*Why is he doing this?* Kagome looked at the two helplessly.
"He's not himself."
"What?" Kagome turned to see Myoga perched on her shoulder. He continued, "He's been put under a spell. I'll try and wake him up." He hopped his way to Inu-Yasha as Kagome pondered over what he had said.
"Well, have you decided, girl?" Inu-Yasha said threateningly.
"Kagome, don't do it," Shippo struggled to call out.
"Stupid fox," hitting on the head, and knocking him out, "You're starting to annoy me."
"Shippo!" Kagome cried as she picked up the fox demon. "Inu-Yasha," she pleaded, "there must be some part of you which remembers who you are. You don't want to hurt us!"
Inu-Yasha laughed coldly, "Every part of me remembers how you humiliated me time after time." He broke off as he noticed sucking from his cheek. He flicked him off, mumbling, "Stupid flea." He turned to Kagome. "Give me the shards and I'll spare all of you." He paused. "For now."
Kagome looked at her two fallen friends. What other choice did she have? She pulled out the vial of shards and shakily handed them to Inu-Yasha who snatched it from her hands. Without a word, he flew off. Sighing, Kagome picked up Shippo and Myoga and limped back to the village.
Kaede came out to greet her. "Kagome! What happened?" She quickly took Shippo from Kagome, bringing him into her hut to tend his wounds. Kagome followed, "We were attacked..." She couldn't go on.
Kaede asked, "Where's Inu-Yasha?" Something in Kagome's expression told her to fear the worst. Yet it did not prepare her for Kagome's reply...
"He... he was the one who attacked us..." She broke into tears and Kaede froze with shock.
"The beads...?" she stuttered.
"I don't know! But they were gone! I don't know what happened. I went home for one moment and when I came back he wanted to kill me! He took the shards!"
Myoga was awoke by this time and he chipped in, "He was under a spell, but even I couldn't wake my lord up." He sighed.
"Do you think he'll come back?" Kaede addressed Kagome, concerned
"I don't know..." Kagome didn't want to have Inu-Yasha trying to kill her again, yet she found the thought of not ever seeing him again horrendous. "Do... do you think you might be able to reverse the spell?"
Myoga shook his head. "That spell was too strong. It must have been a very strong ogress who said it."
"So how can we change him back?" Fresh tears started to run down Kagome's cheeks.
Kaede paused. Finally she said, "Kagome, I'm sure you remember how ruthless Inu-Yasha can be." Kagome nodded, thinking of the first time she met him. "If he wishes to kill you, none of us would be his match. I think the best thing for you to do now is to go back."
"Back? You mean go home? Why?" Kagome was outraged. "If he wanted to kill me, he would have done so, but he didn't! Anyway, he can just follow me home anyway, he can go through the well!" She argued. "And what about the shards?" *Right, I can't find them without him* She faltered, desperately trying to find more excuses to stay. Finding none she added obstinately, "I won't go!"
***
Inu-Yasha was perched up on a tree, playing around with the Shikon shards. He held one up against the sun and watched as it glittered in the light.
"Why, such a good boy." Inu-Yasha whipped around, and he quickly put the shards back into the vial when he saw ogress (whom I'm going to call Nebuto, another name I made up - Bootsie). She chuckled at the shock on his face.
"Stop stalking me, you bitch."
"Why, that's not the way to talk to someone who did you a tremendous favour." She held her stare at Inu-Yasha and his eyes glazed over. "Give me the shards." Mechanically, he handed the jewels to the ogress.
Just as she was about to grab it, a voice rang out, "No, Inu-Yasha, don't do it!"
"Dammit," Nebuto swore as her concentration broke and Inu-Yasha snapped awake. He pulled back his hand out of her reach and unsheathed the Tetsusaiga which immediately sprang to life.
"Die, bitch!" he yelled as he took a wild swing at Nebuto. Laughing, she uttered a spell, and Inu-Yasha's eyes glowed. Kagome meanwhile had loaded her bow and took a shot at Nebuto. The latter used her control over Inu-Yasha to move him in the way of the arrow, and Kagome watched in horror as the arrow headed straight for his heart.
Perhaps it was out of habit, but the first and only thing Kagome did was to yell, "Sit!" Perhaps it was fate, or it was his habit too, for Inu-Yasha slammed to the ground, the arrow missing him by a hair.
Nebuto looked on in shock, but had the presence of mind to run off before the arrow could hit her. At a safe distance she turned back and laughed, "This isn't over yet. If I don't get the shards and your head in 6 days' time, then Inu-Yasha will be mine!" Kagome shuddered at the thought of what the old ogree would want with the dog-demon.
She rushed to Inu-Yasha's side, not caring if he would get up and kill her. "Hey, are you okay?" She held her breath as Inu-Yasha slowly got up, his hair blocking her view of his expression. "Inu-..." she touched his sleeve. Finally he turned to look at her, bringing his hand up to caress her cheek, wiping away the silent tears of joy which had fallen uncontrollably. He whispered, "I'm sorry." Then quite suddenly, he leapt off in the opposite direction that Nebuto had. Kagome began to run after him but out of the corner of her eye she noticed the vial of Shikon shards on the ground and she went to pick it up. *He must have dropped them when he fell* Just then, a hand grabbed her, "What the hell?" she yelped.
Is this the end for Kagome and Inu-Yasha? Who is the silent stalker? Will Inu-Yasha become Nebuto's slave? To be continued!