Nekoyashi
A Feudal Fanfiction
Disclaimer:As expected, I don't own Inuyasha, the show, or the characters. There, I said it. You bureaucrats happy now?
Prologue
Hojo awoke from last night's rest with a smile on his face and arose to greet the new day. He walked out of his room and down the stairs into the kitchen, where he greeted his mother with a "Hello." "Hello,' she replied back, "Ready as ever to greet the day, I see." Hojo simply replied, "Yes." His mother prepared him a bowl of rice and a bowl of miso soup. He thanked his mother, then took up his chopsticks and ate neatly, savouring every bite. Finished, Hojo strapped on his backpack, and walked out the door.
As he was walking past Kagome's house, her cat ran in front of a truck. The truck swerved out of control trying to avoid the cat and hit Hojo. As he felt the truck smash into him, his eyes faded to black. When he woke up, he was in a white room with a green couch, having his wounds tended to by a short old man with an old-fashioned hair cut. A woman with an apron and short hair was sitting next to him. In his dazed state he couldn't discern much more of their apearance, or the appearance of anything else for that matter. The woman told him that she was glad he was alive. He told her he appreciated her concerned, and thanked the old man for healing him. "Where am I?", he asked. The woman told him that he was in Kagome's house. "Where's Kagome?", he asked. "She's in the Feudal Er...oops. I don't think I was supposed to tell you that.", she replied. "The Feudal Era? Huh?" She told him to just forget what she just said. He complied.
Hojo drifted back into sleep. When he awoke again, he could see things much more clearly. First he noticed that he was now in a hospital. Second he noticed that Kagome wasn't there. Third he noticed that the old man was wearing a priest's garment and had beady eyes. He asked him where Kagome was. The old man told him that she was at home because she was sick with the flu. A thought suddenly rolled into Hojo's mind; if Kagome got sick so often, why hadn't her mother and grandfather taken her to the hospital to get treatment? He asked the old man. The old man replied, "With Kagome's father no longer in our family, we have become poor. I only manage to pay for food and shelter." Hojo then realized that the old man was Kagome's grandfather and the woman was Kagome's mother. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize who you were. I must have sounded so disrespectful and distant.", Hojo replied. Kagome's grandfather said, "It's fine." Hojo began to cry. "She always looks so happy. I didn't realize...that her life was so hard. Is there any way I can help?" Kagome's grandfather's eyebrow began to twitch. Kagome mother seemed like she was struggling to keep her carefree smile. "Is there something wrong?", Hojo asked. Kagome's grandfather held up his fist, which also began to twitch. "Please, tell me!", Hojo cried. Kagome's grandfather's whole body began to twitch. The doctor said " I...I must not interfere in personal matters, but as a medical professional I must advise you that this kind of stress is not good for the patient's recovery." Kagome's grandfather fell to his knees. "Do you really love my daughter?", he said. Hojo replied, "With all my heart." Kagome's grandfather sighed. He whispered to Hojo "If you want to know the truth, go down the well at our house."