Unexpected by Kiba

Weakened

Genre: Romance/Drama/General Things

Kiba's Note: Please Note that I only update this whenever I've completed 3 to 5 new chapters. So, you won't see it often. It will also only be around 15 to 20 chapters long.

Please also note that this story is the "rewritten" version of a story I had around the time I began writing "The Assistant". That story was called, "Mate? Damn!" but I have given it a new title, and I'm planning to make it longer than it was originally going to be. My sister messed with our computer and I lost two of the stories I'd begun, thus I forgot all about it until someone asked me about it. So, I'm dedicating the story to that person. She emailed me about it from A Single Spark, and her name was "Cassie". Anyway, thank you very much.

Kagome coughed, glancing out from her hiding place for a moment. She knew that the damn youkai could smell her blood. It was obvious from the way it was sniffing the air. However, she hated the tactics it was currently taking, for the youkai hadn't gone after Inuyasha--the one who'd destroyed its den mates--but after someone close. She was just so damn lucky that she was the person it decided to attack at the time. Why hadn't she been smart enough to at least be carrying her bow during her time of vulnerability? Still, right now she had more important things to think about. The top thing on her list: how to keep this blasted kuma-youkai busy until the sun set.

After all, it wasn't until the dusking sun finally sank behind the horizon that her transformation took place. She'd never told Inuyasha, but she wasn't a normal ningen, she just looked, smelled, and acted like one during the day. Of course, there were ways to hide her other form from her inu-hanyou companion during the night... if she couldn't slip away in her shadow-inuyoukai form, leaving behind only an image of her daytime form. That was the problem with her curse, after all. Until she could live in a place where youkai ruled, having another type of inuyoukai mate her, she would not be able to break the curse from her, allowing her true form to settle around her day and night.

Taking another glance at the sky, however, Kagome cursed under her breath. Inuyasha, she thought, you better realize that I'm in trouble here soon, or I'm going to end up being kuma food! That thought didn't really appeal to her, and if she could help it she would use up most of her energy to destroy the youkai, before falling into an unconscious state, allowing the others to find her, since she wasn't sure if she'd be able to go through her nightly transformation if she used up most of her shadow-inuyoukai power.

The kuma-youkai gave off a sickening laugh, telling Kagome that she needed to move from the distance it came from. Inuyasha might not have thought it strange, but the only reason she'd survived with her big mouth and attitude in the Sengoku Jidai was because her senses were much more acute than a normal ningen's. Probably the only thing the wicked miko of the future allowed her to keep were her senses, to which she was thankful for at times. Like now, as she moved away from the small hole created by some of the roots that broke through the soil, allowing their bark to be seen in the middle of most paths.

She held her side, wincing in pain as she heard the claws of the kuma slice her ex-hiding place to pieces. The blood from her side continued to pump from her wound as it tried to heal. However, her slow ningen healing was not going to help her any, since she'd probably end up lying in some clearing--or wherever the kuma decided to drop her--, bleeding near to death until Inuyasha finally smelled the metallic smell and came running. She was not planning to do that, not even if she couldn't get away. No, she'd fight until the very last moment, until her life was taken from her and she slipped into the sweet light of Takamagahara.

Giving a small smirk, she told herself that at least she'd be able to see Ame-no-Minaka-nushi, Kami-mi-musubi, and Taka-mi-musubi. After all, it was said that when Heaven was created they were the first three gods to ever be born. If they were truly there then perhaps she would see them. Then again, though she looked ningen, she was youkai, and youkai came from the pits of Hell. That's where youkai were created, and thus, like Inuyasha's father, they would one day return there, even if they did nothing but good within their life. Still, it would be nice to see an angel, because that meant she no longer had to worry.

Stumbling behind another tree, Kagome realized that the youkai chasing her was merely playing with her. After all, with the wound it had given her on her side... it could easily catch her with ease. That meant that the damn beast wanted to make her weak, draining her of her energy more and more. That was not acceptable, since she needed to stay alive until dusk disappeared and night settled in. Once that happened the kuma-youkai would learn that she was more than it could handle. Hell, even with an arrow she might be able to take it out.

To bad she didn't have one of those!

I'm so blaming Inuyasha for this once I get out of here; Kagome winced, touching her side lightly. She was more concerned about it, but she also knew that her ankle wasn't in any better shape. It was throbbing beneath her weight, even when she slid to the ground, trying to even her breath, but trying hard not to give away her current position. Her breathing could not be evened enough, though, since she felt like most of her small scratches were bursting flames from within her muscles.

Not that it mattered; she was sure the youkai smelled her blood more than heard her breathing. Probably even knew that she'd moved only a few trees away from her original one. It wouldn't be hard to believe, after all, because the youkai's nose had to be to perfection. Especially with the scent of blood thick in the air as it was--yeah, it was pretty much obvious, since she could smell it, too. She knew that she probably couldn't have smelled it at all if she were a true ningen, but with her curse over her at the moment her senses were only dulled about one percent. So, since she could smell it, though the other youkai was a kuma, it was pretty much obvious it would smell it too.

She never really understood how her curse made her into a ningen miko during the day, however. She guessed that it was because one or two of her ancestors had been ningen with spiritual ki. It was said that those two ningen's children with her youkai ancestors were not hanyou, though. Strange as it sounded she had to believe it for in the modern world, back when she used to have to go to a special youkai doctor that was hidden in the natural world to look like a regular doctor when she was sick with a youkai flu, she was told that her blood came back one-hundred percent youkai, not a trace of ningen blood within the line. She figured that the ki of those ancestors was handed down into her generation, since her little brother, Sota, could also make a purity whip, but nothing else. Her pure blood shadow-inuyoukai mother could not, however. Her father had been another type of youkai, but she knew that he had been some type of inuyoukai; she just couldn't remember what it was exactly.

Trying to ease her panting, Kagome tried once to stagger to her feet, before merely slipping against the tree completely. Within moments the kuma seemed to realize she wasn't going to continue running, and merely stalked around the tree like a predator hunting down its prey. However, she, Higurashi Kagome, was not going to be taken so easily, specially if she could stop it from happening. Yes, the kuma had had the upper hand so far, but she wasn't going to allow it to hurt her any longer.

The kuma stood on its two feet, its brown fur shaking as it laughed suddenly. The armor it wore was like every other piece made by an average blacksmith. Its sword was still in its sheath, one of the many mistakes it had already made. If it wanted to kill her so bad it should have in the first place, not that it would matter since she still had one hidden ability she could use in order to save herself from death. However, she would use most of her energy by transporting herself to another location, and she'd probably die before the sun set.

Still, even if she did not wish to use it she would in the very end if she needed to. However, for now she would try to defend herself. When the kuma knelt in front of her and reached out with its furry hand to grab her chin, Kagome allowed some of her miko ki to surface, before zapping the hand that had suddenly touched her chin. She watched as the kuma snatched his hand away, before growling deep in his throat, just as Kagome tilted her head a bit before spitting straight into its face. What she was hoping for, however, did not happen, and within moments she found herself hurt worse than she already was.

The kuma reared back quite suddenly, his hand moving to the side. Swinging his arm he smacked her across the temple with the back of his hand, knocking her to the ground, while the ningen girl stared up at him in defiance. Lifting his lip back he gave another laugh, before saying, "Ah, foolish little miko. You tried to fight against me, yet look where it has gotten you! Oh well, it just means that your pain shall be prolonged, your dear hanyou finding you when you're beyond saving and death has nearly taken you."

Kagome tried to lift her head, but the kuma placed his hand onto the side of her head to keep her still. However, she managed to growl out, "What if you're wrong? What if Inuyasha comes before I die and I am saved... hm? What will you do then? Answer me, kuma!" Her voice was demanding and strong, yet at the same time it seemed to be muffled a bit by the furry hand of the kuma-youkai.

Grinning at the little miko, he chuckled, "You see miko, I will not let you merely lie here waiting for your hanyou. No! No, that would be to easy for him, since he could easily save you. You see, miko, I'm going to give you a fatal wound, so that even if he comes to see your dying body he will not be able to save you."

Glaring toward the side, Kagome felt blood trickle down the side of her forehead, its warmth hot against her skin. It was oozing from her temple, and she knew that her wounds were about to get worse. However, as the kuma-youkai's claws suddenly sunk into her stomach she coughed, the words, "You... sick bastard" falling from her lips. She felt the claws of the youkai bastard wiggle around inside her for a moment, and she could still not feel Inuyasha's aura coming toward her. She knew what she had to do--

--She had to get away from this blasted youkai before he killed her completely. Before she couldn't wait until the sun set to heal.

"Hai, you might think so miko," the kuma replied, "but it is not your fault. No, it is your hanyou's for not coming to your rescue. Not only that but for leaving you to defend for yourself--"

As he talked Kagome suddenly called upon a power hidden deep within her. Before he could say a thing her own claws had shot up into his chest, her head suddenly turned to the other side. He stumbled back before landing onto his butt, his eyes staring up at the ningen who'd suddenly turned demoness. She growled at him, before swinging her hand, a dark whip materializing before her claws and slashing out at the kuma. Before he knew what was happening, he was dead, and Kagome fell to her knees, her body bending over in its humanoid youkai form until her forehead was settled against the ground.

Coughing again, Kagome looked up through her red eyes, satisfied that she had killed her enemy. However, the other half of her power kicked in and she felt herself suddenly sink into the shadows formed by the tree blocking the sun. The spot became a darker shade before the spot shot off toward a random direction, never realizing that when she was finally placed in a safe place, she would be far from her friends and deep within the Western Lands.

"Kagome-sama!" Miroku called. He knew that Sango was standing next to him yelling the miko's name as well. Inuyasha had long since shot off after their battle with the scorpion-like youkai in search of the young miko. She'd gone to bath before they were attacked, and it was strange that she had yet to return. "Kagome-sama," he called once again, "Kagome-sama, where are you?"

He got no answer, but it really wasn't that surprising considering the current surroundings. However, they'd been searching for so long and still Kagome had not shown her face. Miroku was beginning to think the worst since the miko would usually come running toward their voice as if she were afraid to be alone while it was day. Something that he'd never really understood about the miko, since she nervously looked around when the sun had set before either going off to take a bath, or going to sleep. Kagome was from the future but she was a strange person, indeed.

Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt at the fact that Kagome was missing. After all, she'd been the one who defeated Naraku in the end, thus ending the curse to his family line. Though they were still looking for the once again shattered shards, they were still together, and he wasn't sure what it'd be like without Kagome. She was like the tie that kept them all together.

Sango bit the inside of her lip nervously, before yelling, "KAGOME-CHAN!" She felt like her throat was beginning to throb from all the yelling she'd preciously done. It wasn't like Kagome to disappear for so long. The miko liked to stay near everyone, which was the only thing she'd say when Sango asked her about why she was so nervous until the sun set and then suddenly wanted to either go out by herself or sleep. It didn't make any sense since night was the worse time to be out because youkai roamed the forest more often. However, when someone tried to go with her she threw a tantrum about how she could survive on her own. It was as if she were having a female youkai period all of a sudden.

The bushes trembled and shook, before Inuyasha suddenly stepped out from behind them. His eyes were covered by his bangs, before he suddenly lifted them to show tears that were streaming down his face, while his lifted to reveal a piece of material that would forever be engraved in their minds...

...the green piece of material was apart of Kagome's uniform...

...blood clinging to the edges...

Sango felt a lump in her throat, tears swelling in her eyes. "Kagome-chan..."

Inuyasha's mouth opened and closed a few times, before he finally let out a choked sob. However, when he finally got control of himself he said, "I... I don't think she's dead. Her body wasn't there... but the youkai I smelled all over the place was... destroyed completely. I think Kagome killed him and she's now hiding to recover... I-I... I..." He could not finish, another sob heaving within his chest. "I-I didn't smell her death, though. I-I could only smell her blood..."

Their two-youkai companions raced into the scene, both of them stopping dead in their tracks when they saw the piece of material hanging from Inuyasha's hand. Shippo, being the only one who could talk, shook his head, his eyes wide, before backing away from them. His lips moved, before he said, "No... no... Ka-Kagome!"

"Shippo..." they whispered. Out of them all the young kitsune was attached to Kagome like a son to its mother. He was really the only one who didn't ever get on Kagome's bad side. He was the one who slept with her every night. If there weren't major differences between them someone might have thought the kitsune was Kagome's son. However, out of them all the kitsune was attached to Kagome like a second skin and would go through her loss at the moment the worst.