Okay, you all know that I haven't written any stories on here yet. But that doesn't mean I haven't written before. Constructive criticism is very much welcome, flames are not. And for those of you wondering what the title means, it means Rising Tide. This chapter won't be the best, because I have trouble setting up stories, but they'll get better, I promise.

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of Rumiko Takahashi's characters. And I'm a nice person, but am anti-character theft. So now you have it. On with the story instead of this pointless stuff.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Ryuuki Tide Chapter One: Kagome's Return

"InuYasha! Sit, boy!" Kagome shouted, crossing her arms and watching as the prayer bead necklace around his neck pulled him forcefully down to the ground, resulting in a loud thud and loud cursing. She glared at him with chocolate brown eyes, currently as cold as the Antarctic. "I've told you before! I'm allowed to go home through the well when I want!" The fifteen year old narrowed her eyes. "And you're not going to stop me this time!"

"Yes, I am! You aren't going back to that modern era or whatever it is you called it!" InuYasha growled, pushing himself off the ground with both arms, then standing and approaching Kagome with murderous amber eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at her evilly.

"Just let her go, InuYasha. Kagome deserves a break from finding jewel shards once in a while," Miroku said, watching the whole affair from his place under a tree. Shaking his head, the monk sighed mentally. This was what they went through all the time whenever Kagome wanted to go home and visit her family. He figured InuYasha was just being selfish – why else would he keep Kagome here in the feudal era instead of letting her return to her rightful place? Miroku rested his forearms across his knees, watching the continued argument. Why InuYasha couldn't just lay off bossing Kagome around once in a while was beyond all of them.

"Sit!" Kagome roared, and turned away from the fallen hanyou, walking towards the Bone-Eaters' Well. He's so jealous. He never lets me do anything without his permission! But I'll do without him. He really needs to learn a lesson! Kagome thought vehemently, and grabbed her pale yellow backpack, slinging it over her shoulder. She ignored InuYasha, and looked past him to Miroku. "Bye, Miroku!" the girl called, and jumped over the edge of the well, disappearing into its depths. Sango was currently visiting her village, and Kagome had told her beforehand that she was returning to the present.

InuYasha ground his teeth together. What does she think she's doing? She belongs here, not there! The hanyou shook his head, and looked at Miroku, who was trying to hide a small grin.

"What's so funny, monk?" he demanded, turning burning eyes on the purple-robed Miroku.

"Nothing in particular. Though it is rather funny that you try to keep her from going home when all she has to do is 'sit' you and then you can't stop her," Miroku informed him wisely, letting the smile cross his face briefly.

"You think it's funny? I'll show you what's funny!"

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Kagome exhaled deeply, climbing out of the well. She stood there for a moment in the familiar shrine, and closed her eyes, breathing in the faintly musty air of the place. Opening them after about two long minutes, she looked around, taking in everything she had missed so much when she was in the feudal age. The dusty timber supporting the roof creaked softly as she pushed open the sliding doors to outside. The sight of her home filled her with the overwhelming desire to see her family again, and she shut the shrine doors, then launched herself across the yard and into the house.

"Mom! Grandpa! Souta! I'm home!" Kagome's clear voice rang through the building, and a wide grin split her face. It was good to be home. Her mother appeared from the kitchen, and smiled warmly at her daughter.

"Kagome! I've missed you," the woman wrapped her arms around Kagome, pulling her into a tight hug. Finally she let her daughter go, and held her at arm's length away, looking at her pale, beautiful face. She would always be beautiful. Perhaps it was just a mother's instinct that ordered her to believe Kagome was beautiful – but it was so very true. The teenage girl's high cheekbones and large, soulful brown eyes made her mother believe that she was perfection.

"Missed you too, Mom," Kagome murmured, and smiled brightly at her mother. "I probably smell so bad! I'm going to go have a bath, okay?" She gave her mom one more hug, then disappeared up the stairs and threw her backpack carelessly into her room before entering the bathroom. She closed the door behind her, and locked it, then looked at herself in the mirror. Deepest black hair framed her face, cascading down over her shoulders and to her waist. My hair's sure grown since I started going back to the past. The thought nudged itself into Kagome's mind, and she smiled at her reflection, and then turned to the bathtub, turning the taps all the way up. Watching the water crash down into the ivory coloured basin that happened to be the tub, she smiled, already loving being home. If InuYasha stayed away, it would be just perfect. It wasn't likely, but she could hope.

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A long while later, Kagome emerged from the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head like a turban, and another wrapped around her body. She was humming cheerily to herself as she walked down the hall to her room, and there was a distinctly self-satisfied note to it. She paused for a moment in the doorway, then shut the door and got dressed in a knee-length dark blue skirt and a cream coloured sweater. Coming out in a couple of minutes, she headed downstairs again, and stretched her arms.

"Hey Mom, where's Grandpa?" Kagome asked, cocking her head to one side. She could see her mother was about to answer when the sound of her grandfather's voice sounded beside her. "Grandpa!" she exclaimed, and bent slightly to embrace her grandpa in a tight hug. Releasing him again, she smiled cheerfully. This had to be one of the best days of her life. Free of InuYasha, free of looking for jewel shards, she had every intention of simply relaxing all day, then staying for a week or two to rid herself of the irritating hanyou.

"Missed you too, Kagome," the slightly creaky, rusted voice of her grandfather spoke, and he smiled, eyes crinkling at the corners with affection for his granddaughter. She was almost a foot taller than he was, but it didn't bother the old man.

"I take it Souta's in school. Buyo must be wandering around, huh?"

"Yes, he is," Kagome's mother smiled, then turned from the counter and gave the time-traveling girl a small plate of cookies with a biscuit on it as well. "Here you are, Kagome."

"Oh, wow! Thanks a bunch, Mom!" Kagome exclaimed, smiling, and took the plate, then looked at her family. "Well, I'm off. See you later," she announced, vanishing down the hall and into the living room. Setting the plate down on the small coffee table they had set up, she dropped down onto the tatami mat, and crossed her legs, taking a cookie and flicking the TV on with the remote. At the moment, all she wanted to do was kick back and enjoy the present and its conveniences. Flicking through the various television channels, she frowned, munching on the cookie. There isn't even anything good on. Oh well…I suppose I'll just go call Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi and see what I've missed in school. Again.

This she did, dialing first Eri's number into the phone. The peppy, enthusiastic voice of her friend assaulted her ears as soon as she said her name.

"Kagome! Hey!"

"Hi, Eri. What did I-" she was cut off by Eri's next statement.

"How's it going with your boyfriend?"

"Oh…um…well, pretty good, I guess," Kagome smiled at her friend's enthusiasm, but wondered what she was going to have to say next – about school, Hojo, InuYasha. There was such a bombardment of questions that she laughed. "Woah, Eri, slow down! Can I borrow your notes again, by the way? And are there any tests coming up?"

Eri told her everything, and agreed to lend her the notes. It really had been an enjoyable conversation – but Kagome had forgotten about school while she was with InuYasha and the others. Now she was going to fail for sure! Naturally there were two tests coming up – algebra and history. Neither of which she had studied for!

Then there was a suspicious knocking on the glass of her window, and Kagome looked up. There was an all-too-familiar shape crouched there, staring at her intently.

InuYasha.

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I hope you all liked the chapter! Sorry it sucks, but it's hard setting up the first couple of chapters, I find. Anyway, this story has potential to become pretty good.

Shadows