Disclaimer: I don't own the Inuyasha cast, they belong to Rumiko Takahashi!

Authors Note: It's been over a whole year since I've written ANYTHING at all. I'm sorry to say, but I won't be able to update any of those previous fics I've written – I've forgotten the plots. If it was up to my choice, I wouldn't be writing at all…but I've been blackmailed by coughDensetsunoYoukocough.

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Chapter 1: Accidents Do Happen

"The Sakura blossoms are withering," Kagome Higurashi, sophomore student at the local high school, sighed dejectedly with a far off look in her brilliant blue eyes. Quickly reaching out her hand to snatch a falling petal, she gently enclosed it in between her fingers. Sakura blossoms had always been special to her. Not only did it mean the quick approach of her birthday, but also of death.

"Not as much as you're withering." her best friend, Sango Sasada informed her crestfallen friend. "Can you snap out of it? You're always in this sour mood every year at this time. To make it worst, you won't even tell me what's wrong! I feel like you don't see me as your friend."

"Eh? It's nothing Sango, don't worry about it." Kagome assured. Never one to worry her friends for business that did not concern them, Kagome quickly changed the subject. "Why are you here? Don't you have a date today?"

"Who cares? We have more important things to do and think about, if you know what I mean." Sango purposely avoided Kagome's question as she set her face into a grim line.

"Yes, we should be looking for a job." Kagome agreed wholeheartedly as she nodded her head. "But alas, who would want to hire a useless orphan, like me?" Sango grinned as she chucked her English binder at Kagome, who was barely able to dodge unscathed. "Hey, watch it! You could scar me for life with that thing, you know?"

"Right and don't give me the useless orphan speech again, Kagome." admonished Sango in the tone their third grade teacher used to use when he was scolding them. "Remember, I'm an orphan too. You want to see me cry, don't you?" Sango shamelessly accused as she gave a loud sniffle.

"Cut the crap Sango." Kagome smiled good-naturedly. "I've only seen you cry once since I joined you in the orphanage and that has been a good 9 years. Anyway, about the jobs, what did you have in mind? I know you want to be a police someday, but we need jobs now."

"I wasn't talking about jobs." Sango admitted sheepishly. "Don't tell me you haven't been listening to the announcements for the past month! The homecoming is in a week from now! Also, Kagome Higurashi, I want you to know, you are not squiggling out of this one like last year. You are going to get a dress and a boyfriend. I will drag you to the homecoming kicking and screaming, if I have to."

"That's easy for you to say, Sango. Unlike me, you have a boyfriend who's taking you. I'm going to end up standing at the sidelines drinking some juice if I do go." Kagome promptly reminded her best friend. "Plus, I don't have the money to buy a decent dress. Not everyone has a boyfriend who is willing to buy everything his girlfriend needs, you know?" Kagome teased mercilessly.

"He's not my boyfriend." Sango stated firmly as her face flushed a slight shade of pink. "He's a lecher and you know that. He only asked me to go to homecoming because everyone else is taken."

"Miroku might be a lecher, but he's quite popular. I doubt you're his last choice." Kagome smirked. "Plus, he gropes you the most out of all the girls! That has to count as something. Aren't you such a lucky girl?"

"You can have him. I can't wait to get rid of that lecher. He can be your boyfriend if you're so taken with him. Though I don't see what's so good about that pervert." Sango rambled on for a good five minutes while Kagome absently nodded her head in agreement every now and then.

"Well Sango," Kagome clicked with her tongue, "I'm not going to stay here all day so I can listen to you boast about your boyfriend when I don't have one." Sango cuffed Kagome across the arm when she snickered happily at her expense. "I'm off to find a job now, see you tonight!" Kagome called over her shoulder as she exited the school.

"WHAT ABOUT YOUR DATE?!?" Sango yelled after her friend's disappearing figure. "Guess I'll have to take matters into my own hands…"

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Kagome huffed in indignation as the local pet store refused her work application because she was a few months short of turning 16. "I can't have Sango pay the apartment bills alone, but I really don't have any money right now." Kagome growled in frustration as she combed her right hand through her messy locks of hair. "It's at times like these that being an orphan sucks."

"Hey Higurashi-san!" a young boy yelled across the roaring streets to gain Kagome's attention.

"Hojo-kun," Kagome greeted with a forced smile. "What a coincidence…to bump into you here, of all places."

"Do you know about the homecoming?" Hojo asked as a dark blush crept across his pale cheeks. "Um, I was wondering, if you aren't…what I mean is…what I want to say is…"

"Hojo, how about we finish this conversation later?" Kagome interrupted apologetically. "I really need to find a job right now."

"Why don't you work for the Western Taiyoukai company?" Hojo clueless suggested.

"Hojo-kun, Western Taiyoukai is the one of the two top companies in the world. They would never accept me. Not even the local pet store would accept my applications." Kagome calmly explained, belaying her inner annoyance. "I really need to go, see you at school." Kagome quickly finished the conversation.

"Okay, bye Higurashi-san!" Hojo waved as Kagome quickly rounded a corner.

"At least that's over." Kagome murmured in relief while mindlessly crossing the street. "What job can I take that will accept – HONK!" Stopping dead in her tracks, Kagome turned to her left to face the sound just as a red convertible made impact with her frail body.

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I bit my lips in fear as I stood petrified behind mountains of dead bodies that belonged to the villagers. Mama, where are you? I'm scared! I don't want to die…not like them. I cried and I cried, but no one came. I felt relief flood throughout my body when the familiar face of my mama loomed before me. I wisely remained silent as she scooped me up into her arms.

I buried my face into my mama's neck as Papa ran alongside us with grandma on his back. "Where's grandpa?" I asked innocently. Mama stumbled slightly at my question, but didn't answer as she continued to run. I was barely able to stifle a cry of surprise when my mama suddenly skidded to an abrupt halt.

"Please, spare us, milord." I heard my mama plea as she slowly lowered me to the ground. I immediately found myself shadowed by my mama and papa as they stood protectively in front of me. I visibly relaxed when my grandma tightly held my hand within her old, gnarled ones.

"Filthy scum, you dare try to overthrow my rule." the 'milord' mama was pleading with snarled. I don't think he's a very nice person and we shouldn't be talking to him. My grandma quickly pulled me into her embrace when I finally gathered the courage to peek at the man my mama and papa were talking to.

He looks very pretty – like an angel, but his eyes are scary – like the devil. They're red and he has claws – really sharp claws. "This will never happen again, milord." my father replied as he knelt down before the stranger.

"There will never be an again, human." the stranger replied icily. Papa immediately stood up and tensed as Mama spared me a backward glance.

"Take them and run." Papa whispered to Mama who quickly grabbed my hands and ran. "GAH!" I heard the anguished scream of my papa as I felt fear grip me once again. In a blink of an eye, that pretty, but evil stranger appeared right before us.

I stared in awe and fear as the ethereal stranger pulled out a whip from thin air. I watched as he made a slight flick of his wrist and my mama fell before me – in bloody pieces. "MAMA!" I yelled as I ran to her fallen body. "YOU GIVE MY MAMA BACK TO ME!" I demanded through the onslaught of tears. "GIVE HER BACK!" My eyes widened as the stranger raised his sharp claws.

I could feel my stomach churn as my grandma took the hit that was meant for me. I could feel the breakfast I had consumed this morning resurface as I stared at grandma's split skull. "Humans are so frail and weak." the stranger stated with remorse.

"Who do you think you are?" I demanded through angry tears. "Who gave you the right to kill my family?!?" I cried as I bit my bruised lips.

"I, Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands, do not require permission to kill what is mine." the stranger replied stoically without a flicker of emotions.

"I hate you, I HATE YOU!" I yelled angrily. I've never hated anyone in my life, but I do now. I locked eyes with the stranger's golden ones as I charged at him in unhidden rage.

"Foolish," he murmured as he effortlessly tossed me aside. I screamed out in pain as I made impact with the stone well a few yards away.

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"She's waking up." someone whispered happily as Kagome cracked an eye open. Kagome quickly realized that it hurt with the slightest movement she attempted to make. "Sorry about that." Kagome blinked her eyes as she tried to comprehend the words that were being spoken to her.

"Damn it wench, just get up. I know you're alive." a gruff voice growled.

"Shut up, dog-breath, we just ran her over." the first voice argued as Kagome tried to struggle into a sitting position.

"W-what happened?" Kagome asked in a cracked voice when the room finally came into focus. "Where am I?" Kagome asked, a little stronger this time.

"You're in the hospital because we ran over you." the silver-haired teen snorted. Kagome's eyes changed to a dark shade of blue in anger when the golden-eyed teen brushed off the incident of her near death like it didn't matter.

"I hate you," Kagome whispered softly.

"What?"

Kagome blinked slightly before taking in a deep breath. "Nothing," Kagome answered with an angry glare. "Who are you two anyway?"

"I'm Kouga and that Inuyasha." another teen introduced. "If dog breath would have let me drive, this wouldn't have happened."

"You make it sound like it's my fault." Inuyasha growled. "You're the one who couldn't keep your hand off my steering wheel."

"What do you mean by, your steering wheel? Do I need to remind you, you were using my car?" Kouga growled back as he grabbed the collar of Inuyasha's white shirt. Inuyasha quickly shoved Kouga away from him as he lowered himself into a defensive position.

"Can both of you please shut your traps?" Kagome demanded harshly as she closed her eyes. Inuyasha bristled at the order Kagome gave him. No one gave him orders, not even his father.

"Who do you think you are, giving me orders, wench?" Inuyasha snarled.

"My name is Kagome, not wench. Ka-Go-Me, very simple, you simple-minded fool." Kagome spat with a wince of pain. "Ow," Kagome whispered under her breath. "Can both of you leave, you're causing me unnecessary agony at this point. I really should sue you two."

"No need to sue," Inuyasha snorted in response. "Kouga will pay all the expenses you'll need for recovery and I'll pay for anything else you want." Inuyasha explained with a confirming nod from Kouga. "Hey, are you listening to me?" Inuyasha yelled when he was answered with silence.

"She's asleep," Kouga informed Inuyasha slowly as if he was a dense idiot. "I would never forgive myself if such a beauty died by your hands."

"Beauty?" Inuyasha snorted as if it was the most hilarious thing he has heard all day. "Also, I didn't run over her, we did, wimpy wolf."

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AN: Eh, that's it…I know, I know, it sucks!