When Kagome pulled herself from the bottom of the bone-eater's well there wasn't a demon for miles who couldn't tell what had happened to her. Inu Yasha's nose twitched. He could smell something in the well, that had Kagome's scent on it, but it was different. When her head peered over the side of the well the soft black dog ears she had recently acquired twitched, telling her instantly where everyone was. She had known who was there, she could smell them all from the bottom of the well, but her ears told her now, that Miroku and Sango were at the base of the Goshinboku, Inu Yasha in the branches above them, Shippou and Kirara chasing each other in the clearing and trail to the village, and their new companion Sesshoumaru sitting on the other side of the clearing, and by the sound of his breathing he was dosing off.
"I'm home." Kagome said sullenly. When everyone rushed up to meet her, they stopped prematurely, not welcoming with open arms like normal. They were barely a few feet away from her, gawking at the tearstains on her face, her new violet cat like eyes, soft black ears and long black claws. Blood rushed to her face as she sat on the edge of the well. She knew Inu Yasha and Sesshoumaru would know what happened instantly, she didn't like that thought.
"Kagome? Is that really you?" Inu Yasha asked first. It was only then that Kagome noticed that Sesshoumaru hadn't moved from his spot across the clearing, but by the sound of him, he was awake.
"What happened?" Inu Yasha's voice was so soft, she could hear the fear in his tone, it did nothing but make the tears start fresh again.
Kagome glared at him through the silvery glaze of salt water in her eyes. "You know exactly what happened Inu Yasha, don't tell me you can't smell it." She wasn't angry with him, she knew it wasn't his fault. It was her own.
Inu Yasha's heart broke in his chest. He could smell it, Kagome's scent had changed because she had mated a demon. He couldn't believe it, it couldn't be true. "No! You're lying, tell me you're Lying!" Inu Yasha's blood began to boil in his veins. Someone had touched his Kagome, claimed her for their own and changed her. Inu Yasha couldn't understand how it happened as his hands grabbed Kagome by the shoulders, shaking her with his anger.
Kagome felt just as she did the night before, when she had gotten home from the concert her friend Eri had invited her to. She didn't know what she was doing, she was so angry, with herself and Inu Yasha. She knew if he had never went back to see Kikyou she wouldn't have gone. The hands on her shoulders made her mind flash back to the moment the man had left her in the dressing room backstage, his cocky voice still ringing in her head, 'Who's going to believe you?' Her eyes shut like iron gates, all the anger and sadness she had locked inside, from the night before, from Inu Yasha playing her like a fool all these years, from no one ever asking her what she wanted. She screamed, "Don't fucking touch me!" As the last word rang from her mouth a deep red light, nothing compared to the soft pink of her miko powers, surrounded her in a strong aura before exploding out words, and sending Inu Yasha flying back on into the Goshinboku.
When the light dissipated, no one saw Kagome anymore. They had thought that she had escaped down the well again as they all ran to check on Inu Yasha. That was when Shippou smelled something, something missing. Looking over his shoulder, away from the group he noticed there was no sign of Sesshoumaru, anywhere near by.