InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ When We Went Rogue ❯ Rogue ( Chapter 2 )

UNEDITED :P :P :P

So here it is...

I can't even begin to tell you guys how much I love you guys!

I have a million ideas about what I would do if I found a good hosting web service thingies. I would first create an Inuyasha website, and get it to utmost perfection. (Though, I would have to go back through MILLIONS of holes in cyberspace to figure out where I got all my pictures from... ((Has 6 gigabytes taken up with just Inuyasha pictures... (((Laughs hysterically))))) Then I would have to make an FF website. Then I would have to make websites dedicated to all my favorite anime and manga series ever since I was a small child.

Speaking of which, has anyone here watched Blood Reign: Curse of the Yoma? It was my first anime I watched as a kid, I think I was like 8. I barely knew how to read what they were saying because it was subtitled W/ Japanese, but I remembered the title and ever since I heard that it was licensed I have looked everywhere and still have not found any stores near and far away from me that have it. Since I am too cheap and poor and broke, I can't/won't buy it online. If anyone has any clue where I can find it pulls hair please review and tell me!

Disclaimer No.1: I do not own the demon in this chapter. If any of you who don't have lives, like me, recognize the demon in this chapter, well, I will give you a cookie. Or better yet, I'll send you a sneak preview of Chapter Two: At The breaking Point. Just give me the correct name of the creature and where it is from in the review that you WILL be GIVEN a huggle, from me to you :P

…

Disclaimer No.2: I do not own Inuyasha, much to my displeasure, and am currently devising a way to get the rights to him...

Rumiko Takahashi, I will get the rights to Inuyasha if I have to DIE doing it!

BTW: That is a joke, Takahashi-Sempai. Don't sue me. Unless, of course, you want to rob me of the lint in my pockets.

Some people were wondering what this story was about. Well, it is a romance. Inuyasha or Kagome, (Gee I wonder which of them it is, or both?!?!) at least one of them changes. I have figured out that somebody has to change in a story. Or make a change in the middle. I think it's called, "CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!" Anyway, one of them, they go "Rogue." I hate to be a brat, but I can't say much else otherwise I will REALLY ruin the story. It is no fun unless you read it. I can promise you that answers will be coming, and soon. (Well Maybe not TOO soon) Like I have always said, things get better with time, as will this story and my ability to write. If you're really nonplussed you can email me and I will SPOIL IT FOR YOU. Either way, it's a romance and obviously the main PLOT is the romance between the characters. So I hope you enjoy!

Gosh, it certainly took forever to be satisfied with this chapter... -- after I worked so hard... I sure do hope I get some positive feedback... But whatever, all I have really gotten so far is good stuff. So I am pleased!!!

And so, it starts... (For once, I am solemn. Serious stuff is going to happen! I Shiver just thinking about it! I can't wait to TYPE IT!)

-Luky

( ' means a thought ' )

Chapter One

Rogue

A gentle breeze whispered over a grassy hill that extended from the edge of a towering forest. There, sitting on the grass was what looked like a regular man. Anyone who happened to pass by and spare him a quick glance would believe so. But if they peered closer, they would see that he had dog-like ears attached to his head and silver white hair that blew out behind him in the wind.

The darkness of the forest was a deep change between the stars that shone down upon the earth from the empty sky, casting a contrast of light and dark. The night air was filled with scent of the impeding hours of summer, all the while remaining fresh. Still, it was ironic that the man was seated in between the shadow of the forest and the light of the stars.

Much like his life, he was always in between the lines of normality and abnormality. The sufferings of the past were forever shrouded in darkness. Hate, fear, and anguish. That was his past and his present. (Pouts at least that what HE thinks)! He was forever trapped in the echoes of the long ago sufferings of the time he had spent in adolescence and was unable, even now, several years after the fact, to cut free of the ties that bind ones heart and soul to the past. Thus, his present was uncontrollably altered.

'As children growing, the lives we lead will eventually shape us into the people we will become.' What was that quote that Kagome had spouted? His eyes clouded at the thought, his face contorting into a sad frown as the sad memory surfaced.

"Inuyasha!" she cried, racing after him. He stopped, holding his sword above his head, poised over the writhing body of a Kappa. In one blow he could slice it in half. How many times had he done this? How many times had she stopped him from taking the final killing blow? What kind of mercy did she have?

She had been crying, he remembered. She had cried and cried, even when he had put his sword back into his sheath she had continued to let out tears. Later that night, she had come to him and explained why she was so upset.

"Inuyasha?" she had asked, "may I sit with you?" He had grunted his usual "Keh" and suddenly became seriously interested in the ground a few yards away from him.

"Inuyasha, the Kappa had no control over himself, he was under the influence of a tainted jewel shard, you know that..." she had looked down, considering on how to continue on with the subject. "Inuyasha, he was being controlled by Naraku! He had no power of his own body and mind, couldn't you see that?!" He had seen, but an animal like rage had consumed him and he had lifted the sword, prepared to smite the Kappa for the vengeance of the death of countless villagers. It had almost slain Kagome... Even now, he could see the dark bruise appearing on the side of her face where it had struck her.

But even still, his steely resolve would not crumble, and instead, he set his entire body on self defense mode to not show to Kagome that her words were striking home.

"You would have slain him, Inuyasha, for something he did not even do!" He had continued to pretend that he wasn't affected, and she stood up, indignantly, and cried, "Just as Naraku pitted Sango against Kohaku!? Just as he did with you and me?" She had stopped and taking a deep breath, she said in a strained/angry voice "Like he pitted you and Kikyo against each other..." He wasn't able to stop the visible flinch that flowed over him and Kagome saw it too. He had felt the deep dagger of pain slice across his chest, and he looked up to her face, shining with rage and something he couldn't place his claws on.

"So that gets something out of you? I'll remember that if I ever need to tell you anything all I have to do is mention Kikyo and you will pay attention!" He didn't look at her. He couldn't tell what she was feeling at all? Her scent had changed, but the scent of tears... It wasn't there for once. He visibly sighed. "You have a choice Inuyasha. You were going to make a choice, and it was the wrong one."

She stared down, and took a deep breath and plopped back down onto the ground. She let out a heavy sigh and told him that she didn't want to fight with him like this. He had remained silent. He peaked at her from the side of his eyes, and she caught him. She let out a faint smile. He could no sooner stop it then change the fact that his heart felt it, his eyes melted.

"History is made to repeat itself, Inuyasha. You can't look me in the face and tell me that you don't want to correct yourself. You don't want to change?" He looked down again. 'Change? How can you change...' he thought.

"Inuyasha, I-" she started, but he interrupted her, in a flat voice, so unlike the voice of Inuyasha. "I can't change what I am..." Kagome was taken aback so much, that tears instantly had clouded her eyes. He had looked over to her, and told her not to cry because of him, his voice cold... and so... empty.

'My voice, everything about me that night... I was so bitter. I couldn't and still can't change what I am. But even still...'

She had let out a choke and stood, turning her back to him. From the side of his eye he saw Miroku and Sango staring. HE heaved a heavy sigh and watched as Kagome steeled herself. She went rigid and told him in a strained voice, "Goodnight." She had walked off, and he had turned away from her, to stare at the ground by his feet.

That night was softer then the others. The stars were starker, but not necessarily brighter. It was chilly in the tree that night. As Inuyasha tried vainly to push the soft sound of sniffling from bellow him out of his mind he shivered, guilt and shame playing around in his features.

Alone. Terribly alone.

But it was true, he couldn't change what he was...

'I was so sick with myself that I couldn't take it and I left her there crying into the night.' But he realized now, that even while history repeated itself, he was not bound by its vigilant grasp on him. While his past haunted him, and he knew he would never forget it, his future promised him something better.

'Kagome...'

No... SHE promised him better by simply staying by his side. That was what he was supposed to continue to protect. Protect the future so that maybe, just maybe, he could throw aside his baggage for something better.

With a glance at the stars, he frowned, seeing the sun complete disappear from the sky. He felt his claws receding, his ears drawing down the slope of his face to form into regular human ears. He felt his strength slip away from him. And last of all, he lost the nostalgic scent of the sun and the fade of summer.

Just before his sense of smell disappeared entirely, he caught the faint feel of the Shikon shards. It didn't give him the boost he thought it would, but its presence was still noticed. He didn't need someone to tell him that someone from his little 'group' was coming. By the strength of the aura he figured the person out to be Kagome.

He shifted, uncomfortable in his human form.

He didn't need to be a doctor to know that Kagome, with her kind and caring nature, and unbelievable amounts of mercy, was coming to heal and dress the wounds that he had so obviously displayed to the entire traveling party. He had sulked, pouted, and practically threw a hissy, all the while lapsing into complete and total silence.

Everyone was probably wondering if he was insane or not. Probably. 'But,' he thought, 'even I need time to think right? Even I need time to be alone. Why,' he thought, 'even Kagome and the others get time to think, even if they do it in a more normal fashion.'

'Besides, she must know that I am most vulnerable as a human! She must be coming now so she can more easily persuade me to tell her what has been wrong with me.' Inuyasha mentally scoffed his usual, "Keh." No level of argument could sweep him from his steely resolve. Not even puppy dog eyes!

"Fat Chance!" he scoffed.

'Still, I want to tell her. I want to tell her what it is I am thinking. I want to tell her...' he mentally paused, stumbling over his words. He wanted to tell her something, and how far would he go with that when he couldn't even think of what to say as he thought to himself?!

'I want to tell her and everyone else to just leave me the alone!' But that wasn't true. He was lying to himself, again. It had become a constant mental battle between his conscious and the memories of his past. It was tiring and often times put him in a sour mood. It didn't help to compare the past to the present; he was finding himself feeling things that were different from before. 'After all, nobody likes to try new things and my past... that is all that I know... How can I not compare it to now? Comparing my life then to now... It's so different... I...'

'I have changed, but I am still the same Inuyasha that longed for the blessed oblivion of battle. I still long for it with every breath of my being. But when I get into a battle it is hard for me to stop...'

Even though Inuyasha was no longer a hanyou, he held the Tetsugaiga closer to himself, drawing strength from the sheath alone. It was a habit that he was not fond of. Would it make him more vulnerable if he lost the sword and reached to it for comfort and it not to be there? You never know what you got 'till you lost it, right? He needed the sword, but what happened when the accustomed comfort didn't come? Would he lose the control that it offered him? Would he find himself becoming enraged and devouring his friends? Devouring Kagome?

'What kind of friend am I anyway? The many times I have risked the lives of my comrades, of Kagome? And they still stay with me even though I can turn demon anytime.' It seemed, at least to Inuyasha, that the recent demons had known to sweep his sword away from him. He had been forced to fight without it many times. Yet everyone...

'I could devour Kagome and the others in an instant, and they would not fight me, or even strike at me in any way. They would simply accept it,' he frowned, 'minus Miroku of course, who would have fled before hand. And even in my frenzy for blood, I would know that Kagome could subdue me and my unconscious mind would realize this and naturally she would be my first target.' He shuddered, the core of his thoughts shimmering like a wave in the back of his mind ready to sweep up and devour all other thought. He shook his head, trying vainly to clear his mind.

'It's not like I have much control anyway! When I turn into a human it is even worse. My thoughts get incoherent and OVERWHELM me. It's like in battle. I fight well, I will admit that much, but as a human... It's a wonder how Miroku and Sango can get along. In this state I can't protect everyone, least of all Kagome!!!' It took awhile for Inuyasha to admit, grudgingly, that Kagome wasn't weak either. And as much as he HATED admitting it, she really didn't need his protection as much as she had in the past. She seemed to know herself, seemed to be able to control her emotions better... 'Well,' he thought with another frown, 'a little better...'

'But why,' he thought again, 'did she follow me tonight?' There was no way she would be stupid enough to follow him when he had already been irritable when he left. She surely had more sense then that. Inuyasha's eyebrow twitched in irritation as he wondered aloud, "why the hell did you have to come and try to screw my mind up now, Kagome?!" But it was no lie that she, like everyone else in the group, had noticed that he was in a sour mood and was probably coming in an effort to ease his frazzled nerves. But her presence was anything but relaxing, especially when Inuyasha was a human. If anything, it made him tenser and reserved when she visited him as a human.

Inuyasha balled his fist up, and brought it down viciously against the ground, a ball of dust puffing up around his hand. Surprised he brought his hand up close to his eyes. He watched in a weird fascination as a red line slid slowly across his knuckle, blood welling and slipping from the weight of the blood down the slope of his knuckles to dribble from his fingertips to his pants leg. His HUMAN fingertips. It had been so long since he had smelled his own blood that he was surprised when the scent sliced through his senses like a knife reminding him that the pain was very real, and was currently getting more painful.

'Haha,' he thought, 'even if I am a Hanyou, I will always have this time when I am weak and vulnerable. Even if...' he paused, not even daring to dream, 'even if I live, I will have to endure the extreme anxiety that comes when I am human. It will be like when I was all alone, hiding under rocks as a child, shivering and watching full blooded demons swoop overhead. I was always so scared...' He frowned, sinking lower into his thoughts, 'I was always frightened. I was so terribly alone...'

"But you're not alone, anymore, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha sighed Kagome's name. It feathered over his lips and lifted into the wind to dance in the air. Her happiness. Her joy. Her smiles. Her wants, her dreams... She had stayed by his side all these years. They had been together for most of the time. His heart had fluttered at the thought of her, even while his stubborn mind resigned to think of the negative. He felt the flutter, but ruthlessly shoved it down before it could be recognized for what it was. Instead he thought-

'I'm just a dirty Hanyou! What could I ever hope to accomplish in the world?! Can I honestly say that I depend on others to help survive?! NO! Even in battles, it is mainly just me fighting! It's all me! I'm the only one here. I'm the only one who must feel this way! I've never really had anyone there with me. In fact, it was always just me in the battles doing anything... It was like a completely different alone all together.'

These thoughts were sheer echoes of what he had been thinking all his life. Constantly put down, tossed aside because of his blood. Does the shape of his ears make him any less of a man? It had mattered so much to him before. So much so, that he had hated life for it. He had hated humans, and had longed for a life of absolute power. Now he knew that the power he had craved was but a mindless rage that would throw away his mind and seal away his heart.

It had been more then 55 years since he had changed. Back then, he lived only to see the next day. While flying through the trees, he had passed over a camp where men were talking. Perching on a tree, he listened as they talked with more then a thirst for knowledge in his eyes. During that time, the men spoke of a jewel that would grant any wish of the owner. Naturally, Inuyasha heard more and more as the tail was beginning to circulate. He hadn't wasted a second after coming across a demon centipede, half of its body had been missing and it screeched out through a mouth that spouted foam, "Give me back the Shikon JEWEL!!!" He had gone forth to see if the information was true. Sure enough, he found the village where the demon had led him to, but found that he had an unwanted adversary that was protecting it.

This adversary was a Miko. Calm, cool, collected, and very lethal. It didn't help the fact that this Miko was a woman. But even still, he tried futily to retrieve the jewel. He found that he was lacking in wisdom on many things, one of which being sneaking into places. Since his childhood, he had grown up to be a "run through the front door with your claws swinging," type of guy. (I mean, going in stupidly with your guns blazing... har har?! -- sigh) He tended to use the brunt force, and didn't strategize. Often times she would catch him as he was simply crouching down, readying to spring on her. It was a surprise to him that his strategy was not succeeding.

But what bothered him most, was that she never killed him. Every time she would pin him down with her arrows. Never did she slay him like she had with other demons. She once told him that it was because they were the same. He remembered scoffing and turning to leave and then catching her expression. It had made him feel things that weren't meant to be felt.

Longing.

He had seen the same loneliness in himself. She was secluded too, her place in the world was all her own. She too longed for normalcy.

He had not intended to fall in love with her, but soon found himself doing just that. He was puzzled and intrigued by the simple fact that she never killed him. It should have been hint enough. He should have ridden on those emotions to the eventual path of "enlightenment" (no offense to you Buddhists intended!) He couldn't explain his own actions as he began to follow her everywhere.

They had become friends of a kind.

Even still, he should have known the feelings, should have recognized them for what they were. It took a kiss in the sunset to clear his mind.

She had stopped him. Even now, he could not understand why she had stopped him from saying the words. Had she merely felt like they were unnecessary? He had wanted to speak aloud, that same night she told him he could use the Shikon no Tama to turn himself into a human, that she would be his.

'Then you'll be my wo-....'

He shook his head. It was the very next days that they're lives were changed.

He went to the place where they were to meet, fully intent on changing his every dream and desire just to be with her. He was worried, they had not set a time for them to meet. As he was about to head to the village to see what the hold up was, he felt something coming towards him. He dodged just it time, baring his teeth and turning to his hidden adversary.

A voice. It spoke such vile, evil things.

"Die, Inuyasha!"

Her voice.

It was she, her bow raised another arrow notched and pointed exactly at his chest. Her face. It was contorted in such an evil mixture. It was enough to turn the flame that had started to warm his heart into scorching whips of anger and betrayal. His hopes. All of his hopes of happiness, peace, of no longer a scorned spawn of two different races, shattered like glass. He was once again the fevered hanyou lost in a dark desire for the oblivion that the shikon Jewel had to offer.

He could remember in stark details the way it felt to have the blood of the villagers coursing over his hands, slipping down his arms. He remembered the feel of his claws raking across buildings, slashing up homes, ransacking everything.

He remembered to feel of the shikon jewel as he ripped it from its pedestal. It had felt like an electric shock. He hesitated for only a moment and was actually startled when the doors burst open behind him. He had dodged their arrows just in time, jumping through the roof, and the waves of energy spiraling up towards him as he leapt from the building in a flurry of explosions. His heart was almost completely black. He had switched modes, almost mechanically, and had shifted into "Inuyasha, the arrogant facade."

And most vividly, he remembered leaping off of houses, running down the steps and flitting down the walkway of Higurashi shrine-

'I'll use this to become a full demon and no one will be able to call me a hanyou again!'

-and feeling the magic arrow pierce through his side, pinning him to a tree.

The feel of the Shikon jewel slipping from his fingers as his vision blurred with the slow drop of his hair over his eyes was akin to the feeling of your gut dropping to the floor. Kikyo had betrayed him. She stood with her bow drawn and the string still thrumming with the release of mystical magic. She had such a look on her face... He had cursed her very existence that day, hated her and wished for her death.

'Had I really though? I know... I don't hate Kikyo... I never have...'

It wasn't supposed to be like that though. They had been tricked, deceived... And it was all because Naraku had wanted to pollute the jewel. But he was mistaken, Kikyo, who had selflessly devoted her life to the Shikon Jewel, took it with her peacefully into death, down into hell. And for Fifty years Inuyasha had waited... And then, he had awakened. His first thought, was the scent of Kikyo, the witch who had killed him and that was how he had meant Kagome for the first time.

It was funny, now that he thought about it. Who would have thought that the woman who had killed him, her reincarnation, the rebirth of her soul, would reappear in ancient times to free Inuyasha from the Fuuin no Ya?

Kagome had looked so young then. He had easily mistaken her for the Priestess that had sealed him to Goshinboku. It was definitely ironic, how the two girls could share the same soul, but be so different. She had shown him anger, something he was not accustomed to. Most humans he had been around had shown only fear and hate, but rarely anger. She was the reincarnation of the woman he had "loved." Whenever he saw Kagome, he could no sooner see her then remember what had happened to her.

'And,' he thought, "Naraku destroyed everything I had begun to assemble! He murdered Kikyo! Had he never existed at all!!! ?' Inuyasha frowned, gritting his teeth and clenching his eyes shut angrily. He clenched his hand, his fingers tightening and his human nails bite into his flesh palms. After awhile he released his grip. While his human side had taken over his thoughts, and the demon side had relinquished control over his countenance, his transformation could no sooner change his heart, nor his attitude...

He couldn't believe his thoughts. They were disorganized and sporadic, often switching gears as swiftly as the wind changed. It was no surprise that he had spent the last hour reminiscing.

He had wanted so much while Kikyo was alive, he had longed for so much. Had it been in his rights? Was it his right to allow Kagome to stay with him even though he knew he was putting her in danger every time they went out into a battle? Was it in his right, to think such thoughts about Kikyo, and allow her... Kagome to see??? If there was one thing Kagome had taught him, it was that he was a person, whether or not he had demonic blood coursing through his vain, because he had a heart and it beat true and strong in his chest. He couldn't hide what he felt for Kikyo. Kagome saw it many times, each time she changed and said not a word. And each time Inuyasha felt bad for expressing that much. But what were his real thoughts for Kikyo?

'Do I really still... love... her?' Inuyasha frowned. He considered the possibility. He didn't know what it was that he felt now, but it was strong. And what disturbed him the most, was that... well, Kagome.

She was a person as well. It was her choice to stay with him. It was in no way his fault. He couldn't describe what it was that he felt anymore, especially when it came to the two women, who were, in almost complete opposites.

Depression was setting in. He couldn't even tell if it was because of what happened. What COULD happen. A part of him wanted to grab Kagome and throw her over his shoulder and never let her leave, while the other side wanted to shove her away as quickly and as painlessly as possible.

But was it possible? He thought for a long time on this.

His conclusion:

He WANTED her to stay. He needed her, if only to keep himself from falling away into darkness. If only to know that she was near, when nightmares plagued his sleep. If only to be the smile that turned his frozen heart into fire.

Somewhere inside he knew that Kagome could not last like this. She was a cheerful girl by her nature alone. The pain that she showed whenever he saw Kikyo, the very REAL pain that he could see in her eyes. He wondered if it was ever difficult for her to smile, or if she had simply told herself that she had to, for herself, and for him. She was so kind, and gracious, telling him to "go to her" when she knew he wanted to...

She had always stressed that he should follow his heart, whatever that meant. Even during those times, her expression would remain unreadable. It was her eyes. Those eyes that melted him. He knew that he felt something for her, but it was frightening and he simply didn't want to face what it meant. Instead, he lied to himself to keep himself from repeating past mistakes. He just didn't want to have to face it.

Still, he wasn't quite sure of what to make of the situation. The last time something of this sort had occurred to him, he had been nearly unconscious. It had also been within the first year they had been...

'Together? With each other? Why the hell can't I find a way to describe it accurately?!'

Not even to MENTION the recent changes with her physical form. She was starting to look and act more like Kikyo. Not in the normal way, like behaviors or anything. But with her strength. She was resilient, and often tiring. She was still Kagome, but there were times when she seemed so distant, as if some part of her was closed off to him. He couldn't place it. And there was no denying the fact that he didn't like it.

She was looking more like HER though. That at least, was unnerving. Her bangs that at the time he had meant her had been spiky, had thickened and become less pointed. She was also... He couldn't understand. She would be strong one moment and the next, tired. She would wake up and take hours to WAKE UP. (You know what I mean). He had never seen her like that. And it wasn't like these changes were every now and then... No, they were every day. It made him curl his fingers as if he was going to fight of an invisible foe.

Kikyo had been strong. There was no doubt in him that her spiritual powers had been great. But something or someone made her lose her will to fight. With Kagome, she never seemed like she WANTED to quit... at anything!!! When the sudden fevers came, she would fight them. She would insist that they go on, continuing forward in there walks. She was strong. But even sometimes her strength would fail her, and she would fall, completely exhausted.

Every morning that she had where she woke up at one time, but never got really going, every time a rapid fever would ravage her, every time her knees got weak she was normal. But as she got stronger, overcame the fevers, woke up with a start, or walked longer and farther then any of the others, her eyes would glow. They hadn't noticed it at first, the dull tint to her eyes. It was a dark purple tint. But gradually they began to notice it. When it became a line around the rim of her pupils, they had consulted with Kaede. She had her own theories, as well as Miroku. Inuyasha had been there from sheer worry and from the desire to understand what was happening her. To KNOW how to protect her from it.

But whatever it was, it didn't seem to be life threatening, not really. She would faze out and look at them like they weren't there. She would talk, almost normally. Kaede had warned them that whatever was happening to her, it could be dangerous. It also could prove to be harmless. Inuyasha couldn't shake the apprehension he felt about it.

But those moments when her fatigue showed, her eyes DIDN'T glow. It was like whenever that light was there, Kagome was fine. And during those moments, she was as lively as she ever was. It made Inuyasha happy and worried at the same time. Everyday it was different. But then again, it was always different... when it involved Kagome, whether or not he was aware of it himself.

"INUYASHA!"

Inuyasha frowned, the voice of the woman who was occupying his thoughts was screaming in his head. When he heard it call out again, he realized that it was a very real noise, and it was coming closer. 'Damn, I knew she was coming, why did I have to get caught up in my thoughts so much that I wouldn't even here her calling to me?!'He resolved to stare straight ahead and act like he had not heard her at all. When he heard her call out again, his eyes bulged. 'Was that a scream of fright?!'

"Kagome!" he cried, shocked, but instinct took over and he stood and turned to the direction of Kagome's voice. He saw her dart through the bushes. His looked up, his hand reaching for Tetsugaiga, his alarm furthering when he saw the pale purple glow from her eyes. 'It's DIFFERENT this time! Her entire eyes are SHINING, like a light!'

He started up to the hill towards her, and she screamed, pointing over his head. Inuyasha watched the shadow creep over him, casting the ground into perfect darkness. He stopped, and looked up to Kagome, her hair briefly flinging in front of her face as she came to a screaming halt, the light in her eyes faded almost instantly. It fluttered in the air and he turned away, looking up, silently relieved on the most primal of ways, into the giant demon's glowing red eyes.

'INUYASHA!'

Kagome came to a stop, her heart beating wildly in her chest, the wind lifting her clothes to flutter in the wind. She felt a strange sensation as if she had lost something that hadn`t truly fit in the first place, her body became suddenly heavy as the dull purple color in her eyes disappeared. She looked up, and saw Inuyasha staring up into the giant demon's eyes. She screamed again, her arm reaching instinctively behind her to grip an arrow, while the other brought the bow into position. She hooked the arrow into the notch and pulled back the string, the flame colored feathers shining brightly, and let the arrow fly.

Inuyasha, though a human, felt the thrum of power as the arrow was released. Not needing any initiative, he ducked, eating the dirt. He looked up in time to watch the flaming arrow slice through one side of the mass above him. The demon shrieked, a gaping hole appearing in its chest where the arrow had flown through. One of its heavy tentacles reached to the hole and pressed against the oozing black muck with a might that could have crushed a giant. The skin melted and reformed a new layer of poisonous spines forming over the new flesh. Inuyasha stood up, he could barely see. He turned to Kagome, his eyes telling her something that his voice could not before yelling, "LIGHT!!!"

Not needing any other information, she hooked another arrow onto the notch. She fired it straight into the ground. It shot a red flare of fire through the sky until it landed directly in front of the demon. It stopped midway into the dirt, continuing to burn. 'Damn right, Kagome, damn right!' Inuyasha smirked, reaching for the Tetsugaiga. He felt the demon move, it screeched, its face tilting to the sky. It tensed for a moment and faced Kagome. Inuyasha turned as it sped directly for her. It slithered over the arrow and kept going.

"Kagome! GET OUT OF THERE!!!!" Inuyasha screamed, running as fast as he could in her direction. He mentally cursed his human legs as they strained against the speed he wanted. He watched as she froze, still holding her bow, and looked up at the creature that was swooping down upon her, one of its claws jeering forward to strike her.

She suddenly came to life again. Reached behind her, she raised her bow, her hand closing around another arrow, she hooked it and let it loose. The magical arrow flew from her fingertips and pierced the other side of the demon, an inhumane screech piercing the crisp night air as another part of the hideous creature was incinerated. The creature, thrown off balance, began to fall. Sensing the lack of balance; it struck one of its giant tentacles out to grasp something as if to right itself. It struck a tentacle on the ground, digging into the ground with it`s sheer mass. The appendage quivered, and without warning, expelled the layer of spine on covering its green flesh. Several of them shot in Kagome's direction.

She threw her hands up, covering her face and calling out to Inuyasha. She was pitched sideways as he slammed into her from the side, knocking the breath out of her and sending her flying with a crunch and a painful spray of rocks into the ground. As she fell, she felt something slice against her left cheekbone; the pain sent a small thrill down her spine. They slid across the dirt until the rocks turned into rocks and grass, several yards away from the forest and more then a few yards away from the demon.

Inuyasha lifted his upper body with his arms to peer into Kagome's face. He reached out one hand and tilted her face in his palm, checking for any serious injuries. Her voice echoed in his mind like a chant. A bit of wisdom she had passed down to him from one of those giant books she was always carrying back and forth through time. It was a book... What did she say about head injuries?

'If someone is hurt in the head, they're eyes should have trouble focusing, and that is the first thing you check for when you get into an accident. If something happens to someone with their head, it needs to be treated immediately.'

'That's right, Kagome was laughing then... '

What if I never get to see her laugh again?'

He checked her eyes, lifting her eyelids to peer into her sockets. It wasn't the first time that he found them rolling. She moaned, turning her head to the side. He felt himself bite his lips as he saw the clean straight line of blood that was slashed directly over her cheek bone. The blood slithered down from the cut in a perfect line. It could have been painted on there. Emotions swelled inside of Inuyasha's head as he picked himself off of her. She turned her head to the side again, her eyes fluttering open. It took her a moment but she sat up as soon as she realized they were in the middle of a battle.

She saw a giant creature that was writhing, but was steadily picking itself up and off of the ground. She had never seen any manner of creature similar to this one ever before. It had a huge head. Its lower body was a mass of tentacles that writhed and slithered over the ground while black smog seeped over the ground where it was trying to stand. Sickly spines were covering the tips of the tentacles and dripping with yellow/green liguid. Wherever the creature stepped, the grass and other weeds melted, liquefying almost instantly. They shriveled and curled into themselves like paper set to flame. Its head was a huge green mass with a jaw that took up more the half of the face. Ooze gurgled from its oversized jaw where razor sharp teeth protruded. Yellow fog slipped from its mouth to taint the air. The smell reached her nose and she had to hold back the impulse to throw up the apple she had eaten earlier. It roared, lifting itself from the ground with a spray of black fog from its underside.

"Kagome! Do you sense any jewel shards?" he asked, his back to her. Kagome looked up, her gaze shifting in and out of focus. She whispered, trying to locate any source of evil or pure energy. The dark splotch in her vision had to be the demon, but why wasn't she seeing things like normal?! Why! "Inuyasha, I can't tell if it has any!" He grunted, lifting the sword up, both hands on the hilt, in a position to defend. "Kagome, hurry, get back to Miroku and Sango, quickly!"

Kagome brushed off her legs and struggled to get up. She rubbed her left side of her face, realizing dully that she couldn't feel it. She passed it off as a momentary injury from her previous fall and didn't see the blood that was on her fingers. She slowly stood, her knees shaking and straining to lift her up. The muscles in her legs quivered and jerked as she stood. A drop of sweat slipped down the side of her face as she reared up, when she finally came to a complete stand up, she yelled, pain jerking her legs again.

"What the hell? Kagome?!" Inuyasha rushed to her side, still holding the untransformed Tetsugaiga in his hand as her gripped her arms to steady her. Warmth flared up through Kagome but was instantly repressed with a chill that had her shaking uncontrollably. Inuyasha clutched her, worry flitting over his features as he watched a dull purple throb of light flash in Kagome's eyes. His hands tightened on her and he dropped Tetsugaiga to grab hold of her more tightly. He had to fight the urge to shake her until her eyes returned to normal, but he wasn't given that chance.

'Look out!' a voice cried out in Kagome's mind. Her eyes, unfocused cast a furtive glance over Inuyasha's shoulder. She gasped, grabbing Inuyasha's chest, her hands fisting in the cloth there as she saw a tentacle veer out and whip across Inuyasha's back, viscously sending him crashing against her, smashing her arms between they're chests. Blood spurted from his mouth and into the air, and Kagome screamed his name in horror. The landed with a thud onto the ground, Inuyasha's black hair sliding over them like a curtain, his head bouncing off of her chest as he slid lower down her body with the continued bounce from the fall.

Kagome felt Inuyasha's blood trickle down and over her stomached. She mentally screamed, failing to notice the suggestive position they were in. Cringing, Inuyasha struggled to pull himself up. She clutched his shoulders desperately, mentally commanding him to get up faster. She tried to open her mouth to speak, but found that she couldn't move her face. Fear slashed down her spine like Lightning and lit her eyes with fright. Inuyasha, whose eyes were slowly opening, bulged when he saw that Kagome's face was paralyzed. The fear in his eyes had his arm weakly reaching forward to touch her face. He saw the small slash mark glowing, the same purple of her eyes, and he clenched his fist in alarm.

'She doesn't have any expression at all?!'

End Commentary:

Well, I tried my best to put in some heart wrenching things in there. Not to mention the start of a battle... I do hope I have impressed some people. I would hate to lose readers early on because of an error or two on my part... Sobs DON'T LEAVE ME! (And I know, it's another cliffy! Hehe, SORRY!!!)

Not to mention I actually can't wait to write more of this story. A possible romance story added to my lists of "Coulda Woulda Shouldas?" I absolutely love how you guys actually read my authors notes! I cry every time I get a review with someone asking about something in my A/N... I absolutely love you guys! I'm a pretty emotional person, I pretty much THROW my emotions out at everyone around me, (which can become a bother...) and every time I go to check to see if I got another review... Let's just say, mom and dad don't want me on the computer for awhile... Hehe..

Anyway, please, review and tell me what you think. I LOVE to sound repetitive and REVIEWING makes motivation EASIER to come by. That's why reviewing is so good for you. I know for one it makes me want to get up and type at strange hours.... cough cough Like right now... 5:57 in the morning...

Oh yeah! What IS that thing that Inuyasha wears called? I really badly want to know. And Kikyo? A Miko outfit, that no matter how hard I try... I can't seem to draw it exactly right. Normally I would have free rein of the computer and thus easily accessed information but complications have arisen and I have to be stealthy whenever I need to go on to do something lengthy... Silly parents....

I eventually want to start up that website on Inuyasha (and perhaps host my Fanart I have drawn). Hehe, but I don't think there is anything that I can do till I get internet and some kind've job.... sigh Not to mention, it takes a long time to design a beautiful layout and the like... This much I can tell. I want to have one of the best Inuyasha/Kagome websites out there. It's like this story, my devotion to it will never diminish. Huggles computer God I love this wonderful machine!

Chapter One History:

Started: 12/31/03

Finished: 1/01/04

Revised: 1/03/04

Revised: 1/10/04

major revision: 3/21/04:

Revised: 5/08/04

Revised: 6/12/04

Clarification No.1: I don't mind questions, and constructive critism. Don't review and say, "This SUCKS" because I will get very mad and haunt you to your grave. (not really, I will just get very UN bubbly and probably send you an email that sounds like something an adult would write. You can ALWAYS tell with me, if I am mad cause I have a very professional, almost business like way of writing.

Clarification No.2: It has been FOUR years. Inuyasha is now 23, Kagome is 19. Can we say, LEGAL!!!

Clarification No.3: Sango and Miroku DO do things! They provide humor and entertainment and serve for "moodiness detectors." They do too have a purpose!

Clarification No. 4: Fuuin no Ya is the arrow of sealing. Essentially, the spell Kikyo cast on Inuyasha to bind him to the tree.

Oo

-Luky

Thanks again for being there for me, my loyal fans!

Oh yeah, some people are wondering if there is a plot to this story. Well, all I have to say, is keep reading and you will find out! Darn you, I would NEVER write a plotless story! coughs while stuffing down deeply engraved hurt...

Toodles!