow today..." Sango commented quietly, sitting down next to Miroku. "I forget how slow we move without Inuyasha there to carry Kagome."
Kagome said nothing, glancing at Koga, who would surely be able to carry her. She bit her lip. She was asking an awful lot of the wolf demon, and she wagered that having him carrying her everywhere would maybe send the wrong message to him.
But then...they would be able to get to Inuyasha faster.
"Would you?" Kagome asked quietly, breaking the silence that had fallen. "I know it's a lot to ask, but we would move twice as fast..." She glanced up at him, frowning slightly.
****************
She sat in the corner of her room, her white blonde hair pulled over one shoulder and folds of her kimono pooled around her on the hardwood floor. The space was sparce, a mat and head rest on the floor, a small bowl of water beside her. The first rays of dawn bled through the window and the crisp wind of morning twirled its tendrils through the room.
Between her thumb and first finger she held a very small shard of the Shikon Notama. It was so slim it could hardly be called a shard, really, more like a sliver. And yet that sliver held the potential to unlock more power than she could dream of possessing naturally in her very lengthy lifetime. Being the type of youkai she was- she had a rare ability to unlock the magic in nature- even such a small shard could amplify her powers tenfold. However, she had had this shard for quite some time now, saving it. She didn't plan on using it herself, no. She was perserving it for the right moment, the perfect individual.
For just under a month, she had the angry hanyou trapped in his own personal room just down the hall. And in that month, she had learned much more about him than she had by previously and sporadically watching him and his little entourage of humans. She had been trying to awaken his inner youkai; had tried all the methods she had seen work in the past. But she was finding it very... tedious... to force the change in him. She had tried beating him, engaging him in battle, forcing him into a trance, drugging him, poisoning… seven hells, she had even had one of her mikos attempt to purify him. That had ended very badly... for the miko, anyway.
Ever since she had told Inuyasha that she would use his damaged youkai soul to kill his precious Kagome, it seemed to paralyze her efforts in provoking the youkai. It appeared as though his youkai was more willing to risk Inuyasha's life than kill Kagome. If she wasn't mistaken, she would think that Inuyasha's youkai had chosen Kagome as his mate...
No matter, of course. She had a plan B.
There was one, very foolproof plan that would amplify the youkai in Inuyasha. And in such a full youkai form, he might not be so easily swayed by his human emotions...
Like love for a silly little girl.
Sorceress Samara smiled and gripped the jewel shard in her palm. The little group was on their way and she had found it mildly interesting that they had enlisted the help of the wolf-youkai Koga, who she knew was in love with Kagome and he was Inuyasha's most jealous rival. She waved her hand over her scrying bowl to spy on the group. They were going to be here in a matter of days which was limiting her time.
There, something reflected in the water. She leaned in closer, brought the image into sharp focus. Ah, she thought, smiling. This, this would certainly please her hanyou guest. In fact, this would play quite perfectly into her little plan. She picked up the bowl and carefully rearranged her skirts before heading down the hallway to share with him her findings.
*****************
He was a mess, but he would never dream of admitting it. Not in the face of his current predicament. His body was screaming at him in the effort it took to simply sit up and stay conscious. But he refused to lie down, refused to show such a weakness. Trapped in this room as he was, he had tried to escape, but the ropes around his wrists were made by miko magic and zapped his fiercely every time his touched them. His hands were littered with burns.
He didn't know how many days he had been here, too many in his opinion. He didn't even know what time of day it was because his internal clock was so screwed up. He had been stripped of his protective red haori and the white one underneath was shredded beyond repair. In fact, he was now using pieces of it to stop the blood flow. He hadn't slept in days and refused to eat since she had tried to poison him a couple of days ago.
For once, it was blessedly quiet in his head. His youkai wasn't screaming at him and his blood wasn't singing through his veins. They had left him alone now for quite some time, probably so he could lick his wounds from the last beating. He knew what she wanted, and he refused to let it happen, his youkai was refusing to let it happen, even when it was screaming so loudly at him to fight back or die, the change refused to surface.
'Because she'll use us to kill Kagome,' his youkai whispered, 'Personally, I would rather die.'
But that wench wouldn't kill him, no. She wouldn't give him that kinda peace.
The door slid open and Inuyasha braced himself for whatever torture they had in mind for him. His youkai growled ferociously. Outwardly, the hanyou made no indication that he heard someone enter.
"I'd let them come in and bathe and feed you, Inuyasha, but you beat up the last miko so badly that you've lost that privilege," it was the sorceress. Inuyasha looked up at her through his bangs, his golden eyes reflecting a loathing so deep that she actually paused and lifted a delicate white eyebrow at him. But she said nothing as she settled herself on the floor just outside of the range of his tether and set a bowl down in front of her. His nose twitched in an effort to identify what the substance of the bowl was, but it appeared to be only water. It didn't drop his suspicion though.
Samara tapped the floor next to the bowl, "Come forward, hanyou, I have something to show you."
"Frankly, I don't give a shit, bitch," he snarled at her, still not moving from his position in the corner.
She smiled and waved her hand over the bowl. Audio came out of it and his ears perked as a very familiar laugh echoed out of the water. Kagome's laugh.
"Do you want to see what your precious Kagome is up to?"
He didn't want to know, didn't want to fall for her tricks and her illusions. But Kagome's laughter had a powerful draw on his soul. He had to know, some perverse need to know that she was safe. He missed her so terribly it hurt but he couldn't bear the idea that she would buck up like she always did and come to his rescue. He didn't want her to put herself into that kinda danger just for him. He eyed the sorceress suspiciously as he moved slowly closer to the bowl. When she made no move to come at him, he moved a little closer, until he could peer over the rim of the small vessel and get a glimpse of the image swirling on the surface of the liquid.
Where he had been filled with a small bubble of happiness at hearing her voice a moment ago, his stomach dropped out of his body when his eyes danced over the scene in front of him. It was Kagome all right, but she wasn't alone.
She was with Koga.
Normally, just the fact that she was in the same vicinity as the wolf youkai would set his teeth on edge. But what he saw raised a jealous streak so volatile that he swatted the bowl away from him, spilling its contents all over the floor. The image from the water remained burned into his retinas.
Kagome, her bow and arrow slung across her shoulders, laughing as Koga carried her over the landscape, jumping through trees and skimming over the ground so fast it seemed that he hardly touched it. How often had Inuyasha done the same thing, carried Kagome all over Japan? How often had her gentle teasing had him pushing faster and higher until her breathless laughter sang through his soul?
Though the image of the water was long gone, he could still picture it. Kagome, leaning over to talk in Koga's ear, tell him that she didn't think he could go higher, jump farther. Inuyasha saw red as he imagined that stupid grin on the wolf's face as he did exactly want Kagome thought that he couldn't do.
Between her thumb and first finger she held a very small shard of the Shikon Notama. It was so slim it could hardly be called a shard, really, more like a sliver. And yet that sliver held the potential to unlock more power than she could dream of possessing naturally in her very lengthy lifetime. Being the type of youkai she was- she had a rare ability to unlock the magic in nature- even such a small shard could amplify her powers tenfold. However, she had had this shard for quite some time now, saving it. She didn't plan on using it herself, no. She was perserving it for the right moment, the perfect individual.
For just under a month, she had the angry hanyou trapped in his own personal room just down the hall. And in that month, she had learned much more about him than she had by previously and sporadically watching him and his little entourage of humans. She had been trying to awaken his inner youkai; had tried all the methods she had seen work in the past. But she was finding it very... tedious... to force the change in him. She had tried beating him, engaging him in battle, forcing him into a trance, drugging him, poisoning… seven hells, she had even had one of her mikos attempt to purify him. That had ended very badly... for the miko, anyway.
Ever since she had told Inuyasha that she would use his damaged youkai soul to kill his precious Kagome, it seemed to paralyze her efforts in provoking the youkai. It appeared as though his youkai was more willing to risk Inuyasha's life than kill Kagome. If she wasn't mistaken, she would think that Inuyasha's youkai had chosen Kagome as his mate...
No matter, of course. She had a plan B.
There was one, very foolproof plan that would amplify the youkai in Inuyasha. And in such a full youkai form, he might not be so easily swayed by his human emotions...
Like love for a silly little girl.
Sorceress Samara smiled and gripped the jewel shard in her palm. The little group was on their way and she had found it mildly interesting that they had enlisted the help of the wolf-youkai Koga, who she knew was in love with Kagome and he was Inuyasha's most jealous rival. She waved her hand over her scrying bowl to spy on the group. They were going to be here in a matter of days which was limiting her time.
There, something reflected in the water. She leaned in closer, brought the image into sharp focus. Ah, she thought, smiling. This, this would certainly please her hanyou guest. In fact, this would play quite perfectly into her little plan. She picked up the bowl and carefully rearranged her skirts before heading down the hallway to share with him her findings.
*****************
He was a mess, but he would never dream of admitting it. Not in the face of his current predicament. His body was screaming at him in the effort it took to simply sit up and stay conscious. But he refused to lie down, refused to show such a weakness. Trapped in this room as he was, he had tried to escape, but the ropes around his wrists were made by miko magic and zapped his fiercely every time his touched them. His hands were littered with burns.
He didn't know how many days he had been here, too many in his opinion. He didn't even know what time of day it was because his internal clock was so screwed up. He had been stripped of his protective red haori and the white one underneath was shredded beyond repair. In fact, he was now using pieces of it to stop the blood flow. He hadn't slept in days and refused to eat since she had tried to poison him a couple of days ago.
For once, it was blessedly quiet in his head. His youkai wasn't screaming at him and his blood wasn't singing through his veins. They had left him alone now for quite some time, probably so he could lick his wounds from the last beating. He knew what she wanted, and he refused to let it happen, his youkai was refusing to let it happen, even when it was screaming so loudly at him to fight back or die, the change refused to surface.
'Because she'll use us to kill Kagome,' his youkai whispered, 'Personally, I would rather die.'
But that wench wouldn't kill him, no. She wouldn't give him that kinda peace.
The door slid open and Inuyasha braced himself for whatever torture they had in mind for him. His youkai growled ferociously. Outwardly, the hanyou made no indication that he heard someone enter.
"I'd let them come in and bathe and feed you, Inuyasha, but you beat up the last miko so badly that you've lost that privilege," it was the sorceress. Inuyasha looked up at her through his bangs, his golden eyes reflecting a loathing so deep that she actually paused and lifted a delicate white eyebrow at him. But she said nothing as she settled herself on the floor just outside of the range of his tether and set a bowl down in front of her. His nose twitched in an effort to identify what the substance of the bowl was, but it appeared to be only water. It didn't drop his suspicion though.
Samara tapped the floor next to the bowl, "Come forward, hanyou, I have something to show you."
"Frankly, I don't give a shit, bitch," he snarled at her, still not moving from his position in the corner.
She smiled and waved her hand over the bowl. Audio came out of it and his ears perked as a very familiar laugh echoed out of the water. Kagome's laugh.
"Do you want to see what your precious Kagome is up to?"
He didn't want to know, didn't want to fall for her tricks and her illusions. But Kagome's laughter had a powerful draw on his soul. He had to know, some perverse need to know that she was safe. He missed her so terribly it hurt but he couldn't bear the idea that she would buck up like she always did and come to his rescue. He didn't want her to put herself into that kinda danger just for him. He eyed the sorceress suspiciously as he moved slowly closer to the bowl. When she made no move to come at him, he moved a little closer, until he could peer over the rim of the small vessel and get a glimpse of the image swirling on the surface of the liquid.
Where he had been filled with a small bubble of happiness at hearing her voice a moment ago, his stomach dropped out of his body when his eyes danced over the scene in front of him. It was Kagome all right, but she wasn't alone.
She was with Koga.
Normally, just the fact that she was in the same vicinity as the wolf youkai would set his teeth on edge. But what he saw raised a jealous streak so volatile that he swatted the bowl away from him, spilling its contents all over the floor. The image from the water remained burned into his retinas.
Kagome, her bow and arrow slung across her shoulders, laughing as Koga carried her over the landscape, jumping through trees and skimming over the ground so fast it seemed that he hardly touched it. How often had Inuyasha done the same thing, carried Kagome all over Japan? How often had her gentle teasing had him pushing faster and higher until her breathless laughter sang through his soul?
Though the image of the water was long gone, he could still picture it. Kagome, leaning over to talk in Koga's ear, tell him that she didn't think he could go higher, jump farther. Inuyasha saw red as he imagined that stupid grin on the wolf's face as he did exactly want Kagome thought that he couldn't do.
*****************
“Lies,” Inuyasha snarled, rising to his feet and yanking to the end of his rope, “You lie, you fucking wench. Kagome doesn't even like Koga.” his youkai was howling in his head, wanting to break free of his bondage and hunt Koga like that scum he was and disembowel him for touching Kagome.
Samara clucked her tongue and swept her hand out, retrieving the water and returning it to the bowl. Then, she stood right in front of the hanyou, so that their noses were nearly touching, “No lies, Inuyasha,” she whispered, showing no fear of his growling face, “It appears to me that she has found a replacement for you. And quickly too, not more an a month passes since you have disappeared and already she is running to Koga. Maybe she was just biding her time to rid herself of her half-demon baggage,” she gave him a once over, “Why would she want a weak, pathetic excuse of a youkai who manages to get himself kidnapped and contained by a silly little sorceress?” she turned away and gathered up her seeing bowl and her skirts, but before she left the room, she turned around and came back over to him, “I know better than anyone what you want, Inuyasha,” she taunted, reaching into her kimono and pulling out her very small shard of the Shikon Jewel.
Inuyasha stopped growling long enough to stare at the shard with a hint of disbelief in his eyes. It was the missing shard, the one that he and Kagome had been scheming to go hunt for. There were three shards left, two of which Koga- slimy mangy wolf- possessed and the third…
It was right here.
Samara held it very close to his nose so that he had to cross his eyes to keep it in sight, “Just this one little shard and you can have what you so desperately want,” she leaned in closer until her breath tinkled against the soft hairs on his ear.
“Acceptance.”
*****************
Koga pulled up short and sudden at the edge of the tree line before he descended down a steep incline. He lifted a hand to indicate to Kirara to stop and wait a minute.
“Do you smell that?” he asked Kagome, adjusting his grip behind her knees, making sure that she was secure right where she was.
On his back.
When she had been so sweet in asking him to carry her around, he had simply been unable to resist her. Besides, if Inuyasha normally carried her around, then he damn well was gonna do it too. And her weight was so slight that she didn't inhibit his movement at all.
“It smells like… burning village…” he continued, creeping forward to the edge of the incline. It was growing dark fast and out in the distance, he could see smoke furling up into the sky and the light of hundreds of fires. He could smell scorched wood, burning animal hair and worst of all, burning flesh.
Kirara caught up and Miroku and Kohaku disembarked and crept over to Koga and Kagome to view the spectacle.
“A demon attack?” Kohaku asked, unable to contain the lilt of excitement in his voice as his hand trailed over to his kusarigama.
“No, it doesn't smell like youkai…” Koga answered hesitantly, sniffing the air, “I'm gonna bet it's bandits… maybe even rogue Samurai.”
“Let's take a closer look,” Kohaku surmised, jumping and sliding down the embankment before someone, especially Sango, could begin to stop him.
Miroku shared a glance with Koga and Kagome, then Sango. He wasn't sure if it was wise to jump right into a burning village, particularly when they should be making haste to find Inuyasha, but Kohaku had already jumped the gun for them.
“Well, then, hang on tight, Kagome,” Koga smirked at her over his shoulder before he too, followed Kohaku down the hill. Miroku sighed but he too, was close on Koga's heels.
Samara clucked her tongue and swept her hand out, retrieving the water and returning it to the bowl. Then, she stood right in front of the hanyou, so that their noses were nearly touching, “No lies, Inuyasha,” she whispered, showing no fear of his growling face, “It appears to me that she has found a replacement for you. And quickly too, not more an a month passes since you have disappeared and already she is running to Koga. Maybe she was just biding her time to rid herself of her half-demon baggage,” she gave him a once over, “Why would she want a weak, pathetic excuse of a youkai who manages to get himself kidnapped and contained by a silly little sorceress?” she turned away and gathered up her seeing bowl and her skirts, but before she left the room, she turned around and came back over to him, “I know better than anyone what you want, Inuyasha,” she taunted, reaching into her kimono and pulling out her very small shard of the Shikon Jewel.
Inuyasha stopped growling long enough to stare at the shard with a hint of disbelief in his eyes. It was the missing shard, the one that he and Kagome had been scheming to go hunt for. There were three shards left, two of which Koga- slimy mangy wolf- possessed and the third…
It was right here.
Samara held it very close to his nose so that he had to cross his eyes to keep it in sight, “Just this one little shard and you can have what you so desperately want,” she leaned in closer until her breath tinkled against the soft hairs on his ear.
“Acceptance.”
*****************
Koga pulled up short and sudden at the edge of the tree line before he descended down a steep incline. He lifted a hand to indicate to Kirara to stop and wait a minute.
“Do you smell that?” he asked Kagome, adjusting his grip behind her knees, making sure that she was secure right where she was.
On his back.
When she had been so sweet in asking him to carry her around, he had simply been unable to resist her. Besides, if Inuyasha normally carried her around, then he damn well was gonna do it too. And her weight was so slight that she didn't inhibit his movement at all.
“It smells like… burning village…” he continued, creeping forward to the edge of the incline. It was growing dark fast and out in the distance, he could see smoke furling up into the sky and the light of hundreds of fires. He could smell scorched wood, burning animal hair and worst of all, burning flesh.
Kirara caught up and Miroku and Kohaku disembarked and crept over to Koga and Kagome to view the spectacle.
“A demon attack?” Kohaku asked, unable to contain the lilt of excitement in his voice as his hand trailed over to his kusarigama.
“No, it doesn't smell like youkai…” Koga answered hesitantly, sniffing the air, “I'm gonna bet it's bandits… maybe even rogue Samurai.”
“Let's take a closer look,” Kohaku surmised, jumping and sliding down the embankment before someone, especially Sango, could begin to stop him.
Miroku shared a glance with Koga and Kagome, then Sango. He wasn't sure if it was wise to jump right into a burning village, particularly when they should be making haste to find Inuyasha, but Kohaku had already jumped the gun for them.
“Well, then, hang on tight, Kagome,” Koga smirked at her over his shoulder before he too, followed Kohaku down the hill. Miroku sighed but he too, was close on Koga's heels.
**************
"Kohaku, you need to be careful!" Sango called worriedly, urging Kirara after them. Kagome glanced back at her and grimaced.
“They're men, what can you do?” She sighed, holding onto Koga. With every laugh, she felt guilt stab her in the gut. Guilt and longing. She missed being carried by Inuyasha. And she knew that when Inuyasha found out that Koga was with them, he was not going to be happy. Not at all.
“Well he better be since I'm trekking all this way to rescue his ass,” she muttered to herself, scanning the village as they drew closer. She pulled her bow off her back and held it securely in her hand, ready to purify someone who got in their way.
“They're Samurai!” Shippou called from Sango's shoulder, standing on his tip-toes to see everything. “And they're raiding the village for food...they have all of the villagers gathered in the middle!” he cried out in his high-pitched voice, able to see above everything as he puffed up and bounced into the air, only to land back on Sango's shoulder.
“Hurry Koga! We can't let them hurt those people!” Kagome urged, reaching behind her for an arrow. When they were in the village, she jumped down from his back, knowing he would fight better without her. She ran after them, much slower than Koga was running, notching an arrow as she went.
“Careful Kagome!” Sango cried suddenly, looking back just in time to see a Samurai come shooting out of a side street, katana raised and aiming for Kagome's neck.
“Got it!” Kagome yelled back, swinging up her bow and releasing at the peak, sending a glowing arrow right into the man's shoulder. He was thrown off his feet and back into a nearby burning building. The embers and ash that shot out from his body blinded Kagome, who dropped to one knee to rub her eyes frantically. She didn't see the other Samurai dashing towards her.
She was clearly they easiest target, what with two men out front, a woman on a HUGE cat, and a very fast demon. She heard his footsteps but couldn't see anything, so she blindly grabbed for her bow, too slow. He was almost on her.
“Inuyasha!” She cried out on reflex, bringing her bow up as a bludgeoning weapon desperately.
“They're men, what can you do?” She sighed, holding onto Koga. With every laugh, she felt guilt stab her in the gut. Guilt and longing. She missed being carried by Inuyasha. And she knew that when Inuyasha found out that Koga was with them, he was not going to be happy. Not at all.
“Well he better be since I'm trekking all this way to rescue his ass,” she muttered to herself, scanning the village as they drew closer. She pulled her bow off her back and held it securely in her hand, ready to purify someone who got in their way.
“They're Samurai!” Shippou called from Sango's shoulder, standing on his tip-toes to see everything. “And they're raiding the village for food...they have all of the villagers gathered in the middle!” he cried out in his high-pitched voice, able to see above everything as he puffed up and bounced into the air, only to land back on Sango's shoulder.
“Hurry Koga! We can't let them hurt those people!” Kagome urged, reaching behind her for an arrow. When they were in the village, she jumped down from his back, knowing he would fight better without her. She ran after them, much slower than Koga was running, notching an arrow as she went.
“Careful Kagome!” Sango cried suddenly, looking back just in time to see a Samurai come shooting out of a side street, katana raised and aiming for Kagome's neck.
“Got it!” Kagome yelled back, swinging up her bow and releasing at the peak, sending a glowing arrow right into the man's shoulder. He was thrown off his feet and back into a nearby burning building. The embers and ash that shot out from his body blinded Kagome, who dropped to one knee to rub her eyes frantically. She didn't see the other Samurai dashing towards her.
She was clearly they easiest target, what with two men out front, a woman on a HUGE cat, and a very fast demon. She heard his footsteps but couldn't see anything, so she blindly grabbed for her bow, too slow. He was almost on her.
“Inuyasha!” She cried out on reflex, bringing her bow up as a bludgeoning weapon desperately.
************
The newcomers came in like a swarm. Two youkai exterminators, very skilled in battling, a monk, a small youkai kit and an adult male youkai proved to be extremely formidable. They came in out of nowhere, swarming in like flies and messing up their raid.
However, it seemed that one of their pack was lagging behind, a young female dressed in a very short kimono. He paused in his search of another dwelling to watch as she pierced one of his comrades in the shoulder with an arrow that exuded some sort of spiritual energy.
But what caught his attention was when she moved, the collar of her kimono top shifted and he caught a glimpse of a fuschia orb on a cord around her neck.
It wasn't hard to guess that it was the Shikon Notama dangling there, and judging by the strangeness of her garb and the spiritual energy her arrow created, she must be a priestess protecting the jewel.
'I'll get a huge promotion from the boss if I snag the miko with the whole Shikon Notama on her person...' the Samurai thought greedily as she was blinded by the embers and ash kicked up by a nearby burning building.
It was his chance. Her companions were preoccupied trying to free the women and children in the center of the village and she was busy fishing the hot debris out of her eyes.
He bolted for her. She screamed and swung her bow at him blindly, but he dodged it easily and ripped it from her hands, snapping it over his knee. He threw the pieces away and used the hilt of his katana to knock her out. She fell like a wet noodle to the ground.
With a grin and a quick look around, he swept her up over his shoulder and darted out of the village with a few of his comrades who were also fleeing. On her back was a sword that he hadn't seen earlier. With a quick assessment, he decided to leave it. It wasn't worth it, all chipped and rusted on the inside.
She was a pretty little thing and he had hopes that perhaps once he delivered the Shikon Jewel to his boss, that he would be able to keep this little prize, maybe even pass her around to some of his closer comrades.
************
As soon as Kagome hopped off his back, Koga went to town, jumping right in the fight. Battle mode kicked into high gear in his brain, blocking out all other sounds except the sounds of fighting, and maybe his own name. His brain, his hearing, totally skipped over Kagome's shout of alarm, her instinctive cry for Inuyasha. Perhaps it was because when Kagome was typically involved in a battle, Inuyasha was always right there, guarding her more fiercely than a mother would her pup. Perhaps it was because Koga wasn't as in tune with her as the half-youkai was. Maybe it was because he wasn't accustomed to watching over her, the protector of the Shikon Notama.
Whatever the reason, it wasn't until the fighting thinned out, the Samurai running for cover and Miroku asked Sango where Kagome had gotten to that Koga swore colorfully. He had forgotten all about her.
'What a good mate you would make...' his youkai commented idly, 'Leaving your mate behind in the middle of a battle.'
'You know damn well that if she were my mate for real, I would know exactly where she is at any point in time,' Koga snarled back, backtracking through the village.
What he came across stopped his heart.
Not too far from where they entered the village, Kagome's bow lay in pieces, her quiver of arrows scattered all around. Her backpack wasn't too far away, untouched. And Inuyasha's sword lay discarded in the middle of the pile. His throat went dry. The Samurai must have taken her. His mind immediately began reeling with all the things that he had seen, knew, what happened to young women in the hands of the rogue warriors.
'Inuyasha's gonna KILL you if something happens to her,' his youkai informed him.
'I'll kill myself first.' he replied, reaching for the sword. The protective barrier shocked his hand, forcing him to yank it back quickly.
Miroku came up beside him and easily picked up the sword, tugging the weapon neatly into the sash of his robes. The monk's brow was creased with worry, "She's a walking bull's eye with the nearly full Shikon Notama on her," he said as calmly as he could muster, "We must be extra vigilant with her travelling with us."
"I'm aware..." Koga replied tightly. He had also forgotten that she had the jewel on her, so accustomed to her constantly exuding its power from carrying pieces of it. While he appreciated that the monk had said 'we must be extra vigilant' as opposed to 'Koga, you worthless demon, you have to keep a closer eye on her' it still didn't lessen the weight that this was totally his fault.
Which it was, of course.
"You all should stay here and tend the villagers," Koga suggested, picking up her backpack, "It'll be faster for me to go after her alone." he slipped the pack over his back, loosening the straps to fit his broad shoulders. Miroku nodded at him, then Koga took off at a sprint, trailing after Kagome and the scent she left behind.
However, it seemed that one of their pack was lagging behind, a young female dressed in a very short kimono. He paused in his search of another dwelling to watch as she pierced one of his comrades in the shoulder with an arrow that exuded some sort of spiritual energy.
But what caught his attention was when she moved, the collar of her kimono top shifted and he caught a glimpse of a fuschia orb on a cord around her neck.
It wasn't hard to guess that it was the Shikon Notama dangling there, and judging by the strangeness of her garb and the spiritual energy her arrow created, she must be a priestess protecting the jewel.
'I'll get a huge promotion from the boss if I snag the miko with the whole Shikon Notama on her person...' the Samurai thought greedily as she was blinded by the embers and ash kicked up by a nearby burning building.
It was his chance. Her companions were preoccupied trying to free the women and children in the center of the village and she was busy fishing the hot debris out of her eyes.
He bolted for her. She screamed and swung her bow at him blindly, but he dodged it easily and ripped it from her hands, snapping it over his knee. He threw the pieces away and used the hilt of his katana to knock her out. She fell like a wet noodle to the ground.
With a grin and a quick look around, he swept her up over his shoulder and darted out of the village with a few of his comrades who were also fleeing. On her back was a sword that he hadn't seen earlier. With a quick assessment, he decided to leave it. It wasn't worth it, all chipped and rusted on the inside.
She was a pretty little thing and he had hopes that perhaps once he delivered the Shikon Jewel to his boss, that he would be able to keep this little prize, maybe even pass her around to some of his closer comrades.
************
As soon as Kagome hopped off his back, Koga went to town, jumping right in the fight. Battle mode kicked into high gear in his brain, blocking out all other sounds except the sounds of fighting, and maybe his own name. His brain, his hearing, totally skipped over Kagome's shout of alarm, her instinctive cry for Inuyasha. Perhaps it was because when Kagome was typically involved in a battle, Inuyasha was always right there, guarding her more fiercely than a mother would her pup. Perhaps it was because Koga wasn't as in tune with her as the half-youkai was. Maybe it was because he wasn't accustomed to watching over her, the protector of the Shikon Notama.
Whatever the reason, it wasn't until the fighting thinned out, the Samurai running for cover and Miroku asked Sango where Kagome had gotten to that Koga swore colorfully. He had forgotten all about her.
'What a good mate you would make...' his youkai commented idly, 'Leaving your mate behind in the middle of a battle.'
'You know damn well that if she were my mate for real, I would know exactly where she is at any point in time,' Koga snarled back, backtracking through the village.
What he came across stopped his heart.
Not too far from where they entered the village, Kagome's bow lay in pieces, her quiver of arrows scattered all around. Her backpack wasn't too far away, untouched. And Inuyasha's sword lay discarded in the middle of the pile. His throat went dry. The Samurai must have taken her. His mind immediately began reeling with all the things that he had seen, knew, what happened to young women in the hands of the rogue warriors.
'Inuyasha's gonna KILL you if something happens to her,' his youkai informed him.
'I'll kill myself first.' he replied, reaching for the sword. The protective barrier shocked his hand, forcing him to yank it back quickly.
Miroku came up beside him and easily picked up the sword, tugging the weapon neatly into the sash of his robes. The monk's brow was creased with worry, "She's a walking bull's eye with the nearly full Shikon Notama on her," he said as calmly as he could muster, "We must be extra vigilant with her travelling with us."
"I'm aware..." Koga replied tightly. He had also forgotten that she had the jewel on her, so accustomed to her constantly exuding its power from carrying pieces of it. While he appreciated that the monk had said 'we must be extra vigilant' as opposed to 'Koga, you worthless demon, you have to keep a closer eye on her' it still didn't lessen the weight that this was totally his fault.
Which it was, of course.
"You all should stay here and tend the villagers," Koga suggested, picking up her backpack, "It'll be faster for me to go after her alone." he slipped the pack over his back, loosening the straps to fit his broad shoulders. Miroku nodded at him, then Koga took off at a sprint, trailing after Kagome and the scent she left behind.
A/N:
Inuyasha and Co belong to Rumiko Takahashi.
Thanks, LadyCash for the first review. Hopefully this story meets your expectations. :)