The New Protector (On Hold)

I'll Protect You

"Huh?" Inuyasha asked, confused.

"I said, 'where's Kagome?' She was looking for you." Miroku said.

"She left." Inuyasha said, bluntly.

"What do you mean?" Sango asked, her brow arched.

"She went back home." Inuyasha said.

"What?" Sango asked. It didn't make sense to Sango, Kagome would never run back home without telling them. She had a feeling that Inuyasha was hiding something from them and it probably wasn't good.

"We don't need her anymore. She's useless. So Kikyō will be joining us." Inuyasha said, "Kikyō is stronger than Kagome anyway."

Then Kikyō appeared from the shadows of the trees. She was smiling at them. But the others knew it wasn't an innocent smile. Miroku and Shippo could sense an unsettling aura around her. Kirara gave a low growl towards her. Sango had a very uncomfortable feeling coming from Kikyō. But what they were feeling right now was anger. Uncontrollable, extreme, boiling anger soon burst out of them.

"You're such a jerk, Inuyasha!" Sango said.

"What?!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"You drove Kagome away!" Shippo said.

"I did not, you stupid runt!" Inuyasha said.

"Yes, you did! Kagome has stood by your side throughout our whole journey and you just threw her away!" Miroku said in an angry tone, "Some friend you are, Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha flinched at the tone of Miroku's voice. He had never, in all the time he had known him, heard such anger in his voice. He wasn't surprised at Sango's tone of anger though. But there seemed to be venom in her tone. He also felt Shippo's youki starting to rise as well. With the three of them acting this way, it made him feel uneasy.

"Anyway, we should be heading back, right?" Inuyasha asked, his head turned away. They packed up their belongings and headed towards Kaede's village. Inuyasha kept feeling all of the glares from his friends behind his back as they went along the path. He didn't know why they didn't want Kikyō to be with them. She's much stronger, smarter, and braver than Kagome. Not to mention that she was more beautiful than Kagome. To Inuyasha's point of view, Kagome was useless to him. She was his shard detector, that's all she was to him.

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The next morning, Kagome felt refreshed as she sat up in her futon. Even though some of parts of her body were aching. She remembered everything that had happened to her the other night. Inuyasha's betrayal and falling off the cliff. She felt lucky to be alive at the moment. But now, she was wondering why Bankotsu was alive and how was he revived. It was quite a mystery to her. Then a knock broke her from her thoughts.

"Come in." Kagome said. The shoji door opened and Bankotsu appeared with a tray of food in his hand.

"Good, you're awake now." Bankotsu said as he came in and closed the door behind him, "I brought some food for you."

He walked over and laid the tray down next to her. There was a simple bowl of rice and cooked vegetables in a small dish along with a cup of water.

"Thank you." Kagome said as she sat up and turned towards the tray. She held the chopsticks and placed her hands together while closing her eyes,

"Thank you for this food."

Then she picked up the bowl of rice and started to eat. She didn't want to admit it, but she hadn't eaten in two days. Well, she was unconscious during those two days. She was very lucky that Bankotsu had saved her. If he hadn't, she would have died or probably become demon food. She looked across from her and saw that Bankotsu was looking at her. She started to blush under his gaze. Then she turned towards the question that had been bugging her since the other night.

"By the way, Bankotsu." Kagome said.

"Hmm?" Bankotsu asked.

"How are you still alive?" Kagome asked.

"That I don't know." Bankotsu said, "The only thing I remember is darkness and then I woke up inside of a temple. A monk named Shinichi took me in. He told me that he found me unconscious on the side of the road when he was on his way back to the temple. I didn't know why he did it, but I'm glad he did." Bankotsu said while closing his eyes.

"Can you tell me why you're not with the hanyō?" Bankotsu asked.

"He tried to force me to give him the jewel shards. I ran and found myself at the edge of a cliff. When he found me there, I accidentally took a step back and...fell off the cliff." Kagome said, looking down at the blanket.

"I see." Bankotsu said.

"Inuyasha probably told the others that I went back home or was killed by a demon." Kagome said.

"So how will he find the jewel shards?" Bankotsu asked.

"Kikyō. His undead lover." Kagome said.

"Undead lover?" Bankotsu asked with his brow arched. Kagome hated to talk about Kikyō. But she believed that Bankotsu deserved to know because he did saved her. So she told him about the undead priestess. She told him about Urasue, Kikyō's clay body, her soul being ripped out of her, Kikyō having the remaining piece, and how Kikyō obtains the souls of deceased maidens in order to survive.

"He's that hung over about her, huh?" Bankotsu asked, crossing his arms.

"Yeah, can you believe it?" Kagome asked.

"So will you continue to find the jewel shards?" Bankotsu asked.

"Of course. It's my responsibility to restore it!" Kagome said.

"I see." Bankotsu said, closing his eyes, "Then I'll be your protector."

"Huh?" Kagome asked, confused.

"Since that hanyō is no longer protecting you, I'll protect you instead." Bankotsu said, "I know you don't trust me very well. But I will protect you."

"Are you sure, Bankotsu?" Kagome asked, suspicious of the mercenary who sat beside her. They were enemies before. But maybe, just maybe, they could put the past behind them and start anew.

"I'm sure. Besides, I'm getting bored just by sitting around here." Bankotsu said.

"Okay. But if you turn your back on me, I will purify you to hell and back." Kagome said, narrowing her eyes at him while pointing her finger at him.

"Deal." Bankotsu said, giving a smile. For some strange reason, she gave a small smile back to him.