Disclaimer: The characters of Inuyasha are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, but this story (and Hikari) belongs to me.

Hikari Tales: The Pretty Miko Lady

Ghosts of the Past

Kagome woke with a start, her heart hammering wildly in her chest.

Something was wrong. Something felt... off.

The thunder booms and lightning crashes, lighting the sky and its ominous clouds... but she had no fear of storms. The wind howled and the rain beat against the walls. Once upon a time storms frightened Kagome, but not anymore, not since she was fifteen. That's when she found out that there were things out there in the world much more frightening than a storm, and right now her mate was out there fighting one of those frightening things.

Of course, she had no doubt that he would come back unscathed, he'd protect Shippo as well ... still... she hated not being with him. They were partners. But with a new baby, fighting was out of the question.

Lighting a candle she got out of bed and began to slowly walk through her home, trying to sense any trace of demon about. Stepping in the hall her hand flew to her chest in fear. The house was dark... pitch dark. None of the candles she kept lit for when Inuyasha was away were lit, and she NEVER failed to light the candles for Inuyasha. She liked to keep candles burning, just in case he came home early. He didn't need the light, but she felt better having them glowing for him. She knew she lit three, one for her, one for Hikari, and one for Yoshio.

Nervously she wiped her slightly sweaty palm on her pajamas.

"Don't be stupid," she whispered to herself.

It was her home. She knew it inside and out. She helped BUILD it! Inuyasha spent countless hours in her bedroom on the other side of the well designing their home with her. They dreamed about it and built it together from the ground up. It wasn't perfect or traditional or even pretty in some parts. But it was home. A home built with safety first in mind. There was no place safer for her and their children.

So why was she so scared?

Because it is dark and it shouldn't be... because Inuyasha isn't here... because it just FEELS wrong...

First she peeked in the baby's room, it was the room closest to her, but he was sound asleep. She smiled, glad that the storm had not woken her son. Yoshio was difficult to get to back to sleep. Though, once asleep the kid slept like a rock! Inuyasha was always rolling his eyes at her when he had to assure her that yes, he's just asleep and not dead. Though he never failed to check for her.

Kagome's smile fell as she sighed.

Inuyasha.

Her mate was still with Sango and Shippo in the mountains hunting a demon that had been plaguing a village. They wouldn't be back for another day or two. Yoshio was still nursing, so leaving the kids with her mom and going with him was out of the question.

She missed him. She missed them both.

Next she checked on Hikari.

Sometimes it was difficult to remember that the little girl was only four. She was practically the definition of the word "precocious". But adorably precocious. She learned everything so FAST, and her vocabulary was impressive for her age. Though... not quite as impressive as her ability to travel through time at will... Thank goodness Kaede was able to make another necklace, one to curb Hikari's unusual gift. It was tough enough keeping up with her active daughter without trying to figure out which time period she may be in.

"Sleep Hikari," Kagome gently scolded when she heard whispering coming from the room. A tiny giggle made her smile. Storms never did scare her daughter. In fact... nothing really seemed to scare Hikari.

Kagome sighed, that wasn't always a good thing... She was definitely her father's daughter. A little fear would at least keep someone from thinking first before jumping into danger.

Kagome peeked in, and saw the blanket fly over the little girl's head and heard another giggle.

"Sleep."

"I am asleep." There was a pause before she heard the little girl's voice, this time much smaller. "Mommy?"

"Yes, sweetie?" Kagome quietly stepped into her daughter's room and sat beside her. Hikari was very much her father's daughter. She smiled gently as she brushed Hikari's hair from her face. Same silver hair, same adorable ears, and tiny versions of his fangs.

"The storm is making Yoshio scared," she told her mother solemnly. "He needs me to protect him."

And her father's protective instincts.

Kagome opened her arms and Hikari scrambled onto her lap. Careful to not let the candle near her little girl, Kagome carried her into the next room with one arm. She bit her lip and turned back to the dark room, frowning. Drawings littered the floor, but nothing else was out of the ordinary… still….

It was not the first time that she and Hikari had taken a nightly stroll to Yoshio's room. Big Sister was wildly protective of Little Brother. Together they both gazed down lovingly at the little boy. Hikari patted her brother on the head and spoke gently to him. He opened his golden eyes and stared at her. Kagome leaned in so that Hikari could give her brother a kiss.

"Don't worry, Baby Yoshi, I won't let the wind hurt you." Pat. Pat. Pat. "Storms are nothing to be afraid of."

Kagome smiled. She wished she had a camera with her so she could show Inuyasha how adorable they were being. Hikari was doing her best to comfort her baby brother, who looked up at his big sister in adoration and cooed.

Surprisingly, Yoshio didn't make a sound as they left. Kagome tucked Hikari back into bed and told her once more to sleep.

Knowing her children were safe helped calm the fear she had been feeling. She even peeked in Shippo's empty room. The kit had followed Inuyasha this time. He was growing up so fast. Kagome didn't envy Inuyasha spending so much time with Shippo. He was so overprotective of his siblings that he was sure to be worrying like crazy, especially with a ferocious storm.

Kagome finished walking slowly through the hut, checking every nook and cranny. Four times she checked the door, making sure it was adequately locked and secure. To think... when Inuyasha and her mother had gone to the home improvement store and bought all those locks of nearly every imaginable kind, she had thought they were a little over cautious... even for Feudal Japan. But now... Now she wondered if they had enough locks.

Windows were also secured well. Nope. No one was getting into THIS home. Inuyasha had also left instructions (threatened him really) with Miroku that the house must be warded every night. And it was.

Still feeling uneasy, but unable to find the source, Kagome lit the three candles once again and went back to her own bedroom.

Sleep did not come quickly, but at last she was able to rest. Her dreams were filled with fear, feelings of loss, and running... always running. Trying to escape, yet trying to catch up with... with... something.

A flash of lightning lit up the room, terror waking Kagome completely.

What was that? A shadow? Her heart raced. Every scary movie Souta ever talked her into watching suddenly played in her mind. It's just a trick of the light. It was just a shadow.

Another flash of lightning.

Was the shadow closer?

Kagome grabbed her blankets, holding them to her tight as she squeezed her eyes shut. An irrational feeling that if she hid everything would go away came over her. Slowly she opened her eyes.

Her daughter was standing quietly beside her, startling her.

"Honey? What's wrong?"

The blade shone as lightning crashed once more.

The little girl was fast. Faster than Kagome. She didn't even have time to scream before the blade came down.

Kagome rolled to the side and off the bed, hitting her shoulder hard. Floating feathers let her know that her pillow had taken her blow.

Another flash of lightning, Hikari was airborne. The knife slashed.

"Hikari!" Kagome screamed. "No!"

Startled, the little girl landed and jumped back.

"DROP THAT! DROP IT NOW!"

Hikari dropped the knife and her blue-grey eyes welled up with tears.

Immediately Kagome sat up and threw her arms around her sobbing daughter. Kagome's heart was beating fiercely as Hikari cried as if her heart was breaking. The fierce storm outside forgotten. The need to soothe her child's tears overrode the fear.

"Shhh shhh shhhhh." She made soothing noises and rocked back and forth until the tears turned into hiccups.

"What were you thinking?" Kagome hadn't realized she was crying until Hikari reaches towards her face and wiped away a tear with concern. "You know you aren't supposed to play with knives!"

"But... I wasn't playing..."

"How did you get hold of it? What were you doing? You are in SO much trouble little girl!"

Hikari's face crumpled. "The... the pretty miko lady said you wouldn't be mad..."

Fear turned her heart to ice.

"The who?"

Hikari wiped her own face and sniffled. "I was only going to cut your hair..."

"What? Cut? Why?" She held her child far enough away so she could look her in the eyes. "Hikari... WHAT pretty miko lady? Was there someone in the house?"

"The pretty miko lady said you would want your hair cut so you wouldn't look like her anymore."

Instinctively Kagome pulled her daughter close and trembled. She hugged her daughter close to her with her head resting on top of hers, she didn't want the little girl to see the look of horror on her face. There was only one person who looked like her...

Kikyo.

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Author's Note:

By popular demand, I'm writing some Hikari based stories. This is the first. They will all go under the title of Hikari Tales: (Title of Story inserted here) if you are looking for them.