Chapter 1

Prologue

XxX

Summary: AU

Kagome's got the markings of a modern day Cinderella- a stepsister, stepmother, a godmother, and her very own prince. Here's the catch. Her godmother is a withered old lady in priestess garb, her supposed prince is a total icicle (or not), and her stepsister is not so wicked.

But in any case, Kagome's still Cinderella, and Cinderella will have a happy ending...right?

XxX

Kagome let a content smile float over her face as she recalled old memories to her mind. 'Ah…the bliss of solitude…'

Flashback-

She felt cold, very cold. The rain was splattering harder now; thunder and lightning flashed and boomed. She shuddered; becoming slightly scared of it. Of course, being so high up in a tree didn't help the matter.

A bolt of lightning startled her, and she lost her balance; her heart thumping as she went.

A flash of silver hair went by as Kagome plummeted toward the ground.

She felt herself land gently in a pair of strong arms, nestled into a warm embrace.

'Wha?' She had thought. And then she had reacted to the instant warm. She snuggled into the soothing heat.

She turned her eyes up as a deep baritone voice commanded, "Get her to Midoriko, Sesshoumaru. She needs warm, dry clothing, as well as hot soup."

"Yes, Father." The person holding her had responded. He had gold eyes with silverfish-white hair. He had facial markings, two maroon stripes on each side of his face, and a light blue crescent moon on his forehead.

"What is your name?" He had asked quietly, also issuing a command, intermingling it with the question.

"Kagome."

"Kagome," He pronounced it carefully. "I'm Sesshoumaru."

Kagome giggled as one of her hands closed around some strands of his hair. "I know."

"Do you?"

"Was that your Daddy?" She asked.

"Yes." He answered.

"I'm nine. What 'bout you?" She asked again, her curiosity shining in her sparkly sky blue eyes. .

"One hundred sixty-five years."

"Wow. You're old…" She blinked innocently at him. "I like you. Will you be my friend?"

"Hn." That was the only answer she got from him.

-End Flashback

Later on they had become sort of 'friends'. But then he went away for five years, and when he came back, he was never the same anymore. He didn't play with her anymore, didn't talk to her anymore, or even let her visit. Their 'friendship' broke slowly to threads, and Kagome became sad and quiet.

As Kagome grew older, her memories of that time were tucked into the back of her mind.

She reached puberty, and became shy of all the village boys. If one of them happened to come along her way, she blushed and let her hair fall forward as she strode in a different direction, usually to the forest, as it was her only place of peace.

A yell broke into her thoughts.

"Kagome! Where are you? What are you doing here? Mother isn't going to be happy with you when she hears about this!"

Another voice was grumbling something. "Stupid wench. Why the hell would she do here?!"

A big 'whack' sounded through the trees. Apparently Inuyasha had done something else to anger Kikyou. "She always comes here, dumb-butt!"

Kagome frowned as she heard her peace be broken by the annoying calling. 'Hmph. And I was just getting comfy! Kikyou is nice, but I really don't like Stepmother. And Inuyasha is plain annoying!'

Kikyou came into view, dragging Inuyasha along with her. "Thereyou are! I was worried. Mother was carrying on about your piling chores."

Kagome sighed. Already her good day was turning into a bad one. Would she ever get some peace and quiet?

Kagome and Kikyou suddenly tensed as they sensed a tremendous source of youkai coming closer and closer. Inuyasha got into his fighting stance, with Tetsusaiga out and ready.

Kikyou's eyes darkened slightly, looking worriedly over at Kagome whose energy and aura seemed spent.

Kagome's shoulders sagged as she recognized the powerful aura. She sat back down and leaned against the tree trunk with her eyes closed and breathed deeply.

"What the hell are you doing, wench?"

"Shut up Inuyasha." Kikyou stated calmly. "It is only your brother."

"Sesshoumaru?!" He swung his sword at the surrounding trees wildly.

Kagome sighed again. "Just fucking come out. Get it over with, god!"

Kikyou and Inuyasha stiffened more as they watched Sesshoumaru emerge from the shadows silently. He swept his gaze over them, lingering a little bit on Kagome, who sighed once more.

"Stop it, will you? I thought you quit playing this game a long time ago, right before the time you left…" Kagome whispered, slightly annoyed with his prescence.

"Kagome?" Kikyou looked at her with sharpened curiosity. She had never heard her curse before.

"Hn." Was, once again, the only response. He seemed to be waiting for something.

Kagome looked at him in the eye, sighed again, and asked Kikyou and Inuyasha to leave. "Kikyou…I need to do this alone."

Kikyou nodded silently, and then went over to Inuyasha, and pulled at Inuyasha's sensitive ear after his unresponsive stare at her. "Yowch!"

They left the clearing as Sesshoumaru settled his gaze on Kagome.

"Father is issuing a…ball…for suitable unmated females. All are youkai…except…a few people and…" He finally said, breaking the silence.

"Me." Kagome gulped. Oh dear…

"Yes."

"Sesshoumaru…"

"Hn."

"Can I…"

He waited.

"Pleasehaveahug?"

"Hn." That, of course, in his own way, 'whatever.'

Kagome leapt to her feet with a delighted grin, and pounced on Sesshoumaru.

Her arms wrapped around his neck. Both of his arms snaked around her waist, holding her close. He buried his nose in the crutch of her neck and shoulder, where the mark would be made.

He inhaled deeply. Her scent consisted of waterfalls and water lilies. He would never forget this delicious scent of hers.

Kagome's head was resting against his chest. She snuggled in his body heat, basking in his attentions.

A clearing of the throat startled them from their stupor. "My son…have you chosen already?"

Kagome blushed pink as she whirled her head around. She tried to put as much distance as possible between Sesshoumaru and herself, but didn't succeed as he pulled her closer.

InuTaishou chuckled. "Young ones, ah…one tends to wonder…"

Kagome muttered to herself, but the two inuyoukai heard anyways, "And my day's just getting worse and worse."

InuTaishou's eyes twinkled. "Worse? Many females would be squealing right now if they found themselves in your position."

"But I'm not them!" Kagome added discretely, "Though I do enjoy the attention…"

InuTaishou's laugh boomed through the forest. "My dear Kagome…you are very entertaining…"

XxX

Kikyou dragged off Inuyasha, as she tugged on his triangular doggy ears not so very gently.

"Ouch!"

"Ow!"

"Owie!"

"Kikyou…that hurts! Ywoich!" He whined.

"Let's give them some privacy…"

"Leave him with her ALONE?! Are you crazy?!"

"On the contrary, I am not. You're the one who is overreacting. You know perfectly well that Kagome can take care of herself."

"No, I don't!"

"Inuyasha…" Kikyou warned.

"All right! But stop tugging on my—OUCH—ears! OWIE! It hurts you know!"

Kikyou relented as she gave his ears one more painful tug as she let go.

"Fine, but I'll you-know-what you if you don't stop trying to go back. Kagome deserves some credit from us."

"But—"

"She'll be fine." She said, exasperated.

"Feh."

They walked along the trail, nearing the village when they heard a booming laugh echo through the forest.

Inuyasha tensed, then relaxed. "It's Dad."

"What is he laughing about?" Kikyou wondered aloud curiously.

"Donno." Inuyasha shrugged. "Want to go see?"

"Sure!"

"You sound awfully eager to go back when you're the one who was dragging me out of there…" Inuyasha grumbled as he bent down to allow Kikyou to climb onto his back. He turned around and ran, dodging trees as he went.

"Feh." She stuck her tongue out at him.

As they neared the clearing, they could hear InuTaishou speaking. "…Females would be squealing right now if they found themselves in your position."

Kikyou shifted so she could see Kagome. She giggled when she saw the sight. Kagome was blushing!

Inuyasha started shaking. His face turned blue as he kept it in. Finally, as he could hold it in no longer, he burst out laughing.

InuTaishou, Sesshoumaru, and Kagome turned around to see what all the noise was.

Kikyou stood behind Inuyasha as he rolled around on the grass, gasping for breath. "I—she—pink—in—arms—Dad—"

Kikyou shook her head as she saw Kagome start fuming. "Inuyasha…"

"Osu—" Kagome began.

"Wari!" Kikyou finished for her.

An Inuyasha shaped crater appeared in the ground.

They eyes met for a moment and both burst into uncontrollable giggles.

InuTaishou looked at Kikyou giggling and Kagome giggling in Sesshoumaru's arms as he growled lightly, and at the Inuyasha crater, and then he shrugged slightly as he turned to stare at the scene before him again.

Kikyou finally stopped laughing and exchanged looks with InuTaishou as they watched Kagome and Sesshoumaru.

XxX

Kagome had stopped giggling at Inuyasha and started giggling again because Sesshoumaru was nudging her with his nose and tracing patterns lightly with his claws down her back, all the while growling softly.

Kagome whined in the back of her throat as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he responded by gathering her waist and pulled her as close as possible.

Kagome was staring into his eyes, melting molten gold, as she tilted her head and leaned closer, closing her eyes. Sesshoumaru ignored their surroundings as he pulled her closer than it was possible. Their lips were an inch away from each other when a loud crack sounded and a loud "Oi!" was yelled.

Kagome's eyes flew open as she and Sesshoumaru were jolted from their own little world.

"Huh—"

Sesshoumaru searched for the source of all the noise and snarled, baring his teeth at the intruder.

XxX

Kikyou was standing stock still, thinking. 'They look so cute together! I wonder how soon silver haired and blue eyed puppies will come along...'

InuTaishou smirked as he watched his son court his chosen, albet human (but still…she was the strongest miko he had ever seen).

Inuyasha was beginning to get the feeling in his limbs back. He sniffed the air, and jumped up immediately. He shouted at them, "Oi! What do you think you're—" as Kikyou brought her hand down hand right on the top of hid head, making a loud cracking noise that broke the heated moment, but did nothing to stop Inuyasha from lunging at the pair.

Sesshoumaru was shielding Kagome in his arms and snarling at Inuyasha. Inuyasha froze at the alpha's protective warning.

Kagome whimpered quietly, a sign of submission as she lifted her throat.

InuTaishou suddenly threw his head back and laughed loudly at his sons' antics (as he had done many times before.)

Kikyou was just sitting there forlornly, knowing that Inuyasha still harbored itty-bitty feelings for Kagome…She just didn't know what kind of feelings they were. She sighed, and got up to walk back home and report to her mother.

XxX

A/N: The age ratio…um…315 to 21 and 'x' to 'whatever age you want'. Ok, several fluff moments in this chapter…next chapter coming up soon…hopefully. Ok, I've got ideas popping into my head, so don't be surprised when several more stories come up, or I don't update. Eight pages…a lot. Critic me, flame me, anything…as long as you explain WHY you did it.

And I rarely use any fully capitalized words/phrases anymore. I used to, and when I look back now, I find the story utterly repulsing! It didn't have any plot (still doesn't), and the title was stupid and meaningless. Falling Tears, Rising Moon. Yeah…that one. And I'll probably never revise it.