InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love is a Fickle Thing ❯ Down Boy! ( Chapter 8 )

Love is a Fickle Thing

DM Jade; what a coincidence! I put off MY science to write that chapter! About what happened in the few two chapters; Inu's reasoning will come up around chapter 15 or so. Sorry, long wait. And oh yeah, time for another dash of humor!

Chapter 8

Down Boy!

“We've got everything?” Kagome asked, picking up her backpack. Kouga nodded.

“Yeah, I think. But I don't know what all this stuff is,” he muttered, picking up Kagome's bag.

“Good. Now Kouga, you'll have to hold onto me, or else the well won't accept you.” Kagome said, walking into the well house. Kouga grinned and grabbed Kagome's hand.

“How's this?” he asked. Kagome tensed, ready to reprimand Inuyasha when he growled at Kouga. But he stayed silent. Ever since she had told him about his attempt to rape her, he had been very silent. When she had passed by Goshinboku that morning and said good bye to him, he had just given a half hearted wave. He hadn't even looked at her. She asked her mother when she got home, and she confirmed that the hanyou hadn't moved all day. Now he was just leaning against the well house, arms crossed, head down. Kagome sighed and jumped into the well with Kouga, praying he would have the heart to follow.

- - - - - - - - - -

The well glowed blue, and Kagome and Kouga popped up in the Sengoku Jidai. Kouga hefted Kagome's bag, and, still holding her hand, jumped out of the well. Kagome sighed and looked down the well, waiting for the tell tale blue glow.

“Kagome, what's wrong?” Kouga asked. Kagome bit her lip.

“Do you think he's going to come back?” she whispered. Kouga rolled his eyes.

“Of course, do you think he can survive there without you?” he snorted. Kagome's eyes lit up as the well glowed, and Inuyasha appeared in the well. He stuck out a hand and started climbing up the ladder. Kouga sniffed and growled.

“Hurry up mutt, we haven't got all day!” he shouted.

“You go on ahead Kouga, we'll catch up.” Kagome told him. `Inuyasha's just depressed, he hasn't done anything to deserve that.'

“I told you, I'm not leaving you alone with the mutt.” Kouga said, shaking his head.

“I'm right here. Inuyasha muttered, pulling himself out of the well.

“It's about time.” Kouga huffed. Inuyasha shrugged.

“Do you plan to travel with us now?” he asked quietly.

“Yea, I'm not gonna let you hurt my Kagome again.” Kouga snarled. Inuyasha's eyes darkened, and a glimmer of hope came to Kagome's. `Alright, just snap at him, stomp off, and we can all go back to normal', she prayed. But Inuyasha just shrugged again.

“Just asking.” He said, walking towards the village. Kagome sighed again. She hated seeing the hanyou sad.

“I need to talk to Kaede.” Kagome said, running past them. Kouga ran after her, she noted. Inuyasha just kept his pace.

“Kagome!” Shippo cried, jumping into her arms as she passed. The miko stopped and had an idea.

“Kouga, do you suppose you could maybe teach Shippo how to hunt?” she asked, turning around.

“Huh?” Kouga and Shippo asked. Kagome shrugged.

“Well let's be honest Shippo, you'll need to fend for yourself someday. Kouga, why don't you take Shippo into the forest and get started?” she said, handing the kit to Shippo. Kouga gulped and looked down at the confused kitsune.

“Um, Kagome? Are you sure?” Kouga asked nervously.

“Pleeeaaaaase?” Kagome, pleaded, clasping her hands. Kouga hung his head and nodded.

“Alright.” He muttered, walking away. Kagome let out a breath and entered Kagome's hut.

“Kaede, can I speak with you?” she asked. Kaede looked up.

“Aye child, what troubles ye?” she replied. Kagome noticed the hut was empty except for the two of them.

“Where are Sango and Miroku?” she asked.

“They were called away on a shard rumor. A village to the north has an infestation of Nezumi youkai, they went with you. And where is Inuyasha and the wolf youkai?” Kaede said.

“Inuyasha is coming, Shippo is keeping Kouga bust. I need to speak with you alone.”

“What about?” Kagome fidgeted.

“Do you think you could show me how to develop my powers more?” she whispered. Kaede frowned.

“How so? There's healing, barriers, ofudas, potions, the sealing arrow, auras and youki…”

“The sealing arrow.” Kagome muttered. A dark voice inside her head told her to say yes, but she shook it off.

“No, just barriers or something.” She answered.

“Alright, I could teach you the basics in a few days, but why? Ye have not expressed much desire to develop your powers until now.”

“Well I'd just like to be able to…protect myself. Something happened, and I just what to be sure.” Kagome said. Kaede nodded.

“Alright then, but what is it that happened?” she asked. Kagome looked down.

“Inuyasha tried to…force me.” Kagome whispered. Kaede's eye widened.

“Truly? And yet the wolf allows him to live?”

“Only by my request. A word from me, and he'll kill him. Kouga's all but said so.” Kagome explained.

“And Inuyasha?”

“He's still coming with us.” Kaede sighed.

“Child, ye capacity for forgiveness surprises me. But if ye allow it, I will not question ye.”

“Oh, and could you do something for me?” Kagome asked, brightening slightly. “Kouga and Inuyasha are going to be fighting a lot, so…” she leaned over and whispered in Kaede's ear. Kaede nodded.

“I could do such a thing within the hour.”

- - - - - - - - - -

True to Kaede's word, she had indeed finished her work an hour later. She had then taken Kagome into the forest to begin her training.

“Now, focus on the part of ye spirit that senses the shards.” Kaede instructed. Kagome nodded and closed her eyes. “When ye feel it, it should feel like it is coming from your chest. Do ye feel it?” after a moment, Kagome nodded. “Good. Now picture that feeling moving through ye body. Try to move it to ye palms.” Kagome did as she was told. “Now open ye eyes.” Kagome did, and gasped at the light pink aura around her hands.

“Kaede!” she exclaimed, and the light vanished. “Was that my power?”

“Aye. Ye should try this on ye own for now. Concentrating ye power in the first step towards developing most any form of miko skills. Now we must expand that power from ye. But that will come in time.” Kagome nodded.

“I'd like to head out once Sango and Miroku come back.” She said. Kaede nodded.

“Aye. I may be able to teach ye how to create small barriers by then.”

“That will do. I don't want to create large barriers, just enough to cover myself.” Kagome said.

“Alright then.”

“Kagome!” Shippo called, running up to her. He stopped at her feet and proudly held up a limp rabbit. “Look what I caught!” he said, grinning.

“That's great Shippo! Take it to the hut, I'll clean it up for eating.” Kagome cooed. Shippo nodded and ran off. Kagome looked at Kouga coming from the woods, and raised an eyebrow. “Did he really catch that himself?” she asked suspiciously. Kouga gulped.

“Well, actually…no. The runt is way too noisy for hunting. I killed that and set it up for him to find.” He explained.

“Well it was still nice of you.” Kagome said. She looked towards the outline of Goshinboku in the distance; specifically, the red and silver figure sitting in it's branches. She sighed.

“Shippo looks up to Inuyasha more then he admits, but they never want anything to do with each other.” She said. Kouga snorted.

“Big surprise, the mutt wouldn't know anything about raising a kit.” He growled. “Or anything else.” Kagome sighed, and felt Kaede push something into her hands. Kagome slapped on her biggest smile and looked up at Kouga.

“Oh Kouga…” she whispered. “I've got a present for you.” The wolf's grimace vanished. “Kneel down.” Kagome instructed. Kouga did as he was told, and Kagome slipped the brown and yellow beads over his head. Kouga felt the beads touch his chest, and looked down at them.

“What are these for?” he asked. Kagome looked away.

“Well Kouga, you know how you like insulting Inuyasha?”

“Well the filthy mutt deserves it. First, he tried to force you, not to mention the whole hanyou thing, and the real bad attitude.” Kouga went on to describe Inuyasha's faults, which were numerous as far as he was concerned. Kagome pinched her nose and took a breath.

“Down boy!” she shouted. Kouga stopped speaking as the beads around his neck glowed, slamming him into the ground.