Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Uragirimono ❯ Chapter 8 - Butterfly Kiss... ( Chapter 8 )

Uragirimono

 

Notes: I was just bored one day so I sat down and started writing. I have no intention for this piece. I don't even know why I'm writing it when I have so much still unfinished. I guess I just need a break so I can sit down and get some fresh ideas into my head. I'll go back some day and re-watch some anime and finish some of my ficcies, but I really don't know when. I'm tired of writing the same old cliche fics and I just wanna have a lil fun again. Anyway, this'll be a Sailor Moon, Inuyasha ficcy (since that anime rox^^ I finally got to see it, fansub of course ~.^). Anyway, I really don't want to make this a romance, but if it takes that turn *shrugs* gomen. Well, that's all I'm gonna ramble on about for now. Please review or email me at pokahydee@mysticallegends.com. Also, check out my fanfiction contest on my site http://www.mysticallegends.com. There is currently no deadline until I receive more entrees. If this is good enough, maybe I'll enter it in that contest I'm a judge of *thinks and shrugs*

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Inuyasha, they are owned by other people with alot more money than me *sniffle* The story belongs to me, though, steal and you'll have a hoard of hungry muses on your ass ready to beat the living crap outa ya and drag your beaten bloody carcass back to their master Naraku who will eat every last bite of you :P (^^; that was kinda violent ne? *blushes*)

 

Thoughts are 'italicized'
Dream Sequences are 'italicized' (thoughts in dreams aren't)
**** Change of scene, time, etc…

 

Chapter 8 - Butterfly Kiss…

 

"Are we almost there, Miroku-sama?" Kagome asked as she glanced down at the monk that was walking beside them. He seemed to be in deep thought as he searched for something. Kagome wasn't sure what the serious look on his face was for or why he stopped walking abruptly.

 

"Kuso!" He cried out as he felt a blast of power in the distance. He turned around and began running in the opposite direction as fast as his legs could carry him.

 

"What's wrong, Houshi-sama?!" Sango demanded worriedly as Kirara followed the monk.

 

"Her energy! She's at the shrine!" Miroku said as he felt a huge burst of pure energy coming from the direction of the shrine. "They used her to lure us away from the Shikon no Tama! We have to hurry!" He yelled as he picked up his speed to his fastest. His adrenaline kicked in and he managed to push himself even faster.

 

"Miroku-sama, we're going to go on ahead with Kirara!" Kagome said as she gripped her bow with one hand. Sure she didn't have a good shot, but she had to at least try. Her best friend, her sister was in danger. Kagome made a silent vow to herself that she wouldn't let anything happen to Usagi. She only hoped she wasn't too late already.

 

'Kuso! How could I have been so blind?!' Miroku thought angrily as he ran as fast as he could. 'I should have expected something like this from them.' He growled low in his throat as he pushed himself faster. Kirara and the girls had gone on ahead, but he could still see them from the ground. For a human, he had speed and stamina. He could run as fast as most demons without any trouble. The only ones that really gave him trouble were the wolves. They weren't only fast; they were cunning as well. That was how the wolf had been able to steal Kagome right under his nose and put that damn mark on her.

 

Miroku growled louder as he remembered seeing the small mark on her neck, the mate mark of that damn wolf. He must have forced her to let him do that, he only hoped he hadn't forced anything else. Although it would have been obvious if he had stolen her innocence from her. She probably wasn't even aware of the mark on his neck or that the weaker youkai would leave her alone because of it.

 

He knew a lot about certain breeds of youkai because he had been fighting them for 15 years. Even as a child, he had fought along side of his father who was eventually sucked into the hole in his hand. The sons of his family had been cursed with the Kazaana for about 500 years now, ever since a particularly powerful youkai had ripped the hole in his ancestor's hand. It was said that the youkai had the ability to shift his shape and disguised himself as a beautiful woman, thereby distracting the young priest and ripping the hole. 'What a damn fool…' Miroku thought to himself as he pictured the young monk. 'To let a woman distract him like that… There is no way I would let a woman distract me…' [A.N. We all know that's not true ~.^ I love you, Miroku *glomps*].

 

"Kuso…" Sango mumbled to herself as she glanced back at the priest. She couldn't just leave him behind like that. "Kirara, we have to go back for Houshi-sama. We're going to need his help, I sense a very powerful youkai up ahead." Kirara growled lightly in response but did as she was told and turned back for the priest.

 

"Nani?! I told you to go on ahead!" Miroku growled as the group came back.

 

"Baka, we're going to need your help!" Sango said as she reached a hand down for the monk. "Kirara, do you think you can carry all of us?" Kirara nodded her furry head and growled in reply. "Arigato, Kirara." Sango said as she pulled Miroku up onto the cat youkai behind her. Kagome sat behind Miroku. 'Ah… two beautiful women…' Miroku sighed as he sat between the two women contentedly.

 

"Don't even think about it, Houshi-sama." Sango growled as she unconsciously felt his hand creeping toward her rear.

 

"Eh… haha." Miroku said as he put a hand behind his head and laughed nervously as a sweatdrop slid down his face. "I was just testing you, Sango."

 

"There, they are!" Kagome said suddenly as her voice broke into the conversation. Kagome was pointing to the ground at a woman with black hair who was carrying something in a white bundle.

 

"She's a youkai!" Shippo said as he jumped onto Kirara's head and pointed toward her. "And I recognize that scent! She must be related to him!"

 

"To whom?" Kagome asked as they approached the figure.

 

"His name is Naraku, and he's really powerful. That must mean she's his offspring." Shippo said as he sniffed the air again. Kagome pulled an arrow from her quiver and fit it onto the bowstring.

 

"Kirara, go lower, I'll see if I can hit her." Kagome said as she pulled the string taut. Sango and Miroku readied themselves to jump from Kirara's back as soon as Kirara got close enough to the ground and Shippo's hands were glowing with a faint blue light.

 

Kagome felt her blood freeze as the woman's red eyes looked up. 'Nani?!' Kagome thought to herself as she met the eyes of the woman. 'She looks so scary…' Kagome thought to herself as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Kirara's feet touched the ground and two of the human's jumped off.

 

"Don't move!" Kagome shouted as she trained her arrow on the woman. The woman looked unimpressed by the action of the dark-haired girl.

 

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango yelled as she flung the boomerang at the woman as hard as she could. The youki of this woman was very strong and by her appearance, she was not one to be taken lightly.

 

"Ho?" The woman made a sound as she drew out a fan. She flipped it open in one swift movement and made to fan the air away from her. As a result, the giant boomerang's direction changed and headed right back at its owner.

 

"Nani?!" Kagome cried as she saw the boomerang head straight for Sango. She had just started to move to get in between her and the weapon when she saw a purple blur shove her out of the way. "Sango-chan!! Daijoubu?!" She called as she saw Miroku land with the taijiya on the ground. She heard a quiet groan in that direction, which she assumed, was a yes. "You! Who are you and where's Usagi-chan?!"

 

"Usagi? Sorry, never heard of her." The woman said with a confident smirk. She hid her face partly behind her fan as she held the bundle in her arms.

 

"We know she was with you! Who are you and where is Usagi-chan?!?" Kagome demanded as she readied herself to let loose the arrow. She knew she wasn't a very good shot, but she had to at least try. She glanced over and saw Miroku helping Sango to her feet, and saw Shippo still with Kirara.

 

"I'm Kagura, the wind user. Are you talking about that healing girl?" Kagura asked with a bored look on her face.

 

"Hai! What did you do to her?!" Kagome demanded angrily as her eyes narrowed. Miroku had helped Sango to her feet and was trying to steady her. He had come at her as fast as he could so the air had been knocked out of her pretty bad.

 

"Hmm… She was boring so I let Inuyasha finish the job." Kagura said as she raised her fan once again.

 

"You left her with Inuyasha?" Kagome questioned as the mad look changed into a confused one. "Demo, he can't hurt her." Kagome said slowly, then a smile broke out across her face. "I'm so relieved, I thought she was going to be killed." Kagome said with a grin as she loosened up her grip on the bow.

 

"Nani?" Kagura questioned as she raised an eyebrow in Kagome's direction. "What are you talking about, human?" She demanded as her eyes narrowed.

 

"Ah, nothing. Minna, let's hurry to the temple, ne?" Kagome said as she called over to her friends.

 

"Oi." Kagura said as Kagome ran across the street to where her friends stood.

 

"Usagi-chan must be all right if she left Inuyasha to kill her. He can't touch her, remember?" Kagome said as she approached her friends.

 

"Oi! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Kagura demanded as her eyes narrowed. "I'm not done with you! Ryuujin no mai!!!" She cried as she brought her fan down. In a matter of seconds, large tornadoes appeared and headed straight for the small group. As the tornadoes sped toward them, they ripped up the tar from the road, pulled telephone poles out of the ground, and flipped over the cars that were parked along the streets.

 

"EH?!?" Kagome and Sango cried in unison as the attack headed straight for them.

 

"Kirara!" Shippo cried as he gripped her fur tightly. Kirara took off into the air and headed for the small group. She didn't arrive in time to grab Kagome, though.

 

"Iiie!!" Kagome cried as the wind grabbed her and lifted her up into the air. She felt her feet leave the ground as she moved upward with the wind lashing at her body. She felt small pebbles and branches scratch her skin as she hugged her arms to her chest. She couldn't breathe… She couldn't see… The only thing she was thinking was when she was going to hit the ground… 'I'm going to die?' She asked herself as she felt the air gusts surrounding her body.

 

"Kagome-chan!!" Sango cried as she saw the wind grab her friend and lift her into the air. A moment later, Kagome had completely disappeared from her view. "Kagome-chan!!!" She shrieked again as she reached her arms into the air after the girl. "You bitch!!!" Sango screamed as she turned her attention back to the wind user.

 

"Oh? You managed to dodge?" Kagura asked as she saw the two humans and kitsune floating away on the cat.

 

"You're going to die, Kagura!!" Sango shouted as she gripped her hiraikotsu until her knuckles turned white.

 

****

 

Inuyasha cursed himself for not noticing her counter-attack sooner and felt himself falling backward, straight toward the barrier. He closed his arms tightly around the girl in his arms and turned so his back that would hit the barrier first. As he struck the barrier, he cried out in pain as the barrier started to purify his youki.

 

His whole body was on fire… every nerve ending was reacting and shooting pain throughout his body. 'Kuso!' He thought to himself as the pain continued to race through his body. He was aware that he was screaming in pain, but it didn't matter to him. He had never felt such excruciating pain in his life before. He saw spots before his eyes… yellow and black… and two glowing red dots that he could only comprehend as being Kagura's eyes… 'You bitch…' He thought as he felt himself sink completely through the barrier with the girl still in his arms.

 

~All was dark… black everywhere… Inuyasha couldn't tell where he was, but his whole body ached… 'I'm not dead… am I?' He silently wondered as his eyes traveled around the darkness. There was nothing for him to see as far as he could see. All was black… and empty… just like him… He was empty and alone… He heard laughter…

 

"Nani?!? Who's there!!" He demanded angrily as the laughter continued. There was no answer… The laughter continued… It was a child, a boy from what Inuyasha could tell. "Show yourself!!" Inuyasha demanded angrily as he stood up and searched around him for the source of the voice.

 

"Ne, will you play with me?" A quiet voice asked from behind him. Inuyasha whirled around; ready to take the head off of the person who had awakened him from his sleep but stopped and stared in shock.

 

"You're…" Inuyasha started as he took a step back and fell. "How is this possible? You're me?" Inuyasha questioned as he stared into the golden eyes of the child in red clothes. He held a ball against his chest as he stared up at Inuyasha with his glowing eyes.

 

"You'll play with me, right?" ChibiInuyasha asked as he held the ball out toward Inuyasha.

 

"Keh! Yeah right, weakling!!" Inuyasha demanded angrily as he growled at the weak child. He had left that child behind long ago, the day his mother had died. He frowned deeply to himself and the child slowly started to fade.

 

Inuyasha growled low in his throat and crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance. 'I wasn't a little brat like that!!' He told himself as he sulked. He glanced up and nearly choked as he saw that the blackness was slowly changing… it was becoming a lush, green field with flowers here and there and a forest in the distance.

 

"Nani?!" He demanded as he stood up again and growled low in his throat. "What the hell is this?!"

 

"Give me the Shikon no Tama?!?" A boy demanded as he ran past Inuyasha up the hill. Inuyasha turned his attention to a figure he had just noticed… a woman… miko to be precise.

 

"Miko?" Inuyasha questioned as he followed the younger form of himself up the hill toward the woman. He stopped when he was within ten feet of her and his breath caught in his throat. She was glowing in the sunlight… long golden-blond hair that glinted happily in the sun… such deep blue eyes that the ocean was jealous of such a color… It was her.

 

"Masaka…" He mumbled as the figure of the healing girl stood before him. Around her neck hung a necklace with a glowing white jewel hanging upon it.

 

"I'll kill you for that jewel!" Inuyasha demanded as he approached her. She rose her bow and shot a single arrow at him, which pinned the leg of his pants to the ground.

 

"You won't harm me, Inuyasha…" She said calmly as she turned around and headed the rest of the way up the hill.

 

'I… I don't remember this…' Inuyasha thought to himself as he watched the blond retreat farther up the hill with his younger self growling as he tried to pull the purity arrow from his haori.

 

The sky grew dark around Inuyasha and he growled low in his throat. Something was happening… but what? He jumped in surprise as a great orange light appeared behind him. He drew in a sharp breath as he turned and saw a great fire at the bottom of the open hill.

 

"What the hell is going on?!?" He demanded as he ran down the hill toward the fire. He stopped as he reached the edge of the town and drew in his breath once again… a great youkai had settled itself into the village… She stood in front of it with her bow drawn.

 

"I will release you from this madness!" She cried as she released the arrow. It sped toward the great youkai with a speed that no arrow could possess no matter who had shot it. Around the arrow a blinding silver light shone, which rang out against the harsh red glow of the fire.

 

"Iie!!" The monster shrieked as the arrow pierced its chest. Inuyasha had to shield his eyes from the flash of light that filled the whole area moments later. He could hear cries of pain echo through the small village in the valley, but one voice filled his ears above all the rest… the beautiful miko who had shot the arrow…~

 

Inuyasha's eyes fluttered open and he groaned in pain. He didn't recall hitting the ground or blacking out. 'What a strange dream…' He thought as he brought his hand to his throbbing head. He didn't even want to think about sitting up. Every muscle in his body was tensed up and aching. Not only that, but there was some weight pinned down against him and he wasn't quite sure what it was. 'Oh… that's right…' He thought as he glanced up at the blond human, who was lying in his arms unconscious and bleeding all over. He groaned and struggled to sit up. His clothes were smoking from their contact with the pure barrier and he winced as he tried to keep the girl from falling to the ground. The girl still lay in his arms as he struggled to his feet. He could barely hold back a low growl as his body protested against his movements. 'Huh? I… went through the barrier? Humph! It must not have been as strong as I thought!' He thought as he saw that he had passed the top step of the temple.

 

He struggled to lift the girl and settled at half-dragging, half-carrying her instead. He was slowly pulling the unconscious girl toward the house and had to stop to catch his breath. He leaned over slightly to catch his breath and gasped when his hair fell in front of his face. 'So that's why I'm alive… Kuso!' Inuyasha thought as he pushed his black hair back behind his shoulder and hoisted the girl up once again. 'I'll just take care of her wound and then we're even.' He thought to himself as made his way slowly toward the house.

 

He pushed the door open slowly and pulled the girl into the house after him. He didn't have the strength to close the door behind him, but he felt his body finally starting to let him move properly. He wasn't fond of his weak human form, but it would have to do until he passed out through the barrier once more and could regain his youkai powers. He brought her into what appeared to be a kitchen and lifted her up to lie her on the table. There was no need to spread her blood across the rest of the house. It was also for convenience sake, Inuyasha didn't know if he could drag her all the way to a bathroom anyway.

 

After lying her down on the table, he grabbed the bloody white cloak that surrounded her and pulled it off in one quick movement. The girl groaned quietly as the cloak was pulled across her wound. Inuyasha frowned at her attire. She was wearing a shirt with no straps and a really short kimono. 'What kind of a woman is she?!' He thought angrily as he laid the cloak over her stomach as a blanket. 'Hmm… bandages…' He thought to himself as he began to go through the cupboards to find something to wrap her wound with. He was no doctor, but he knew enough about taking care of his own wounds to be able to take care of hers. It didn't have to be perfect anyway, because he planned on leaving after he was done with that.

 

****

 

"Oh?" Kagura said as she looked at the taijiya. Sango's eyes were narrowed in detest at the youkai that stood before her. Kagura didn't even seemed fazed by the look on the exterminator's face or the way her hands twitched, ready to fling her boomerang with all of her strength. "You think you can beat me with that little toy?" She questioned confidently as she tightened her grip on the baby in her arms.

 

"You're going to pay for what you did to Kagome-chan," Sango growled as she raised her boomerang to throw it. Miroku stood by her side with his hands fisted and an angry scowl on his face. This woman had some nerve… She was going to die, if not by Sango, then by him. Sango raised her throwing arm and let loose hiraikotsu with all the strength she could muster. The weapon went flying at full speed toward the youkai.

 

"Baka, do you really think this will hurt me?" Kagura asked confidently as she raised her fan once more and brought it down. "Ryuujin no mai!" She shouted as she sent a funnel of wind toward the weapon. "A weapon like this can't hurt me. I control the wind, idiot." She said confidently. What she didn't expect was the searing pain she felt in her side a moment later. Her eyes widened in shock and pain as she felt something sharp slice into her flesh. 'Kuso…' She thought as she fell to her knees with one hand on her bleeding side.

 

"You should really pay more attention, Kagura." A confident voice said from behind her. Kagura growled low in her throat but turned to see a man standing behind her.

 

"What the hell are you doing, Kouga!?" Kagura demanded as she saw him standing before her with that human miko in his arms.

 

"What does it look like, weakling. I'm protecting my mate." He said simply as he held the unconscious girl in his arms.

 

"Nani?! Mate?!?" She demanded as she stared in anger at the wolf demon that had injured her.

 

"Huh? You didn't notice the mark?" He asked as he pulled down the collar on the girl's shirt to reveal two small puncture wounds that had already started to heal. Kagura's eyes widened slightly at this sight.

 

"Oh? So, you've taken a worthless human as your mate, ne?" She questioned as a smirk spread across her lips. "This is an interesting turn of events. I'm sure Master-sama will be interested in hearing this development."

 

"Heh! Like I care what that onna has to say about anything," Kouga said with his same confident smirk. "I don't take orders from anyone. The only reason I followed was so I could steal the Shikon no Tama for myself, baka."

 

"Is that so…" Kagura said as she rose to her feet. She reached into her hair and pulled out a single feather and smiled slightly to herself. "Well, I guess I will be going now." She said as she tossed the feather into the air and landed on its enlarged form. "Ja."

 

"Kisama!! Matte!" Kouga growled after her as Kagura floated away with the bundle sleeping soundly in her arms. "Kuso…"

 

"Put Kagome-sama down, youkai!" A voice demanded, which broke into Kouga's train of thought.

 

"Huh?" He questioned as he looked toward the sound of the voice. He stood about thirty feet away with the taijiya and the youkai that had stolen his mate from him before. "What do you want?" He asked as he shifted Kagome's weight slightly so he could hold her closer to himself.

 

"Let her go!" Sango yelled as a blade broke through the sleeve of her shirt. Her hiraikotsu had been deflected easily by the wind-user Kagura and lay several feet away in the bushes at the side of the street.

 

"Heh! She's mine, like I'd give my mate to you humans." Kouga said as he turned away and prepared to take off back to his den with his pack.

 

"You kidnapped her! If you really cared about her, you'd let her go! She's wounded!" Sango yelled as she ran toward the youkai with her blade drawn. Kouga smirked as the human girl ran toward him. Of course she would be no match for him, he was too fast for that. What he didn't expect was the fist that went flying into his chin.

 

"Baka…" A groggy voice said as Kouga fell backward onto the sidewalk with Kagome on his chest. "I'm not your woman…"

 

"Hmm?" Kouga groaned quietly as he rubbed his sore chin. He felt someone move and saw that that his mate was struggling to break from his grip. "Nani? Was that you?" He questioned as he sat up slowly. He had his arm wrapped around her waist tightly as she struggled to free herself.

 

"What do you mean your 'mate'?!? I don't even know you!" Kagome growled as she struggled to break free from his arms.

 

"Did you just hit me?" He questioned as he looked at her wide-eyed.

 

"Baka! You don't just show up and declare that they belong to you! It doesn't work that way!" Kagome nearly yelled as she raised her hand to slap him across the face. He grabbed her hand before she had the chance to swing, though.

 

"That's the first time I've been hit by an onna…" He said thoughtfully as he looked at her hand that he still held. His grip was surprisingly gentle, and Kagome blushed at the strange look he was giving her.

 

"Nande?" She questioned as a slight blush crept across her cheeks. He was just staring at her face with a dazed, slightly dizzy look. "Stop looking at me like that!" Kagome yelled as she turned her head to the side and squeezed her eyes shut.

 

"Release her!" A voice purred next to Kouga's ear. He turned his eyes to the side and saw the exterminator on his left side with a blade pressed firmly to his throat. Kouga sighed and released his hold on Kagome.

 

"Fine, I'll let Kagome stay with you for a little longer," Kouga said as he rose to his feet. He paid no mind to the youkai exterminator that had her eyes leveled on his every more, or the priest that held his right hand up ready to suck him in if he made one move toward Kagome. "I'll return for you, Kagome." Kouga said with a smirk and a wink. With that, he turned around and sped off down the street and disappeared around the corner.

 

"Kagome!" Shippo cried as he ran toward the miko and launched himself into her arms. "I was so scared! I thought you were dead!"

 

"I'm fine, Shippo-chan." Kagome said as she held the bundle of fur in her arms.

 

"We'd better get you home, you have some pretty serious injuries, Kagome-sama." Miroku said as he reached a hand down to help her up. Kagome gladly accepted the offered hand and was pulled back to her feet.

 

"It was strange… the look in his eyes was different…" Kagome said to herself as she put the end of her finger to her mouth. "What a weird situation." She said with a heavy sigh.

 

"Come on, minna," Sango said as she picked up her boomerang and began to run toward the shrine. They were still several blocks away so it would take a few minutes before they got there, even if they decided to ride Kirara.

 

****

 

"There…" Inuyasha said as he tied the end of the bandages on the blonde's shoulder. He was kind of glad she had been dressed so scantily so he was able to take care of her wound without seeing anything inappropriate. Inuyasha blushed as this indecent thought passed through his mind. "baka…" He muttered to himself angrily.

 

He decided that it would be best if he returned the injured girl to her room and gently slipped his arms under her. His strength had returned to him, well as much as it did in his human form, so he did not struggle with her weight when he had to bring her in the house. 'For someone so small… she weighs a lot!' Inuyasha thought bitterly as he lifted her from the table and carried her toward the stairs. He was passing the front door as a sound made him jump and nearly drop the girl in his arms.

 

"Neechan! Mama wants to know if she left her camera!" A voice called as the front door opened. Inuyasha turned toward the voice and stopped dead in his tracks as a small kid with black hair skidded to a stop, a look of horror on his face.

 

"Kuso…" Inuyasha muttered as he took a step backward. He hadn't expected anyone to see him in the house with Usagi. He had planned on taking care of her wound and then leaving, then no one would be the wiser of his act of kindness. 'Nani?! Act of kindness?! This is just to repay my debt to her!!' Inuyasha's inner voice screamed at him as he took another unsteady step backward.

 

"Who are you?" Souta asked as he took a step backward toward the door. Souta took note of the blood that stained the black-haired man's clothes and his eyes widened in shock as he saw the bundle the older man was holding. "Usagi-chan? What have you done to her?!" Souta demanded as his normal scared self seemed to sink backward into his subconscious.

 

"Keh! I didn't touch the wench!" Inuyasha growled out at the kid as a scowl crossed his face.

 

"You did something!! You're both covered in blood!!! What did you do to her?!?" Souta demanded as he balled his small fists at his sides. He had returned from his picnic to get his mother's camera, he never expected to see some guy dressed in old fashioned clothes, covered in blood, holding his girl at the bottom of the stairs of his house. `Eh? My girl?' Souta thought as a slight blush crept across his face.

 

"I told you, brat, I didn't do this. Get lost!" Inuyasha growled as he turned away from the kid. He had no reason to fear some little human brat.

 

"This is my house, get out!" Souta yelled as he charged at the older boy. He raised his hand to hit the older boy but gasped slightly at the speed of him. Before Souta had even reached him, he had seemed to disappear. "Eh?"

 

"Look kid. I don't have time for this." Inuyasha growled as he punched the kid in the stomach hard enough to knock him out. He didn't want to deal with the runt so he did the only thing he could think to get rid of him.

 

Souta's eyes widened in shock as he felt the air leave his lungs. His eyes began to cloud over as he slumped forward, all of his strength leaving him. `Gomen… Usagi-chan…' Souta thought as he fell to the floor and didn't move. He couldn't breathe… His lungs were completely devoid of air while he lay motionless, trying with all his might to draw air into his lungs. [A.N. The feeling of suffocating is about the worst, scariest thing that can happen! I nearly died on the soccer field like that my senior year… Scary…]. He could vaguely hear the steps creak as the older man began to head upstairs. `Kuso…' He thought as he rolled onto his side and finally managed to draw air into his lungs. He coughed and sputtered as he managed to breathe and his beating heart began to slow slightly.

 

"Usagi-chan…" He croaked out as he climbed to his feet and headed for the stairs. He put a hand on his stomach where the fist had connected and stopped halfway up the stairs to draw in a shaky breath. He could hear the footsteps headed his way and struggled to the top of the stairs and ducked into the room at the top of the steps.

 

Inuyasha came stomping out of Usagi's room with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face. Her room had been the most awful place he'd ever been. Every inch of the room was covered with pink and bunnies. He knew now why they called her Usagi, though. `Time to get out of this place.' He thought to himself as he put his foot down on the top step and prepared to descend them. He hadn't expected a pair of hands to push him from behind as he tumbled down the stairs head over heels. `Kuso…' He thought as the hard wood floor loomed closer… he saw the intricate patterns of the wood as everything seemed to move in slow motion… then blackness encased him…

 

****

 

"Hayuku! We're almost there!" Miroku said as they reached the front door of the house. It hung wide open as they approached.

 

"Usagi-chan!!" Kagome cried as loud as she could as they approached the house. She put on a burst of speed and ran through the front door before the others and headed for the living room. "Usagi-chan?! Where are you?! Are you all right?!?" She called as she ran into the main room of the house. She skidded to a stop at what she saw. "N… nani?"

 

"What is it, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked as she skidded to a stop behind the girl. She followed Kagome's gaze and her eye started to twitch at the scene. Shippo was still in Kagome's arms and looked confused at the looks on their faces.

 

"Who is that?" Shippo asked as he cast a confused look up at Kagome. Miroku was the last into the room with Kirara right at his feet and a sweatdrop appeared on his forehead at the scene.

 

"Is that…" Kagome started as she pointed at the figure that was securely tied to a chair with a mixture of rope, fishing wire, and nylons.

 

"Inuyasha?" Sango finished as she pointed at the figure. He looked strange… he looked…

 

"Human?" Miroku asked as he was the first to step into the room.

 

"Does that mean he's a hanyou?" Sango questioned as she walked into the room and kneeled by Inuyasha's chair.

 

"How did he get here?" Kagome asked as she took a reluctant step forward. She half expected him to jump out of the chair and try to kill her or something.

 

"Do you think Usagi-chan did this?" Sango asked as she poked his cheek with one finger. He groaned slightly but his eyes remained closed. Whoever had done this had even put a gag in the demon's mouth that looked like an old dishtowel or something.

 

"Hmm… I'm not sure…" Miroku said as he took a step away from the unconscious boy. "I'm going to check upstairs for her. Wait here until I tell you it's safe. And keep your blade on him until we have a chance to question him, na?"

 

"Hai, Houshi-sama." Sango said as she pulled the katana at her hip out of the sheath.

 

Miroku made his way to the steps and climbed them silently. He was careful not to make the slightest sound in case something else had managed to get through the barrier. He had noticed it had been disturbed when they'd come in, but he thought that must have been from Shippo and Kirara when they re-entered the shrine grounds. He peeked in the open doors as he passed and threw a few ofudas into each room to be sure there was nothing hiding within the rooms, and soon found his way to Usagi's door. He could hear movement inside and he froze.

 

"Who's there?!" Miroku demanded as his grip tightened on his staff and he pushed the door to Usagi's room open swiftly. He leveled his staff on the throat of the noisy perpetrator and nearly had a heart attack when he saw it was only Souta. What made him even more shocked was the blond figure lying on the bed covered in blood. "Nani!? Usagi-sama!" He cried as he rushed to the girl's side.

 

"She's fine, Miroku. She was already bandaged when he brought her up here." Souta said as he put his hand on his chest to slow his racing heart. This hadn't been the first time in one day he had been startled. He had been ready, though. He had even gone to the kitchen and found the biggest knife they had in case that weird guy managed to get out of his ropes. The fishing line was some of the strongest they made, and he'd used a lot of it so if the rest didn't hold, that would have at least.

 

"Eh? You mean Inuyasha?" Miroku questioned as he looked strangely at the boy. Souta nodded in reply and turned his attention back to Usagi. He had a bowl of warm water next to her bed and had been in the process of wiping the blood off of her skin and out of her hair when Miroku had startled him. Miroku sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. We thought she was going to die."

 

"How long have they been after her?" Souta asked with a determined look on his face over at Miroku. The priest's eyes widened slightly and a sweatdrop appeared on his forehead.

 

"Eh hehehe. I'm going to go see how Sango is." Miroku said as he made his way hastily toward the bedroom door. Miroku closed the door noiselessly behind him and left Souta alone with the blonde girl once again.

 

"I'll protect you, Usagi-chan." Souta said to the sleeping girl as he leaned down and brushed his lips lightly across her. The girl slept on, completely oblivious to the affections of the young boy who had protected her.

 

::Fin::

 

December 19, 2003

 

taijiya: I think this is Youkai Exterminator… maybe it was taijin (that's what I used earlier >.<) I forget, gomen! I need to rewatch some episodes to find out^^;

 

Ok, I was going to make Inuyasha a full demon, but I changed my mind at the end of this chapter.^^; He's still going to be a hanyou, then we can see kawaii human Inuyasha w/his black hair *squeals* Sides, it makes the "love" story more believable because he has a human heart.^^

 

I'm really sorry if this story seems rushed >.< I've had a few people tell me I was rushing. I just have SOOO many ideas for this story^^; And page-wise, I haven't been rushing at all. Each chapter has been at least 9 pages (some have been up to 11 pages^^;). This story is going to be REALLY long. I've barely even touched on the Senshi or Sesshoumaru^^; You'll see more of them, I promise^^ And there'll be more Kagome/Kouga action~.^ I think they're SOO kawaii together *squeals* And just for you, Usa-chan, they'll be more Souta crushing on Usagi ~.^ (Hehe, since you put some SchuSchu moments in "Cold Love, Twisted Love" at my request, I'll have to put some Souta/Usa stuff here ~.^).