InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Runaway Heart ❯ The Runaway ( Chapter 1 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter One

 

 

 

 

She’s running.  She doesn't know nor cares where she’s running to; just that she desperately needs to get away from her pursuer as well as the disturbing scene she had just witnessed.  The heartbroken young woman, with tears falling heavily from her eyes, blindly pushes through many thick and thorny bushes while dodging low hanging tree branches, soon finding it difficult to stay on her feet.  Her steps falter and she trips, falling down onto her hands and knees.  “Owww!” she cries.

 

 

 “CALM DOWN YOU, STUPID WENCH!” yells her pursuer. 

 

 

 

“SIT!” yells the woman panting heavily.   (Where is it,) she thought looking around her.  (Where’s the well?)  She changes direction, but soon discovers her pursuer has changed directions as well.

 

 

 

“THIS IS POINTLESS YA KNOW!”

 

 

 

“SIT, SIT, SIT!” she again yells, hearing a satisfying thump.  (That should stop him.)  However, she is disappointed yet again when the young woman quickly looks back watching her pursuer easily jumping from tree to tree.

 

 

 

“DAMN YOU WENCH!  STOP ALREADY!”

 

 

 

(No.  I won't stop.  Not now.  I have to find the well.)  “SIT, SIT, SIT, SIT”

 

 

 

“Ahhh!” her pursuer yells and a loud crash is heard.  “THAT’S IT WENCH.  STOP OR I’LL FUCKING MAKE YOU STOP!”

 

 

 

(How can he still be doing that,) she thought worriedly?  (Has the spell of the necklace stopped working?  I must have used at least six sit commands and still he’s catching up to me.)  She looks this way and that.  (Where?  Where can I hide?  There’s gotta be someplace where I'd be safe.)  She scrambles to her feet, turns and runs in a different direction.

 

 

“STOP RUNNING, DAMN IT!” calls her pursuer a short distance behind. 

 

 

 

“Leave me alone!” cries the young miko covering her ears.  (Does he think I’m blind or stupid?  I saw it all!!  But I understand now.  I’m nothing special to him.  Nothing but some stupid shard detector, he wants to use to find those stupid shards, for him.  And here I thought I we were finally getting closer, that he was finally noticing me.  Well, if he thinks for one minute, I’ll stick around so he can hurt me like this again, that stupid hanyou is mistaken!  I won’t go back there.  I won’t be his stupid puppet anymore!  I’m not having my heart broken again by him or anyone else.)

 

 

 

The young woman runs faster, deeper into the darkening unknown forest; constantly looking over her shoulder for any sign of her pursuer.  She’s breathing heavily as her feet slow.  (I can’t give up.  I’ve got to keep running...to get away!)  “Sango!  Miroku!” she cries.  “Anybody!  Please help me!”

 

 

 

“YOU CAN’T KEEP…”  Her pursuer’s voice suddenly becomes distant, faint, then silent. 

 

 

 

“Huh?”  Worried, the woman while still running, again looks back.  (What’s happened?  He’s not there anymore.  Did I …)

 

 

 

WHACK!

 

 

 

Bright tiny lights explode behind the young woman’s eyes, as she falls to the cold hard ground.  She raises a hand to her head when darkness quickly engulfs her.

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

“What the…?!”  InuYasha lands on the ground and looks around him.  “Now where the hell did that damn wench get to?” he whispers worriedly.  (I didn’t pass her, did I?)  InuYasha looks back.  (No, there’s no way.  I would have noticed her scent if I had.)  With furrowed brows he again looks behind, then side to side.  “What the hell happened?  I almost caught up to her but she’s just not here?  There’s, no way I could have fucking lost her like that?!  I know her scent too damn well.  Besides, the wench’s just a human.  I’m way faster than her so there’s no damn way she could have gotten that far ahead of me.  Maybe she ran…”  InuYasha changes directions intent on finding his quarry.  “This way!”

 

 

 

“KAGOMMEEE!” InuYasha yells throughout the strange forest.

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

The sun is still setting when the woman slowly awakens.  She opens her dark cinnamon brown eyes, to squint up at the darkening sky above. 

 

 

 

(I’m not…dead, am I,) she thought worriedly waiting for her eyes to become accustom to the dimming light?.

 

 

 

The young woman is slim in build with long, thick, ebony hair with pale skin, the color of fine porcelain.  She is perhaps 17 or 19 years of age.  Many scratches and bruises are covering her body and her strange clothing is torn from where she had been running wildly through the forest.

 

 

 

(What is this strange place,) she thought, waiting for her eyes to become accustom to the dimming light?  This isn’t home, is it?)  The young woman takes a deep cleansing breath and sighs before looking around, finding she’s in a small clearing surrounded by tall trees seemingly reaching up into the darkening sky above.  (How long have I been laying here?  Was someone with me…someone who’d just brought me here to abandoned me?  I have go home.)  The woman attempts sitting up but due to the pain coursing throughout her body finds it quite difficult to do so.  (What happened?  I can’t move.  Am I sick?)  Again, she attempts to sit up again feeling pain course throughout her body and quickly lies back on the ground.

 

 

 

“I’m hurting so badly,” complains the woman painfully, rubbing her head.  “My back and shoulders…my legs… they feel so sore.  I can barely lift my arms and my head keeps throbbing like it’s a drum.  I must be ill since I feel this bad.”  The young woman looks around her.  “Maybe I fell and hit my head on something.  What could it have been though?  What did I hit?  A tree or…or could I have hit a rock?!”

 

 

 

“Yup!” answers a high-pitched voice in the near darkness.

 

 

 

(Huh?)  Startled the young woman again struggles, to sit up.  (Someone’s here.)

 

 

 

“Strange creature,” asks the unknown voice.  “Why my domain come ye?”

 

 

 

(That’s definitely a child’s voice,) thought the young woman curiously.  “Where can she be?”  Rubbing her arms, the young woman looks up and around her.  (Why can’t I see her?  Is it possible she’s invisible?)

 

 

 

“Talk, how know not ye?”

 

 

 

“Sure.  I can talk,” replies the confused woman, slowly nodding, still searching for the owner of the strange voice.  “I’m just … well it’s hard for me to talk to someone I can’t see, is all.  Where are you?”

 

 

 

“Here me be, silly!” says the mysterious childlike voice amused.

 

 

 

“Where, though?  Why I can’t see you?  Are you invisible?”

 

 

 

“Invisible not I.  Look up!  Up!” the voice replies giggling.  “Up here, I be!”

 

 

 

“Up…where?”  The woman turns and suddenly looks up, where upon a high rock she finds a little girl seeming no more than seven or maybe eight years of age, staring down at her with bright sparkling green eyes and great amusement on her face.  The strange freckle faced child has mousy brown hair tied straight out the sides of her head with rosy pink ribbons.  She’s innocently staring down at the strange confused woman below, lying on her stomach and holding her chin in her hands, with feet kicking up and down.

 

 

 

“Now see, ye do?”

 

 

 

“Yeah, I see you.”  The young woman again looks around her.  “Though I wasn’t really expecting you to be up there.”

 

 

 

“Oh?  Someplace else, be I?”

 

 

 

“No, no.  I just wasn’t expecting…oh never mind,” replies the strange creature waving her hand toward the rock.  “You just surprised me, is all.” 

 

 

 

“Hmm?”

 

 

 

“So um…where am I…exactly?”

 

 

 

“Here.”

 

 

 

“I know I’m here but…where exactly am I?”

 

 

 

“Oh?”  The little demon's green eyes twinkle merrily.  “Here be ye but not know, be ye where, do ye?”

 

 

 

“Um, no I don’t…not really,” replies the strange woman uncertainly.  “Will you tell me?”

 

 

 

“Astroth’s domain, here be ye!” declares the strange demon with a bright smile and curt nod.  “Forgetful forest protect ye, keep ye safe!”

 

 

 

“Forgetful?”  The strange creature slowly shakes her head.  “What a strange name for a forest.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard it before.”

 

 

 

“Surprised not Astroth,” replies the small demon with a slight shrug of her shoulders.  “Few, know of it, do.  Come here, no one.  First in looong time, be ye.”

 

 

 

“I… see.  So um…how do…”  The young woman again attempts to stand but finds her legs still too weak to support her and falls back on the ground.  “Oww!”

 

 

 

The strange demon’s eyes twinkle and she claps her hands while laughing at the creature’s show of awkwardness.  “Do again!”

 

 

 

“What?”  (Again?)  The young woman, rubbing her backside frowns as she looks up; troubled by the little girl’s, excited, behavior.  “It’s not funny, you know,” she explains angrily.  (Though to a child I suppose it might look that way.)

 

 

 

“Uh huh,” replies the strange child smiling and nodding her head.  “Do again creature!  Do again!”

 

 

 

“Hey!”  (Why that little…)  The young woman purses her lips.  (She’s making fun of me!)

 

 

 

“Do again!” the small demon persists.  “Again!”

 

 

 

“No!”

 

 

 

“Awwwe,” The demon frowns pushing her bottom lip out.  “Creature mean!  Astroth like not creature anymore.”  She begins to climb down from her rock.

 

 

 

“Hey wait,” cries the woman.  “How long have I been here?  What happened to me?”

 

 

 

The small demon gives a mischievous look.  “Do agaainnn?”

 

 

 

The young woman sighs, tries to stand only to fall back on the ground, resulting in the demon’s laughter.  “There,” she says contritely.  “Will you please explain what happened to me?  Why am I here.’

 

 

 

The little demon points to a spot on the rock she is lying on.  “Hit rock!”

 

 

 

“What rock?”  She points to the rock the demon is sitting on.  ‘This rock here?”

 

 

 

The little demon nods.  “Yup!  Really fast, running be ye… tries running through Astroth’s rock!  Hit Astroth’s rock hard…fall down, did ye.  For some time now, lying there ye be.”

 

 

 

“I see.”  (I must really be sick then if I ran into something as big as this.)  The woman thought raises a hand to her head.  (Otherwise I would have ran around.)  “So this rock.  It belongs to you?”

 

 

 

“Yup, yup!” replies the small demon proudly patting the object in question.

 

 

 

“Kind of big isn’t it?”

 

 

 

“No, no.  Bestest rock in all forest it be!  Rock stronger, much bigger than other rocks.”  The demon gives a look of curiosity.  “Astroth know not creature who run through rocks.  Creatures like ye… through rocks run, do they?”

 

 

 

“Of course not.”

 

 

 

“Then why hurt Astroth’s rock?”

 

 

 

“I wasn’t trying to hurt it,” says the strange creature defensively.  “It was just in the way.  If anything your rock hurt me.”

 

 

 

“Oh.”  The small demon jumps down from her rock to where the confused young woman is sitting and suddenly leans close to her face startling her.

 

 

 

“What do you want now?” the woman attempts to quickly scoot away.  “Stay back!”

 

 

 

Despite the command, the curious demon follows the strange creature.  “Why here, ye?  Look for something or forget something?”

 

 

 

The young woman stops moving and frowns, trying to figure out what answer to give the small demon.  (Looking for something?  Was I out here looking for it and got lost?)  “Well I’m not too sure what I was doing out here or why.”

 

 

 

“Know not ye do?”

 

 

 

“I don’t think I do.  I mean I’m not really sure what I was looking for,” she replies hesitantly and gives a small laugh.  “Funny huh?  I must have come out here for some reason, right?  Yet for the life of me I can’t say what that reason is or how I came to be here of all places.”

 

 

 

“Cry out, did ye,” explains the small demon looking worried.

 

 

 

“I did?” replies the young woman looking more confused.  “Really?”

 

 

 

“Uh huh.  Me hear.  In pain, be ye?”

 

 

 

“Well duh,” replies the young woman sarcastically again rubbing her head.  “I hit your rock, didn’t I?  Of course, I’m in pain.”

 

 

 

“Oh.  Ye be fragile creature then.”

 

 

 

“Huh?”

 

 

 

“The curious demon bends over and cocks her head to the right, looking wide-eyed at the strange creature before her.  (Tis strange this one…of that no doubt,) she thought and cocks her head to the left.  (Loud cry gave she…yet why, know not.)

 

 

 

“Man…why is my head hurting so much?” complains the young woman rubbing her temple.  “Will it ever stop?”

 

 

 

The demon suddenly straightens and gives a stern look while shaking her finger.  “Stupid be ye!”

 

 

 

“What?” says the young woman angrily.  “Now just a minute here.  I’m…”

 

 

 

“Rocks, no run through!  Astroth’s rock…strong be it.  Run through…possible be it not,” the demon says informatively as if she were a teacher scolding her student.  “Teach Astroth, father did.  Your daddy… teach not you this?”

 

 

 

“Huh?”  The strange young woman again looks around her, frustrated.  “I don’t know…maybe.”  She reaches to again rub her head, confused that she can't remember so much as why she would even come to this place at all.  The young woman curiously looks back at the smiling demon.

 

 

 

“You … you said I was running, right?”

 

 

 

“Um hmm,” the demon replies nodding.  “Really fast!”

 

 

 

“And I…cried out?”

 

 

 

“Yup, yup!  Hear Astroth did.”

 

 

 

“I see.  Ok then… how come I called out to you?  Do we know each other, maybe met somewhere?” asks the woman, hopefully.  “It could be I was late; I suppose.  It could explain why I was running.”

 

 

 

“Understand not, Astroth does,” the small demon frowns.  “Why questions, ask ye?”

 

 

 

“Because I want to know why I’m here,” says the young woman frustrated.  “Am I supposed to be here or maybe got lost?”

 

 

 

“Nope!” answers the small demon shaking her head.

 

 

 

“No what?  No, I’m not supposed to be here?  Or no I’m not lost.”

 

 

 

“Know not, Astroth does,” replies the small demon with a shrug of her shoulders.  “Forest here, be ye.”

 

 

 

“You’re really not making this any easier, you know,” says the woman disappointed.  “I mean why would I come here?  I’ve never heard of this place before.  It must be you.  You summoned me here for some reason.  So, tell me what you want from me and send me home.”

 

 

 

“Astroth no want,” replies the demon with a shake of her head.  “Summon, Astroth, not.  Ye… just here.”

 

 

 

“Geez!”  The woman shakes her head.  “This mess couldn’t get any weirder if I was Alice in Wonderland.”

 

 

 

“Won…derland?” asks the demon curiously.  “Where be that?  Your home be it?”

 

 

 

“No, no.  It’s just a fairy tale…a land I heard of when I was a child.  It’s not really real.”

 

 

 

“A lie be it?”

 

 

 

Well sort of.  It’s a story for children.”

 

 

 

“Oh.”  The small demon giggles.  “Silly be ye.”

 

 

 

“Gee thanks,” replies the young woman sarcastically.  “So glad I can entertain you.”

 

 

 

“What name ye?  Is creature an Alice?” asks the small demon again squatting before the creature.  “What be ye?”

 

 

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asks surprised by the question.  “I’m a human!  A confused human but all the same a human.”

 

 

 

“Creature…human?”

 

 

 

“That’s right.  What did you think I was?”

 

 

 

“Human creature…Alice?”

 

 

 

“No.  Why?”

 

 

 

“Always say, father did, polite to say who ye be, but Astroth must go first.”  The demon stands, clears her throat and proudly pokes her chest with her thumb.  “Me Astroth.  After father, me named!  Now try ye.”

 

 

 

“Try what exactly?”  The creature slightly shakes her head.

 

 

 

The small demon heaves a deep sigh and gives a look of frustration.  “What called, ye be?”

 

 

 

“Oh you want my…my name?  Is that what you’re asking?”

 

 

 

“Uh huh,” replies the demon with a nod.  “After who, named ye?”

 

 

 

(Good question,) she thought confused.  The young woman closes her eyes, attempting to remember what name she goes by.  “My name is um... it’s um…KiKy…o?”  The strange creature shakes her head and closes her eyes tighter.”  (No, no that doesn’t sound right.  So, what is it?  What’s my name?  Something like…  “Ka…gooo…me?)  She quickly opens her eyes and smiles.  (Yes!  What a relief.  For a minute there, I’d thought for sure I’d forgotten who I was,) she thought gratefully.

 

 

 

KiKy…oKagoooome?” repeats the demon inquisitively.  “Long name be that.  Odd name be as well.”

 

 

 

“No, no, it’s just Kagome ok?  Ka…go…me.”  (Wait.  If this child doesn’t know my name,) thought the woman with a sense of alarm.  (Then there’s no way she could have summoned me here.  Which means, I’m not supposed to be here at all.  So where did I come from and who was it that left me out here?)

 

 

 

“Hmm,” says the demon curiously; slowly nodding her head.  “Ka…go…me?”

 

 

 

“That’s right, Kagome,” replies the strange young woman nodding, and again grabs her head to soothe the pain.  “Ouch, that hurts!”

 

 

 

The demon again cocks her head and gives a look of puzzlement. “Kagome creature, known not to Asthroth.  Live not here, ye do?”

 

 

 

“Seems that way,” replies Kagome sadly looking away.  “Nothing around here looks familiar to me at all.”  Kagome looks up hopefully.  “Say…your name’s Astroth right?”

 

 

 

“Yup!  Yup!” replies the demon proudly.  “After father, me named!”

 

 

 

“You… said that already.”

 

 

 

“Be it truth!” replies the demon with a frown and she narrows her green eyes.  “Astroth lie not.  After father named, be me!”

 

 

 

“Oh I wasn’t doubting you Astroth.  It’s a…a lovely name.  But what I wanted to ask was…where’s the village you come from?”

 

 

 

“Village?”

 

 

 

“Yeah!  You know…the place where you belong!”

 

 

 

“Oh.  Astroth here belong, she does.  No village.”

 

 

 

“Surely, you must belong to a village Astroth.  This big ole forest, it’s much too big for a child to be living in all alone,” reasons Kagome while waving a hand around her.

 

 

 

“Astroth here always.”

 

 

 

“But your father…your mother?  Where are they?”

 

 

 

“Up there,” the demon replies sadly pointing up.  “In sky be they.  Only Astroth and big sister remain.”

 

 

 

“Oh.  I’m so sorry.”

 

 

 

“Father…mother… long time, gone be they.  Those, like Astroth, and big sister, live where they can… alone…and together.”

 

 

 

“Must be sad staying here all my yourself huh?” says the young woman sadly.  “No other children here to play with or to talk to.”

 

 

 

“Astroth no sad.  Kagome creature here be.”

 

 

 

“I know but I…”

 

 

 

“Why here be ye?”

 

 

 

“Why?”

 

 

 

“Kagome creatures, look for us when they want to find or forget,” informs the strange demon.  “Be which ye?”

 

 

 

“Don’t know.  Nothing’s comes to mind,” says Kagome with a little more sadness in her voice.  “It’s like my brain is broken so I have no clue why I’m here or what I’m looking for.”

 

 

 

“A bad something you run from, Astroth thinks,” says the small demon with a nod.  “Hurt Kagome creature, something did?”

 

 

 

“I really don’t know Astroth.  Maybe I was hurt.  I just can’t remember anything.  Not even my home.”  Kagome sniffs and reaches to dry her tears.  “So, um…Asthoth…you said this was your father’s forest?”

 

 

 

“Yup, yup!  Many centuries, here be we.  Not always in same place forest be.”

 

 

 

“This forest moves…seriously?  Why?”

 

 

 

“Know not, Astroth does.  Protection for Astroth and the others, the forest be.  Astroth this domain, protect.  Astroth and others keep safe those within.”

 

 

 

“So there are others living here in this forest?”

 

 

 

The small demon nods.  “Here, domains be many.  Like Astroth, many there be.”  The little demon again slightly cocks her head to the side, reaching toward the sad creature named Kagome.  “Tears?  Nice eyes pretty lady, no cry.”

 

 

 

“I don’t understand.”

 

 

 

“Be sad, no more,” says Astroth straightening.  She places her fists on her hips and sternly looks down at the young woman.  “Like pretty lady, Astroth does!” she proclaims.

 

 

 

“Thank you but I’m…”

 

 

 

“Like Kagome creature, Astroth’s sister will.”

 

 

 

“That’s nice, Astroth.  But…”

 

 

 

“Here stay ye, pretty lady!” commands the small demon pointing to the ground.

 

 

 

Surprised, the young woman’s eyes widen and her jaw drops.  “Um…stay?” asks Kagome hesitantly; baffled by the words the strange demon is saying.  “You can’t mean here in the forest.”

 

 

 

“Yup, yup!” the small demon replies, nodding her head excitedly.  “Kagome creature with Astroth stay.  Happy with Astroth be.  Kagome creature, forest protects.  Keep Kagome creature safe.  No more, cry ye will.  Teach, me will, many, many things.  Kagome creature, learn from Astroth.  Run through rocks no more, Astroth teach.”

 

 

 

“That’s not possible though.”

 

 

 

“Astroth can!” says the small demon stomping her foot.  “Kagome creature, Astroth teach.”

 

 

 

“I’m sure you can, Astroth.  Teach me that is.  But that’s not the problem here.

 

 

 

“Ohhh?”

 

 

 

“I can’t be sticking around here like this.”

 

 

 

“Why not?  Kagome creature live long with Astroth, can.  Be happy.”

 

 

 

“But this forest is not my home, Astroth.  I don’t belong here.  You see, if I was running, that means I need to be somewhere else… don’t you think so?”

 

 

 

The young demon’s features again change to curiosity.  “Tell Astroth know not where belong, pretty lady!  Now know, ye do?”

 

 

 

“No,” says Kagome and she sadly sighs dropping and slightly shaking her head.  “I’m afraid I don’t.  But that doesn’t mean I…”

 

 

 

“Here, pretty lady, stay!” demands Astroth stubbornly with a curt nod.  “Pretty lady home be this.

 

 

 

“Why can’t you understand Astroth?  This can’t be my home!  I can’t stay here.”

 

 

 

The strange demon gives a look of hurt bewilderment with Kagome’s words.  “Like pretty lady Astroth do… like Astroth pretty lady do not?”

 

 

 

“Sure, I like you, but …

 

 

 

The demon smiles.  “Stay then ye will!”

 

 

 

“But what if someone’s out there looking for me, like my father or my mother?  What if they’re worried because I’m not home now?”

 

 

 

“Hmm?” asks the strange demon looking quite confused.

 

 

 

“Everyone belongs somewhere Astroth.  You were born and raised here in this forest, with your mom and… your dad.  Me?  Well surely, I didn’t sprout out of the ground like some tree.  I belong somewhere too…with my mom and dad,” replies Kagome giving a pleading look.  “You understand, what I’m saying don’t you?”

 

 

 

The strange demon shrugs her shoulders.  “Kagome creature’s words, Astroth know not.”  Astroth turns and skips back to her rock.

 

 

 

Kagome again tries to get on her feet.  “I really do need to get home, Astroth.  I can’t stay here,” she explains and again falls back onto the ground with a quiet thud.  “I just can’t.”

 

 

 

The small demon pauses.  “Kagome creature, nowhere this night, go.  Hit hard Astroth’s rock.”

 

 

 

“Yeah, I know…stupid rock,” mumbles Kagome rubbing her head.  “Guess my head is going to be pretty sore for a while.”

 

 

 

“Then, this night, pretty lady rest,” suggests the demon with a curt nod.  “Rest, pretty lady, help.”

 

 

 

“I ca…” begins Kagome.

 

 

 

“No, no, no!” the demon replies with a dismissive wave.  “Rest Kagome creature must.  Feel better when return of sun, you will.  Tell Astroth what pretty lady get away from.  Pretty lady, Astroth protect.  Keep safe ye Astroth will.”

 

 

 

With that said, the small determined demon jumps up to the top of her rock and sits, curiously watching the strange creature below her, which goes by the name, Kagome.

 

 

 

“I guess that’s it, then,” whispers the young woman as she carefully lies back on the ground.  “She’s not going to listen so there’s no sense in me arguing with her.  Not tonight anyway.”  

 

 

 

Trying to ignore the pain, Kagome turns on her side.  (Besides, the way my body feels, I can’t go anywhere, even if I did know where home was.  I would probably die if I try to go back now.  So perhaps Astroth is right.  A little rest would do me good and maybe help me remember how to get back home.)  “I sure hope so.”

 

 

 

Kagome, not able to endure the pain, lies on her back and stares up at the star filled night sky.  She heaves a deep sigh; wondering what she may have been running to… or from.

 

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 

 

“Hey.  Old guy,” calls out the hanyou running along the road.  “Ya, seen a strange girl wondering around here somewhere?  She’d be wearing strange clothes.”

 

 

 

“Strange clothes, you say?” the old man replies, his voice old and cracking.  “No, can’t say as I have.”  The hanyou runs off in another direction.

 

 

 

(Kagome,) he wonders sadly.  (Where in hell did you get to?)

 

 

 

InuYasha is beside himself with worry.  The young woman he’s been pursuing just suddenly up and vanished without a trace.  The half demon can't really blame Kagome for being angry with him.  The young miko was just in the wrong place at the wrong time and he had hurt her.  However, had he’d known Kagome was there, he would never have allowed things to go as far with KiKyo as they did.

 

 

 

Which seems strange to him actually, cause usually, the hanyou could always sense the young priestess’ presence, either by her scent, her aura, or somehow, he would hear her footsteps.  This time however, there was no scent, no sound, nothing telling him the miko was actually there watching him.  When he finally became aware of her presence it was much too late.  The damage was done and the miko had run off, nowhere to be found.

 

 

 

Thinking Kagome may have run home as she always did when she’s angry, InuYasha first runs to the old well.  Sniffing the old structure and the ground surrounding it, he finds not a trace of her scent anywhere.  (Kagome didn’t go through here,) he thought sadly.  (Where else could she have run off to?)

 

 

 

Next, he runs to the village asking anyone he finds if perhaps they’d seen Kagome or would know her whereabouts.  Finding no answers to his questions, he becomes irritated and ill tempered, taking his frustration out on anyone and anything crossing his path.  Poor Shippou, wanting only to help with the search, found himself thrown far away from the village and into a pond for making such a suggestion. 

 

 

 

With no other leads, InuYasha finally returns to the darkened forest where he last seen Kagome, retracing his steps to again search for her elusive scent, while continuously berating, himself.  He soon finds himself standing before the Tree of Ages.

 

 

 

(Shit,) thought the hanyou angrily looking around!  (What happened tonight?  How is this even possible?  Kagome was standing right behind me, damn it.  She was watching us, so why the hell didn’t I notice her?  I should have at the very least noticed her scent or heard her coming closer to us.  So why?  Sure, Kagome’s scent is a lot like KiKyo’s but, the two are still different.  I can still tell them apart.)

 

 

 

InuYasha again sniffs the night air, and still not able to discern her scent, he becomes more and more disturbed.  (This is just a little too weird.  I know I almost caught up to her but somehow, she disappeared.  It’s impossible to think she’d just up and vanish like that.  Kagome’s mortal so it should stand to reason her scent would still be around here somewhere.  Yet I can’t find it on the wind, the ground or anywhere near that damn well.  So, where the fuck is it?  Where did it go?  A barrier maybe?”  The hanyou shakes his head.  “No, not likely.  I would have noticed something like that.  Besides, she doesn’t even know how to put up a barrier.  Kagome may be a priestess but she’s completely ignorant of such things.  Unlike KiKyo, she can’t take care of or protect herself out here.  Her ass is so clueless and clumsy…and to come all the way out here alone… without her weapons!  That stupid wench could have gotten her fucking ass killed, damn it.  Any number of demons could have found her…would have killed her ass just because she’s a priestess.  One being Naraku and who knows what he would do to herr.

 

 

 

“Why did she run off like that?  I just wanted to talk and bring her back.  Revenge, maybe?  Revenge for finding me with KiKyo tonight?  Why?  Kagome couldn’t have been that jealous or petty.  And there’s nothing for her to be jealous of.  Kagome’s just a friend, that’s all.  A friend who had always known about KiKyo and me.  That we’re … we…)

 

 

 

“Awe to hell with this shit!” InuYasha growls angrily.  “KAGOME DAMN IT!” he yells loudly, turning to look in all directions.  “THIS SHIT AIN’T FUNNY!  SO, STOP BEING A FUCKING BRAT AND COME OUT ALREADY!”  InuYasha pauses, straining his ears, to listen for her voice or any sound that would lead him to where she could be.  “DON’T THINK I WON’T LEAVE YOUR ASS OUT HERE WENCH!  YOU HEAR ME?!  I GOT BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN WORRY OVER YOUR STUPID ASS.  IF A DAMN DEMON SHOWS UP AND ATTACKS YA, DON’T COME CRYING TO ME TO SAVE YA!  IT’S YOUR OWN FUCKING FAULT FOR BEING OUT HERE WITHOUT YOUR FUCKING WEAPONS!”

 

 

 

The hanyou again pauses to listen, and when nothing is heard, sighs.  (Kagome must really be pissed at me to pull this shit.  She’s usually so level headed.  Always willing to talk at least, even when she’s angry.)  The hanyou takes to the trees to get a better view of the surrounding area.  (I don’t understand how she’s able to do this.  She’s completely hidden herself.  Kagome’s never been able to hide from me this well before.  Maybe Kouga’s got her.  Yeah.  Probably taken her to his den,) he thought anxiously.  (I hope so.  At least there she’d be safe.  I’ll go find her and bring her back.  But what if I’m wrong and she’s not there?  Who else would she have gone to?  Not Sesshomaru, that’s for damn sure.

 

 

 

Well, wherever the hell that damn wench is, I’d better find her and soon.  I’ve got to find some way to calm her down though so I can at least make things right with her.  Cause if I don’t, Kagome will leave us again.  And this time, she won’t ever return.  She could even seal up the well against me…forever.  Then I’ll never see her again.)

 

 

 

“Shit!” the hanyou growls jumping down from the tree to sniff the ground once more.  “Where the hell can she be, damn it?”  He straightens and again looks around him.  “KAGOOOOMEEEE?!” the hanyou cries to the wind.  “CAN YOU HEAR ME?  ARE YOU HURT?”  There is no response so he turns to run in yet another direction.  (Damn it, Kagome, why?!  Why the hell did you have to, fucking, be there tonight?!  Why?)

 

 

 

InuYasha continues his desperate search, for his elusive young miko, throughout the night, determined not to return to the village until he finds her.