InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Wild West and the Gang of Four Souls ❯ Boredom and Heat ( Chapter 5 )

A week passed by peacefully for the law officers of Mercy. Peacefully, meaning Inuyasha was bored out of his mind.

Miroku was probably in the fancy houses or trying to sneak up to Sango's rooms. Inuyasha didn't know and he didn't really care. All he knew was that he was losing it from doing nothing all day.

It used to be that if he got bored he would take his horse and go on a journey. He and Miroku usually went to "borrow" certain valuable things that might not be inside the law per say, but at least it passed the time. These excursions usually took up a lot of time and Inuyasha was rarely in Mercy, even after being appointed sheriff.

Now Inuyasha and Miroku traveled little from Mercy. Inuyasha blamed it on a loss of interest in things they could borrow; the challenge had left the profession. In truth he just couldn't stand the thought of leaving Kagome unprotected. More than that, he really couldn't imagine going more than a few days without seeing, talking and arguing with Kagome.

All of this he would never admit to himself. He never wanted to confess, even to himself, how much he depended on Kagome and how much she meant to him. It was doubtful, at least at the rate things were going that he would ever realize how much he needed Kagome.

Inuyasha was standing under the one tree in the town, looking down Main Street. The tree was said to be holy or enchanted; how else could a large tree ever survive in the desert? It must have been hundreds of years old and most tribes in the area still viewed it as a holy sight. The tree was Inuyasha's favorite place.

How the hell is it still so fucking hot!!!!

Inuyasha took off his cowboy hat and wiped his brow. His whole outfit really wasn't the most cooling of things. It, like everything in the West, was designed more for survival than comfort.

The clothes he wore were made to protect from the elements and other harmful situations. His black hat was to shield him from the sun. It was old, black, worn out, and showing that it had seen plenty of use and more than enough sun. Like his hat, his boots, pants, and vest were also originally pitch black but now had faded to a more worn and sun bleached color. Is shirt was still as bright of red as the day he first got it. His shirt was no product of eastern cities. It was made of a tough and durable material of desert known by the Indian tribes of the area.

Beside Inuyasha on the ground was the last piece of his out fit, a long black coat, which was part of why so many people feared Inuyasha. Would you really want to see a man dress almost entirely in black coming at you with a scowl on his face, coat and bright white hair flapping in the wind? It is just one of those sights that says guy you wouldn't want to piss off. Plus, in Inuyasha's case, if you throw in two guns and a tomahawk, the whole look screams guy you don't want to piss off.

The fact that Inuyasha carried guns really didn't faze a single person. However the piece of information that he could kill a person without even looking at where he was pointing the gun scared people shitless. Inuyasha was well known for his skill with guns, only to be rivaled by myths about individuals who lived in the isolated settlements of almost forgotten original pioneers.

Inuyasha's tomahawk made him one of a kind and above any contesters. He could use it, thought rarely did, and with deadly precision. The skill he had with it might scare people but there was a different reason people were terrified of it and that was because of what it symbolized.

The tomahawk, called the Tetsusaiga, was Inuyasha's only inheritance from his father, the former chief of the Inu-Tribe of Indians. It symbolized that Inuyasha was not from society, he was from a group of people that were little understood and therefore greatly feared.

The Inu-Tribe was the military and intellectual power of the West even for new settlers. They controlled almost all of the unsettled territory and were the reason that the Wild West was still sparsely populated. There were stories about what happened to ill prepared settlers that crossed the Inu's, stories that you didn't want to hear while you were eating.

The fact that Inuyasha was half Indian, not to mention having connections with the most notorious tribe in the West, was the leading motivation that had made people choose him as sheriff and yet hesitate to even look at him while walking down the street. To them he was a savage who it was better to humor than to piss off; to them he was a tool to scare off anyone who wanted to challenge Mercy; to them he wasn't a human being.

That was before Kagome had come. She had changed things for him more than she could ever imagine. People still didn't have the guts to look him in the eye, but, at least in Mercy, people didn't move to the other side of the street when he walked down it. It was still bad in other towns but Mercy was slowly getting used to him.

There were three people in Mercy who knew Inuyasha for who he really was. One of them was a relative, the second was his childhood friend, and the third was a girl who he couldn't figure out. Inuyasha had never told these people how much they meant to him, he might not have realized it himself, but if it wasn't for them he probably wouldn't know how to be human, for how could one know how to love and show mercy if none was ever shown to him?

As much as Inuyasha was feared and hated by the town of Mercy, it would have been worse living with the tribe. The Inu-Tribe despised blood taint and that was all they viewed him as. He was the Chief's son who should have never happened because the Chief was not supposed to become weak and fall in love with an outsider. He should have killed her, but he didn't, and this was what caused Inuyasha to be born and Inutaisho's death warrant to be sealed by opposing forces in the tribe.

When Inuyasha's brother became chief he made up for Inutaisho's "weakness" towards humans, more than enough. Sesshomaru, now tribal leader, felt nothing but hatred and disgust for the settlers. People were terrified of him. No one, either settler or Indian, ever went up against Sesshomaru; that is except for two people, Inuyasha and Naraku, and Sesshomaru was going to make them pay for it.

This wasn't a very happy thought for Inuyasha. Fighting his brother always turned out to be a very painful experience and the last thing he needed was to have one more troubling matter hanging over his head.

Inuyasha had enough problems as it was. He was the bridge between the two harsh worlds. He couldn't find his place in either, so he built a bridge between them.

~~~~~

Kagome stood at the front door of the Shrine Inn and stared down the street looking for Inuyasha.

He's probably by that tree of his, brooding like usual.

Kagome sighed and walked down the road to find him. It's never good to leave people to think by themselves for too much time, especially when none of the things that are being thought about are pleasant. She wasn't going to let him feel sorry for himself no matter how much of an ass he was being.

Ever since Kagome arrived in Mercy she had had a very interesting relationship with Inuyasha. They both drove each other crazy. No one could get under Inuyasha's skin quite like Kagome and no one drove Kagome too her end like Inuyasha. They were quite a pair to see arguing; Miroku had even tried to sell tickets to their fights on occasions. No matter how much they bickered they had a connection that couldn't be denied.

Kagome continued down the street, fanning herself with her hand as a way to beat off the ever oppressing heat.

She saw Inuyasha sitting there with a piece of straw in his mouth and a distant look on his face.

"Inuyasha, why don't you come back inside? I know you love acting all macho but it is hotter than Hades out here. So give it up and come in."

Inuyasha did his `keh' thing and turned away.

That damn idiot. I don't have to be out here. I came out being nice and trying to get him to come inside but noooo he had to ignore me that's it I don…

Kagome got cut off when Inuyasha jumped up and knocked her down under him.

~~~

Inuyasha saw Kagome approaching and was slightly annoyed by her interrupting his thoughts.

He nodded his head to acknowledge that he knew she was there and then sat back to listen to her.

He knew he should go and save her the trouble of telling him, it really was too hot to be out, but what was the fun in just obeying her. Arguing with Kagome seemed more tempting and interesting.

His thoughts turned to what Kagome was saying but only replied in his mind.

Where the hell do I have to go to get any privacy out here?

It is hot but that doesn't mean I have to listen to her.

Keh is definitely the coolest word in the world. Only I know what it means.

Wow I didn't know she could turn that color red.

Is she counting to ten to calm down?

His thoughts were interrupted by something out of the corner of his eye.

A glint of silver and someone in black holding it could barely be seen hiding down the street.

That guy can't be aiming for me; he doesn't have the angle… SHIT KAGOME!!

BANG! BANG!

Both bullets hit the center of the trunk as Inuyasha quickly took Kagome out pinning her under him. The splinters sprayed down on them and Inuyasha tried to protect Kagome from them.

The shooter waited just long enough to see if he missed before taking off down the street. BUT no matter how fast the shooter was Inuyasha, and especially a pissed off Inuyasha, was faster.

"HELL NO!! You're going to pay for that!!!!"

Inuyasha took off running after him fueled by the thought of anyone trying to hurt Kagome, and Kagome took after Inuyasha to try to keep him from killing the guy.

Ya, run away that's a good thought; like you'll ever make it. There was really no hope for this guy in Inuyasha's mind.

With one final leap Inuyasha had the attacker pinned to the ground and knocked out. He was about to beat the crap out of the man but Kagome grabbed his arm.

"This guy just tried to kill you and you want me to show him mercy?!?"

"No by all means beat him up after but I want to know who sent him first."

Inuyasha brought back his hand for a minute then decided she had a point.

He grabbed the man, threw him over his back and snarled, "Fine I'll put him in the cell for now, but when we are done getting answers from this guy and when I'm done it aint gonna be pretty."

~~~~~~

Sorry it is next chapter that gets more into the plot and action of the whole story. This one was a lot about Inuyasha and a little on the slow side. I want to say I love everyone for reading the story and thank you so much for reviewing for all of those who have. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! I love people's opinions and no matter what they are they will probably be helpful.