Fateful by Amaya

Chapter 1 "A Bad Day"

Words put in between - - are thoughts.

Words put in between " " are dialogue.

Lemons are to be expected...but later one, perhaps. And any reviews would be nice :p

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Chapter 1 "A Bay Day"

Time seemingly slipped away as she lied there, a puddle of her own warm blood pooling around her shaking form. Her eyes were beginning to droop as her mind told her to stay awake. Each breath she took was shallow and painful, filling her senses with a mind-numbing pain. Her clothing had been torn away, and dirth and blood made them barely visable.

-What happened to me?- she thought absently in her semi-conscious state, -Why am I here...like this?-

An encroaching darkness entered her dazed view as she recalled the events that had led her to where and how she wsa now.

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As usual, she and Inuyasha had had a fight. He was screaming at her for leaving early that morning, without anyone knowing or any protection, to collect some herbs. He has stayed out late that previous night, and wasn't back until about noon, and upon hearing that she had not returned, went out to look for her. He had found her lying in a field of bloom flowers, asleep peacefully, that is, until he gave her a rude awakening.

"Kagome! You stupid wench!" Inuyasha yelled at her, awakening her from her blissful sleep, "I risk my life protecting your stupid ass! And what do you do? Leave camp without anyone knowing or without any protection! Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Inuyasha," she began, but was interrupted.

"If you die, how are we supposed to find the jewel shards?," he cried furiously at her, " You think that just because you can shoot a couple of glowing sticks around that you'll survive on your own?!"

"No, Inuyasha, you see-" but she was cut off again.

"You stupid wench, you could've died! Do you not want to finish the Shikon no Tama?!" he spat angrily at her, "You're such a useless excuse for a human!"

At those words, tears flooded her vision, blurring everything around her. She trembled slighty, anger forcing her small hands into tight fists.

Looking up at him with tear-filled eyes, she stated quietly, "Just because I'm not as trained as you or Sango are, it doesn't mean I'm useless."

She took a deep breath and then continued, "Inuyasha..."

So many emotions were packed inside of her, from pain, to anger, to sorrow; she didn't know which one she felt strongest. It did matter, though, for Inuyasha had struck the last straw.

"What?" he sneered at her.

"I don't need you," she finished simply, " You claim me to be such a troublesome burden to you, so I will rid you of my presence. Thank you for what you've done for me so far, and goodbye, Inuyasha."

Before the meaning of her words could sink in, she turned around and walked away. She didn't look back, because she knew that if she did, she'd regret it for the rest of her life. Silent tears streamed down her face as she silently said goodbye to everyone and everything that had become her world. She was trapped here, for the well and stopped working for her, but she as determined to finish everythine she started and to make a new life for herself.

And that was how the day began. By evening time, Kagome had found herself ina bit of a pickle. She was cornered by a group of three sickly-looking snake youkai. She had her back to the trunk of a tree as they closed in on her, drinking in her figure and fear.

"Come now, little missssy," the youkai to the right coaxed her, "It'll only hurt for a ssecond."

"We promisse to be gentle," the middle one snickered, his thin mouth curved into a sick grin.

"We can have ssome fun," the one to the left said as he traced the tip of his clawed finger against her soft cheek.

She wanted to gag. Their obnoxious scent was making it unbearable to be near them, and yet her body would not move. She noted with digust that one of the youkai had slipped his hand into his pants, touching Kami knows what. That thought alone made her sick.

"Stay away from me you bastards!" she cried angrily, her aura flaring with power.

"Fiessty," one of them said casually,"I like that in a girl."

At that moment, the one that spoke lunged at her, but Kagome could see it coming. She dodged skillfully and kneed the youkai in his "prescious" area.

"You bitch!" one of the others cried, a clawed hand swiping at her, cutting her arm.

Letting out a yelp of both surprise and pain, Kagome reached out for the nearest thing to her and chucked it at the youkai. He dodged the rock easily, but that moment's distraction was all she had needed. She sent a surge of her holy energy at him and smiled slightly as she saw her shot hit home. However, she was not happy with the fact that the youkai was still standing.

"You dirty whore!" he spat angrily at her as he picked her up by the collar of her shirt.

Blow after blow landed on her body, which began growing numb from the numerous cuts and pains she had. She could feel the blood bleeding freely from her lacerations and, finally, went unconscious from the pain.

-Maybe Inuyasha was right-, she thought dejectedly, -Maybe I am useless...-

-No!-

-Yes...-

-No matter what anyone says, I am not weak! Just because I don't have as much power, it doesn't make me weak!-

-But I can't even protect myself....-, Kagome sighed in her mind as she argued with the other voice.

-My strength, our strength comes from loving everyone around us. Unless you have someone to protect, you can never truly be powerful. Kagome, we have people to protect, people like Shippo and Sango. We cannot give up!-

Knowing it to be the truth, Kagome let her love for her friends fill her body until she elt weightless. Opening her eyes, she thought everyone she loved and trusted and let her power surge out, purifying anything within a sixty yard radius. She fell to the ground, spent form using up all of her energy, but was happy to see that the youkai were gone. And that was how she ended where she was and how she was.

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Her blood was beginning to dry, clinging onto her clothes as the dirt did.

"It can't end like this," she whispered painfully, blood seeping from her mouth.

Her vision had begun to darken as everything blurred more, but in her mind's eye, she could still see the smiling faces of her friends.

"Why am I so weak...?" she asked herself, a tear falling from her eye.

-Do you want to be stronger?- a voice asked in her mind.

-Who are you?-

-Do you want to be stronger?-

-Yes, but who are you?- Kagome asked again.

-My name is of no consequence, but you desire is. If you truly wish to become stronger, and say it to be so.-

-I will not make a devil's bargain until I know the price I have to pay.-

At that, the voice laughed.

-I intend to do you no harm nor do I wish ill will upon you and yours. But if you want to become stronger, than say it before you die.-

-I want to be stronger...- Kagome thought, loud enough for the voice to hear.

-You must say the words.-

"I want to be stronger...," Kagome whispered before she was engulfed in a bright, seering light. Pain raked her body, but it was over soon, the soreness of her limbs a somber reminder of the fact that she was still alive. Soon, she had fallen asleep, drunk on weariness and pain. Little did she know, though, that someone had been watching her form above.