A Demon Tale by Aura
Irreversible Damage
I am in the air now.
Electric, the day felt as if it was charged with life and Kagome smiled lazily. Stretching out on the simple futon she shared with Inuyasha while waking up. Outside the gentle warbling of birds sang her a welcome to the new day. Out the window the grass sparkled with dew and the autumn mist drew back with the approach of the golden orb on the horizon.
Moving to sit at the small vanity she’d managed to acquire she started to brush her hair. It was nice to have a few moments to herself to just relax in the morning. Inuyasha rarely woke with her as he didn’t usually need to sleep as much as she did. Usually he was back to push her awake by sunrise and it was a pleasant surprise to wake on her own.
“Probably off getting ordered about by Sango, Miroku, and their brood with the clean up.” Kagome thought with a small giggle.
The family had thrown Kagome and Inuyasha a party for their anniversary the night before. A year of marriage. It was something to celebrate after all the rough times they’d fought through and Kagome had a hard time believing it had already been so long. The time had all too quickly passed but she was thankful for the lack of troubles so all of them could have more peaceful lives.
Even Inuyasha had grown accustomed to the new lifestyle, he had stopped carrying Tetsusaiga everywhere and instead it was on a stand in the center of the dresser. Ironic the blade that had gained so much ire from the half-demon for looking like a ‘piece-of-junk’ when they first found it now took on the assignment of showpiece.
Finishing her hair she picked up a change of clothes and some of the soaps she’d figured out how to make. She still had some shampoo and soaps from home but she saved those for special occasions. With the well sealed off from her time, once it ran out, she wouldn’t be able to get replacements.
Inuyasha complained for a while about not being able to get ramen, Shippou complained about the lack of sweets, Miroku other snacks, and Sango shared Kagome’s dislike for the lack of soaps and shampoos. Still, they all craved the conveniences of her world together and it was something else they could talk about on those days where people discussed ‘wouldn’t it be nice’.
The water was chilled in the river, and soon she wouldn’t be able to use it to bathe at all, she’d have to make Inuyasha drag water to warm and put in the tub. She hated that during the last winter but she would have to manage. It was better than catching pneumonia, sometimes she was too risky with things like bathing she knew. Not being able to go back to her own time if something went wrong made it much more of a threat, but it was one of her guilty pleasures being able to enjoy the clean water in the stream near town.
“I should talk Inuyasha into going to some hot springs when it gets colder.” She thought as she got back out shortly after getting in. It was just too cold to sit and enjoy it. Finishing folding her pajama’s to take with back to the cot she’d just started to walk that way when she caught a whiff of burning in the air.
Ash drifted by a moment after she picked up the smell, the screams hit her ears after that and her casual day turned to sprinting toward the disturbance. She could see that one of the homes had been lit on fire near where Sango and Miroku live and was rushing that way. She dropped her pajama’s to pick them up later. She needed to get her bow and arrows.
The flap of the entrance barely moved as she slid into her shared home and opened the closet, having to hop to reach for her quiver on the top shelf. Gritting her teeth as she reached for it frantically.
“Just put it up there, I don’t really need them and if I do you can reach them.” She remembered saying to Inuyahsa and tearing away again with just her bow. If she was lucky then there would be other members of the guard that had arrows she could borrow.
Moving entirely too slowly as she ran she could already feel a stitch starting in her side. She’d let herself get too soft in the year without problems, she’d barely ran and didn’t walk very much other than just around the village. This same run wouldn’t have come close to winding her back when they were still chasing Naraku.
Coming around a corner she saw a causality, a man with the guard had been shredded by deep claw marks. She stopped but checking his pulse he was already gone. Ignoring the blood on her hand she grabbed his quiver and wrenched it free of his shoulder. Nearly retching at the nasty pop she caused his shoulder pulling the projectiles free. She swallowed back the bile and continued forward, afraid but not letting that stop her, at least she hadn’t completely lost her nerve in the year of inactivity.
Finally she breathed out a bit in relief, Sango and Miroku’s house wasn’t on fire, it was the one next door. People were trying to put it out and she heard familiar cries from down the road.
“Inuyasha! What are you doing!?” It was Miroku, he was holding off Inuyasha’s claws with his staff but the metal had several scratch marks in it. “Get ahold of yourself!”
The half-demon had an arrow sticking from an arm near the wrist, though only part of the shaft was visible as the rest had been broken off. His eyes were a deep crimson and azure with black, ragged lines cutting across his cheeks. The only answer he offered the monk was a growl before he took another close swipe.
“Sit boy!” Kagome called out, but the last word came out hollow. Her eyes widening as she realized.
The night before...
The dancing was at it’s height. The villagers clapping and keeping beat with the music as they moved to the jaunty tune. They’d already finished a dinner and people had spoken well of Inuyasha and Kagome’s union, or picked on them a little in good fun, and now it had turned to dancing. Inuyasha had wandered off from the main event and Kagome had followed him into the edge of the forest where the reveries of other party-goers were more of a quiet echo.
“Hey.” She said, face serious as a hand laid on his shoulder. “Are you okay?”
He glanced back her, smiled sadly a moment, then replied. “Keh. Of course Kagome, all the noise just hurts my ears. ...and...I didn’t get you anything...”
Guilty. It was on his face, he hadn’t remembered? She wasn’t sure. It was a twinge painful that he’d forget but he’d never been the sort that was hugely sentimental. She shook her head and smiled, not wanting to fight at all.
“That’s all right, you can get me something later.” A small shrug from her, dismissive. “Can I give you my gift?”
He turned more fully toward her, ears perked showed his curiousness more than his expression did. Nodding as he watched her, taking her hand that had been on his shoulder in his.
“You have to close your eyes.”
“Last time...” He started to protest.
“Close your eyes!” She snapped, not certain why he always had to be stubborn when she was trying to be sweet.
He blinked at her and complied, keeping his retort to himself. Angry Kagome was always bad. He felt her messing with his clothes and then something being placed in his hand.
“There. You can look.”
The beads of subjugation were glittering lightly in the silver light of the stars. Settled in his hand and she was beaming at him. Shocked he looked between her and the beads, then finally pulled her close and buried his face in her hair.
Back to the present...
She stared at where he was still attacking Miroku...she wouldn’t be able to stop him now...all because she thought she could trust him not to act against her. In her sentiment she’d never even considered the idea that he would fall into his demon nature again.
“No...” The short word a quiet and broken whisper. She wasn’t at all sure what to do. Miroku at least seemed to be able to hold him off but it seemed like a losing battle. More villagers rushed by behind the monk, running toward the forest to hide away from where the battle was taking place.
Rin was with them and stopped, blinking at the scene with Inuyasha. She’d never seen him enter his ‘full’ demon form and her face was concerned. “What’s wrong with him? Why’s he attacking Miroku?”
“Come Rin.” Kaede called from where she had been herding along other people from the village. “We need to move now, don’t stand there!”
But Inuyasha’s attention was already split, he tossed Miroku aside staff and all and ran for the young girl instead. As if he had some incredible lust for anyone’s blood that wouldn’t be sated by a difficult enemy. Rin froze like a deer caught in the headlights, though it wouldn’t have mattered even if she’d turned to run. The claws would have only entered her from the back instead of the front.
“No!” Kagome’s drawn out scream was too late. The blood was flowing too freely for the girl to be saved. Even if Kagome’s voice was able to reach Inuyasha, the damage was irreversible.
End Chapter
Quick comment: This is for the song fic challenge, each chapter I'm gonna toss up pieces of the song. Mostly though the whole story is based around it than chapters are themed around those words. That's all. Thanks to Kirai for helping me get going again ; ).