Hello, everyone! This is just a story that came up in my head on a 3 hour long car ride… I hope you guys will like it. This story is set in feudal Japan rather than in present time (around maybe the 1660's). So, here goes. (Everyone is a little bit out of character in this chapter, so in following chapters I will do my best to have them… themselves).

Redemption- a bit too late
-x-

Another day in the life of Higurashi, Kagome. Boring and uneventful were the words to describe her life. I thought miserably with a glimmer of self-pity in my eyes. Eighteen years… hmmm… Eighteen long, tedious, years I have been held in this prison of the mind. Neither Mother nor Father will even acknowledge my wish for the freedom to travel…

"The only thing that they think is important is wearing fancy Kimonos and not faint with how uncomfortable they are…" I sighed. "They're just too closed-minded to imagine anything abnormal."

"What was that dear?"

I nearly fell off of the stone seat I was sitting on when I heard my mothers' voice pull me out of my depression. "Oh, uh, nothing Mother." Oh, how much I wish that I could just jump over the surrounding walls. I would give anything to be free!

"Well, Dear… Kagome, would you please walk with me?" Mother… what is going on in your head? You never ask me to walk with you.

"Well, you know about how I have a purifying ability that I have passed on to you. Also, that I have in my possession the Shikon no Tama. You should also know that responsibility of its care and protection is now up to you according to your age."

Oh, yes. How could I have forgotten about that? I thought sarcastically. My Mother reached under her Kimono only to pull out a thread of wool with shells attached, and inhabiting the middle, was the Jewel of Four Souls, the Shikon no Tama. She then handed it to me and I then tied it around my neck.

"Now, Kagome. I must tell you something." My Mother started. Tell me I can leave this place. "… … Lord Hiroki is not your father." I froze, my heart skipping a beat. Well, that wasn't at all what I was expecting. "You have wondered why you are fully Human, no?... Well, while I was carrying you, the man who fathered you died, fighting for our village." My eyes widened even more in utter shock and bewilderment.

"I was lucky, and was out picking herbs for when labor came, while my village was under attack." A single lonely tear ran down my Mothers frail face. "When I returned, My heart clenched and broke at the sight of my birthplace ruined. Burned… Dead… Gone."

"I scoured the village for any survivors, but no one answered my pleas. I then traveled, for nearly a month and terribly thin for seven months into my pregnancy. I then found Lord Hiroki fighting a large Demon, he had quickly slain it and was by my side the moment the monster stopped moving. Ever since then, well I suppose you know."

My own Mother, had never had a second thought about keeping this from me? Never thought if I would want to know this information? Thinking she knew what was best for her oddball daughter?

"Dinner!" A maid called from the door. I quietly got up and walked to the dining room and sat down in my seat.

"Hello. Kagome." A vaguely familiar, husky voice rose above all other chit chat. A shiver went down my spine, that voice… Is much too familiar. An alarm sounded in my mind. The owner of the strange voice-

-Flashback-

-10 years ago-

"Hey! No fair!" I yelled as I felt a hand streak by and touch my shoulder. "You're faster!"

"No I'm not!" The voice grunted with triumph and victory in their eyes. "You're just to SLOW!"

"I don't wanna play tag anymore." I whined. "Can we play something else? Oh I know, how about house!"

"I don't know that game, let's play hide and seek!" The voice argued.

"House is when I'm the Mommy and you're the Daddy!" I explained to my friend.

"Hah! Why would I play such a silly game! We're playing hide and seek!"

"Nuh-uh! You can smell me!" I protested.

"Then what else is there?" They sighed gruffly.

"We can play house-"I started.

"Don't even say it." They interrupted flatly.

"Oh, hi Kikyo!" I said as she approached.

"Hmm." She replied as she ignored me and walked to the voice. "So what are we playing?"

"Kagome and I were just deciding." The voice informed Kikyo.

"How about house?" Kikyo suggested.

"Already said no-" I started.

"SURE!" the voice exclaimed brightly.

"Alright then, I'm the Mommy, You're the Daddy, and Kagome is the pet." Kikyo stated. My brows furrowed in frustration, anger, and most of all, betrayal. As they walked away, ignoring me, as the tears came down, I whispered to myself and to the ears I knew could hear me-

"Inuyasha…"

-End Flashback-

My blood boiled, my fists clenched, my heart ached, my knees weakened, my confidence crumbled, and my voice shook. "W-what are YOU doing here, you arrogant traitorous jerk?" I muttered so that only he could hear across the table. (A/N: Inuyasha is such a Benedict Arnold).

Every time. Every time Kikyo came around he would abandon me, like I was nothing. But I was… I was nothing in his mind. Just a tool to get closer to Kikyo… My dead sister that cared naught for me…

"I thought that you'd be happy to see me after 10 years, Kagome." Inuyasha replied tartly, with his ever present smirk on.

"It's funny, isn't it. How you come back to me, just like a dog." His white, triangular ears perked up at this, his eyes lit up and as he grinned, I continued "Even funnier though, is that you look for me after Kikyo passes to the next world, eh?" Now I grinned as he snarled.

"Listen wench, I am not here for you, you're parents invited me. My old man made me come, he wouldn't even tell me what this whole ordeal was about!" I knew it. He was in love with Kikyo. Why else would he be so touchy when I talk about her? I thought with regret.

"Sure. Say what you like. We all know why you're really here." I said in an attempt to hide the true words on the tip of my tongue.

Why? I know that Kikyo was always more appealing than me, and always smarter, and, well better than me… More than me. I didn't expect my best friend of the time to run off with my rival that I tried oh so hard to be nice to. Okay maybe I was a bit paranoid of Kikyo in the beginning, but after the first year of no friends. You get used to having yourself stuck in the freezing pits of isolation. The first week of sitting alone in your dark, locked- from- the- inside closet, crying about how unfair life is and how much of a best friend stealer Kikyo was, shuddering with ice forming in your heart that whole time. Promising yourself that you shall never fall for their tricks again, never succumb to the weakness of having had a friend occupying your mind.

"Oh, then why am I here, Kagome?"

"Don't you dare state my name so casually." I hissed under my breath.

"I will do as I wish, Kagome." Inuyasha stated arrogantly while he emphasized my name.

"Enjoy it while you can…" I whispered as I swore I felt a vein pop in my forehead.

"Hello, Kagome!"

"Good evening, Sota!"I exclaimed brightly, happy for his interruption, feeling Amber eyes glaring into the side of my head.

Oh, I'm sorry, I assumed that I was finished conversing with you Inuyasha. That's right I am done talking to you, you pompous egghead! I screamed in my mind. However I didn't notice at that exact moment the room stiffened, and Inuyasha cowered as a surprisingly powerful well-trained aura engulfed his in anger, giving him a little shock with her pure aura against his demonic one.

-x-

Inuyasha's point of view

I grimaced as my eyes began to roll into the back of my head.
My vision blurred.

My last coherent thoughts were

How! How in the seven netherworlds is it that this girl's, no, Kagome's aura is strong enough to drive me to self-defense. How can she possibly be stronger than that of Kikyo's overwhelming aura?

My eyes bled red as my thoughts turned to that of primal instincts.

Survive,

Fight Miko,

Mate Miko.

"Mine!" My demon blurted.

-x-

Kagome's point of view

I scrambled out of my chair and started running towards my room, the last thing I heard as I left the elegant dining room was from Inuyasha, or more from Inuyasha's demon. 'Mine'. I shivered at the thought, those words only meant that… Inuyasha's demon wants to… Mate me?

Inuyasha pursued me as I slammed my bedroom door closed. I opened my closet door, and lunged in.

"Where? Where?... Yes!" I jumped out of my closet and faced the door waiting for him to burst through. My bow aimed at where his head would appear.

I am a priestess, I must not feel regret for purifying a demon, I chanted all the while my grandmothers words entered my head. Embrace the one that wishes of ye, agree that ye are theirs to quell their demon, explain that ye were merely… … What that's all I remember from Grandma Kaede?

I didn't hear my window opening as a demonic presence filled the air, Inuyasha's presence. I turned the moment he was to strike me.

"Craackkkkk…" was heard followed by an uncomfortable silence. I was frozen, my mind debating against itself, one side saying run for my stupid life, the other saying no he is ten times faster than us, embrace him, tell him what he wants to hear and the danger will pass.

Inuyasha smiled, knowing full well what it meant that his intended had no means of defense now that her bow was broken. It meant, that claiming her would be that much easier now that she could not fight him in resistance. Though he had a feeling in his gut that told him she wouldn't really put up much of a fight to him, but in herself, deciding should she be willing or should she resist?

Inuyasha's smile sent messages down her spine, but her body would not listen for she was frozen in that spot.

"Mate, here." Inuyasha grumbled.

I sat on the floor as my eyes widened in fear as his lips frowned.

"Here!" when I didn't move his features softened as he walked to me and knelt at my hands. "Mine! Kagome, MINE?"

"Yours!" I blurted without thinking into his neck. I quickly closed my mouth realizing what I'd said. Inuyasha then nuzzled my neck and gave it a lick as a shiver ran on the top of my head. He let out a contented sigh and transformed back.

"Inuyasha?" I whispered.

"Yeah?"

"Will you please let go of me now?"

"Why?"

"Because I'm not about to forget that you're a traitor."

"What are you talking about?"

"10 years ago, release me."

"Why should I?"

"Because I HATE you! Okay?!" I screamed as I pushed him off of me.

"And yet you love the way I touch you?" He smirked. I blushed and shook my head. "Kagome, we all know you can never truly hate me…"

"That is why I look for reasons to hate you."

"You think you hate me."

"I know I do."

"You tell your mind that you hate me, the mind is easily fooled so you believe that you hate me. But it is your body that is the challenge to win over. Your body will always prove you wrong when you deny who you fancy." I blushed even more at his comment that I found to be true. He always acts smart when he tries to embarrass me.

I know I fancied him as a small girl, but now at eighteen years old? Do I like Inuyasha?... … … … Yes… … I… … I do… … I-I fancy I-Inuyasha.

I returned to the dining room with my mother smiling.

"You! You planned this didn't you!" I snarled.

"Yes." My 'Mother' answered.

"What kind of Mother are you?"

"The kind that matches her daughter to someone I know will take care of her."

"I hate you!" I cried. Inuyasha had a solemn look on his face as he realized what Kagome's Mother had done. They were now paired. A couple in waiting. Waiting only meaning waiting to mate until his new Female was ready. Now anytime something happened to Kagome, he would subconsciously care, he would subconsciously try to save her.

"You will thank me eventually, Kagome." she sighed.

"I hate you. I Hate You!" I seethed.

"Um, Kagome?" Lord Hiroki started.

"What?!" I hissed.

"I believe…" Hiroki glanced at my mother, who gave him an assuring nod, "that you are of age to leave the walls."

"What cruel joke is this?" I asked, ruthlessly throwing my aura around the room.

"The kind that Inuyasha will pay dearly for." A cold voice answered. I glanced at Inuyasha, who was bowing his head, I could barely tell he was but when Inuyasha shows respect it means he's in trouble and he knows it.

I now turned and gasped at who was now in front of me, taking slow steps toward me with a look in their eyes that my stomach didn't appreciate.

I am just going to assume that kids in the 1600's had already invented tag, hide and seek, and house. I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but it will be posted, eventually if not soon.

I was formerly Twilight lover 96, but Twilight is not my favorite anymore and I hate my first story and am seriously considering deleting it. I chose my new username because N A B is my initials, and I have seen a lot of samas and chans.