A/N: Here is the re-write of demi-gods in the feudal era's first chapter I hope you all like it. Please send lot's of reviews I want to know if all those awaiting this stories continuation like the new direction I am taking this story in.

Demi-God In the Feudal Era

Ch. 1 Rumination

Cara sighed and stretched while reaching over and hit the snooze button on her alarm clock noisily blaring it's wake up call on her bedside table. She lay there for a few moments before grtting up her nude body making the trainee who was currently assigned as her asistant that had just walked in blush in embarassment which made Cara chuckle. She stoped chuckling then and gave the trainee Zera she now remebered what she hoped was a sympathetic smile as her eyes widened in shock when she layed her eyes on the scars that marred Cara's body.

It probably wasn't just the scars though it was probably also the mechanical arm and leg she now wore after they had been cut off because of the people who had given her those scars. If she was the trainee looking at her body right now she would turn around and run out of the room which is probably why she went through so many assistants.

The poor girl had problably heard the rumors about how badly she had been treated like everyone else in the clan that was left, but hearing the rumors and seeing them for yourself were two different things entirely.

Zera shakily handed her the stack of notes in her hands that held the list of things she had to do today and the aproraite papers for each thing that reqired paperwork while pointedly looking at everything but her clan head and Cara attempted to give another sympathetic smile before dismissing the poor girl. She glanced at the pile of papers in her hand finally noticing how thick it was and groaned. It looked like today was going to be another long day. Running a hand through her long tangled dark golden locks she walked to her closet to find something to wear and settled on a plain grey hoari and hakema after all she wasn't going to a party.

She refused to wear formal mage robes like all the other members of her clan that remained wanted her to. She quickly slid into the hakema and pulled on the hoari at the same time pairing them with an equally grey obi as she imagined some of the outlandish outfits the other mage's she had seen wore. In all honesty she always felt like an overly dressed peacock when she was forced to wear them. Being the head of the clansucked at times like that when she was forced to dress like a peacock and act like a lady rather than the worrier that she was she had been a worrier the majority of her life for crying out loud.

However just becuase some things made her uncomfortable she would abandon her duties after being named the head of the clan because she was the one with the best chance of getting the clan back on it's feet and restoring it to it's former glory. Until the day the clan was stable enough to survive without her and her cousing Rhito was fully trained she would remain the head of the clan then turn the clan leadership over to her more than capable cousin. She knew for a fact he was capable becuase she had left the clan in his care for two of the four years she had been acting clan head. She also had another more personal reason for choosing Rhito as her successor instead of someone else. He was the only one in the clan to even remotely show her any kidness even though he was severly punished for it for it. Yes Rhito kind and wise beyond his years would make an excellent clan head unlike her damaged self.

It wasn't that she wasn't kind or wise just that her kindness had limits, and her wisdom came from expierence rather than observation and instinct like his did. The decisions she made were made with a razor edge of logical calculation and enforced with a firm, but unyeilding hand. She was also unable to bend even the slightest in any decisions she made once her mind was made up unlike her cousin who was able to bend when necessary.

She glanced one more time at her appearance in the mirror nodding to herself satisfied with her appearance she pulled the white ribbon holding her hair in a high ponytail a little tighter, grabbed the claok that every clan leader since the begining of the clan had worn, and headed out the door.

Her last thought before she began what was sure to be seemingly another in a string of of very long and tireing days for her were on her little cousin Kagome who she hadn't seen since she was six years old Kagome like her clousin Rhito was only one year younger than she was. A rare smile flitted across her face before in became her customary blank mask as she headed out the door to face the music so to speak. Determined to get her duties over with because the faster she got her duties over with the sooner the end of the week and her planned visit with Kagome and her family would come.

In fact she had written a note to herself yesterday and ordered it be delivered with the rest of her paperwork in the morning to remind herself to call the Higurashi's and alert them to her inpending visit and also ask if she could stay for a week. While she wasn't looking forward to the conversation that would likely insue about her sudden seeming disappeance from their lives she was looking forward to seeing the family she had sorely missed again.

888

Ako Higurashi quickly dried her hands as she heard the phone in the hall ring and went to answer it noticing it was an unfamiliar phone number she cautiously spoke "hello Higurashi Shrine, Ako Higurashi speaking ."

It was a moment before there was an answer on the other end "auntie Ako?" a musical female voice that sounded close to tears answered.

Ako looked at the phone in her hand in shock only one person had ever called her that and they had thought her and her father dead when she stopped comming over to paly with Kagome and they had lost contact with her father 14 years ago. "Cara?" she questioned uncertainly.

"Hai" her voice responed and this time it was a litle stronger and sounded and less close to her breaking down in to tears.

"Cara how are you?, where have you been?, where is your father?, is your father there right now?..." She would have continued if it hadn't been for a throat clearing discreatly on the other end of the line making the other women blush in embarasment from her somewhat childish actions she was only woried about the other girl she concidered her daughter after all. She apologized and told Cara to continue.

"Thank you auntie"

"As to your questions I promise I will answer them to the best of my ability I have... so much to tell too much to tell you in one conversation over the phone."

"So I was thinking of paying you all a visit this sunday after all you deserve an expaination."

She agreed and said " That would be wonderful Kagome will be extactic to see you, as will Father, and Souta will be excited to meet a family member that he has never met before." She was mentally hoping and preying that Kagome would make it home in time to see her cousin from her adventures in the past she knew that Kagome would be very upset if she found out upon her return that she had missed seeing her cousin again for the first time in 14 years

"So you had a boy and named him Souta hu?"

"Yes.. I had almost forgotten you were there when we found out I was pregnant again." She chuckled slightly as the image of a brightly smiling young Cara bouncing around their living room in her excitment.

The fond memory was interupted by a female voice calling Cara's name on the other end of the line. The two females conversed too quietly for her to hear anything that was said for a few minutes and she waited pateintly for them to finish speaking to each other before she heard Cara sigh hoping nothing was wrong she asked " Cara is anything wrong?"

"No" a pause before she continued speaking as if gathering her thoughts "but I'm afraid I have to cut our conversation short Auntie because something has come up that needs my attention."

"So that's why you sighed?" She asked already aware of the other female's answer and styfling at the other female's obvious frustration.

"Yes, I really wanted to continue our conversation."

"Don't worry go do what you need to, I have waited 14 years to learn what happened to my neice and brother in law I can wait a few more days."

"We can continue our conversation then."

"Thanks Auntie.. I had better go, I promise I will see you sunday no matter what!" were her last words before she hung up.

888

Cara ran a hand frustratedly through her hair in a rare dispaly of emotion startling her cousin and assistant who stood on the other side of her desk glad she had asked for prvacy during this phone call unless she went over her time limit. After all it was rare that she showed any kind of emotion so much so that most people in her clan often wondered if she even had them at all. Rhito was the only one that knew differently and at least had a semi accurate guess as to why she didn't show her emotions openly in front of others.

But he had an advantage that they didn't he had seen more of what had been done to her personally than anyone else in the clan. That was why out of everyone in the clan he was the only one she showed any emotion to. Though she bet even he would have been surprised if he had seen how close to tears she had come earlier when talking to her Aunt Ako on the phone. She stopped crying shortly after her father had died when she had been taken in since her own personal hell had began. She pushed the memories dealing with those people back when they tried to serface forefully it was in the past and she was trying to move forward. Even with Rhito though she couldn't show much emotion and she hada feeling that she wouldn't be able to show too much more emotion to the Higurashi's that she showed to Rhito.

She also had a feling it would take something of great emotional magnitiude in order for the walls she has build around her heart to break down. She both feared and welcomed the day soemone or something broke them down she just hoped she didn't break ( something her former tormentors had never been able to do) in the process she had seen, and done, and had too many things done to her for that not to be a risk in breaking down the walls around her heart.

With a mentle shove she pushed those thoughts out of her mind for the moment (sure they would come back at a later date) and focused her mind on the clan meeting about to take place. She picked up the apropriate papers off her desk, stood, and with her mask firmly in place motioned for the two others in the room to fallow her before she stroad to the door.

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Kagome was happy like you wouldn't believe they were two days from Edo and then she would get to go home and see her family. Not only that she would be able to have a shower hot springs were nice, but they were harsh on her skin, and she would also be able to have one of her mom's home cooked meals. The meals they ate on the road were rather bland and tastless unless they were forced to eat ramen (which was like 75% of the time).

Kagome herself was a really good cook, but most of the time after treaking aross Japan for the majority of the day with little rest she was to tired to hunt for the herbs needed for a good flavorful meal. Besides nothing beat mama's cooking that thought alone made her mouth water and her steps quicken.

Soon she would be home...

However Kagome had no idea the what awaited her on the other side of the well upon her return or the shock from her past she was about to get.

[End Chapter]