InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Hunt ❯ Back Off! ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its characters.

A/N: Sorry I'm so late in updating, but my dear father "forgot" (so he says…) about our cable bill and my internet was temporarily out of service. *Authoress glances at her father, who's sweatdropping and smiling sheepishly* J Anyway, thank you to my reviewers! I'm glad you like this concept. Oh yeah, sorry about my fashion faux pas. Dark blue and black… big no-no, I guess. Anyway, next chapter! BTW, I admit, I'm speed happy (no, I'm not a druggie… I just like to drive fast… *winks*) and this chapter will contain a car race… so if you're not a fan of that stuff, well, sorry!

… Chapter 3 Back Off! …

Kagome walked steadily, still irritated but not as much. She hopped into her car, a sexy, charcoal gray 1998 Toyota Supra (a/n: *sniffle* I wish I had a Supra…). Shippou, Sango and Miroku jumped into Miroku's 2000 Nissan Pathfinder. They started the car and drove off, calling to Kagome that they'd meet at Sango's apartment. Inuyasha smirked. Kagome started her car and she rolled her automatic windows down so she could glare at him.

"What?" She snapped, wondering what was so funny.

"Nice ride." He replied, tilting his head. She stared at him, flabbergasted by his compliment.

"Uh… thanks…" She said quietly.

"What's a girl like you doing driving a car like that?" Inuyasha said cockily, emphasizing the word girl. Kagome's eyes narrowed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She said, throwing her car into neutral and pressing the accelerator, revving the engine. The intake hummed, her exhaust growled. Her eyes burned testily.

"Huh. Seems you got some stuff under the hood, too." Inuyasha said, still smirking.

"You didn't answer my question. What was that girl shit about?" Kagome said, her words beginning to ice.

"Keh. Nothing. Like I said, I'm just wondering what a girl like you is doing with a ballsy car like that." Inuyasha said, enjoying the way her temperament began to burn. This girl was damn pretty. Something about the way she looked when she was annoyed captivated him, made him want to see more.

"Damn straight this car's got some balls." Kagome said. She revved the engine once more, proving her point.

"Keh. It's sad you did all that to the car, but it could still never compare to mine." Inuyasha said. He turned, and behind him sat a beautiful blood-red 1998 Nissan Skyline (a/n: *Cries* I want one of these, too!). Kagome's jaw dropped. She hastily composed herself.

"Is that a challenge, Inuyasha?" She called.

"Keh. So Naraku wants us to work together. I work alone, dammit. But you seem to have the knowledge I might need. So I'll tell you what. Race me, right here, right now. When you lose to me, you hand over all information regarding this Shikon no Tama and you'll decline Naraku's hunt." Inuyasha said, his eyes radiating a challenging glare.

"Hah! When you're done eating my dust, you will be the one to back off of this hunt." Kagome retorted. "Come on!" Inuyasha merely smiled and opened the door to his car. He got in and started it, the lights illuminating and shining onto the street before them. Inuyasha revved his engine, and took off onto the street. Kagome gritted her teeth. "So he wants to race, does he? He doesn't know what he's getting himself into…" She said to herself. She chirped first gear, following the red Skyline onto the streets of Tokyo. Kagome caught up to Inuyasha at a stoplight. She looked ahead. She knew it was a straight road, leading out of city.

"Oi. There's a marker two miles down the road. First one there wins. Wakarimasu ka (Understand)?" Inuyasha called, looking over to the deep gray Supra.

"Wakarimasu!" Kagome replied angrily. Inuyasha smiled and turned his attention back to the front. The light blazed red. Kagome tensed. Her left foot held the clutch, her right foot ready to hit the gas. Inuyasha's eyes changed from playful to serious. He set his jaw, his mouth a firm line. It was a look of pure determination. Kagome glanced at him briefly. Big mistake. At that moment, the light changed, and Inuyasha's car chirped as it took off, speeding into the night.

"SHIT!" Kagome yelped. Her foot hit the gas, scratching first as she raced to catch up. She glanced at the meter. Red line. Kagome clenched her jaw. 'Come on, come on!' She thought. She waited until a little red light began to flash rapidly. She furiously shifted to second then third, her car reaching 70 mph. She smiled in triumph and waved sassily as her car pulled up to his. To her surprise, he merely smirked and his car shot past hers. "Dammit… so he does know what he's doing." Kagome said. She gripped her shift knob and pushed her engine to its limits, shifting by instinct and no longer watching the meter.

Inuyasha smirked as he sped up, his car humming. He finally shifted to fourth, the skyline reaching 95 mph. He shook his head, glancing at the faint lights in his rearview mirror. 'Baka. I haven't even reached fifth yet. How pathetic.' He thought, leaning back into his leather seats. Suddenly blue-tinged lights grew illuminated his mirror, once again on his tail. "Nani?!" He said, his surprise more than obvious. He tensed up again, laying his hand on his shifter.

It continued for a few thrilling moments, the two pushing both their cars to their limits. The two cars had been tested to their final gears (Both the Supra and the Skyline go up to 6th). Both cars were wavering at 150 mph (a/n: yeah, yeah, that's all… I'm fully aware that a tricked out car like a Supra/Skyline can reach higher than that). Inuyasha's eyes widened as he looked in the distance. That green dot… it was the marker! He smirked. She still trailed him. 'I got this!' He thought gleefully. His thumb ran down the steering wheel, searching for a tiny black button.

Kagome glanced up ahead. Only a quarter mile left. She smirked. 'You think you've got this, bastard.' She thought, glancing at the gorgeous red car in front of her. She gripped her shift as she pulled alongside him so that they were equal. Her fingers caressed the shaft (a/n: of the shift knob, you hentais!), searching for the slight rise of a button.

Kagome: "I…"

Inuyasha: "Will…"

Kagome: "NOT…"

Inuyasha: "Lose to…"

Both: "YOU!"

Both pressed their buttons, and Nitrous Oxide (Yeah-hah! NOS, baby…) flowed through their engines. Both cars emitted orange-blue flames from the exhaust, and what used to be a racing Supra and Skyline turned into charcoal-gray and blood-red blurs as they streaked over the pavement. The marker glowed bright. Inuyasha looked at his opponent, as did Kagome. Their eyes met and sparked as they realized that they both passed the marker at the exact same moment. Inuyasha felt a rumbling growl escape him, and Kagome let out a frustrated shriek. Kagome glanced to the side. A huge, empty parking lot fronting a closed down diner was there. She swiftly turned her wheel, causing the rear of her car to thrust out, drifting to a stop in the middle of the area. Inuyasha did the same, his car stopping mere inches next to Kagome's. Smoke hissed from all eight tires, rising and bringing the horrid scent of burned rubber.

"Bastard!" Kagome shouted, thrusting her door open and stepping out. She sucked in a breath. "Oh! I so had you!" She said, pointing a finger at him.

"Hey, bitch! What the hell are you talking about? I blew you away and you know it!" Inuyasha said, stepping out of the car. He walked up to her so that they were face to face.

"What! What the hell are you saying? I just fully kicked your ass!" Kagome spat. She crossed her arms. "So keep your bargain and back off!"

"Back off? You should be the one to back off!" Inuyasha snapped. The two stared, glaring poisonous darts at each other. Kagome drew in another deep breath.

"This is stupid. We tied. I admit it." Kagome said, regaining her composure. Inuyasha's jaw set in a stubborn line.

"Fine. But either way, I'm not backing off. I didn't lose, and you know it." Kagome said. She turned back to her car.

"Wait." Inuyasha said gruffly. Kagome turned, her arms still crossed. "What." Kagome said nonchalantly.

"Nice race, Ms. Higurashi." He said simply before opening his car door. Kagome looked at him quizzically. She could be mistaken… but there was… respect in his voice. 'Maybe he's not so bad…' she thought.

"Hey… um… Inuyasha… that's your name, right? My name's Kagome. Please, call me that." Kagome asked. He didn't say anything, but looked at her.

"Why don't you come with me. Naraku says you've got great treasure hunting skills. Maybe… maybe we could actually team up. I'd… I'd like to see those skills for myself." Kagome said hesitantly. He stared blankly at her. Moments ago she had been calling him a bastard. Hell, he'd just called her a bitch a few seconds ago. And here she was, asking him to join her. He looked away.

"Why?" Inuyasha asked.

"I just told you. I'm told you've got skill and talent. We could use that… Anyway, it was just a suggestion." Kagome said. A melodious tone emanated from her hip. She picked up her cell phone. Her eyes widened when she looked at the caller id displayed on the phone's screen. "Oh shit! I was supposed to meet Sango and Miroku!" She flipped her phone open and pressed it to her ear.

"Sango, I'm sooo sorry, I'll be right there!" Kagome said in an apologetic voice. She closed her phone and put it back into her pocket. She glanced at Inuyasha.

"I'm meeting Sango and Miroku right now. They're my team. I'll be on Yukari St., at Sango's apartment. Look for my car if you'd care to join in." Kagome said, getting into her Supra. She started her car and took off, leaving a very bewildered hanyou behind. He glanced at his car, and at her fading lights.

"If I'd care to join in…" Inuyasha said softly. He laid a hand on his car, still warm from its earlier race. He sat in his car, deep in thought. He sat there for a good half hour before he made his decision and left the parking lot.

** Coolness! It's done. Gomen ne if my racing scene sucked. I like to drive fast and everything but I'll openly admit that I hardly know anything when it comes to actual racing. Anyway, hope you liked this chapter… Read and Review please! Next chapter: Inuyasha's decision **