The Pact by Reflection of a Broken Dream

The Attack

The Pact

Chapter 1: The Attack

Note:

- Hello, hello! I'm back. Since the site isn't gone, I'm going to be visiting and revamping old fics. :3

- Chapters 4 and 5 I didn’t like, so I’m reworking them. Making them better. Revamped chapters 2 and 3 coming soon.

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“Speak her name, then,” a deep and rough voice spoke; feminine and ever even and calm. Firm and unyielding. “Speak it…and we shall consider.”

Desperation drove the young Daiyoukai to this brink.

To the unthinkable.

His mouth opened slowly; each syllable laboriously pronounced. “Higurashi Kagome…the Shikon Miko.”

His death sentence…his only hope.

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A low, rumbling growl came from a metal bike basket, emerald eyes narrowing at a certain red-clad hanyou. Inuyasha’s ears swiveled every so often, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out why. Soul stealers were drifting in and out of the woods from the east…beckoning. Shippou let out a disgruntled noise as he looked up at Kagome, her face as passive as ever…but there was a certain weariness in her azure eyes that he knew well. And it pissed him off! Stupid Inuyasha didn’t know a good thing when he had it! His bushy tail bristled as he glared at the idiot in front of them…

His anger got the best of him.

“Yeeeooww!” Inuyasha yelped, stumbling to a halt. Stupid brat! As if glaring and growling at him wasn’t enough! Now he was throwing shit!

Shippou ducked down into Kagome’s basket with a sly, satisfied little grin on his face as she brought the bike to a slow stop. He quickly schooled his features into innocence as the inu rounded on him.

“What the fuck was that for?!”

“What do you mean?” Shippou blinked up at him with as confounded a look as he could muster.

“You know exactly what I mean, twerp! You threw an acorn at the back of my head!” Inuyasha growled, pointing accusingly at the rapidly blinking fox.

“I did not!”

“Did, too!”

“Did not!”

“I can smell your lie!”

“You deserved it!”

“Why, you-!”

“Alright!” Kagome yelled, leaning over the front of her bike to shield Shippou as Inuyasha balled his hand into a fist and raised it. He stopped immediately, slowly lowering his clenched hand. Kagome sighed as she righted herself, giving each a scolding look. She’d caught the entire transaction- from Shippou’s mounting ire and Inuyasha’s distraction, to the current blow up. And it wasn’t the first time today. She was tired of it, honestly… “No more fighting. Either of you.” Shippou had the courtesy to look sheepish and guilty while Inuyasha just huffed through his nose. “Inuyasha…why don’t you go see Kikyo? We all need a break, anyway.” His ears flattened to his skull, an inkling of guilt seeping across his face.

“Do you think that is wise?” Miroku asked with a disproving frown as he and Sango made their way to Kagome’s side from the rear of the group.

“Kagome…,” Sango started and stopped, worry clear across her features. Kilala mewled from her perch atop the taijiya’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” Kagome sighed out with a strained smile, running a hand through her bangs. A sheen of sweat had developed…and she tried to wipe it all away. “Take her a little farther away, okay? It’s difficult to continue on like this…with her so near.” Inuyasha hesitated, looking to the east before locking eyes with her again.

“You sure?” His voice was tentative, a hint of concern coloring his tone.

“Yeah…it’ll be better that way,” she nodded with a voice full of weary encouragement, smile softening around the edges as she caught the worried look in his eyes. He did still care about her…in his own way. Best fess up a bit. “It’s been harder to be near to her since her second revival…our soul plays tug-o-war when we’re close enough. So…we need to be a little farther apart.” Kagome pointedly ignored Sango’s worried glances, the concerned stare of one kitsune kit, and the hard frown she was getting from the lecherous monk.

 “Right,” Inuyasha swallowed, ears still close to his skull as he peered between her and the east once more. “If you guys stick together, you’ll be alright.”

It was meant to be encouraging…but, to them, it sounded more like he was trying to reassure himself. With a nod, he was bounding off to his undead lover. Everyone was fairly quiet until Inuyasha’s form disappeared into the distance.

“Well, let’s set up!” Kagome clapped her hands jovially after clicking her kickstand in place on her bike. “If we’re lucky, we can set up camp here for the night! I’ll get the spit ready- I’m starving! Want to help me pick up sticks, Shippou?” She disembarked, taking a step back from her bike.

“Oh-umm…sure!” He perked up at the idea of being able to help…but…she was acting a little strange. A little too happy…

“Ka-,” Miroku started as she dropped her monstrous yellow pack to the ground with a clatter, her bow and quiver quick to join it.

“Don’t,” Sango hissed softly, tugging his sleeve as Kagome helped Shippou from her bike, the two bustling around. Questioning violet eyes turned to the taijiya. “I didn’t realize how much strain the second revival had on her…but…she’s trying so hard to hide it for Shippou’s sake. And probably for ours, too. We can’t let her efforts go to waste.”

“…Alright,” he sighed in reluctant agreement. “But…does it not bother you how much more leniency she’s granting Inuyasha?”

“Of course it does! But…,” Sango paused, unsure how to proceed without giving away what Kagome had told her in confidence. He needed to know. Him and Shippou both…but she couldn’t just tell him without making sure Kagome was alright with her telling it first.

“You know why she’s allowing this,” he mused aloud, eyeing his favorite chocolate-eyed slayer. Well. He wasn’t sure if he should feel more proud or betrayed.

“…I do,” she admitted slowly, earnestly. “But it isn’t something I can discuss freely yet. I promised her I wouldn’t say anything until she was ready to talk about it…so…for now, please leave it be. She’s having a difficult time and trying to put on a strong front for Shippou. Don’t spoil her efforts.”

“Okay,” he heaved out a breath, releasing his agitation as guarded violets softened. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze as the tension visibly unwound from her shoulders. “I will stay silent for now…but you owe me a kiss for the wait.”

“A…,” Sango sputtered, cheeks splashed with pink. “Do you want me to hurt you?”

“Ahh, come now, Sango! It was just a joke!”

Kilala jumped down from Sango’s shoulder with a squeak. She wanted no part of their little quarrel! Their antics were so tiring… Instead, she wandered over to Kagome and Shippou’s side as they laughed about something or another. Their environment was much more…serene.

“Hey Kilala,” Kagome bid, giving the neko a scratch behind the ears. She purred, twin tails swishing behind her. A resounding slap had all eyes peering back at the slayer and monk as the latter fell to his knees, nursing a new bruise on his cheek. “Hm…I don’t blame you for not wanting to get caught up in that.” She laughed softly as she pet the fire cat.

“I’ll get water,” Sango announced as she stomped over to Kagome’s pack.

“Alright,” Kagome nodded. “Kilala, can you please push some logs up to the ground we cleared for the spit?”

“Mee-ooaarrr!” Kilala’s mewl turned into a fierce growl as she transformed into her larger form.

“Thanks, Kilala!” Kagome turned her gaze to an expectant Shippou, his arms full of sticks. He’d insisted on carrying every one they’d found!

“Is there anything else I can do?” Shippou asked eagerly, wanting to get Kagome’s mind off of whatever was worrying her. She was forcing herself to be too happy…and she was usually worried about something when she did that. So…he wanted to distract her from it!

“Mmm…yeah. Could you drop the sticks off in the spit and lay them out, then get the salted meat from my pack? I think I’ll make stew with it.”

“Of course!” Shippou puffed his little chest out as he marched off.

Kagome couldn’t help but giggle at her kit. He was absolutely adorable! And always so ready and willing to help. She smiled in earnest as she picked herself up off the ground. They would need some bigger, green branches for slow burning- those twigs Shippou had collected would be gone in no time. She brushed off the blue hakama and simple white kosode she’d taken to wearing after the first couple of years she’d journeyed in the Feudal Era. Her friends had convinced her to wear more…time-oriented clothing. The hakama were comfortable, at least…and the sleeves of the kosode were fairly short and manageable. But she absolutely refused to wear traditional miko garb…Inuyasha still mistook her for Kikyo in it…

She was about to begin her task in full when a wave of powerful, icy youki crashed down on Kagome, raising goosebumps all across her flesh. Those little hairs on her arms and the back of her neck stood on end, a shiver twisting its way down her spine. Just her luck…leaving her bow and arrows by her pack, out of reach! Inwardly cursing, Kagome spun on her heel, brow pinched as her azure orbs caught sight of a handsome youkai male standing close enough to touch. Silky white-silver hair fell around his pale face, bright yet dark viridian eyes peered back at her, a cocky smirk tilting his lips. A pair of large white ears, not unlike Inuyasha’s, flicked atop his head. Vaguely, she realized she could hear Sango and Miroku behind her…but she couldn’t discern what they were saying. A deep purple, crimson, and white flashed before her eyes, and the miko reflexively jerked her arms up, intending to create a barrier…but she was much, much too slow. She'd barely raised her arms when she felt his grip bruising her left wrist... Kagome expected to be pulled forwards…slashed…maimed…but…as quickly as it came, those powerful fingers were gone. A whisper of cool silk fluttered against her bared arms…along with the crash of a much more familiar, very agitated youki.

“S-Sesshou-!”

Chapter 1 – End

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