Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Bane of Existence/Love of A Lifetime ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

After quelling the burning feelings of anger and the tingling of bloodlust, Kurama and Yusuke stood from their places and made to walk across the clearing. Once they had taken scant few steps into the meadow, the hanyou started moving as if preparing to stand. Both would have gladly taken him out just to slake their hunger for his pain, but both were pretty sure that Kagome wouldn't be happy about a turn of events such as that.

 

It definitely wouldn't win them any brownie points, at any rate.

 

With another step closer, the inu hanyou had managed to bring one leg underneath him when the slightest whisper of the word `sit' floated across the wind and they watched, with barely veiled amusement, as Inuyasha face-planted once again. They waited for what seemed to be a customary stream of obscenities to fly from his lips, but when he remained silent, they assumed Kagome had knocked him unconscious.

 

Slight smiles tilted the corners of their lips and they proceeded through the clearing, following the beacon of purity that was Kagome's very soul.

 

They were determined to at least introduce themselves.

 

With that being their only true goal for the night, they hastened their pursuit of the young miko. Once they had breeched the thick swelling of the forest, the detectives found themselves standing on the grounds of a shrine. There was a strong air of magic coming from a tall tree with sutras adorning it as well as what appeared to be a well house.

 

Interesting.

 

And, as interesting as all that was - and truly, it was interesting - they still really only had one objective for the evening. They were hell bent on at least meeting the miko face-to-face. They had already been waiting so long as it was and both were fairly certain that if they didn't manage to at least obtain her name formally - instead of catching it mid-eavesdrop while hiding behind trees - their inner beasts would be far less than pleased.

 

A very, very undesirable thing for the avatar; Youko was being a giant pain in the ass as it was.

 

With renewed vigor, Kurama and Yusuke pressed further onto the shrine grounds and reveled in the peace of the place before turning their attention to the house. Both could tell that the house was presently empty, but they could still feel the auras of both Kagome and Shippou. Expanding their senses, the located her at the back of her house, Shippou close by.

 

As they rounded the corner of the building, they froze in their tracks.

 

~*~

 

After rushing from the clearing, Kagome made it home, with Shippou in tow, only to grab up her bow and quiver of arrows and head straight for the backyard. Sitting her bow and arrows down so she could stretch, she spoke to her son “Shippou, do me a favor and go in the shed over there and brings some of those targets out? I really, really need to vent some anger here.”

 

Shippou nodded, only too happy to help his mother any way he could, and was bounding off in the direction of the small wooden building before she could blink. A short time later, Kagome was warmed up and Shippou had three targets set up at different distances; the furthest away being 50 yards.

 

Slinging her quiver across her back, Kagome picked up her bow, fished out an arrow and notched it against the string. Drawing back gracefully, she let a small amount of power flare up in the tip and fired. The arrow exploded on impact, sufficiently burning the target closest to her into near oblivion. Cursing her luck at destroying her first target, she snatched another arrow from the quiver, drew back and fired. This time she reserved the majority of her energy and the arrow merely fizzled before dying away.

 

The young priestess was frustrated. Wait, no. Frustrated didn't even come close to what she was feeling. She was angered beyond reason at the insensitive hanyou and for the first time since she had truly come into her powers, she felt like purifying something, namely said hanyou, until nothing remained. She had full grasp of her powers and extensive knowledge of healing and fighting, courtesy of Kaede and Sango. Miroku had even helped her with learning spells and casting ofuda. Still, Inuyasha compared her to Kikyou and never gave her praise for anything she accomplished.

 

Even though he had been present when Kaede told them all that she had far surpassed anything Kikyou could have ever hoped to attain.

 

Finding that simply firing arrows wasn't quite cutting through her fury, she decided to give in to a good round of cursing and ranting.

 

“Baka Inu! Baka, baka, baka!” She cursed vehemently while pulling another arrow and fitting it to her bow. “Why can't he just leave me the hell alone?! I am not his property and he has made his choice! Can't he let me have a little peace in my own home? Bastard!” She let loose the arrow, her powers flaring wildly with her anguish and rage, and she watched in mild satisfaction as the arrow embedded deeply into the target, subsequently causing it to explode.

 

It was then she felt three others around her. Two of them, although they were unknown, were far more welcome than the one standing just in front of her, a look of anger plastered on his face. Her eyes gazed over his form and found that a part of his fire-rat haori had been burned away and a light burn covered a section of his arm from her purifying energy.

 

She absentmindedly drew another arrow from its brothers and slid it in to position against the taught bowstring, but left both hang slack against her side. Glaring down at the half-demon in front of her, she spoke to him in an even and icy tone. “Did I not tell you to leave here? You are not welcome right now and I suggest you heed my advice and go home.”

 

Inuyasha snarled viscously and stared heatedly at the priestess. “Bitch. I am not going anywhere without you. There are still shards to find Kagome. With both you and Kikyou searching for them, we will complete the jewel ten times faster. Besides that, you are mine.”

 

Kagome leveled a cool glare at him. “I am not yours. Maybe once I would have been but not now. You have Kikyou, make her hunt the shards. I plan to stay here until I feel like leaving. You however will be going right now. I am sure your undead bitch is waiting for you on the other side of the well.”

 

Another low, dangerous growl sounded from the inu-hanyou's chest as he took a step closer to her. “You have no right to talk about my mate that way, copy. And yes, you are mine. I claimed to protect you and as such you belong to me. Kikyou is my mate but since her body is merely clay, for now, you will be coming back with me to bare my pups.” He finished, taking another step while a wicked gleam crossed his now dark golden eyes.

 

Kagome heard the two unknown demons take a step towards her as well, their own warning growls echoing deeply in their throats. Holding up a hand in a request for them to stop, she turned her head slightly to Shippou, her eyes never leaving Inuyasha. “Shippou sweetie, go stand over there by those nice men.” Casting a quick glance to the two in question she spoke again. “They will make sure you stay safe.”

 

Upon seeing their nods of agreement and Shippou darting in their direction to stand behind the redhead's legs, the young miko put all her attention once more on her companion. She noticed immediately that he had closed the distance between them by a few more feet and Kagome decided she was through with it.

 

Staring straight into the golden orbs she had loved so very much, she spoke in a soft voice, lined with steel threat. “I will never be used by you again. I am not yours and will not lower myself to play your concubine just to pretend I have your love. You have your mate, return to her.”

 

Fingering the bow and arrow in her hand, she had another option open to him. She knew it was cruel but she was beyond caring. If he could hurt her so badly and not bat an eye, than she could fight back. Kagome was sick of having her heart trampled on by him. “Or,” she hissed, her voice raising an octave and taking on a deadly nuance that had even the newcomers tremble slightly, while raising her bow, “I can play Kikyou just this once and seal your sorry hide back to a tree.”

 

Kagome heard his gasp of surprise and could see the disbelief in his eyes. He didn't think she was serious? Apparently not, for his next words confirmed her suspicions. “You wouldn't dare. You're not strong enough to seal away the only being that would ever protect you.”

 

Just then, a small tinkling of laughter dribbled out of the priestess's lips, its sound icy and uncaring. She drew back the arrow smoothly and watched in satisfaction as Inuyasha's eyes grew large with incredulity as the tip shone bright blue. “Oh really? You know, maybe four years ago I wouldn't have. Maybe even just a year ago, I wouldn't have. Now though…now, I think I will.”

 

As her words finished, a tendril of pink laced around the arrowhead, forming the sealing spell. “Now, I will give you one more chance to take your leave before you find yourself in the same position you were in five hundred and fifty-four years ago; this time, no one will be able to free you, save for me.”

 

Taking a quick glance at Kagome's eyes, Inuyasha was startled to find her normally bright blue eyes glowing with her power, wisps of blue and pink dancing frantically in their depths. Deciding that their was no way of convincing her to return with him while she was in such a state, he gave a half-hearted “Feh!” before bounding off towards the well house and disappearing, his aura flashing as it vanished.

 

Relaxing the taught line of her body, Kagome eased the arrow off the string and replaced it in the quiver on her back, before sliding it off her shoulder and letting it drop to the ground, joining the bow. She then turned towards her son and the two young men she had yet to meet, though they had been following her since earlier that day.

 

Shippou had been huddled closely to the redhead's legs the entire time Kagome and Inuyasha were arguing. He had seen his mother angry before but he had never imagined she could reach the level of unadulterated fury that she had just displayed. Though the site was indeed scary for the young kitsune, he was proud of her. Kagome needed to stand up for herself and it was funny as hell to see the half-demon nearly quake in fear.

 

Upon seeing Inuyasha head back to the well and Kagome turn toward him, he broke from his stupor and dashed across the expanse of the backyard to jump into her arms and cuddled close to her. “Momma, you were so brave! I've never seen Inuyasha so scared! Not even when he fought Ryukotsusei or Sesshoumaru!”

 

Kagome blushed lightly under the young kit's praise and slowly walked toward the two young men, currently staring at her in awe. Once she was within reaching distance, she titled her head up to regard them both and felt her breath catch in her throat. She had seen the dark-haired boy's eyes before and felt captivated by them. Now, not only was she held enthrall by his chocolate depths, she found herself equally lost in a sea of emerald.

 

Shaking herself mentally, she cleared her throat, propped Shippou against her hip and held out her hand to the raven-haired boy. “Hi, my name's Kagome. How did you find me?”