Disclaimer: Didn't own them then, don't own them now

It all started when Kagome, a young teenage girl, realized her worst nightmare was about to come true...

She had just gotten home from school, so she was still in her uniform, which consisted of a white long sleeved shirt, a red scarf,and a green pleated skirt that reached mid thigh. She also wore knee-length white socks, and brown loafers. She stood at 5'4, had waist-length wavy, blue-black hair, pale skin, and brown eyes.

She had been sitting on the floor in her room, playing with her beloved baby brother when suddenly, her window was blown open. Strong winds blew around her so bad that she had to shut her eyes. As soon as the winds calmed down enough, she opened her eyes, and saw a woman wearing black miko garb with a soul collector floating around her body.

"Who are you?" Kagome asked hesitantly. Then she saw it. This strange woman had her little brother in her arms. "Sota!" she yelled, "Give me back my brother!"

"I am Kikyo. If you want your brother back, you must reach the castle at the center of the Labyrinth, by the time this clock strikes 13." The woman, now known as Kikyo, said as an old looking grandfather clock appeared. The clock showed it to be one o'clock. "Should you fail, your brother, as well as your soul, are mine." Suddenly, Kagome found herself on top of a hill, looking out at a massive labyrinth.

As Kagome looks on in awe, she notices something just outside the labyrinth. A close look showed a man, tired and looking worse for wear, fighting a hoard of what looked to be guards. Kagome rushed down to help. Infusing her reiki into her arms and legs, she sped down the hill pushing through the guards to make a path so she could get to the obviously outnumbered man.

Now standing back to back with the man, she pushed even more reiki into her hands. She alternated between fighting hand to hand, and lunging forward to touch a guard anywhere she could. Every time her reiki charged hands touched a guard, they instantly became dust.

'Those martial arts lessons sure come in handy'. She thought as she successfully knocked another guard onto his back, before purifying him.

She could hear the man behind her grunting in pain. She chanced a look behind her, and saw that he liked about ready to collapse. She knew that she would have to end it soon, otherwise he might not make it out of this fight conscious.

Thinking quickly, she yelled "Duck!" As soon as she felt him do so, she turned her reiki into a whip, like her mother had taught her, and spun around in a circle, killing all of the remaining guards.

After a second, she turned to look at the man that she had helped. Now that she got a good look at him, she noted his strange, yet attractive appearance. He had long grayish silver hair, pulled up in a topknot. He wore white hakamas, a red and blue obi and a blue and white haori. On top of his clothes, he wore a full regalia of armor. On each shoulder were big shoulder spikes. He wore gauntlets that covered from his elbow to his knuckles. His breastplate was silver at the top with two slightly curved spikes in front of it. In between the spikes, was a diamond shaped ruby. He was laying on his back, with his knees bent upwards, panting as he tried to regain his breath. Without thinking, she closed the two foot gap between them and kneeled by his side.

"Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yes, thanks to you. I greatly appreciate your help." He said, having finally caught his breath. Kagome had to suppress a shiver at his erotically deep voice.

"It was no trouble at all. My name is Kagome, by the way. Kagome Higurashi." She said, smiling at him.

He smiled back as he sat up, facing her. "Nice to meet you, Kagome. I am known as the Inu no Taisho, King of this realm but you may call me Mattaki. Tell me, where did you learn to fight like that?"

Kagome blushed. "My mother is a Warrior Miko. She has been training me since I was a little girl."

"Ah, well then she must be a great teacher, because you are an amazing fighter. Never before have I seen a Miko as young as you fight so well." He said. He grinned as her blush deepened at the compliment.

"Thank you, my lord. She would be proud to hear that." Kagome said, looking away as she tried to make her blush disappear. She couldn't think of any other way to respond. It's not every day that you are complimented by a king, after all.

"Now, now, none of that 'My Lord' stuff. Please, you just saved my life. Call me Mattaki." He said, waving his hand in the air dismissively.

"So, why were you being attacked?" Kagome asked

"A dark miko has taken my powers as well as my kingdom. She was trying to get rid of me by sending those guards to kill me."

"I can help you get your powers back. I have to make it to the castle anyway to get my baby brother back." Kagome explained.

"Oh? How did your brother get here? And no offense, but how do you plan on helping me?" He asked, raising his eyebrow.

"The dark miko stole him. And as for helping you, you're obviously worn out from that fight that I just saved you from or have you forgotten?" Kagome said with a smug look on her face at the last part.

"No, not at all. I didn't mean to upset you. I just meant, what is your plan to help me get my powers and my throne back from the evil bitch who has them both." He said, holding his hands up in a placating manner.

"We get to the castle and kick her ass. She can't take us both on at once." Kagome said with a smirk.

"That may be true, my dear, but you forget her minions and guards. Kikyo plays dirty. She will do whatever is necessary in order to get what she wants, and she cares not for who is hurt or killed, in the process." Mattaki countered.

"She might play dirty, but this is your kingdom. You obviously know it better than her. Use that to your advantage. Besides, we've already established that we're good fighters." Kagome stated.

"Very well." He conceded, "It's not like I could take her on, by myself, considering how powerless I am at the moment."

"All right. First things first, how do we get into the labyrinth?" Kagome asked.

"Why, through the gate, of course." He smirked.

He stood up and helped Kagome to her feet, before walking over to the gate. Standing in front of it, he reached up and placed a hand on the ivy covered, wrought-iron gate, which looked to weigh at minimum, a couple thousand pounds. Kagome gaped as the gate then proceeded to swing open as if it was as light as a feather, without so much as a creaking noise.

Without another word, Kagome and Mattaki walked through the gate. As soon as they were in, the gate swung closed with a loud bang, closing them off from the outside world.