Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

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The earliest memory I can recall was a day when the cherry blossoms first bloomed, their pink and white petals still vivid and fresh in my mind. I was four years old then, and the Higurashi Shrine still belonged to us. It was a beautiful day, with the sun shining brightly overhead as I licked my chocolate ice cream under Goshinboku. I still remember Ojii-san sweeping near the great big steps as Mama walked around the courtyard, trying to get Souta to finally sleep.

That particular day, after Ojii-san had finished sweeping, he sat next to me underneath the spiritual tree.

"Kagome," he said.

"Yes, Ojii-san?"

"One day, all of this will be yours."

He was referring to the Shrine. I, being the oldest in the family, was to inherit the Higurashi Shrine when Ojii-san and Mama were unable to care for it any longer. It was a great honor, because I would be the first woman to ever oversee the Shrine in the history of our family. I remember him going on, telling me that from the day I was born he sensed a great power from within me, and how when Mama held me in her arms for the first time I glowed with a purple aura. When I was a baby, I was told I would put a barrier around myself involuntarily, usually happening when I was upset. I also showed signs of having strong empathic abilities, which although was a sign of a strong spiritual gift, could be seen as a disability as it enabled me to have strong, emotional attachments.

That day also happened to be Souta's first birthday, and that night we celebrated with food and laughter. My aunt and cousins from Osaka came down for the occasion, and while the adults laughed and reminisced of years past, I kept myself entertained by playing with my cousin Sango.

Sango was my best friend in every aspect. Although she was a year older than me, we were closer than most blood relations. She was a taijiya in training, though mostly for show, coming down from a long line of demon exterminators. We bonded in that fact that although we lived in modern times, we had ties to the past that kept us rooted to family traditions. We understood each other.

A few months after Souta's birthday, I was sweeping the front steps of the courtyard when I felt a strong aura sweep through me. It had come from the forest behind the Shrine, but when I turned to look all I saw were trees and darkness. Yet, I knew something was there, something, or someone with great powers was beyond the forest.

Ojii-san was the first to find me staring intently into the forest. He had sensed it too, and wasn't surprised when I asked him about it.

"Youkai."

"Youkai?" I was puzzled.

"What you sensed was a youkai. A powerful one has moved right next door to us, Kagome. Not to worry, they are friendly."

Ojii-san had explained the ways of the youkai after that day. Hundreds of years ago, they ruled the earth, and humans feared them. As the human population began to grow, the youkai soon found themselves outnumbered. They went and hid themselves among the humans and began to intermarry. According to Ojii-san, there were very few pure youkai left these days, and apparently, one of the strongest moved a couple acres across from us.

That was how I spent my life, learning about the ways of the Shrine, going to school, and training to become a miko. Those were the happier days.

Two years later, we found ourselves going into debt. The Shrine wasn't bringing in money like it use to, and with the technological advances that improved everyday, people were no longer interested in the ways of the past.

I remember Mama and Ojii-san making calls, some leading to others, all leading to frustration. The discussions at the dinner table were dwindling, and soon we ate in silence. We had no idea what was going to happen to us.

Then one day, our prayers were answered. Coming home from school, I felt a strange presence in our house, along with the strange aura I had felt years before when I was sweeping in our courtyard. Walking in the front door, I realized that our neighbors had come to pay a visit.

Mama and Ojii-san were speaking in the living room, so I crept ever so quietly behind the door and peeked through the crack. Seated across from them was a beautiful lady, her long black hair cascading over her back as her soft eyes listened intently to Ojii-san's words. She wore clothes of the past, robes of a noblewoman with its delicate colors and many layers. Sitting next to her was a tall man, his silver hair swept up in a high ponytail. He had peculiar purple markings on his face, markings that I didn't quite understand.. The man was clad in a white kimono surrounded by . . .

Armor?

I blinked, and the armor and the robes of the woman faded away, and they sat with modern clothes. The markings on his face had disappeared, though the silver hair remained. I had no idea at the time what was going on, but I knew that no one could change clothes that fast.

A strange pulse entered my body as I realized that the youkai I sensed years before was the man sitting across the table from my Mama. Stifling my gasp, I suddenly became afraid when the golden eyes of the youkai fixated themselves on me.

"It seems we have a visitor."

I remember my heart stopping a full five seconds as my eyes became as wide as saucers. By this time the beautiful lady had noticed me as well, and a smile crept on her face as she spoke.

"Who is this young lady?"

I was about to run up to my room when the door swung wide open and Mama stood before me. I was afraid that she would be mad at me, but instead stooped down and scooped me up into her arms, something she hadn't done in quite a while.

"This is my eldest, Kagome," Mama had answered proudly.

I felt the eyes of the visitors on me as Mama kissed me on the forehead and set me back on the ground. For the first time, I stared straight into the woman's eyes, but I was far too afraid to even look in the direction of the man's.

"She's beautiful," the woman said softly. "And how old are you Kagome?"

"I'm six," I had responded, and bowed respectfully.

"My, my, what a polite young girl." The noblewoman then stuck out her hand, beckoning me to come to her. As soon as I touched her hand, a strange pulse went through my hand and into hers. Scared that I might've hurt her, I pulled back my hand.

"Kagome?" Ojii-san looked at me in alarm.

"I . . ." I looked at the woman before me. She had a strange, awestruck look on her face as she stared at her hand then looked at my face. This had caught the man's attention, and I soon felt the entire room's stare.

"Is she," the woman had looked at Mama and Ojii-san, "a miko?"

"Indeed she is, Izayoi-sama," Mama answered, still looking at me with confusion. "But, how did you know?"

Izayoi-sama didn't speak, and the man, who I assumed was her husband by this time, turned back to the matters they had been speaking of.

"As I was saying, I would be happy to buy the land and Shrine. I would keep your family on as caretakers, and you would be paid for your duties."

"Arigatou, Inutaisho-sama, your help is greatly appreciated," Ojii-san bowed. I felt his sadness and Mama's suddenly lift, and replaced by unexplainable joy.

"Are you sure there isn't anything we can do to repay you?" Mama had asked.

"Well, there could be one thing," Izayoi-sama had quietly said. She looked at me with soft eyes, her expression something I couldn't read. "I would like to have Kagome's services."

"Nani?" Mama was wide-eyed. I believe she had thought that Izayoi-sama wanted me as a servant.

"Please don't mistake me, Higurashi-san," she had explained, "I do not intend her to be a servant in our household. She would serve a different purpose."

She then tuned her attention to me, and I felt her uneasiness and hope. "You see, Kagome, I have a son a couple years older than you. He, well, he doesn't have many friends, and I was hoping if you would be his."

Izayoi-sama then smiled at Mama and Ojii-san. "You would still see her, I promise you. I wouldn't separate her from her family. All I ask that during the week she come to our home and be a companion to my son. I would take care of her schooling, and at night she would be able to come home. The weekends are hers to use."

Mama and Ojii-san had looked at each other, then looked at me. "Well, Kagome, what do you think?"

I didn't think any harm would come to being a companion of Izayoi's son. In reality, I hadn't had many friends either, and the prospect of having one all to myself made me feel happy. I looked at Inutaisho-sama, and through the cool stare he gave me I felt his hope as well. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I agreed.

Arrangements were made for me to go to the house the following Monday. I wasn't scared, and I had no need to be. Izayoi-sama promised mother that she would look after me, and I would be able to see my family again at night. If anything, I was excited when Monday morning had come. I wanted to see my new friend.

At exactly 8:00 there was a knock at the door. They had sent over an escort to take me through the forest and to the Kabayashi residence. He was an old man with large eyes by the name of Totosai. While we walked through the forest he would tell me mindless stories of swords and what he used to make them. I smiled and nodded; he was a youkai, but not as powerful as Inutaisho-sama. The entire walk to the house took about 20 minutes, and I enjoyed his company.

I remember the first time I saw the Kabayashi residence. Grand didn't even begin to describe it. It was a mansion, to say the least, with white brick and beautiful blue-paned windows. The driveway itself was about as big as our shrine, and around the mansion were paths that seemed to lead to disappear into a jungle of flowers. As I walked up the steps to the front door, I couldn't help but shake. I had never been in the presence of such wealth before.

Izayoi-sama was in the foyer to greet me. Again, when I saw her, she was dressed in magnificent robes, but they had remained when I tried to blink them away. She laughed prettily, and told me that she only wore modern clothes outside. Leading me through the hallway, she informed me of a couple things. I would have time with her son until 10, when our schooling would start. At 12 lunch would be served in the dining hall, and it was back to studies at 1. At 3 school would be done, and I would have free time with my new friend again until 6, when dinner was served. At seven, Totosai would escort me back home.

It was an agreeable schedule, but then again, I was six at the time and didn't care what schedule I was given as long as I was able to play. We had reached tall, double wooden doors at the end of the hallway, and told me her son was inside. "He'll need some time to get use to," she said, then opened the door and ushered me inside.

"Inuyasha?"

The room was brightly lit, with the sun shining in through the tall windows across the room. In the corner was a tall chest, where his toys belonged. On the floor were books scattered here and there, but otherwise the room was spotless. From the corner of my eye I saw a stack of pillows move, and a white head popped out.

"Hi, Mother."

My first encounter with him would be seared into my mind for all eternity. Wearing a red haori, his silver-white hair fell below his waist and around his eyes. His golden eyes, an exact duplicate of his father's, stared into my own, the color and sharpness sending shivers down my spine. Atop his head sat two triangular ears, which twitched in my direction. I had to resist the urge to squeal out loud and rush towards them. He gazed at me with curiosity, the grasp on his red ball loosening as he dropped it on the floor. I watched it bounced away, thankful to have something distract me from those eyes.

"Inuyasha, this is Kagome." Izayoi-sama had gently pushed me forward, and I stumbled a few steps. "She's here to become your friend."

A slight frown swept across his face. "But she's a girl!" He had given me another once-over, before shrugging and picking up his ball. "Do you want to play catch?"

"Sure."

That was how our friendship started, over a little red ball. It's funny how children are so innocent and carefree. I didn't care that he was a hanyou, and he didn't care that I was a girl who didn't quite know how to control her powers.

I remember the first time I accidentally put up a barrier around myself. We had been playing tag outside in the courtyard. We had put a little twist on the game, including the little red ball he loved so much. Inuyasha had been "it", and I had been running away from the direction I thought he was coming from when he appeared in front of me out of thin air. I was going too fast to stop and I had raised my hands to prevent the crash. A few moments later, I had heard"Oof" and a rustle of leaves. Opening my eyes, I realized that I had constructed a barrier around myself, and had sent my friend flying into the bushes next to us. Worried and slightly afraid, I had called out his name.

"Inuyasha? Inuyasha, are you okay?"

A white head popped out of this bushes as Inuyasha stood, leaves stuck in his hair. He stared at me with an astonished look, his mouth gaping.

"Inuyasha?"

"That . . . was so cool! Can you do it again?"

No, he didn't care. We seemed to live in our own little world, away from humans and youkai. There was the occasional rivalry, especially when it came down to studies. Being a hanyou, and being three years older than I, he was advanced in school. However, it only took me a few weeks before I was caught up with Inuyasha. Myoga-san, our tutor, found himself struggling to keep up with us, as we raced on who could finish homework first, or the most.

Every night Totosai would bring me back home, and I would run into Mama's arms and tell her about my day. I would have a hard time sleeping at night, eager for the next day when I would see Inuyasha. During the weekends, when I wasn't required to go to the Kabayashi residence, he would sometimes come and visit. We would eat ice cream beneath the shade of Goshinboku, sitting in silence as we watched the clouds go by. We loved each other's company, and we treasured each moment. It seemed like a dream come true at the time for two kids like us.

Little did we know that it was a short-lived dream.

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AN: hello again! yep, it's a new story . . . I'm trying a few new things, so bear with me, kay? and yes, Inuyasha will be in character as the story progresses, and so will Kagome . . . not to worry, I haven't forgotten about my other stories, and I'm still searching for my inspiration to finish Beneath the Tangles )

Ojii-san Grandpa